Introduction
In stark contrast to the majority of countries in Asia and Southeast Asia, Vietnam is very much a coffee country. As one of the Vietnamese we met on our travels said ‘In Vietnam we have coffee morning ‘till night. Coffee shops here close at 9-10 at night.’ Coffee in Vietnam is not just a drink, it’s a way of life.
Locals start drinking coffee at 4-5 am in the morning before work and continue to do so all the way into the night. Then, strangely enough, go straight to bed… which is something we as foreigners find a little strange. Much like in Italy, coffee in Vietnam is a social experience which is very much a part of the Vietnamese identity. Locals enjoy coffee with their friends, family, neighbours which enables them to catch up on the newest happenings of life.
Coffee here is a blend of traditional and original creations. Vietnamese typically brew coffee using a Phin Filter, a legacy of the French, and this forms the basis of all Vietnamese coffee. You would rarely see other brewing methods unless you go to some hippy foreign inspired cafés.
The three popular coffees broadly brewed across the country find their origins in the 3 key regions of the country:
- North – Cà Phê Trứng (Egg Coffee): Originating from Hanoi, raw egg yolk is whisked with cream, condensed milk and layered on top.
- Central – Cà Phê Muối (Salt Coffee): Beginning in Hue, the former imperial capital, the salted foam on top is made with single cream, double cream, condensed milk and a pinch of sea salt.
- South – Cà Phê Cốt Dừa (Coconut Coffee): A refreshing adaptation to cater towards the much hotter climate in the south. This creation is blended with ice, condensed milk, coconut milk and has the texture of a frappé.
This is by no means an exhaustive list and Vietnamese coffee continues to evolve. Salted coffee for example is a relatively new creation invented barely a decade a go.
The coffee shops highlighted in this post were chosen for either their historical significance, unique concoctions or simply delicious cups.
Coffee Beans
This is the key ingredient (pun intended) that sets Vietnamese coffee apart. While most of the western world enjoys Arabica beans and goes to great lengths to seek out the highest quality ones, in Vietnam Robusta beans are king.
Robusta has a more bitter, earthy and nutty flavour. If you enjoy dark chocolate, there’s little chance you will dislike robusta. If bitterness is not to your taste, no need to fret! Sweetened condensed milk is a ubiquitous component of all Vietnamese coffee. Think of Vietnamese coffee as half-coffee and half-dessert. Due to this, you will almost always receive a glass of water or green tea with your coffee.
Caffeine content is another area where the Robusta beans overthrow the Arabica. Whilst Arabica beans typically contain around 1.5%, robusta is closer to 2.7%. This is nearly double. You may not feel it after a morning coffee but if you continue sampling it throughout the day you’ll end up on a caffeine and sugar high!
In this Part 1 of our coffee series, we will take you to three different coffee shops that introduced us to the true coffee scene in Vietnam.
Café Bánh Mì 59 – Hanoi
Yes, you read that right, we’re starting this list with a Bánh Mì shop! Coffee is integral to meals in Vietnam. And what better way to start your morning than with a Bánh Mì or Bún Bò and an unpretentious cup of Vietnamese Black Coffee. As the locals do.
Order it ‘no sugar’ to experience the true medium-to-dark roast of the robusta beans and feel the darkness straight down your throat, seeping into your soul.
Oh, and did I mention they make THE best Chicken Bánh Mì we had in Vietnam? Give this place a try if you’re in the Old Quarter!
Name: Bánh mì 59b Cửa Nam
IG: N/A
Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/JE8XcvX3df5Zyv7y5
Cafe Giảng – Hanoi
The birthplace of Cà Phê Trứng (Egg Coffee). Allegedly invented in 1946 by Mr. Nguyen Van Giang, the father of the current owner, it was brought to life due to milk shortages during the French War. Mr. Giang whisked egg yolks to create a foam similar to milk foam.
I’ll be honest, this place is as much a coffee shop as it is a pilgrimage place for coffee lovers across the world. Located in the Old Quarter in a typical Vietnamese narrow house, the café is fairly large. But it does not come close to being able to handle the amount of tourists coming in. So bear this in mind and come with patience and an expectation to bump elbows with other customers.
The Egg Coffee itself was rather unique. The egg foam was yellower and yolk-ier than usual. It was sweet and still had a rather strong eggy flavour to it. Most places mask this eggy flavour with a dash of vanilla extract or caramel. But here it was very much front and centre of the drink.
They also have some original drinks such as the Egg Matcha which you can see at the front in the image.
Personally, we did not enjoy it as much as other egg coffees we’ve had over the course of 5 weeks in Vietnam. Do we regret going? Absolutely not!
Name: Cafe Giảng
IG: https://www.instagram.com/cafegiang/?hl=en
Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/JsAZD1ab4kvT4u7g6
Phin Cu Coffee – Da Nang
Phin Cu in Da Nang takes you on a journey from the traditional Vietnamese coffee, to its modern incarnations and influences from abroad.
We sat down on the first floor, overlooking the patio area. Immediately got joined by one friendly but scrawny cat begging for food. No food was shared with him during our visit there since that would lead to developing bad habits!
Once our coffee arrived I was immediately surprised by two things.
First was the amount of coffee – a small layer of thick coffee sitting on an equally thick layer of condensed milk. This is a rather northern style of filter coffee, whilst its southern counterpart is a significantly longer brew.
