From Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City and everywhere in between, coffee has become one of Vietnam’s signature delicacies, underpinned by vast international demand (Vietnam trails only Brazil in coffee production) and a local cafe culture so rich that almost every ingredient under the sun has, at one point or another, been coupled with the drink by some inventive Vietnamese barista. Today, it is our great pleasure to introduce you to some of the most distinguished pairs who have tied the knot and the best places to enjoy them.
Milk coffee: Vietnam’s answer to the latte, cà phê sữa may be the country’s most popular cup (indeed, it is more common to specify that one wishes it black than the reverse). Invented during the First Indochinese War in response to milk shortages, a layer of condensed milk is added to the bottom of the cup and the coffee is poured over it. Even after fresh milk became readily available again, this blockbuster’s popularity never waned, its strong and sweet flavour offsetting the bitterness of the robusta beans. Milk coffee is available in every café, both hot and cold, making competition for the best one tough.
For visitors to Saigon, we recommend Café Saigon Retro. A faithful reconstruction of the aesthetics of mid-century Vietnam, this cosy space feels like an echo (and taste!) of the time the milk coffee was invented.
For visitors to Hanoi, an excellent milk coffee is served at the The Note Coffee. The surroundings here are almost as sweet as the coffee itself as the walls are decorated with post-it notes written by their customers.
Egg coffee: If decadence is required, look no further. Hanoi’s signature recipe was invented by Mr. Nguyen Van Giang in the Sofitel Legend hotel in 1946 as a variation of cappuccino, Vietnamese-style. This remarkable drink sees coffee, egg yolk, sugar, and condensed milk performing a ballet that is both invigorating and intoxicating. Best enjoyed hot, cà phê trứng is a true indulgence for the bon vivants of this world and not to be missed by anyone with even a passing love of java.
If you seek egg coffee in Hanoi, we have two recommendations: Café Giang and Café Dinh. The two cafes were set up by the son and daughter of the great inventor, respectively, and claim to be the legitimate heirs of the recipe. The truth may never be found out, but the egg coffees at both are excellent – rich, creamy, and sumptuous. For the adventurous, Café Giang has innovated further on the concept of egg drinks, offering an egg beer.
Egg coffee is not as popular in Saigon as in Hanoi but a few baristas keep the northern recipe alive down south yet. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the best egg coffee café honours its origins: Goc Ha Noi. A little spot perched above the hustle and bustle of Saigon’s busiest tourist zone, Goc Ha Noi is a place of peace, quiet, and delectation
Coconut coffee: A relative newcomer, cà phê cốt dừa is a fragrant variation of milk coffee, replacing some condensed milk with coconut. The result has proven so popular as a frappé that it is fast conquering not only taste buds but also Instagram posts that show off these majestic coffee cocktails. Akin to a tropical affogato, coconut coffee is best enjoyed over ice, not only to enhance the fresh flavour of the fruit but also to slowly dilute the thick, luscious mixture.
A brew that is particularly popular with younger coffee lovers, coconut coffee has become the signature drink of one of Vietnam’s most popular boutique coffee chains, Cong Ca Phe, and with good reason. Such has been their success that the café has made landfall in Canada and South Korea. However, for the original flavour and feeling, their locales across Vietnam will serve you well.
Weasel coffee: Though more famous in neighbouring Malaysia, weasel coffee (cà phê chồn) is the common name for a type of coffee made from beans that have been snaffled and subsequently digested by civet cats. The coffee is very expensive abroad as the digestive process is said to enhance the flavour by reducing its acidity. Cups of weasel coffee are rarely found outside of some delicacy cafes but adventurous coffee lovers should not be deterred.
In Hanoi, Huong Mai can be counted as one of the most important centres of this unique coffee culture. Not only can you enjoy a cup on the premises, you can even buy some bags to take home with you!
For coffee loving guests in the south of Vietnam, we recommend making the trip to Da Lat to see a coffee plantation where this remarkable coffee is made and as an excuse to take in this beautiful highland city.
Salt coffee: The new kid on the block, salt coffee – or cà phê muối – is a variation on milk coffee that uses salt to add an umami twitch to the overall flavour. The recipe was invented in 2010 by husband and wife Ho Thi Thanh Huong and Tran Nguyen Huu Phong at their café in Hue (which is named after the recipe). Since then, salt coffee has taken Vietnam by storm, appearing not only in cafes but also in instant coffee variations.
For visitors to Hue, salt coffee should be enjoyed at the source: Cà Phê Muối. The café is still run by the inventors and continues to attract the locals who helped make the recipe popular in the first place.
Guests in Saigon can check out the The Workshop café for a high-tech salt coffee experience. A café which takes a meticulous approach to both selecting and preparing its beans, few other spaces offer such a variety of world class cups.
For those strolling the streets of Hanoi, Salt.Mate can help you scratch your salt coffee itch. Not only do they offer a customisable salt coffee, they have even merged Hanoi and Hue’s styles to make their own salt egg coffee!
It is a delightful part of visiting Vietnam that no matter where you go, the coffee is never boring. The list of recipes above is, in fact, but a snapshot of the flavours concocted by the legions of local coffee lovers. Honourable mentions go to some varieties we did not have time to discuss, such as sinh tố bơ cà phê , an avocado smoothie mixed with coffee, and cà phê sữa chua, an iced coffee mixed with tangy sweet yoghurt. At Trails of Indochina, we are always discovering new coffee experiences to bring our guests, but it would be impossible to account for all the variations found in Vietnam. All of which means… that there is plenty left to be discovered…
