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Coffee in Vietnam: Vietnamese Coffee Types You Must Try in Vietnam

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Vietnamese coffee is appreciated as one of the best coffees in the world. Here’s a quick guide to Vietnamese coffee and 8 popular types of Vietnamese coffee you should taste in Vietnam

Good morning Vietnam
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VIETNAMESE COFFEE TYPES TO TREAT YOURSELF IN VIETNAM

Hanoi Street Crossing
Hanoi Street Crossing © World Travel Connector

In the 19th century, French colonists introduced coffee to Vietnam planting the first coffee trees in Vietnam. Modern Vietnam is the second-largest coffee producer in the World, following Brazil.

Coffee in Vietnam is primarily made of strong Robusta beans. On that account, Vietnam is the largest producer and exporter of robusta coffee in the World. Robusta coffee beans are more bitter, hold less acidity, have more caffeine, and have more antioxidants than Arabica coffee beans. Vietnamese coffee caffeine is two times as strong as Arabica coffee. Coffee lovers who enjoy strong coffee often find their delight in Robusta coffee.

Traditional Vietnamese coffee is strong coffee with an intense and rich flavor. But what makes Vietnamese coffee one of the most popular coffees in the World is the way how it is prepared, brewed, and consumed.

Hanoi street
Hanoi © World Travel Connector

People in Vietnam traditionally drink coffee slowly while socializing over a cup of joe in casual Vietnamese cafes with small plastic chairs that sprawl onto the sidewalks while watching people and motorbikes passing by.

Hanoi is undoubtedly the Vietnamese coffee capital. The number of Vietnamese coffee shops you can find in the historic Hai Ba Trung district in Hanoi is unparalleled to any other place in Vietnam. If you are in Hanoi and want to taste world-renowned Vietnam drip coffee and different types of Vietnamese coffee you should head to Hai Ba Trung district.

Ly Trieu Quoc Su Pagoda in Hanoi
Ly Trieu Quoc Su Pagoda in Hanoi © World Travel Connector
Vietnamese iced coffee is one of traditional types of Vietnamese coffee I Coffee in Vietnam by WorldTravelConnector.com I Vietnamese Drip Coffee I Traditional Vietnam Coffee
My iced coffee in Vietnam with a postcard from Vietnam © World Travel Connector

TYPES OF VIETNAMESE COFFEE TO EXPAND YOUR COFFEE PALATE WHILE IN VIETNAM:

1. VIETNAMESE DRIP COFFEE – Cà Phê Sữa Nóng

Vietnamese drip coffee is one of traditional types of Vietnamese coffee I Coffee in Vietnam by WorldTravelConnector.com I Traditional Vietnamese coffee I Vietnam Drip Coffee
Drip coffee with condensed milk in Vietnam © World Travel Connector

Ca Phe Sua Nong in Vietnam is a hot Vietnamese drip coffee with milk.

While coffee with milk is called Ca Phe Sua in the south of Vietnam, it is called Ca Phe Nau in the north of Vietnam.

Typical Vietnamese drip coffee is prepared and served in a single-cup filter called Phin. Traditionally Vietnamese drip coffee is mixed with sweetened condensed milk. The lack of fresh milk in Vietnam, as much as the difficulty of storing fresh milk in a tropical climate resulted in the use of canned condensed milk. Adding canned condensed milk to coffee in Vietnam happened to perfectly balance strong and bitter robusta coffee beans. In Vietnam, canned condensed milk serves as a sweetener and as a creamer for Vietnamese drip coffee.

Traditional Vietnamese breakfast with traditional Vietnamese drip coffee I Coffee in Vietnam by WorldTravelConnector.com I Vietnamese coffee I Vietnam coffee
My Vietnamese breakfast: fried eggs and a baguette with Vietnamese drip coffee © World Travel Connector

How to make Vietnamese coffee? How to use a Vietnamese coffee filter?

It is easy to make traditional Vietnamese drip coffee but you need a Vietnamese Phin (or Vietnamese drip coffee maker, also called Vietnamese coffee dripper). Vietnamese coffee maker is made of a cup, a drip filter, and a cap (cover). Just put sweetened condensed milk in the cup and coffee grounds on the cover on the top of the cup. Pour hot water over the coffee grounds and the coffee will slowly drop from the top through the filter into the cup. As it drops, the coffee will slowly mix with condensed milk in the cup. And there it is – Phin Coffee! Or in Vietnamese ‘Phin Cà Phê‘!

How to drink Vietnamese coffee?

When the coffee brewing (dripping) is over, you just need to remove the ‘phin cover’ and you can immediately sip your delicious hot Vietnam coffee.  If you would like to have an iced Vietnamese coffee, just pour your coffee into a tall glass with lots of ice, and your Vietnamese iced coffee is done.

Where you can buy a Vietnamese coffee filter if you want to make Vietnamese drip coffee at home?

