A Guide for Coffee Lovers
The Vietnamese Coffee should be a single reason to visit the country. Especially if you are a coffee addict like we are!
The French colonists were the ones who introduced coffee to Vietnam, and it quickly became a local habit. Vietnamese coffee has developed it into its own style with variations that are made from eggs, condensed milk, and even fruits.
Want to know more about this special kind of beverage? Then keep reading this article!
Drip Coffee with Condensed Milk
This is the most well known and popular type of coffee in Vietnam, and the locals’ go-to during the day. There are two different ways of having your dripped coffee with condensed milk, depending on the area and season.
In the North, the hot version is preferred, especially in the cold winter. As it is hot all year round in the South, locals prefer Vietnamese iced coffees instead of cool ones. Below another version of the drip coffee is Bạc Sỉu. The proportions are changed and it basically includes milk with coffee. From North to South, you can find it in every street corner as it is very popular here.
When getting a coffee like this, the condensed milk is poured on the bottom of the glass and then covered with coffee. Then you stir everything together by yourself. We love this type of coffee, as the sweet condensed milk is combined with the bitter taste of Vietnamese coffee in perfect harmony.
Egg Coffee
Coffee & egg? The mix seems strange but after tasting it people actually like it! It’s really tasty and mostly reminds us of a dessert. The Vietnamese Egg Coffee is made from whipped raw egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk. This creamy and sweet delicacy is then placed on top of the tradition strong Vietnamese drip coffee. If we should compare, this delicious coffee is almost like a liquid version of Tiramisu.
Did you know?
The original place for the egg coffee is located right in the Old Quarter in Hanoi. Find the sign on and walk down the corridor, where the popular Giang Café is located. The café opened up in 1946, where Mr Nguyen Giang created the delicious egg coffee. During the Vietnam War, it was hard to get cow milk and other methods had to be created to make a sweet alternative to the strong brew coffee. Hence Egg Coffee was born, and gradually became a must-try for every foreign visitor. Read more about most popular tourist spots in Hanoi.
Coconut Coffee
In summer, Vietnam gets extremely hot and humid. With that weather, there is nothing better than getting a coconut coffee to cool you down on a warm summer day. A mixture of coconut ice cream and coffee does not sound too bad, right?
This coffee is original from Southern Vietnam, but it has become so popular that you are able to find it everywhere in Vietnam. It is basically a dark roasted coffee with an ice cream made from sweetened condensed milk, coconut milk, and ice. Even though there is sweetened condensed milk in this delicious drink, it is not as sweet as egg coffee. In the South, you are able to find coconut coffee on every corner, but in the North, it is harder to find a good place for this cold drink. The best place to go is Cong Cafe in Hanoi, if you are looking for the cold drink in the pulsing North.
Do not forget to bring some Vietnamese coffee as a gift back home with you!