Second was the frozen coffee cubes. This is the first time I saw coffee like this served in Vietnam and it was reminiscent of our time in Taiwan. You can read our Coffee in Taiwan here.
Sampling this combination was a unique experience. The thick traditional northern style brew brought an element of familiarity… and extreme sweetness. Once melted, the coffee cubes added some much needed freshness and satiated some of the thirst generated by the condensed milk.
IG: Phin Cu Cafe
Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/2wTXtTvxetV8SGJ99
TAN. corner Coffee Shop – Hue
TAN is a small outlier on our coffee journey. It’s a small chain coming from Hué with 4-5 locations in Huế and an additional branch in neighbouring Da Nang.
We visited this place three times during our one week in Huế. The large premises, upstairs seating, quiet atmosphere and good WiFi provides the ideal environment to get some work done. But don’t visit on a weekend at lunch time as it feels like the whole town is here!
They have a pretty comprehensive menu and we tried all their coffees. Everything was delicious. Our absolute favourite was the Salt Coffee. They serve the coffee with the usual salty milk foam on top. However, what I love about TAN is that they serve the ice separately so you can add as much as you want. It’s a refreshing sight as we noticed most places fill the glass with ice, add a drop of coffee and top it with the milk foam… and you’ll be done drinking it in 2 sips. But not at TAN!
A special mention to their Corn Coffee which tasted delicious! Had very different expectations and I was surprised when it arrived with three popcorns in it. But it tasted great! Sweet caramel syrup with a hint of popcorn.
Price-wise it’s probably the most expensive coffee we’ve had in Vietnam. But the relaxing atmosphere and ability to get work done makes up for it. Friendly staff as well.
When in Hue, we frequented tan. 25 Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai.
Name: TAN. corner Coffee Shop
IG: tan.
Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Z81HSHHsXAFzW7nj6
Không Gian Hoài Cổ Coffee – Hue
Không Gian Hoài Cổ is a very large establishment located around 5 minutes walk from the Imperial City’s east exit. When we got there it felt a bit eerie as the place could easily seat 60 people. Yet we were the only customers with three friendly staff to keep us company.
We stopped here to try a slightly more original take on traditional Vietnamese coffee. Cà Phê Côm Gùng, or ginger coffee!
First impression was an overpowering taste of ginger, sweet with a hint of coffee. After thoroughly mixing the ingredients and adding ice cubes, give it a minute or two for the flavours to settle in. It will taste more balanced and it’s quite an enjoyable coffee with a strong ginger flavour from the fresh ginger.
Definitely a flavour worth trying, especially considering the very affordable coffee prices in Vietnam.
Name: Không Gian Hoài Cổ
IG: N/A
Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/TtcHp7zcA4HBbuno9
Cà Phê Muối – Hue
Allegedly Ca ̀ Phê Muô ́i is the origin place of… You guessed it… Cà Phê Muối (literally translates to Salted Coffee).
Nice, quiet atmosphere perfect to soak in the salty & sweet flavour of Vietnamese filter coffee after a long day of walking around the Imperial City.
Surprisingly the Salted Coffee here is a lot more flavourful. You can taste the earthy bitterness of the robusta coffee. This is due to the lower amount of condensed milk used so the sugar doesn’t overpower the coffee.
Another key difference is the frothier texture of the milk foam. Typically, salt coffee is made with single cream, double cream, condensed milk and a little bit of fresh milk which are whisked together with a milk frother. I suspect they are using more fresh milk than other places since the texture of the foam is closer to cappuccino.
Definitely worth a visit, the café is located 2-3 minutes walk from the northern exit gate of the Imperial City.
Name: Ca ̀ Phê Muô ́i
IG: N/A
Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/krLQncjHB22vYSoe6
Awaken Danang Hotel – Da Nang
I never thought I’d find myself writing a review about a hotel coffee. But after crossing half of Vietnam from Hanoi all the way to Da Nang, this is THE best coconut coffee we have had.
We stayed at Awaken for over a week and absolutely loved the place, but that’s for another article. The café is on the ground floor a couple of steps away from reception.
The Coconut Coffee here likely strikes the best balance between condensed, coconut and fresh milk. Which leads to a surprisingly refreshing result. The toasted coconut flakes which decorate the glass add an extra texture to the whole experience. Delightful!
Name: Awaken Danang Hotel
IG: Awaken Danang
Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/XPunyFdzMXq9CVHv6
NAM house Cafe – Da Nang
Nam house is tucked away on a side street close to the town center. Stepping in feels like stepping back in time. The place gives off retro vibes which are accentuated by the leather jackets, 1960s radios and wooden furniture. The electrical wiring is on full display throughout the store which gives it a cool, almost steampunk, vibe.
As we do, we thoroughly explored both floors. We chose an ‘auspicious’ spot to soak in the atmosphere and enjoy their version of Salt Coffee. As an extra treat we also sampled the Peanut Coffee.
The salt coffee was… sweet… overly so. They must have used a significant amount of caramel syrup as that was the only thing I could taste! The peanut coffee on the other hand was similar to a cappuccino with a healthy dose of creamy peanut butter and condensed milk. Delish!
NAM is most definitely one of the most unique cafés we visited from an aesthetic point of view. Just please avoid the salt coffee if you drop by – unless you prefer a sweet caramel-ly cup.
Name: NAM house Cafe
IG: nam_house_cafe
Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/p4p77y9X4Xu31hSK7
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