Vietnam has many wonders, but one that needs to be talked about more is its coffee culture.
Vietnamese Coffee
What makes coffee from Vietnam different from coffee anywhere else? The vast majority comes from the robusta species which is generally stronger, nuttier, and darker than that made from arabica, the primary variety.
Therefore, traditional Vietnamese coffee is often mixed with condensed milk, the heaviness and sweetness of the milk balancing its stronger notes. This is called Ca Phe Sua Da (Coffee with condensed milk). In the 1940s, when Vietnam was plagued by war, a shortage of milk led Nguyen Van Giang at the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel, to come up with a substitute for the condensed milk. His solution? Whipped egg yolks. This is how Ca Phe Trung (Egg Coffee) was born.
Vietnam also has Salted Coffee Ca Phe Muoi (Salted Coffee), Ca Phe Sua Chua (coffee with Yogurt), and my personal favorite – Ca Phe Dua (Coconut Coffee) – where the cream of coconut brings natural sweetness and fat to the drink, perfect with ice on a hot day.
Hanoi’s Cafes
The city of Hanoi boasts a remarkable coffee culture. Housed in French colonial mansions and heritage buildings, their ambiance matches the quality of their offerings. Here are some of my favorite ones—
Cong Cafe
Cong Caphe is a trademark establishment in Hanoi and, today, has branches around the world, including my current home—Toronto. It can be distinguished by its characteristic green color and has all the traditional coffee types on its menu.
Coffee A
The yellow walls and tiled verandas of Coffee A were perfect for relaxation and people-watching.
Tà tà Cafe
Tà tà Cafe, like many establishments in Hanoi, doesn’t have a direct street entrance. Instead, there are signs you have to follow along narrow tunnels and alleyways to get to the beautiful space in the back. And yes, I made a new kitty friend.
Aha Cafe
Aha Cafe’s ambiance mimics street signs and louvered wooden windows from a bygone era. I enjoyed the balcony space looking out into the busy square.
Loading T Cafe
Loading T cafe was adorned with lush houseplants, from pink bougainvilleas to young banana blossoms. Being hot outside, I ordered some tea with crushed fruit and spice, and it was perfect.
Blackbird Cafe
From the veranda of Loading T cafe, I could see Blackbird on the other side of the street. Aside from traditonal coffee houses, Hanoi had a plethora of modern cafes as well, Blackbird being a prime example. However, it took one glance at the minimalism of the space, same as all other modern cafes in the world, to make me realize I personally preferred the traditional coffee houses in the city, though I appreciated options for different tastes.
Hien Minh Tea
The interior space of this cafe was reminiscent of old tea-houses found in historic movies and TV shows. And yes, from underneath the floor-table came out another kitty who strutted around as if it owned the place.
I decided to have the lotus tea. The tea leaves were marinated in lotus stamen and wrapped up in petals. The teamaker, after extracting the tea into the teapot, placed the lotus petals around it in a beautiful arrangement.
The outer patio was stunning as well, with an ancient banyan tree growing through the walls, making it feel like a jungle.
Overall, I had an amazing time in this city. I hope you enjoyed my favorite cafes and this piqued your interest in Vietnamese coffee culture.
Ca Phe Sua Da and Ca Phe Dua are our favorites. We bought Cà Phê Chồn/civet cat or weasel coffee beans to take home but after learning how these poor creatures are treated to produce this kind of coffee we stopped buying it. (There are versions of that here in the Philippines and other SE Asian countries.)
Ouch. Oh yeah, I didn’t buy those, but good to know.
Vietnam’s coffee culture sounds fascinating. I’d love to experience it firsthand, especially in the charming cafes you featured. Thanks for sharing!