Amazon has it all. You can find a Vietnamese coffee filter set on Amazon.com. Treat yourself to the Vietnam coffee cup.
BEST-BUY VIETNAMESE COFFEE MAKER: Vietnamese Coffee Filter Press. Made in Vietnam. or
Vietnamese Coffee Filter Set. Also known as a Vietnamese Coffee Maker or Press 8oz. 
BEST-BUY VIETNAMESE COFFEE: Trung Nguyen – Premium Blend – 15 Ounce Can | Vietnamese Coffee and Ground Bean, Robusta and Arabica Premium Coffee Blend, Intense Flavor and Fragrance with Chocolate Hint, Medium Roast with Low Acidity
THE BEST CONDENSED MILK FOR VIETNAMESE COFFEE: Longevity Sweetened Condensed Milk, 14-Ounce (Pack of 4)

2. VIETNAMESE BLACK ICED COFFEE – Cà Phê Đá 

If you want a hot black coffee in Vietnam, order Cà Phê Đen.

Black coffee in Vietnam is commonly sipped with ice because of the hot tropical climate. To order pure black coffee with ice and without sweetened condensed milk you need to ask for Cà Phê Đá. Cafe Da is a typical Vietnamese coffee. Please remember, you need to specify Ca Phe Da when ordering not to get coffee with condensed milk which is almost compulsory with traditional Vietnam coffee.

3. VIETNAMESE ICED COFFEE WITH CONDENSED MILK – Cà Phê Sữa Đá

Vietnamese iced coffee is one of amazing Vietnamese coffee types to try in Vietnam I Coffee in Vietnam by WorldTravelConnector.com I Traditional Vietnam coffee I Vietnamese iced coffee I Iced coffee in Vietnam
Drip coffee with ice in Vietnam © World Travel Connector

Ca Phe Sua Da is another type of traditional coffee in Vietnam and the most popular coffee drink in Vietnam.
Cafe Sua Da is a Vietnamese iced coffee with condensed sweetened milk. Iced Vietnamese coffee is a perfect refreshment on hot and humid Vietnamese days.

In Cafe Su Da goes an equal amount of milk and coffee. But if you prefer more milk than coffee in your Vietnamese cup of joe, ask for Bạc Xỉu.

Vietnamese drip coffee is one of traditional types of Vietnamese coffee I Milijana Gabric from WorldTravelConnector.com drinking traditional Vietnam drip coffee in Vietnam I Traditional Vietnamese drip coffee I types of Vietnam coffee
Drinking traditional Vietnamese drip coffee made in Vietnamese Phin © World Travel Connector

4. VIETNAMESE EGG COFFEE – Cà Phê Trứng

Egg coffee is one of traditional types of Vietnamese coffee I Coffee in Vietnam by WorldTravelConnector.com I Egg coffee in Vietnam I Traditional Vietnamese coffee I Authentic Vietnam Coffee I types of Vietnamese coffee
Egg coffee in Vietnam © World Travel Connector

Ca Phe Trung is egg coffee in Vietnam made of Vietnamese drip coffee and a layer of whipped chicken egg yolks with condensed milk, and sugar on the top.

This Vietnamese coffee with a creamy texture is often voted to be the best Vietnam coffee. Please don’t have a prejudice for Vietnamese egg coffee. When you taste it, you are going to be surprised how CAFE TRUNG delicious is! If you like the taste of Tiramisu or egg nog, you will love the egg coffee in Vietnam too!

There are a few versions of Vietnamese egg coffee: hot, cold, and with cacao (Cà Phê Trứng Cacao) 

From a short history lesson, let me just add here that egg coffee was invented in Hanoi in the 1940s. Egg yolks were added to coffee to substitute fresh milk which was in shortage.

5. VIETNAMESE COCONUT COFFEE – Cà Phê Dừa 

Mix coffee with coconut milk, a little bit of condensed milk, lots of ice and, Voilà! You get one of the best Vietnamese coffee you will ever taste! Cafe Dua is less sweet than traditional Vietnamese coffee with only condensed milk. Coconut coffee in Vietnam can be made with coconut milk or coconut yogurt. In each case, it’s doubtlessly delicious. And you can drink it, hot or iced! If you want hot coconut coffee, just put away the ice. No-brainer.

6. COFFEE YOGURT – Cà Phê Sữa Chua 

Yogurt coffee or Sua Chua Ca Phe is another type of coffee in Vietnam introduced by the French. Creamy yogurt blends divinely with black Vietnamese coffee. If you prefer creamy textures in your coffee, please add coffee yogurt to your list of Vietnam coffee types to try in Vietnam!

7. FRUITY COFFEE – Sinh To Cà Phê

If you prefer flavored coffees and you love smoothies, you should opt for smoothie coffee in VietnamCa Phe Sinh To is made of fresh tropical fruits (such as banana, avocado, or a rare fruit called sapodilla) with only a few drops of Vietnamese coffee. Exotic fresh fruits and Vietnamese coffee are an exceptional mix to whet your palette!

