Cannella Caffe Open 8 am - 8 pm Closed on Monday Tel. 087-301 9519

Opened just a few months ago, this wonderful little Italian cake shop was born out of the Italian owner's desire to eat genuine Italian cakes and cookies, which she had previously found impossible to obtain. All the items are made using family recipes and fresh organic ingredients whenever possible, such as honey from the mountains and sugarcane instead of refined sugars. None of the cakes are cut before being served, in order to maintain their freshness and to limit the amount of packaging used.

Already a hit with health-conscious locals who have at last found somewhere to enjoy traditionally-made Italian cakes and cookies, risk-free for those with food allergies and intolerances. Examples of some of the tasty treats include the Almond and Yoghurt Cake, highly popular with Thai locals, Butter Cookies, Coffee Mousse, and of course Tiramisu. The menu is surprisingly extensive and chocolate lovers will not be disappointed by the chocolate truffles and soft chocolate cake. Fruit shakes here can come with an optional serving of fresh aloe vera, excellent for the body and skin, and there are also plenty of coffee drinks, organic herbal infusions from Italy, and a variety of teas, like African spiced perfumed tea.

Open from 8 am until 8 pm, the idyllic Cannella Caffe is located in the heart of the old city on Singharat Road Soi 4 and offers free wifi internet to its customers; so if you are in the area and want to sample some authentic Italian desserts and cookies, consult the fold up map and head on over.

Memorize @ Nimman 36 Soi 12 Nimmanhaeminda Rd., T. Suthep, A. Muang (at the entrance of Nimmanhaeminda Rd. Soi 12) Tel. 053-400 746 Open daily 11.00 am - 11.0 pm

A very recent addition to Nimmanheaminda Road, one of the trendiest areas in Chiang Mai, Memorize @ Nimman is a contemporary style restaurant serving Thai and international fare in a vibrantly styled luxury interior set on two floors. Suitable for a comfortable dinner with the family, or as a hangout to enjoy traditional and unique cocktails with friends after work such as the Memorize, a house specialty combining a Mai Tai and Margareta with secret ingredients to form a violet liquid matching the distinctive colouring of the restaurant's facade.

The menu is an interesting mix of traditional and fusion-style Thai food, some classic and original Japanese fare and Italian cuisine, and all dishes are made to order from scratch using fresh ingredients. Numerous starters will tempt diners, but the Gratong Tong, or golden bowl, is a dish made up of small golden shells filled with tuna salad, which is a nice variation from the norm of minced pork. Pineapple rice: a mix of chicken, cashew nuts and pineapple garnished with dried pork and served in a pineapple half is a Thai main dish that would follow this starter perfectly; alternatively the Masako hamburger, an original Japanese recipe with the pate made of pork and beef served with a special sauce. Another unique dish is courtesy of the owner's mother, and is called mama's stuffed noodles - a noodle wrap filled with bean sprouts, tofu and pork, topped with deep fried garlic .

Frozen cocktails are already popular with early evening clientele, and it seems these perfectly blended drinks are representative of the wonderful mix of food, drinks and decor that can be enjoyed here.