If you'd like to see more photos of this café, seeCafe Amazon's café directory page.
[Important notice]Cafe Amazon closed all of its stores in Vietnam in November 2025 and withdrew from the Vietnamese market. This article is left as a record of the brand's journey in Vietnam. It is not zero that it may reopen in Vietnam in the future, but at present you cannot visit.
Thailand's largest café chain comes to Vietnam
Cafe Amazon is a coffee chain operated by the group of a major Thai state-owned oil enterprise. It started in 2002 as a café attached to gas stations within Thailand, then expanded rapidly, centered on Asia. It has grown into one of Asia's largest café chains, with a scale of several thousand stores worldwide.
Its entry into Vietnam was in 2020. It established the joint venture ORC Coffee Passion Group (ORCG), 60% invested by the Thai state energy enterprise group OR International Holdings (Singapore) and 40% by Central Restaurants Group (Vietnam), and began developing stores centered on Ho Chi Minh City.
However, Vietnam's café market was a battleground fiercer than expected. Alongside powerful domestic brands such as Highlands Coffee, Phuc Long, Katinat, and The Coffee House, an environment crowded with Starbucks and specialty cafés was, in reality, a "red ocean." Cafe Amazon's store count reached 22 at its peak in 2023, but afterward it had no choice but to shrink, declining to fewer than 10 stores before closing.
In October 2025, the joint venture partner Central Plaza Hotel (Centel) first announced its withdrawal. As of November 18 of the same year, all Cafe Amazon stores in Vietnam closed. The curtain fell on a five-year challenge in Vietnam.
Recommended menu
Cafe Amazon's menu centered on sweet drinks reflecting Thai café culture. The following are representative menu items served while it was in Vietnam. You cannot order them in Vietnam now, but you can still enjoy them at stores in other countries such as Thailand itself, Laos, and the Philippines.
The signature product was the Thai-style iced coffee called the "Cafe Amazon Signature." With a rich sweetness blending condensed milk and evaporated milk, it is a traditional flavor long loved by long-distance drivers at Thai gas stations. In Vietnam it was served for around 49,000 to 59,000 VND (about 295 to 355 yen).
Espresso-based drinks such as café latte and cappuccino were also offered for 45,000 to 65,000 VND (about 270 to 390 yen). Southeast Asian-style drinks such as Thai tea (cha thai) and green tea latte were popular too. Frappe-style blended drinks were also plentiful, and fruit frappes such as mango and strawberry were perfect for Vietnam's hot climate.
There was also a snack menu, offering bakery items such as croissants and sandwiches for 30,000 to 55,000 VND (about 180 to 330 yen). It accommodated breakfast and lunchtime use too.
Rainforest-themed space
Cafe Amazon's biggest feature was its store design themed on the "Amazon rainforest," just as its name suggests. The interior with abundant green plantings, the natural interior making heavy use of wood, and the healing space that made you feel "in a forest while in a café" set it apart from other café chains in Vietnam.
Stores in Ho Chi Minh City were mainly in shopping malls and street-level locations in central areas such as Districts 1 and 7. It also had stores in the Mekong Delta region, such as Can Tho, Dong Thap, and Vinh Long, making it one of the few places outside Ho Chi Minh City to experience Thai-style café culture.
Inside, there were many spacious sofa seats, suited to long stays as well. Wi-Fi was fully provided, and power outlets were installed at each seat. It was a comfortable space for nomad workers and students too, but it is said that this comfort conversely led to "low turnover," which was one of the challenges on the business side.
Though it has withdrawn from the Vietnamese market, Cafe Amazon is actively pursuing franchise expansion in Laos, the Philippines, Japan, Oman, Bahrain, and elsewhere. In Japan in particular it has increased its store count in recent years, and opportunities to enjoy in Japan that flavor you met on a Thailand trip are growing.
Practical guide
Current situation:As of November 18, 2025, all stores in Vietnam are closed. You cannot visit Cafe Amazon in Vietnam.
Alternatives:If you're after Cafe Amazon's rainforest-like atmosphere, within Vietnam Cong Caphe has a similar interior taste. If you want to enjoy Thai-style coffee, ordering Thai tea at a Thai restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City is one option.
Experiencing it in other countries:Those planning to visit Thailand or Laos before or after a Vietnam trip can experience Cafe Amazon there. In Thailand especially it is attached to state-enterprise gas stations nationwide, and dropping in during a break on a long-distance bus trip is the standard.
The lesson of the withdrawal:It is an episode that shows just how fiercely competitive Vietnam's café market is. Vietnam's annual coffee consumption keeps rising, but that also means survival is not easy for new entrants.
Summary
Cafe Amazon entered Vietnam in 2020 as Thailand's largest café chain, but amid a fiercely competitive environment it closed all its stores and withdrew in November 2025. Its unique rainforest-themed spatial design and Thai-style sweet coffee had gained a certain fan base, but it could not win out against powerful local brands such as Highlands Coffee and Phuc Long.
Though you can no longer experience it in Vietnam, the appeal of Cafe Amazon, which operates over 5,000 stores across Asian countries, remains alive. When visiting Thailand or Laos in combination with a Vietnam trip, do experience the real Cafe Amazon. By learning the harshness of Vietnam's café market, you'll conversely feel the strength of the other café chains that survive there stand out.
🗺️ For Cafe Amazon's basic information, signature menu, map, and reviews, seeShop guide (card)where we've put it all together.
🗺️ If you also want to compare it with other cafés,Vietnam's 30 Popular Cafés: A Thorough Comparison Guidelets you browse from a single list.
