"The Espresso Station," a specialty coffee bar on Tran Hung Dao Street in Hoi An, is drawing attention with its must-drink 2026 beverage, the "Dark Soul Latte." It's designed so that pouring espresso over coffee ice keeps it from getting diluted down to the last sip. asiatouradvisor introduced it as "a must-have cup in Hoi An."
The structure of the Dark Soul Latte
The Espresso Station's signature item, the "Dark Soul Latte," looks like a simple iced latte, but its structure is completely different from ordinary iced coffee.
The mechanism of the "latte that doesn't get diluted"
An ordinary iced latte gets weaker in taste as the ice melts. In the Dark Soul Latte, the water used to make the ice is replaced with coffee. Because espresso is poured over coffee ice, it's a reversal of thinking where the more the ice melts, the stronger the coffee flavor becomes.
- Beans used: a blend of Central Highlands Arabica + Robusta
- Serving style: coffee ice in the glass, then a double shot of espresso poured over
- Recommended: wait 3 minutes before you start drinking, and the ice and espresso mix just right
Another specialty, "coconut coffee"
Coconut coffee is famous from Hanoi's Cong Caphe, but The Espresso Station's version combines fresh coconut milk with double espresso. Rather than canned coconut cream, it starts each morning by cracking and pressing coconuts.
The Espresso Station: key facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Shop name | The Espresso Station |
| Address | 28/2 Tran Hung Dao, Minh An Ward, Hoi An |
| Hours | 7:30 – 17:30 (daily) |
| Price range | 35,000 – 65,000 VND（約210 – 390円） |
| Seats | 8 indoor seats + 4 terrace seats |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (good speed) |
| Payment | Cash / MoMo / bank transfer |
The local reputation
The Espresso Station is known in Hoi An's expat community as "a small shop that serves a serious cup."
Travelers' voices
In TripAdvisor reviews, several posts rate it (paraphrased): "I visited dozens of cafés in Hoi An, but this is the best for espresso quality. The Dark Soul Latte is dark and deep, just as the name says."
Google reviews also carry concrete advice (paraphrased): "You should go right when it opens at 7:30. After 10, the seats fill up. The terrace seats are the best—you can feel the morning air of Tran Hung Dao Street."
From residents, trust in the quality runs deep (paraphrased): "Amid the mass production of tourist-oriented cafés, The Espresso Station alone pursues specialty coffee without wavering. The bean freshness and the precision of the roast are different."
The café cluster of An Bang Beach
A café cluster has also formed around An Bang Beach, 10 minutes by motorbike and 30 minutes by bicycle from Hoi An's old quarter.
The Deck House and salt coffee
At "The Deck House" (hours: 7:00 – 22:00), a standard café on An Bang Beach, you can drink the Hoi An specialty "Ca Phe Muoi" (salt coffee). It's whipped cream lightly seasoned with salt paired with iced coffee, and the salt brings out the coffee's richness.
- Recommended way to spend it: swim in the sea at 7 a.m., then drink Ca Phe Muoi while swaying in a hammock at The Deck House
- Beach chairs and parasols are free (conditional on ordering one drink)
- Light-meal menus such as avocado toast and fruit bowls are also plentiful
A guide to Hoi An's hideaway cafésCombined with the old-quarter cafés introduced in, you can build a full-day café-crawl plan.
A café comparison of Hoi An vs. Ho Chi Minh City
| Comparison item | Hoi An | Ho Chi Minh City |
|---|---|---|
| Café density | Concentrated in the old quarter, within walking distance | Scattered across the whole city, a Grab ride is the premise |
| Price range (per cup) | 30,000 – 65,000 VND | 45,000 – 90,000 VND |
| Characteristics | Converted old houses, individually run mostly | Concept-driven, design-focused |
| Crowd level | Empty in the mornings | Crowded all day |
| Beach cafés | Several along An Bang Beach | None in the city (2 hours to Vung Tau) |
Practical information for Japanese travelers
If you're going to visit The Espresso Station in Hoi An, the following schedule is efficient.
A recommended one-day plan
- 7:00 Swim at An Bang Beach → Ca Phe Muoi at The Deck House
- 10:00 Move to the old quarter → Dark Soul Latte at The Espresso Station
- 12:00 Lunch with cao lau (a Hoi An specialty noodle)
- 14:00 Vietnam's heritage cafésStroll the old-house cafés introduced in
Access and getting around
About 40 minutes by Grab from Da Nang Airport to Hoi An's old quarter (150,000 – 200,000 VND). You can get around the old quarter on foot, but for An Bang Beach you'll need a rental motorbike (100,000 VND/day) or a bicycle (30,000 VND/day).
Practical information table
| Spot | Address | Hours | Signature menu | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Espresso Station | 28/2 Tran Hung Dao, Hoi An | 7:30 – 17:30 | Dark Soul Latte | 45,000 VND（約270円） |
| The Deck House | An Bang Beach, Cam An Ward | 7:00 – 22:00 | Ca Phe Muoi (salt coffee) | 40,000 VND（約240円） |
Summary
Hoi An's The Espresso Station is a specialty coffee bar that sets itself apart from the old quarter's tourist cafés. The Dark Soul Latte that "doesn't get diluted thanks to coffee ice" proposes a new way to enjoy Vietnamese coffee. Visit it as a set with An Bang Beach in the morning and you can savor Hoi An's "sea and coffee" in a single day. Aim for right after the 7:30 opening and secure a terrace seat.
