Vientiane and the northwest - The Rough Guide to Laos - page 120

Baràvin Samsenthai Rd 021 217700; map . A well-stocked wine shop in the centre of town,
with a good selection of vintages from France, the New World and beyond. There's also a
little bar at the front of the shop for trying some of the wines. Daily 8am-8pm.
Home Ideal Heng Boun Rd; map . Central supermarket with a wide selection of cosmetics,
food, wine and beer, as well as toys and stationery. Prices here are lower than at most of Vi-
entiane's minimarkets. Daily 9am-10pm.
Phimphone Minimart Setthathilat Rd; map . One of the more expensive places to stock
up, Phimphone has a selection of cheeses, wine, imported beer and chocolate, as well as
American and British products you won't be able to find elsewhere in Laos. There's another
branch on the corner of Samsenthai and Chantha Koumane roads. Mon-Sat 8am-9pm; Sun
10am-6pm.
BAKERIES AND CAFÉS
The legacy of the French is most deliciously apparent in the range of cafés and bakeries that
crop up all over town. The coffee served at these places varies, with some offering Lao cof-
fee and some using imported beans. At a good café on Setthathilat Road you'll pay around
25,000K for a breakfast special such as coffee and a couple of croissants.
Antique Café Upstairs at Indochina's Handicrafts on Setthathilat Rd 021 223528; map .
Above an antique shop, this tiny “café” has space for just four or five customers at a time.
With cuckoo clocks, medals and paintings cluttering the walls, it's an atmospheric spot for an
iced Lao coffee (20,000K). Daily 8.30am-10.30pm.
Common Grounds Chao Anou Rd 021 255057, facebook.com/commongroundslaos ;
map . Little ones love this modern café, which has a children's menu and an enclosed play
area out the back. Adults rate the place too: for its tempting cookies and cakes (from 7000K)
and the healthy wraps (from 32,000K). Mon-Sat 7am-8pm.
JoMaBakery Setthathilat Rd, just west of Nam Phou 021 215265, joma.biz ; map . This
Canadian-owned café is Vientiane's answer to the big Western coffee chains - right down to
the free wi-fi - and its decent breakfasts (from 27,000K) will set you up nicely for a day of
tramping around town. The salads are good too, if a little pricey. There are two other branches
in town, plus another in Luang Prabang. Daily 7am-9pm.
Karma Café COPE Visitor Centre , Khou Vieng Rd, around 1km east of the Talat Sao bus
station and roughly opposite Green Park Boutique Hotel ; map . A simple, thatched-roof café
just outside the main exhibition, doing a good line in Lao coffee and home-made ice cream
(10,000K). Profits go towards helping victims of UXO. Daily 8am-6pm.
The Little House Midway along Manthatoulat Rd 020 5540 6036,
[e-mail] ; map . It's hard to spot this cute, Japanese-run coffee house, but your
effort will be rewarded with sublime Lao coffee from the Bolaven Plateau (from 19,000K).