Last updated on October 12, 2026
What this place, which is tucked away down a side street in quaint little Melaka, does really well is its coffee, ice-blended drinks, cakes, great atmosphere and friendly service. This makes it a great place to grab a drink and chill out without feeling rushed or uncomfortable.
As someone who likes to take their laptop to a coffee shop and get a little work done whilst sipping on a coffee (much to the chagrin of many a coffee shop worker), I love to find non-chain cafes with friendly staff and a comfy atmosphere, and that is exactly what Calanthe Art Cafe brings to the table.
I have eaten here a couple of times. Once for their set lunch menu of a drink, plate of nasi lemak and a brownie for only RM10 ($3) and once in the evening when I tried their “special of the day”: assam pedas fish and rice.
The laksa here was one of the best we tasted during our whole time in Melaka, which was surprising considering how much choice of this popular dish there is in the town. The soup was wonderfully spicy and creamy and it didn’t contain cockles, which I’m not a big fan of.
Aside from this, our main reason from visiting Calanthe was to cool down with a nice iced tea or coffee.
Oh, and maybe also for the music – a mix of Latin-inspired popular songs and Rat Pack crooning: what more could you want?!
If you follow in our foodsteps:
- Calanthe Art Cafe (also known as 13 States Coffee) is closed all day Thursday.
- They open at 12pm every day, although they do serve breakfast from 8.30am – 11.30am on Saturday and Sunday. Be aware that lunch still isn’t available until 12pm on those days, so I’m not sure what you do in that half hour transition period? Twiddle your thumbs maybe. Or just order coffee.
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