What Are the Different Types of Vietnamese Coffee? A Complete Guide

The four main types of Vietnamese coffee you must try are phin (black or condensed milk), egg, coconut, and salt coffee. Each style represents a different region and historical era of Vietnam's coffee culture. Traditional phin coffee is strong and slow-dripped nationwide. Egg coffee is a sweet, custard-like specialty from Hà Nội. Coconut coffee offers a cold, slushy-like treat popular in the north and central regions. Salt coffee is a savory, creamy specialty originating from Huế.

Traditional Vietnamese phin coffee uses a small metal filter called a phin that sits on top of the cup. Coarsely ground Robusta beans drip slowly through the filter with hot water, taking about five to ten minutes. You can drink it black (cà phê đen) or with sweet condensed milk (cà phê sữa). A cup of phin coffee at a local street cafe typically costs from $1 (approximate). For an authentic experience, visit Cafe Đinh at 13 Đinh Tiên Hoàng, Hà Nội, or Vy Cafe at 277E Lê Thánh Tôn, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh.

Vietnamese egg coffee (cà phê trứng) combines strong black coffee with a whipped topping of egg yolks and condensed milk. Created in Hà Nội during the 1940s milk shortages, it tastes like a liquid tiramisu. The hot coffee cooks the sweet egg foam slightly as you drink it. A cup of egg coffee costs from $2 (approximate). The original home of this drink is Cafe Giảng, located down a narrow alleyway at 39 Nguyễn Hữu Huân, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội.

Coconut coffee (cà phê cốt dừa) and salt coffee (cà phê muối) are modern variations that balance Robusta's natural bitterness. Coconut coffee blends black coffee with iced coconut cream, creating a refreshing slushy texture. Salt coffee, originating in Huế, adds a layer of salted cream over iced milk coffee to enhance the sweet, chocolatey notes of the beans. Both drinks cost from $1.5 (approximate). Try salt coffee at Cafe Muối, 10 Nguyễn Lương Bằng, Huế, or coconut coffee at any Cộng Cà Phê branch nationwide.