ChumChum Grocery: Cute Curiosities and Mandatory Orders

Looking for a unique café nearby, I stumbled upon ChumChum Grocery. I suspected my nieces would like this spot for a little “time-killing,” and the mandatory one drink or dessert per person rule immediately caught my attention—a definite sign they mean business.

We climbed up two flights of stairs and found the place relatively quiet. We immediately made a slight blunder: missing the rule to order at the counter first, we claimed the largest table before heading to the counter. Luckily, it was a slow weekday around 1 PM, and the staff were gracious, allowing us to leave our bags and proceed with our order—one drink each.

The Rules of the Cute Kingdom

It quickly became clear why the café enforces its rules: one order per customer (drink or dessert) for dine-in/photos, and no commercial photography without permission. Given the small space and the fact that every other customer was taking plenty of photos—we even encountered a flashlight flashing away at one corner, dedicated to the multiple poses for that single shot—the mandatory order makes perfect sense. It’s simply polite to support a business you’re using for a photoshoot or a long rest.

The café itself is a mumbo-jumbo of quirky items—a dense collection of collectibles (some not for sale) and merchandise. Some were familiar, others required a quick guess about the movie or Disney franchise they belonged to. Since we aren’t serious collectors, the items were mostly “ooh-ahh” novelties, but the constant stream of customers posing with the décor and using the photobooth proves it’s a collector’s heaven. In fact, reading about the owner’s Walt Disney watch reminded me of Tom Hanks’ character, Robert Langdon, and his Mickey Mouse watch in The Da Vinci Code.

The Verdict: Drinks and Dessert

We were at the café for a good two hours, and customers trickled in steadily—a nice pace for a weekday afternoon. While the space is on the smaller side and felt a bit warm for me (though my nieces were fine), it wasn’t uncomfortably busy.

Our drinks—two hot Americanos (100 baht) and a hot chocolate (95 baht)—were decent. My niece liked her hot chocolate, saying it tasted very old-school. Their signature drinks and their special spot pudding are undeniably pretty and clearly designed for Instagram.

We also ordered the banoffee (140 baht). The banoffee is a signature here, and seeing the staff making it fresh gives me confidence, as some other cafes might not. They noted they offer customizable banoffee options if ordered five days in advance via Line.

Despite the initial confusion over seating, the staff were friendly, and English is spoken, with an English menu available. I’ve read Google reviews complaining about the minimum order, but I honestly believe it’s fair—if I were running a small, highly decorated business like this, I’d enforce the same rule. One review from a tourist complained about their group of three not being allowed to help take a photo when only one person had ordered a drink. My advice? They sell 20 baht stickers; just grab some! If you’re not buying merchandise, the other two could simply wait outside. It’s a matter of one body versus three occupying small shop space, especially since the place is primarily a photospot. Be respectful, and you’ll bring a good name to tourists.

ChumChum Grocery Rules & Details:

Key Rules:

• Mandatory Order: 1 person = 1 order (drink/cake) for photos/dine-in. No commercial photography without permission.
• Order First: Please order at the counter and wait to be seated.
• No outside food or drink.
• Please respect “Do Not Touch” signs and decorations.

Location & Access:

• Address: 2nd floor, Unform Building, Pridi Banomyong 31, Bangkok.
• Nearest BTS: Ekkamai/Phra Khanong, and continue with other mode of transportation.
• Phone: 065 314 3537
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Chumchum-Grocery-100084994505221/

Operating Hours:

• Mon-Fri: 11 am – 5 pm
• Sat-Sun: 10:30 am – 5 pm
• Closed: Wednesdays

Parking:

• Do not park at neighbors’ areas (fine 1,000 baht).
• Parking is available at Best Beef Sukhumvit 71 (minimum spend of 50 baht on drink/cake required; photobooth is not included).

I wouldn’t mind coming back again if we’re in the vicinity and need a cute spot for a short hang-out. Have you been to ChumChum Grocery? What’s the strangest collectible you noticed?