Viet Nam is one of the world's largest coffee producers, but its coffee culture is just as remarkable as its production. Across the country, coffee is more than a daily beverage. It reflects local history, regional traditions, and creative ways of preparing the country's signature robusta beans.
These five coffee drinks are among the country's most popular and might become your new favourites.
1. Classic Vietnamese Black Coffee
Vietnamese black coffee goes by the native name cà phê đen. The drink uses coarsely ground robusta coffee placed inside a small stainless steel or aluminum drip filter called a phin.
The filter sits directly on top of the serving glass. Hot water pours into the chamber and drips down slowly over several minutes, producing a small amount of dark liquid.
Viatnemese black coffee is usually served hot without added sugar, or poured over a full glass of ice cubes for the cold version called cà phê đen đá.
2. The Creamy Vietnamese Egg Coffee
Cà phê trứng or egg coffee originated in Hanoi during the 1940s. A scarcity of fresh cow milk led to using whisked egg yolks mixed with condensed milk as an alternative topping.
Preparation involves beating raw egg yolks, sugar, and condensed milk together until the mixture turns into a thick foam. A fresh hot shot of dark coffee goes into a glass, followed by a heavy layer of the egg cream.
The glass rests inside a small bowl of hot water during serving. This setup keeps the lower coffee layer warm and prevents the egg foam from settling too quickly.
3. Frothy Coconut Ice Coffee
Vietnamese coconut ice coffee is also known as cà phê cốt dừa. It originated as a modern variation in northern provinces before spreading across the country.
The recipe blends coconut cream, condensed milk, and crushed ice into a slush consistency. The white coconut mixture fills most of the glass before a shot of dark robusta coffee pours over the top or into the middle layer.
Vietnamese coconut coffee uses canned or fresh coconut milk mixed with ice blocks in a blender.
4. The Savory Hue Salt Coffee
Cà phê muối is a regional coffee specialty created in Hue, a city in central Vietnam. The recipe adds a salty component to the standard iced coffee base.
The preparation uses heavy cream whipped with fine salt and condensed milk. The salted cream floats on top of dark coffee poured over ice.
Vietnamese Salt Coffee presents distinct visual layers when served. Stirring brings the salted cream into the dark coffee beneath, changing both the color and texture of the liquid.
The recipe uses fine sea salt mixed into the cream batch prior to assembly.
5. Tangy Vietnamese Yogurt Coffee
Cà phê sữa chua combines traditional fermented yogurt with dark brewed coffee. The style remains common across northern provinces.
A standard glass contains a base of plain sweetened yogurt mixed with crushed ice. A shot of dark robusta coffee pours directly over the top of the white yogurt.
Some variations add a small drizzle of condensed milk or a sprinkle of cocoa powder on top. The drink requires stirring before consumption to mix the yogurt and coffee together.
The preparation uses whole-milk yogurt rather than low-fat varieties. The serving comes with a wide straw and a spoon to reach the ice layer at the bottom.