8. VIETNAMESE WEASEL COFFEE – Cà Phê Chon

Weasel coffee in Vietnam, called Ca Phe chon, cafe chon, chon nau coffee in Vietnam, is one of the most expensive coffees in the World and a rare coffee you can taste in Vietnam.  Although I haven’t tried weasel poop coffee in Vietnam, I have tasted kopi luwak in Bali. Indonesian kopi luwak and Vietnamese weasel coffee are not the same but very similar as they are two species. There are only a few countries in the World you can try authentic cat poop coffee: Indonesia, Vietnam, East Timor, and the Philippines. You might be surprised, but civet coffee is not yuck! Please take away your prejudgements and keep your mind open for new experiences. Of course, always behave responsibly and search for ‘certified wild weasel coffee’ keeping in mind the wellbeing of animals. You can find wild weasel coffee in coffee plantations in Dak Lak and Lam Dong province in Vietnam.  Read here about Kopi Luwak Coffee in Bali.

Vietnam Coffee Tours in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh

I was touring Vietnam independently for a month, sampling Vietnam foods and sipping Vietnamese coffee along the way.
But if you are visiting only Hanoi, you might enjoy sampling some of the best street food in Hanoi while sipping Vietnamese coffee, or learning about Vietnam’s coffee and tea culture:
Hanoi Food on Foot: Walking Tour of Hanoi Old Quarter
Hanoi: 2-Hour Vietnamese Coffee and Tea Ceremony

Or if you are visiting Ho Chi Minh, you should consider joining one of these awesome tours:
Vietnamese Culture and Coffee Making Class in Ho Chi Minh
Rost and Taste Vietnamese Coffee Tour in Ho Chi Minh

But even if you are not into taking tours, you shouldn’t worry about where you can taste authentic Vietnamese coffee types in Vietnam. My all-time favorite Vietnamese coffee shop ‘Cong Caphe’ can be found at several addresses in Vietnam: from Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh to Sapa.  On Cong Caphe’s coffee menu, you can find a great number of common Vietnamese coffee types.

Read here about Cong Caphe coffee shops in Vietnam: Best Vietnamese café in Vietnam

Have you been to Vietnam? Have you tried Vietnamese coffee? What do you think of Vietnam coffee filter?

Vietnamese iced coffee is one of traditional types of Vietnamese coffee
Iced coffee in Vietnam © World Travel Connector

How to make Vietnamese coffee?

Making Vietnamese coffee is easy. You just need a Vietnamese Phin, a Vietnamese coffee ground, and sweetened condensed milk.
1. Boil water
2. Put sweetened condensed milk in the cup of Vietnamese Phin
3. Put coffee grounds on the cover on the top of the cup of Vietnamese Phin.
4. Pour hot water over the coffee grounds and the coffee will slowly drop from the top through the filter into the cup. As it drops, the coffee will slowly mix with condensed milk in the cup. When the dripping finishes, your Vietnamese coffee is ready!
5. Take the cup of Vietnamese Phin off, stir the coffee, and enjoy your coffee!

How to make Vietnamese iced coffee?

1. Boil water
2. Put sweetened condensed milk in the cup of Vietnamese Phin
3. Put coffee grounds on the cover on the top of the cup of Vietnamese Phin.
4. Pour hot water over the coffee grounds and the coffee will slowly drop from the top through the filter into the cup. As it drops, the coffee will slowly mix with condensed milk in the cup.
5. When the dripping finishes, take the cup of Vietnamese Phin off, stir the coffee, and add some ice! Enjoy your Vietnamese iced coffee!

Coffee types to try in Vietnam

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Tami

Thursday 9th of May 2019

I don't drink coffee for religious reasons, yet I still learned something from your post. I didn't know there were so many flavors infused into coffee. Also had no idea that Vietnam was well known for its Robusta coffee.

Suruchi

Wednesday 8th of May 2019

That is surely a wonderful list of coffees to try in Vietnam and this is already high on our list too. The egg coffee sounded strange but we absolutely love Tiramisu so surely gonna love this too. The coconut coffee is another one which we are surely going to try. Thanks for sharing all details.

Indrani

Wednesday 8th of May 2019

I knew of the Kopi Luwak but not the weasel coffee! One variety of coffee to try and another reason to visit Vietnam!

Nicole LaBarge

Wednesday 8th of May 2019

Oh this took me back! I miss both egg coffee and weasel coffee. Yum. I think I need to try the coconut coffee when I go back.

Cat Lin

Wednesday 8th of May 2019

I only knew about Vietnamese drip coffee and iced coffee with condensed milk. I didn't know there are so many other kinds! I would love to try the egg version next time I visit Vietnam!!