Vietnam Specialty Coffee: A Unique Taste in Every Vietnam Package Tour

A Quick Glance at Vietnam’s Coffee Legacy

The tale of Vietnam Specialty Coffee starts with a colonial twist when the French brought Arabica coffee to the rich highlands of Vietnam in the 19th century. But it was the hearty Robusta that recast the shape of the nation’s future. While Arabica enjoyed the higher ground of the more favorable alpine roots, Robusta flourished in the rich volcanic soils of the Central Highlands, where boldness, toughness, and a good dose of caffeine got their start. From such humble roots, Vietnamese coffee has become a source of national pride. Today, coffee in Vietnam goes beyond mass production: It’s about identity, culture, and a distinctive character that you can taste in each cup of coffee brewed in the iconic Vietnamese coffee phin.

Vietnam Specialty Coffee is famous worldwide for its full flavour and the distinctive way it is brewed. From the creamy, sweet Vietnamese egg coffee to the surprising twist of the Vietnamese salt coffee recipe, this coffee adventure never fails to delight. And so, while there may be a lag in diversity among Vietnam coffee brand names, local innovators and an emerging Vietnam coffee brand names are at the forefront of a movement prioritizing origin, quality, and sustainability. Whether you fancy getting your hands dirty with a traditional phin drip, or you’re keen to try out a hipster cold brew, one thing is certain: Vietnam Specialty Coffee offers one of the best coffee to buy in Vietnam, directly contributing to the country’s growing reputation a haven for coffee aficionados who like to savour and explore outside the comfort zone!

Vietnamese coffee phin (Sours: europeancoffeetrip)

What Makes Vietnam’s Specialty Coffee Truly Special?

The Beans: Bold Flavor, Great Variety

At the heart of Vietnam Specialty Coffee are the beans themselves. The vast majority of coffee in Vietnam is Robusta, a strong, bitter bean with twice the caffeine of Arabica coffee. It predominates in the Central Highlands, particularly Dak Lak and Gia Lai, and accounts for more than 90% of Vietnam’s coffee production. This is the bean that accounts for Vietnamese drip coffee.

In addition to Robusta, farmers in Lam Dong and Son La produce Arabica, which is lighter, a bit sour, and very aromatic. Others, like Catimor and Typica, are valued for their fruity taste, ideal for Vietnamese egg coffee or cold brew. There have also been rare beans, such as the Culi (an only child round bean with a sweet aftertaste), and the Liberica (tasting slightly smoky and woody). They’re a big reason why Vietnamese Specialty Coffee is one of the most intriguing options out there for any coffee sipper.

The Beans (Sours: vinpearl)

Grown with Care in Ideal Conditions

Great coffee can grow extremely well in Vietnam’s natural environment. In Lam Dong, Son La, and Dak Lak, the soil is volcanic and mineral-laden. “We get juuust enough rain and we get juuust enough sunshine,” Blanton said of the weather. Many farms are in the highlands, where the beans are allowed to grow slowly and produce rich flavors.

Vietnamese farmers are in no hurry. They select ripe cherries and treat the coffee with precision, drying it naturally and creating honey-processed beans so that the best flavor stays with every coffee bean. The result is that every cup, from a classic Vietnamese coffee phin or Vietnamese salt coffee recipe, is bursting with unadulterated and organic flavor. This isn’t only coffee, but the flavor of the land.

Grown with Care in Ideal Conditions (Sours: perfectdailygrind)

Sustainable and Ethical Coffee Farming

Another thing that sets Vietnam Specialty Coffee apart is how it does good for the environment and for the farmers. Robusta requires less pesticide, can grow in more places, and also bears more beans per tree, so it’s better for nature. A lot of farms are also going organic and reducing their water use.

But there is a human dimension, as well. Throughout Vietnam, there are farmer cooperatives and small businesses collaborating to ensure that coffee is fair and ethical. Brands like Nguyen Coffee Supply and K’Ho Coffee help farmers find global buyers at a fair price. They’re changing the way people think about Robusta, showing that it can be both good and bad.

So, whether you’re looking for coffee to buy in Vietnam or to try a local Vietnamese coffee brand, opt for one that supports fair trade and farming. Enjoy it with condensed milk or strong and black through a Vietnamese coffee phin, and you’ll experience something truly special with a story that’s worth sharing.

Ethical Coffee Farming (Sours: chus)

Vietnam’s Most Iconic Coffee Creations

Ca Phe Sua Da – The National Everyday Favorite

• Flavor: Strong – Sweet – Refreshing
•  Made with: Robusta brewed with a Vietnamese coffee phin, served over ice and sweetened with viscous condensed milk.
•  Price range: 20,000 – 40,000 VND/cup

Where to try it:

• Vot Cafe – Ho Chi Minh City: A 60-plus-year-old shop that brews with cloth filters for an old-school feel.
• Cong Ca Phe – Nationwide: Quality is consistent with some classy but nostalgic decor.
• The Workshop – Ho Chi Minh City: Serving high-quality Vietnam drip coffee with single-origin beans and methods.

Why it stands out: It’s the soul of everyday coffee in Vietnam, a no-frills yet deeply satisfying drink. Ideal for novices to the world of Vietnam Specialty Coffee and for those who are looking for something bolder than just a regular iced latte.

