When it comes to Hanoi, egg coffee (C\u00e0 Ph\u00ea Tr\u1ee9ng), which originated at Cafe Giang, is famous. It began in the 1940s when Nguyen Van Giang, a bartender at the Sofitel Legend Metropole, substituted egg yolk and condensed milk in an era of milk shortage, and it's now a tourist specialty of Hanoi's Old Quarter. But another wave is rolling into this city of egg coffee too. It's specialty coffee using single-origin Arabica beans from Vietnam's central highlands. Centered on the Tay Ho (West Lake) area, new-generation caf\u00e9s serving V60 hand drip and cold brew are increasing, bringing a \"third wave\" to Hanoi's coffee scene.<\/p>\n
Vietnam is the world's second-largest coffee producer, but the bulk of production is Robusta, consumed for instant coffee and the condensed-milk \"C\u00e0 Ph\u00ea S\u1eefa \u0110\u00e1.\" In recent years, however, Arabica cultivation has expanded in the central highlands and northern mountains, such as Da Lat (\u0110\u00e0 L\u1ea1t), Lam Dong Province, and Son La Province. As high-quality domestic Arabica came to be supplied stably, Hanoi's young roasters began offering specialty coffee using those beans.<\/p>\n
The rise of specialty coffee doesn't replace Hanoi's traditional coffee culture. C\u00e0 Ph\u00ea S\u1eefa \u0110\u00e1 drunk on small plastic stools on the street and V60 drip savored at a modern caf\u00e9 in the West Lake area coexist. Local roasters put forward the stance of \"actively using Vietnamese beans rather than relying on imported beans,\" and there's also an aspect of rediscovering domestic coffee.<\/p>\n
| Style<\/th>\n | Price range (VND)<\/th>\n | Yen conversion (1 VND \u2248 0.006 yen)<\/th>\n | Characteristics<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Street caf\u00e9 (C\u00e0 Ph\u00ea S\u1eefa \u0110\u00e1)<\/td>\n | 15,000\u301c30,000<\/td>\n | About 90\u2013180 yen<\/td>\n | Robusta, with condensed milk, plastic stools<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | ||||||||||||||||
| Egg coffee (tourist-area price)<\/td>\n | 35,000\u301c65,000<\/td>\n | About 210\u2013390 yen<\/td>\n | Egg yolk and condensed-milk foam<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | ||||||||||||||||
| Specialty hand drip<\/td>\n | 60,000\u301c120,000<\/td>\n | About 360\u2013720 yen<\/td>\n | V60, single-origin Arabica<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | ||||||||||||||||
| Cold Brew<\/td>\n | 55,000\u301c100,000<\/td>\n | About 330\u2013600 yen<\/td>\n | Long extraction, fruity acidity<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | ||||||||||||||||
| Coconut coffee<\/td>\n | 40,000\u301c60,000<\/td>\n | About 240\u2013360 yen<\/td>\n | Uses coconut milk, on the sweeter side<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nNotable roasters and caf\u00e9s<\/h3>\nLeading Hanoi's specialty coffee scene is Third Wave Roastery, based in Hai Ba Trung District. At its compact pour-over bar, it offers Kon Tum Province fine Robusta (full body, whiskey-like nuances), a 90-point Geisha from Central America, and a cold-brew power blend of 50% Brazil, 30% Colombia, and 20% Ethiopia natural.<\/p>\n Specialty caf\u00e9s are also scattered in the Old Quarter, but in many cases they operate as if hidden on the upper floors of narrow back alleys. In the West Lake area, multiple specialty caf\u00e9s gather within walking distance around Lotte Mall, and their higher pricing and experimental approach have won support.<\/p>\n Voices of Vietnamese coffee lovers<\/h2>\nA Hanoi-based IT company employee, a man in his 30s, says, \"I won't change my morning street caf\u00e9, but on weekends I drink Geisha at Third Wave. I didn't know Vietnamese Arabica could be this delicious.\" A woman roaster who moved from Da Lat to Hanoi comments, \"An era has come where the beans we grew are evaluated as specialty. Hanoi consumers are open-minded and take an interest in new extraction methods too.\" Among foreign residents, the reputation is spreading that \"Hanoi is the city in Southeast Asia where you can drink the best-value specialty coffee.\"<\/p>\n Practical guide for Japanese travelers<\/h2>\nFor Japanese travelers to enjoy specialty coffee in Hanoi, it's efficient to first aim for the West Lake (Tay Ho) area. Around Lotte Mall Tay Ho, multiple specialty caf\u00e9s gather within walking distance. From the Old Quarter it's about 15\u201320 minutes by Grab.<\/p>\n Beginners should enjoy it in the following three steps.<\/p>\n
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