Vietnamese coffee is a caffeinated artform, and is enjoyed in a variety of alluring ways across the country. Find your perfect cuppa with this guide to the 10 different types of coffee served in Vietnam.
Coconut Coffee
A curious twist on the classic Vietnamese filter coffee, Coconut Coffee is a popular drink made with sweet and fatty coconut milk, cutting the rich bitterness of the brewed coffee for a delightful boost that is neither too sweet nor too bitter. It is enjoyed hot or cold, depending on whether you seek a cooling sensation, or a hot warmer. Either way, this drink is not to be missed by coconut and coffee fanatics.
Drip Coffee
Drip Coffee is a hallmark of Vietnamese coffee culture, and denotes the way in which coffee slowly drips down from a filter, which includes a filter cup, a filter plate, a bottom filter and a lid, placed above a glass. The smooth coffee is layered over condensed milk, which is then stirred together once the dripping process is complete, producing a classic Ca Phe Sua Nong, or Hot Milk Coffee.
Egg Coffee
The creamiest of all coffees, Egg Coffee, or Ca Phe Trung, is a tantalising beverage made using Vietnamese drip coffee and chicken eggs. First invented in Hanoi in the 1940s, egg yolks constituted a worthy replacement for fresh milk, which was in short supply. Now, this coffee delicacy is savoured across the country in numerous ways: hot, cold, and with cacao. Don’t knock it till you try it, as you’ll be surprised how delicious it is!
Hot Black Coffee
Certainly an acquired taste, Hot Black Coffee, or Ca Phe Den Nong, is a bitter coffee made from the bitter intensity of Robusta beans, which are twice as caffeinated as Arabica beans, and account for 95% of coffee beans grown in Vietnam. For the most hardcore coffee aficionados, this may be your drink of choice.
Iced Black Coffee
As a country that exists mostly within a tropical climate, it’s no surprise many coffee drinkers prefer their daily boost with ice. Iced Black Coffee, or Ca Phe Den Da, is a refreshing, albeit still bitter, preparation of coffee that many coffee lovers suffering under the heat of the sun will enjoy. Dilute the bitter taste with water to make a Vietnamese Iced Americano.
Iced Milk Coffee
When introducing someone to Vietnamese coffee, arguably one of the most popular versions of Vietnamese coffee to try anywhere around the world is a Ca Phe Sua Da, or Iced Milk Coffee. Using the same tried and true marriage of coffee and condensed milk, this drink is delightfully sweet, refreshing, and uplifting, especially with the addition of ice under the hot sun.
Iced White Coffee
Iced White Coffee, or Bac Xiu, is the Iced Latte of Vietnamese coffees. Topped up with a generous amount of condensed and or fresh milk, this dairy-forward coffee is appealingly sweet and milky, for those with a taste for this kind of ratio of coffee to milk.
Salt Coffee
Currently all the rage, Salt Coffee or Ca Phe Muoi originates in Hue, and is made using drip coffee, atop a layer of salted cream. The delectable combination of sweetened cream, salt and ground Vietnamese coffee give the drink a warm salted caramel or fudge-like flavour, that is more rounded and mellow in bitterness than traditional coffee.
Smoothie Coffee
For a drink that truly quenches your thirst under the strong heat, Smoothie Coffees, or Ca Phe Da Xay are ice filled blended beverages of coffee and condensed milk, and are basically coffee milkshakes. Interestingly, it is sometimes blended with avocado to produce a more rich and creamy texture.
Yoghurt Coffee
Finally, last on our list, Yoghurt Coffee, or Ca Phe Sua Chua is an innovative concoction of chilled black coffee, ice and plain yoghurt. The resulting beverage is the perfect combination of sweetness and tartness, with a strong aroma and intensity from the coffee. There’s a first time for everything, so why not try this drink?
