Updated: 17 Sep 2020
Vietnamese Coffee From Beginning
Coffee is a special part of daily Vietnamese life. Vietnam is the second-largest coffee provider in the world. The French brought coffee to Vietnam from the 19th century, and after the Vietnam War, the government instituted a massive coffee production program. By the 1990's the country’s coffee production started and today Vietnam is producing over 1.73 million tons of coffee a year for domestic use and export. Vietnam is the world's second largest exporter of coffee, but the coffee is almost always Robusta (raw or Canephora), which is primarily grown in Vietnam. Robusta is almost twice as strong caffeine wise, with a thick lingering taste and higher acidity. The strong taste, a thicker brew and a few over-roasted beans makes for a different, distinctive taste of Vietnamese coffee.
What makes Vietnamese coffee special?
The preparation process, as well as the blend of beans, helps give Vietnamese coffee its particular style.
Vietnamese Coffee Filter
The traditional way of making a Vietnamese coffee is by using a special Vietnamese coffee filter, called a phin. It’s a cheap and flimsy contraption made of aluminium, easily found at most Asian grocery stores, but I have also seen more fancy and upmarket stainless steel versions sold in some specialty stores.
French Press
A good alternative is a French press, also called a plunger or cafetière. With this method, ground coffee is brewed in hot water before being filtered through the press or plunger (hence, the name). The coffee produced using a French press is not dissimilar in taste to that of a Vietnamese coffee filter, and the advantage is that you can make a larger quantity of coffee, depending on the size of your French press.
Stove-Top Coffee Pots
The same can also be said for stove-top coffee pots which generally produce very good strong espresso.
The location/ climate is the different in taste.
Most of the Vietnamese coffee bean plantations are located in the area of Da Lat, nicely nicknamed 'Europe of Vietnam' because of its fresher climate and hilly landscape. Most of the tea, coffee and even the flowers sold across the country are originally grown there in the south.
Discover Vietnamese coffee type
In Vietnam, coffee has long overtaken its nature of simple drink. Below are some of the most famous recipes you can try while traveling across the country. Far from being fancy, it is common to find many of them in most traditional coffee places in any corners.
Coffee with milk (ca phe nau or ca phe sua)
Most people drink the dark, strong brew with sweetened condensed milk, a practice that began because the French couldn't easily acquire fresh milk. Up to this day, fresh milk is not a common ingredient found in traditional coffee shops. You could ask but shouldn’t count on it. In the north of Vietnam, the mixture of black coffee and sweetened condensed milk is referred to as ca phe nau (brown coffee), while in the south it’s called ca phe sua (milk coffee). While it is mostly served cold with ice, you can also order it hot.
Vietnamese Coffee With Milk
Yoghurt coffee (sua chua ca phe)
Like coffee, yoghurt was originally brought to Vietnam by the French and has been adopted into local culinary tradition. Rich and creamy, it’s served with various toppings, from fresh mango to fermented rice – and even coffee. This might sound like an odd combination, but the rich yoghurt pairs amazingly well with a drizzle of black coffee – just stir and sip.
Egg coffee (ca phe trung) - For details, you can read our post.
Egg yolk whipped with condensed milk into an airy froth meets dark coffee in this rich concoction: think of it as a Vietnamese take on tiramisu. A Hanoi invention, egg coffee first made the scene in the 1940s, when milk was scarce and egg yolks provided a convenient replacement. Café Giang in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, where it was invented, still serves the egg coffee but other places now offer their own recipe - sometimes even bettering the original!
Hanoi Egg Coffee
Coconut coffee (ca phe cot dua)
It is unsure whether this is a traditional recipe or if it was invented by the Cong Caphe chain of boho coffee shops. What is certain however is that it's become a favourite among the trendy Vietnamese youth in the past couple of years. Black coffee with a tear of condensed milk is mixed with coconut milk and blended with ice in a sort of shake. A more regular version served in some local shops presents a base of ca phe nau (brown coffee) mixed with coconut milk and fresh milk.
Coffee smoothie (sinh to ca phe)
In recent years, coffee has even found its way into smoothies. Popular juice shops perk up creamy blends of fresh fruit with a touch of Vietnamese coffee, sometimes tossing in yoghurt or cashews. In Hanoi, try sinh to ca phe chuoi bo (coffee blended with banana and avocado). In Ho Chi Minh, go for sinh to ca phe sapoche (coffee blended with sapodilla, a tropical fruit with a custard-like taste). Both are delicious ways to get your caffeine fix and your vitamins at the same time.
Where to drink the best Vietnamese coffee
Hanoi remains the undisputed centre of cafe culture in Vietnam. While modern-style coffee shops have grown in popularity, traditional sidewalk cafes still fill up from morning to night with drinkers of all ages, who linger for hours over a single glass. However, you can find quality coffee all over Vietnam. Singling out only a few places does not do justice to the extensive Vietnamese cafe culture, but below are some addresses that remain landmarks in the two main cities Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh.
Vietnam Coffee Stores in Hanoi
For the local experience: Trieu Viet Vuong Street
Known as ‘Coffee Street’, this stretch of Hanoi’s historic Hai Ba Trung District might contain more cafes per block than anywhere else in Vietnam, ranging from family-run shops to more fashionable places popular with teenagers. Hanoian favourite Cafe Tho (117 Trieu Viet Vuong), which has been here for three decades, brews a powerful cup that still draws consistent crowds.
For quick dessertin Hanoi Old Quarter: Cafe Giang
No trip to Hanoi is complete without a taste of egg coffee at the place it was invented. Cafe Giang (39 Nguyen Huu Huan), on the edge of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, was the first to begin whipping up this drink/dessert in the 1940s. Since then the atmosphere has changed as little as the recipe. While the tiny stools here might not be the most comfortable, the drink itself is top notch. Those who don’t drink coffee can sample the egg foam with sweetened mung beans or cocoa.
For the Old Quarter view: Cafe Pho Co
Accessed via an entrance concealed in the back of a shop, a spiral staircase leads up to Hanoi’s Cafe Pho Co and a stunning view of Hoan Kiem Lake. From the quiet balcony overlooking the lake and surrounding streets, you can enjoy a coffee while watching the seemingly never-ending stream of traffic pass by.
Vietnam Coffee Stores in Ho Chi Minh City
For a blast from the past: Cafe La Tamia
A retro cafe in Ho Chi Minh City, La Tamia (38/05 Tran Khac Chan) offers visitors a glimpse into old Saigon. Relax on a vintage sofa or browse the cafe owner’s collection of antique TVs and gramophones while enjoying your iced coffee.