Near the Kachin Baptist Church in Sanchaung is The Plant House, a cute and reasonably priced café that has been kept busy since opening its doors a few months ago.
In what is basically a converted living room, the owners have carpeted the floor with fake grass and decorated the sidewall with a slightly kitsch plastic ‘jungle flower’ wallpaper.
Customers sit cross-legged on the floor at one of two tables, or on a long bench that runs past three tables, which sport flower pots. The entrance—also adorned in pots—has a small seating space too.
The owners have even found space for a stand of local produce—May Myo drip coffee; essential oils; soy candles; Tree Food fruit snacks, and coffee scrub that promises to give your skin a much-needed caffeine boost.
This relentless use of space is echoed in the clammy (but seemingly hygienic) kitchen, where frantic cooking invites a ‘we invited too many guests’ vibe. It also has a small adjoining toilet.
The friendly team brings out complimentary herbal tea and offers a range of hot coffee (cuppa’ their signature is 1,000 kyats, Americano 2,200 kyats, espresso 1,500 kyats) and iced coffee (from 2,000-3,500 kyats). They also have non-caffeine drinks such as soda and tea (their signature tea is 2,000 kyats).
The fact that the cafe is without Wi-Fi probably adds to its social and homely feel, and gives customers the focus to work their way through the economical menu. Toast spread with sugary delights such as Nutella and jam cost between 800-1,500 kyats (there’s also an intriguing apple mayo spread).
Fruit bowls are 2,000 kyats and something more substantial is the Myanmar traditional fare—eggs, rice are about 1,200 kyats, noodle dishes are 2,000 kyats and the chickpea or chicken curries and khaw pote aren’t going to break the bank either.
When we visited the juice of the day was orange and soft 80s ballads serenaded the mix of local and expat clientele. Plant House is a cheery meeting place that has the potential to become a subtle Sanchaung fixture.
Address: Nyaung Tone St, Sanchaung Tsp, Yangon
Opening hours: 9am-9pm, closed Mondays
Telephone: 09 798 883355
