10 Essential Vietnamese Coffee Drinks to Taste in Saigon

A Nationwide Coffee Culture

Vietnam’s impact on global coffee habits goes far beyond raw exports. From rural villages to urban centers like Ho Chi Minh City, the culture is vibrant. Locals still call the city Saigon. Coffee drinking is an all-day activity. People sit on plastic stools in old family-run shops. They chat for hours, often staying up late into the night. Modern cafes are also becoming increasingly popular.

Regional Variations and History

Hanoi, the northern capital, created silky café trứng. This drink uses whipped egg yolks and sugar. In central Vietnam, the former imperial capital of Huế redefined local coffee. They temper the bitter taste with salt. Saigon’s historic Chinese immigrant community also left a lasting mark. They popularized vợt café. This method brewed coffee through a cloth sock filter. It was once common but survives only in a few old-school shops today. Recently, third- and fourth-generation roasters have expanded the definition of Vietnamese coffee again.

Modern Chains and Classics

David Thái, a Vietnamese American entrepreneur, founded Highlands Coffee. The brand brought this daily ritual into modern chains. It kept the drink’s distinct local character. The coffee is unapologetically strong and dark. Condensed milk rounds out the robusta bitterness without hiding it. With hundreds of locations across Vietnam and new U. S. outposts, it is easy to find. Cà phê trứng, or egg coffee, originated in Hanoi in 1946. Nguyễn Văn Giảng, a bartender at the famous Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, invented it. He whipped egg yolks with sugar and condensed milk when fresh milk was scarce. You can try it at Little Hanoi Egg Coffee in multiple locations.