5 Best Vietnamese Coffee Drinks You Must Try

Ever had one of those summer afternoons that turned into a flavor memory? A few years ago, I went over to my friend’s place, and he said, “Look, I saw this recipe on YouTube, Vietnamese iced coffee. We’re making it today.”

He brewed it using a weird little metal filter. Now I know it’s called a phin and mixed the coffee with this thick, sweet condensed milk.

First sip? It was like drinking silk with a caffeine punch. The strong, creamy, slightly chocolatey, and oddly refreshing.

That kicked off my obsession with Vietnamese coffee. Since then, I’ve tried every version I could get my hands on from egg coffee in a tiny Hanoi-style café to coconut coffee that tastes like dessert.

In this guide, you’ll discover the best Vietnamese coffee drinks you must try. So let’s start brewing!

5 Best Vietnamese Coffee Drinks

So, let’s talk about 5 bold, sweet, and creamy coffee drinks. If you’d like to also learn about the best French coffee drinks, read here. Anyway, keep reading to learn more.

1 – Cà Phê Sữa Đá (Vietnamese Iced Coffee with Milk)

This coffee is a dessert in a cup. If you’re making this at home, here’s what’s worked best for me:

Use 2 tablespoons of medium-to-coarse dark roast Vietnamese coffee (Trung Nguyên or ChestBrew work great), and about 2 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk. However, you can tweak that depending on your sweet tooth.

Also brew it slowly using a phin filter right over the condensed milk, then stir it together once the drip’s done. Afterward, pour the whole thing over a tall glass of ice, and that’s it.

You can find cà phê sữa đá at most Vietnamese restaurants. But if you’re lucky enough to visit Vietnam, especially Ho Chi Minh City, you’ll see locals sipping it streetside at tiny plastic tables.

Honestly, once you’ve had the real deal in that heat, nothing else quite compares. But until then, the homemade version hits pretty darn close.

2 – Cà Phê Trứng (Vietnamese Egg Coffee)

Cà phê trứng is one of those drinks that sounds a little wild until you try it and then you can’t stop thinking about it. It started in Hanoi back in the 1940s when milk was scarce, so egg yolks became the stand-in.

Turns out, whisked egg yolk with sweetened condensed milk and sugar creates a frothy, custard-like layer that tastes like tiramisu combined with macchiato.

To make it right, you’ll want 1 egg yolk, 2 teaspoons of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk. Afterward, whip until it’s thick and airy (hand mixer works best), but I’ve done it with a whisk (and sore arms).

Then pour it over a strong Vietnamese brew, like espresso-strength robusta, served hot in a small cup, ideally nestled in warm water so it stays cozy.

What about the flavor?

Egg coffee is creamy, sweet, and rich, with a kick of deep coffee bitterness underneath. It’s like a dessert and a caffeine jolt all in one.

Notes: If you’re not in Vietnam, some specialty cafés serve it (especially ones that focus on Asian coffee). However, making it at home is doable and a fun way to impress someone who thinks they’ve seen it all in the coffee world.

3 – Bạc Xỉu (Milk Coffee with a Splash of Coffee)

Basically, it’s the Vietnamese take on a latte, but even milkier and sweeter. The ratio’s flipped compared to traditional cà phê sữa đá: you’re looking at about 3 parts sweetened condensed milk and whole milk to 1 part strong coffee (traditionally robusta).

It started as a drink for kids or folks who didn’t want the intensity of traditional Vietnamese brews, and now it’s all over modern cafés, especially in Saigon.

Usually served iced in a tall glass, it’s creamy and refreshing. I’ve found it pairs ridiculously well with sweet pastries. For instance, bánh bò nướng, that chewy, coconutty honeycomb cake or even something salty like banh mi.

Notes: If you’re making it at home, just brew a little bit of strong coffee with a phin or moka pot, then pour it over ice and your milk blend.

4 – Cà Phê Dừa (Vietnamese Coconut Coffee)

This coffee takes bold, bitter robusta coffee (like Trung Nguyên or G7) very Vietnamese and blends it with rich coconut cream or milk.

A typical café-style version is about 1 part strong coffee to 2 parts coconut cream. Though, at home I go a bit lighter if I’m not in dessert mode.

What makes this drink pop is that blend of flavors: nutty, creamy, slightly sweet, and that punchy caffeine hit underneath. Often, it’s served iced, but the frappé version? Splendid!

I once tossed some into a blender with ice and a dash of condensed milk. I got something like a tropical affogato milkshake.

More and more modern coffee shops in Vietnam are offering this on their menus, especially places experimenting with fusion drinks.

But you can make it at home with robusta coffee (or a dark roast), canned coconut milk, and some crushed ice.

Notes: Shake it in a cocktail shaker if you don’t want to bust out a blender. It gets that velvety texture that makes you think you’re at a seaside café. Even if you’re just in your kitchen with messy hair and slippers.

5 – Cà Phê Muối (Vietnamese Salt Coffee)

Cà phê muối, or Vietnamese salt coffee, tastes quite different from what we’re commonly used to. You can expect a creamy, bitter, sweet, and then this gentle salty finish that works. It’s kind of like salted caramel in coffee form but with a bolder coffee flavor.

This drink took off in Hue, and now you’ll find it popping up in trendy coffee spots all over Vietnam.

The base is strong-brewed robusta coffee (about 1:1 coffee to hot water using a phin filter), and then the magic happens: a salted cream layer on top.

That’s whipped cream, sweetened condensed milk, and a pinch of sea salt. For this, a 3:1 cream-to-condensed milk ratio, and 1/8 teaspoon of salt per cup. Furthermore, don’t go overboard or it’ll taste like ocean water.

Notes: Pour the salted cream slowly over the back of a spoon so it floats neatly on top. Then sip it as-is and don’t stir. The layers hit your palate in waves. I’ve even seen some cafés use a bit of cheese foam. It sounds weird, but it works pretty well.

Last Thoughts

If you’ve tried any of these bold drinks, I’d love to hear which one hit the spot for you. Or maybe you stumbled on something I didn’t include.

Just drop a comment below and share your favorite Vietnamese coffee experience or a twist you tried at home. Was it heavenly? Was it a disaster? Either way, let’s swap stories. Who knows, your idea might just become someone’s next must-try brew.