A Mini-Guide to the Best Vietnamese Coffee in Hanoi, Hanoi, Vietnam

If you're on a hunt for the best coffee in Hanoi, you're in for a treat. From hidden cafes tucked down narrow alleyways to buzzing street corners with tiny plastic stools, the city offers more varieties of Vietnamese coffee than you can possibly sample in a single day (though I certainly tried).

This article is based on first-hand experience, including several months spent living in Hanoi, visiting the cafés listed multiple times and speaking directly with local coffee shop owners.

During our three-month stay in Vietnam, I drank my way through countless cups of rich, bold, and indulgent brews - all in the name of research, of course. Here are a few must-try options if you want to experience Hanoi's coffee culture like a local.

Let's start with the classic. Cà phê nóng is strong, black Vietnamese coffee made using the traditional drip filter (phin). No milk, no sugar - just a bold, almost syrupy brew that packs a serious punch. Think espresso, but deeper and more intense.

In the 1980s, when fresh milk was hard to come by in Vietnam, locals turned to condensed milk - and thank goodness they did, because that’s how cà phê sữa nóng was born. It's a dark roast coffee sweetened with creamy, thick condensed milk. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).