Vietnam is known to be a tangle of flavors for the tastebuds. The street food tours are constantly rated as a top attraction. As vegetarians, we were reluctant to dive in too deep on the food side, but we dove all the way into the deep end with coffee in Hanoi.
Where to Find the Best Coffee in Hanoi
We had heard from many different sources that the coffee in Vietnam is a wonder to behold. Naturally, my head went immediately to a black cup of the hot stuff that makes so many of my mornings more enjoyable. I hadn’t had what I consider a really great cup of black coffee since we left New Zealand, so you can probably guess that I was excited.
Here we go again, another curve ball thrown at me I didn’t see coming. The renowned coffee here is not the bold, black joy I was looking for. It was, however, a new and different delivery of “Joe” that was more exciting, primarily because it was unfamiliar.
With three different styles (that we tried) served to your liking, hot or cold, Hanoi offered up a pleasant contribution to our ever-expanding list of ways to best enjoy coffee. So let’s get to it, our list of the best coffee in Hanoi.
1. Cong Cafe
Cong Cafe was like a view backward in time. It is designed in what can only be described as “Communist Chic,” with menus printed over old Lenin writings and photos of warplanes delivering groceries. The decor is a visual masterpiece that leaves much to look at while you enjoy your beverage. As interesting as the details are here, the detail that stands out the most is, in fact, the quality of their iced coconut coffee. They used just the right ratio so that it provides the wake-up you need and isn’t overpowered by the flavors of the sweet coconut. Go ahead and request it without a straw, they’ll likely miss that detail.
Location: all over Hanoi – we went to multiple and found them to be consistent.
2. Kadi Cafe
This was a tiny spot we stumbled upon one morning while strolling. We decided here to have a go at the famous Egg Coffee. If you haven’t heard, this blend consists of a raw egg whipped to a fluff and mixed with your coffee. Sound strange? It’s actually quite innovative.
During the Vietnam War, milk was highly rationed, and one visionary decided to try out eggs to reduce the harsh, bold taste of the coffee. The rest was history and this version of java can now be found all over Vietnam. Give the Kadi Cafe a try during your stay. They add a unique twist to this favorite by serving it over a tea candle to get it to just the right temperature for you.
Find them here (right across from the amazing street art we shared here.)
3. Note Cafe
I’ll be honest with you, it was way more fun to read than to drink this place. You can get any of the standards here: coconut coffee, egg cafe, ca phe sua da (more on this below). The real treat is reading through the notes from all of our fellow traveling wordsmiths. One penman called it out for the world to see, “To: The Brits, From: Everyone – LEARN A LANGUAGE!” It made me giggle.
4. Cafe Dihn
This place is COOL! Cafe Dihn is suppose to be where egg coffee “really” started. In actuality, this is the cafe of the daughter of the creator. The cafe offers the original recipe that was concocted by Mr. Giang years ago. It is made with a filter to keep a more traditional flavor. This was a hard place to find. It is nestled on the second floor above someone’s house so entering here feels invasive. Turns out, once you find it you’ll see you’re not alone as it is a very popular spot. We did end up with a 3-4 minute frame of time with no one else present. It was definitely our favorite cup in Vietnam.
5. Every Place You Find With Coffee
And let’s just get it out there, everywhere in Hanoi that serves coffee has good coffee. The one style that we were told about most often before getting to Vietnam was the ca phe sua da. This turned out to be my least favorite of the three styles we tried, but it is still delightful, albeit sweet. This mixup takes coffee and condensed milk and sort of interweaves them. This was very refreshing on hot days when we ordered it iced.
Our Favorite Food Spots in Hanoi
What happens to me after all of that coffee and no food is I start to shake visibly and am a risk to be around. Since I know so many of you probably get the same way, let’s throw a few favorites out there for dining as well. Remember, vegetarian here. We played it real safe in Vietnam, so we will try and convince our brave foodie friends to write a guest post soon.
1. Pasteur Street Brewing
Truth be told, we went here a lot in Vietnam. The beers were so damn good, and it was a safe and delicious place for us to eat. Sadly, in my quest to order their jackfruit burger, it wasn’t ever available when I was hungry, and I had to dive into Plan B: grilled cheese and fries. Don’t be fooled, my friends. This isn’t a standard slice of Kraft Singles thrown onto Wonder Bread. This is an adult’s grilled cheese sandwich that should satisfy any cheese-eater’s craving for a hunk of cheddar. Also, it’s not pictured because we consumed it in under a minute.
Find their locations and menu here.
2. Bahn Mi 25
We struggled to find a quality vegetarian Bahn mi in Vietnam. Sure, there were options at many places, but we couldn’t be sure of the ingredients, so we had to steer away from a few. I never did find a jackfruit Bahn mi. Anyway, this great stop offered up an egg/avocado sandwich that was just what we needed not to feel left out in the land of Bahn mi glory.
Website and menu here. (You can also order this via Grab and they only wrap in paper.)
3. The Veg
We ordered in from this place and were really happy we did. They offer a large variety of self-build rice bowls that are perfect when you and your travel companion can’t agree on something to share. With fresh ingredients and quick delivery, it was ideal for an afternoon at home when we needed to escape the Hanoi heat.
4. Noodle & Roll
This particular find is owed to Tara over at Silly Little Kiwi who always gives us good veg options. She recommended this restaurant and it is outstanding. We walked over to this spot with a couple of friends and had one of our best meals in Hanoi. A wide variety of food options and very veg-friendly makes this one of those places we would love to visit time and again.
5. Lifted Coffee & Brunch
Lifted is an Australian-influenced cafe. I had been longing for a quality brunch sometime after we got to Bali, and it was this place, over a month later, that finally brought me what I so desired. It has all of the standard brunch offerings from home, unique donut options, and a laid-back atmosphere. All of which made this a favorite for us during our stay.
Final Thoughts on the Food and the Best Coffee in Hanoi
I think after all is said and done, Hanoi was a treat for us after a rough start in Ho Chi Minh City. There are adequate dining choices and certainly no end of coffee options in sight. And since you can walk everywhere to get these things any time you want, it was a terrific way to end our time in Vietnam.
We’d love to hear from you on some of your favorites so feel free to share them in the comments below or shoot us a note on Instagram. Also, let us know if you want to see a post about what our foodie friends ate and loved.
