From April 16 to 18, 2026,Ho Chi Minh City"Cafe Show Vietnam 2026" will be held at the city's Saigon Exhibition & Convention Center. On March 20, a kickoff workshop for the barista competition was held, previewing a large-scale contest with over 200 participants from 12 countries, including the World Coffee Events (WCE)-sanctioned national barista championship.
Keen attention from home and abroad is focused on this event, which symbolizes the rapid rise of Vietnamese coffee culture.
News overview
The main competitions of Cafe Show Vietnam 2026 are three pillars: the "Vietnam National Barista Championship (VNBC)," the "Vietnam National Cup Tasters Championship (VNCTC)," and the "Dalat Milk World Matcha Latte Art Battle." The VNBC is a WCE-sanctioned contest, and the winner may earn the right to compete in the World Barista Championship.
This year's contest is the largest ever, with over 200 competitors from 12 countries scheduled to participate. The judging criteria are strictly set on three axes—extraction technique, presentation skill, and sensory evaluation—with WCE-certified judges doing the judging. Sponsored by the Vietnam Coffee-Cacao Association and the Vietnam Tea Association, it's held to raise the standard of the domestic F&B industry.
At the venue, hundreds of companies from the café industry exhibit, showing the latestVietnamese Coffeeequipment, beans, and beverage trends. On the public day (April 18), visitors can also join coffee experience events.
Vietnamese readers' reactions
Among coffee lovers and café industry insiders, voices of anticipation are rising, mainly on social media.
- "I look forward to Cafe Show every year. This year it's grown in scale, so there's even more to look forward to." (Ho Chi Minh City, café owner, 30s)
- "The more barista contests flourish, the higher the level of the city's cafés gets. I think it's a good cycle." (Coffee lover, 20s)
- "I'm surprised participants come from 12 countries. It's proof that Vietnam has come to be recognized worldwide as a coffee power." (Barista, 30s)
- "I got inspiration from last year's contest, and this year I'm thinking of taking part myself." (Aspiring barista, 20s)
- "I'm looking forward to the latte art contest too. I hope the Vietnamese competitors do their best without losing to the foreign entries." (Café-hopping fan, 30s)
Impact and key points for Japanese tourists
Japanese travelers visitingHo Chi Minh Cityin April might consider dropping by the public day (April 18) of Cafe Show Vietnam 2026. It's a perfect chance not only to touch the latest Vietnamese coffee trends but also to experience unique coffee culture likeEgg coffeeandCold Brewall at once.
For those who want to know Vietnam's café culture deeply,Third Wavetouring specialty shops in Ho Chi Minh City, where coffee flourishes, is also recommended. As a travel memory, taking home coffee carefully chosen by a baristaCoffee Beansas a souvenir is one idea too.
Reference:Cafe Show Ho Chi Minh 2026 (Cafe Show Vietnam official site)
