Thao Dien in District 2, Ho Chi Minh City, is one of Saigon's foremost café battlegrounds, where expats, international-school families, and young entrepreneurs gather. The travel information site Traveloka has handpicked 12 Thao Dien cafés to visit in 2026. From minimal design to renovated French colonial villas to house roasting, this area's hallmark is a wide swing in styles.
Traveloka's picks—12 noteworthy cafés in Thao Dien
Thao Dien is 15–20 minutes by car from central Ho Chi Minh City. Cafés, restaurants, and boutiques are packed along Xuan Thuy Street and Thao Dien Street, and most venues get by in English. Here are the 12 Traveloka chose.
Bluish Cafe—A minimal space pairing sea-evoking blue walls with natural wood. You can enjoy espresso and fruit tea while watching the street through large windows. For those who want a quiet time in a small group.
Faro Cafe – Thảo Điền Villa—A renovated whitewashed French villa turned "mini urban resort" with a garden and pool. From classic coffee to creative cocktails to light bites. A weekend-brunch staple.
Mori Coffee—A wood-and-greenery space conscious of Japanese minimalism. It also serves matcha tea and Japanese-style pastries, with many repeat Japanese resident customers.
102 Cafe Thao Dien—Exposed-brick industrial interior with high ceilings. Its signature blend of tropical fruit x specialty coffee is a specialty. It regularly hosts art events and workshops too.
Chênh Vênh Rooftop—Rooftop seating overlooking the Saigon River and Landmark 81. By day it's coffee; by night it switches to craft beer and cocktails. The view at sunset is exceptional, and it transforms into a lounge with jazz playing.
Hilo Rojo Café—A gallery café displaying and selling artworks and handcrafts. Cold brew and lattes are the mainstays. It also holds regular artist talks, serving as a place for creators to network.
L’Apella Cafe & Lounge—A space making use of French classical architecture, with crystal chandeliers and velvet sofas. Macarons, croissants, and Earl Grey tea are popular. At night it turns into a wine lounge, sometimes with live jazz.
MISO COFFEE—A café with large windows surrounded by plants. Fresh juices, smoothies, clean coffee, and a healthy breakfast menu. Pets welcome.
Every Half Roastery Thảo Điền—A roaster sits enshrined in a gray-cement minimal space. Single origins are served as pour-over or siphon. A "café where you can learn," with careful explanations of bean origins and roast profiles.
Dangdo Cafe Thảo Điền—A retro-modern space of red brick and vintage wooden furniture. Unique drinks that combine traditional and modern ingredients change with the seasons. The terrace seating is surrounded by greenery.
Dolphy Cafe—A modern design in blue-black and gray. Espresso, cappuccino, and flat white with pastries and sandwiches. Pets welcome, and usable for both work and chatting.
Café Slow Thao Dien—A vintage café where, true to its name, "everything slows down." It serves traditional phin drip coffee and herbal tea. The interior of neutral colors and natural materials makes you forget the passage of time.
The background to Thao Dien becoming a "café battleground"
Thao Dien is home to a concentration of Korean and Western international schools and has taken root as a residential area for expat families. With many English-speaking consumers, English-friendly menus and social media are a given. Rents are lower than in District 1, and the ample supply of storefronts and renovated-villa properties also lowers the hurdle to opening a café. Since 2024, cases of young Vietnamese creators opening venues have increased too, and it's moving away from being solely foreigner-oriented.
Style comparison of the 12 cafés
| Shop name | Style | Recommended occasion | Pets allowed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluish Cafe | Minimal blue | Quiet reading | — |
| Faro Cafe | French villa | Weekend brunch | — |
| Mori Coffee | Japanese-style minimal | Matcha lovers | — |
| 102 Cafe | Industrial | Joining events | — |
| Chênh Vênh | Rooftop | Sunset drinks | — |
| Hilo Rojo | Gallery | Art appreciation | — |
| L’Apella | French classical | A special date | — |
| MISO COFFEE | Green and healthy | Breakfast and juice | Yes |
| Every Half | House roasting | Learning about coffee | — |
| Dangdo Cafe | Retro-modern | Relaxing on the terrace | — |
| Dolphy Cafe | Modern | Remote work | Yes |
| Café Slow | Vintage | Losing track of time | — |
Voices from local residents
A Western expat: "Until two years ago Thao Dien had only five cafés, but now a new place opens every month. On weekends, café-hopping has become a family event."
A Korean blogger: "Mori Coffee's matcha latte is close to Tokyo quality. Korean-style cafés have increased too, but venues that bring out a Vietnamese character seem to survive better."
A Vietnamese owner: "Not just foreign customers—Vietnamese in their 20s find us on Instagram and come. It's an area where it's easy to recoup design investment."
Impact on Japanese travelers
Thao Dien has a different air from District 1's tourist areas. Its appeal is that, away from the bustle of Landmark 81 and Ben Thanh Market, you can hop among 3–4 venues a day while walking quiet tree-lined streets. It's 15–20 minutes from District 1 by Grab, at 30,000–50,000 VND (about 180–300 yen). English menus are standard, so you won't struggle even if you can't read Vietnamese.
Ripple effects on the industry—the regional rollout of the "Thao Dien model"
Cases of cafés that succeeded in Thao Dien opening second locations in Da Nang, Nha Trang, and Da Lat have begun to stand out. Expanding sideways into resort areas with a high proportion of foreigners has the advantage of carrying over, as is, the design and multilingual know-how cultivated in Thao Dien.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Area | Thao Dien, District 2 (Thu Duc City), Ho Chi Minh City |
| Nearest landmark | 10 minutes by car from Landmark 81 |
| Access from the center | 15–20 minutes by Grab from District 1 / 30,000–50,000 VND (about 180–300 yen) |
| Café-dense streets | Xuan Thuy Street, Thao Dien Street |
| Average coffee price | 55,000–90,000 VND (about 330–540 yen) |
| Language | English menus are standard; no Vietnamese needed |
Summary
Thao Dien has become "a district where you can experience Ho Chi Minh City's cafés in a day." The minimal-design Bluish Cafe, the villa-with-pool Faro Cafe, the house-roasting Every Half Roastery—the individual character of each of the 12 venues is packed within a 1 km radius. In the afternoon after touring District 1's sights, just calling a Grab and heading to Thao Dien should raise your Ho Chi Minh City trip's satisfaction a notch.
Related reading
- ArchDaily's picks: 10 spots that revived French colonial apartments and old merchant houses as cafés
- Thao Dien's "Chi Mo," a new spot where you can pick your pho broth from three kinds
- Ho Chi Minh City's dessert cafés are evolving
- Cafe Apartment 42 Nguyen Hue
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