Street stall or artisanal café, Vietnam’s coffee culture offers a selection wide enough to please every visitor and make certain you skip that Starbucks stop. The country’s affinity for coffee began in 1857 after French missionaries introduced the country to the coffee plant and the first coffee plantations were set up over 30 years after.
The French influence remains prominent across Vietnam through the single-cup drip method but has morphed into innumerable variations of flavour combinations and recipes. The most famous is iced coffee sweetened to perfection with condensed milk, but those looking to expand their horizons should explore avenues of egg coffee or salted coffee.
Egg coffee is an airy alternative in which the whisking of egg yolks and condensed milk create a foamy top which cuts through the rich coffee. Salted coffee may stir an initial fright but fear not, as the lightly salted cream offsets any bitterness from the coffee and has a taste not dissimilar to salted caramel.
Whether you’re a Vietnamese coffee fanatic or a newbie, here are the seven best Hanoi cafés to get your coffee fix.
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La Terrasse, Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
La Terrasse within the iconic Sofitel Legend Metropole hotel in Hanoi (Photo: Instagram / @sofitellegendmetropolehanoi)
A spot of people-watching is not to be missed at La Terrasse in the Sofitel Legend Metropole hotel in Hanoi. Its lush outdoor seating is the perfect place to take in the scenery and sip a coffee with coconut milk. The creamy coconut milk adds a rich exotic taste to the robust coffee and is the perfect way to start your vacation.
Tatler tip: While at the historic hotel, check out their corridors lined with photos of famous people who have stayed at the property, from Charlie Chaplin to George Bush.
Address: 15 P. Ngô Quyền, Tràng Tiền, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam
Toka Coffee Stand
Toka Coffee Stand offers a great cup of joe and ample photo-taking opportunities (Photo: Instagram / @tokacoffeestand)
We love Toka Coffee Stand’s takeaway cup as much as the coffee itself (Photo: Instagram / @tokacoffeestand)
Hidden away in an old building, Toka Coffee Stand is a heritage site turned coffee shop. It may appear unassuming at first glance but is an elevated modern coffee stand offering Vietnamese coffee classics and the perfect understated photo background. Choose between its black, brown, white or Toka coffee depending on your flavour preference.
Address: 2 Ngõ 3B Đặng Thái Thân, Phan Chu Trinh, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam
Café Dinh
Look no further than Café Dinh for Hanoi’s best egg coffee. Arrive early for a balcony seat and stunning views of the Hoan Kiem Lake. With coffee smooth as silk, its latte art is inspired and as pretty as the view from the balcony. The café is on the second floor so be sure to glance up as you follow your phone to find it.
Address: 13 P. Đinh Tiên Hoàng, Hàng Trống, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam
The Note Coffee
Leave your mark on Hanoi at The Note Coffee. While it may look like the other small cafés in Hanoi, a step inside reveals four brightly coloured floors plastered wall to wall with handwritten notes from the café’s visitors. Spend an afternoon reading messages from millions of travellers and drinking refreshing iced coconut lattes while hiding from the heat.
Address: 64 P. Lương Văn Can, Hàng Trống, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam
Hanoi Coffee Station
Take part in an egg coffee-making class at Hanoi Coffee Station for an eggcellent time (Photo: Instagram / @hanoicoffeestation)
Not far from the previously mentioned Café Dinh, Hanoi Coffee Station has a traditional interior and extensive brunch menu perfect to snack from after one of its coffee-making classes. You can try your hand at making an egg coffee for yourself using fresh eggs sourced from local farms. Or you can skip the class and just relax with an iced coffee or a chocolate egg coffee.
Address: 44 P. Hàng Bè, Hàng Bạc, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội 11011, Vietnam
Xofa Café & Bistro
For a tranquil setting, Xofa Café & Bistro is the perfect cosy retreat from the busy streets of Hanoi. The beaming fairy lights and shrubbery archway are like a secret garden which welcomes you to sit down and enjoy blue skies, coffee and a croissant. Its coconut coffee is a must-try and comes topped with dried coconut shavings for a toasted crunch.
Address: 14 P. Tống Duy Tân, Hàng Bông, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam
Ca Phe Duy Tri
Ca Phe Duy Tri’s interiors might be humble, but it’s coffee is top-class (Photo: Instagram / @duytri.cafe)
An OG Hanoi café, Ca Phe Duy Tri have been sourcing, roasting and selling coffee for 90 years. If coconut isn’t your style, that’s okay—here at Ca Phe Duy Tri, the baristas specialise in serving coffee with yogurt. They freeze the yoghurt to give it a consistency not far from ice cream, a texture that marries perfectly with the blend of coffee. If you’re a fan of its unique blend, you can buy the beans in bulk at the front of the store to bring a taste of Hanoi home.
Address: 3A P. Yên Phụ, Yên Phụ, Tây Hồ, Hà Nội, Vietnam
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