The coffee game in Vietnam is wildly good. I knew it was known for its Egg Coffee and that cafes were common and funky, but I didn’t realise how incredibly good coffee in Vietnam was going to be… and how addictive! So, I thought I’d write a (highly subjective) guide to the best coffee in Vietnam – the varieties, the styles, and about the coffee culture in general.
The Vietnamese Coffee Scene
Coffee arrived in Vietnam in the 19th-century during French colonisation. When access to fresh milk proved scarce, locals adopted sweetened condensed milk, something which has now come to define the coffee flavour profile of the country.
Traditional techniques included roasting the beans with butter / oil and sugar to shape the flavour of the Robusta beans; however that technique only survives sparingly amongst small batch producers these days.
Terribly hip cafes are everywhere in Vietnam – and it always seems to be coffee time. Morning, afternoon, late into the evening – sitting in coffee shops with your friends is a Vietnamese institution.
While most cafes use espresso machines nowadays, the personal way is via a small metal filter called a phin, a slow drip filter that sits over the top of your coffee cup.
Expect it strong – sometimes nearly twice as caffeinated as what you might be used to. We drank too many cups the first day and learnt our lesson after that!
The Best Coffee in Vietnam
Salt Coffee (Cà phê muối)
Originating in Huế, salt coffee sounds like something born from a kitchen mistake – until you taste it. A small pinch of salt is added to the creamy topping, which somehow enhances the sweetness and avoids it being too cloying.
The result is strangely addictive: savoury meets sweet, which kinda makes your brain pause mid-sip. Salt coffee is, hands down, my favourite Vietnamese coffee.
It may’ve taken me weeks to discover the joys of salt coffee, had it not been for a little old lady at a cafe opposite the exit to Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum in Hanoi. I asked for an egg coffee and she told me ‘no, you have salt coffee’ – who was I to argue? And I’m so glad she decided for me – because salt coffee became my daily obsession for the 5 weeks we were in Vietnam.
Coconut Iced Coffee
Blended with coconut milk and ice, coconut coffee is the ultimate refresher on a hot and humid day. Crispy sweet and toasted coconut shavings add a textural element, and the whole extravagance of it is so fun and delicious!
Half coffee, half dessert – coconut iced coffee is a treat that really can’t be missed when in Vietnam.
Milk Coffee (Cà phê sữa)
If there is one coffee that defines Vietnam, it might be this one – dark roasted coffee poured over sweet condensed milk and ice.
Ca Phe Sua / Milk Coffee became our regular afternoon drink. One of the most popular coffees in Vietnam, it isn’t as heavy or as rich as salt or egg coffee, and is easily gulped on a hot day. As you can see from the picture below, coffee stops often included bottles of cold water, green tea, with milk coffee chasers!
Highlands Coffee is the Starbucks of Vietnam, and their convenience store canned coffee was our go-to on travel days, because it was easy to pack, and so delicious.
Egg Coffee
If Vietnam is on your bucket list, you’ve probably already heard of egg coffee. This ultra rich hot coffee has a topping which is made from egg yolks, condensed milk and sugar – so basically a custard on top of your coffee!
I found them to be cloyingly sweet, and far too rich for my palate, but they are a speciality coffee you should try at least once. For those with a sweet tooth, and a love of strong Robusta coffee, you’ll be in heaven with this one!
Take an Egg Coffee Making Class to get the techniques of this unique drink right!
Yoghurt Coffee
Yoghurt coffee is a great way to up your protein intake, and is perfect for mornings. Yoghurt is added to iced coffee and condensed milk, for a tangy and creamy drink. It’s the antithesis of egg coffee, light and tart instead of rich. Combine with a skinny breakfast banh mi with paté or pork floss for a delicious breakfast on the go.
Weasel Coffee
Known also as civet coffee, this bizarre product is definitely one to try if you enjoy weird foodie trends. Legend has it that a farmer didn’t want to waste beans that had been eaten and pooped out by weasels, so he washed and roasted the beans anyway; and discovered they tasted better than normal ones!
It turns out that there is a scientific reason for the improved taste, to do with the enzyme from the weasel digestive system, that causes fermentation in the beans. This apparently cuts down on the bitterness and leads to a smoother cup of joe! I found it to have a sweet aroma, similar to caramel or notes of vanilla – it’s tasty if you can forget how it was produced!
While I’m dubious that maybe there are exploitative factors to these fads, but it is a coffee of note in Vietnam.
Pandan or Matcha Coffee
If you’re wanting something a little earthier, and not too sweet, grab yourself a pandan or matcha coffee. Pandan paste or matcha is mixed with milk (iced or hot) for a delightful green coffee!
Pandan is used lots of ways throughout SE Asia – we had pandan custard on donuts in Bangkok, which was wildly good!
The Ubiquitous use of Condensed Milk
One thing that was a revelation to us was the ubiquitous use of condensed milk in coffee in Vietnam. It turns the strong Robusta roast into a balanced and velvety drink, and becomes part of what makes Vietnamese coffee so addictive.
I used condensed milk occasionally to make cakes or desserts, but had never considered it as an addition to coffee. But consider me a convert! There is nothing more delicious than a spoonful of condensed milk, a pinch of salt and some cream frothed and added to a strong afternoon coffee – it is the perfect pick-me-up!
We now keep a stash in our fridge to sweeten up our coffee – bringing a small Vietnamese tradition to our day-to-day lives.
Vietnamese Cafe Culture
Drinking coffee in Vietnam is a social routine – people sit for long periods, talking, working, or watching the street. Rather than being a quick takeaway drink, coffee is commonly treated as an everyday pause in the day. The cafe culture of the country was one of the most memorable things about Vietnam for me.
Mornings began with a walk to a cafe, afternoons were punctuated by a cafe stop pick-me-up, and evenings often ended at cafes to watch the world go by. It is an integral part of life in Vietnam, and I urge you to embrace it!
Don’t like coffee? No problem! There are teas, fresh juices, shakes and smoothies at most cafes we visited.
From old town Hanoi, to modern Da Nang; riverside Hoi An to cosmopolitan Ho Chi Minh City, coffee is a daily ritual that shapes the pace of life in Vietnam.
The food in Vietnam is so incredible – read about 15 AMAZING DISHES YOU MUST TRY!
All photos & content © Hannah Henderson and may not be used without permission (sharing this blog post is fine, though!). Images shot with a Canon DSLR T3i Rebel + Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM; and an iPhone.