Ca Phe Sua Da (Sours: kingroti)

Ca Phe Trung – Hanoi’s Silky Signature Delight

• Flavor: Creamy – Sweet – Slightly bitter
• Made with: Strong Robusta, sometimes Arabica coffee with a foamy layer of whisked egg yolk, sugar, and sweetened condensed milk.
•  Price range: 35,000 – 60,000 VND/cup

Where to try it:

• Café Giang – Hanoi: Home of the original Vietnamese egg coffee, and as the name suggests, it has not changed since 1946.
• Dinh Cafe – Hanoi: Great view of Hoan Kiem Lake, strong brew, and old style.
• Loading T Cafe – Hanoi: The milder, a more Western-friendly version, perfect for international coffee lovers.

Why it stands out: A wartime adaptive device becomes a global curiosity. It is a “coffee dessert” that successfully connects the past to the future and has never let go of the international specialty coffee scene.

Ca Phe Trung (Sours: winci)

Ca Phe Muoi – The Salty Coffee Surprise from Hue

• Flavor: Smooth – Slightly salty – Umami-rich
•  Made with: Robusta and cream and condensed milk, and a pinch of salt, they’d usually do it with a phin or shake it over ice.
•  Price range: 25,000 – 50,000 VND/cup

Where to try it:

• Ca Phe Muoi – 10 Nguyen Luong Bang, Hue: The original café with the salt-cream combination just right.
• Salt Coffee - 142 Dinh Tien Hoang, Hue: Another trendy take with unique toppings.
• Nha 9NKC – Hanoi: A chic Northern spin on the southern flavor fad.

Why it stands out: The salty-sweet combination sounds strange, but tastes fantastic, like creamy sea breeze meets strong coffee. A quick rising star in our world of Vietnam Specialty Coffee, and a flavor you won’t forget.

Ca Phe Muoi (Sours: cubes)

Vietnamese Specialty Coffee on the World Stage

Global Recognition & Awards

Vietnamese coffee growers have evolved over the last 10 years from suppliers of developed coffee to a stable supply of specialty coffee, with distinctive, flavorful profiles. Today, single-origin beans from Dak Lak, Cau Dat, and Son La are receiving cupping scores of over 85 by Q-graders, the international standard for high-quality beans. In fact:

• In 2023, La Viet Coffee won the Silver award at the AVPA Paris Gourmet Awards with its honey-processed arabica grown in Lam Dong.
• In 2022, a naturally processed Robusta from K’Ho Coffee Farm near Da Lat was chosen by European roasters for limited-edition espresso blends.

Nguyen Coffee Supply & Vietnam’s Export Trailblazers

A major catalyst for this global movement is Nguyen Coffee Supply, a Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Vietnamese coffee brand. Established by Vietnamese American entrepreneur Sahra Nguyen, the company is the first to directly source and import 100% specialty Robusta and Arabica green beans from Vietnam to roast in the United States.

Their Loyalty, Moxy, and Truegrit blends are now served in select coffee shops from Los Angeles to London. Nguyen Coffee Supply’s mission? It’s to make Robusta prestigious, to teach consumers all over the world about Vietnamese coffee, and to make the Vietnamese coffee phin a kitchenware item.

Other export champions include:

• L’amant Café (Ben Tre): Eco-certified farms, plus Arabica-Culi blends.
• Shin Coffee (Ho Chi Minh City): Exporter of Vietnamese cold brew concentrates to the Asia-Pacific markets.
• Bosgaurus Coffee Roasters (Thu Duc): Working with top-shelf restaurants throughout Europe.

The Rise of Specialty Arabica in Vietnam

Robusta is Vietnam’s powerhouse, but Arabica production is growing quickly, especially in highland microclimates. Today, Cau Dat, Son La, and Quang Tri grow precious coffee varieties such as Typica, Catimor, and Bourbon at altitudes ranging from 1,300m to 1,600 m.

These are not purveyed as commodity-grade beans, but rather:

• Handpicked at peak ripeness
• Naturally or honey-processed at origin
• Tracked to individual farmers

From Phin to Fame: Brewing Vietnamese Identity Worldwide

And what is driving curiosity across the globe? It’s the Vietnam drip coffee brewers that come with a typical Vietnamese coffee phin. This thoughtful single-serve metal filter not only showcases the depth of the beans but also evokes mindfulness with every sip.

Globally, you’ll now find:

• Vietnamese egg coffee in Parisian cafés and Melbourne brunch places
• TikTokkers remixing the Vietnamese salt coffee recipe to use oat milk, sea salt foam, and caramel drizzle
• Vietnamese cold brew bottles are sold by Whole Foods and indie grocery stores in New York and L.A.

Conclusion

You’re not just drinking a drink when you take a swig of Vietnam Specialty Coffee, you’re experiencing a tradition. From the creative decadence of Vietnamese egg coffee, the slow process of soldiering through a Vietnamese coffee phin, to the slightly bizarre addition of a dollop of butter (yes, butter with coffee) in the form of a Vietnamese salt coffee recipe, it’s a taste experience every coffee lover should have at least once in their lifetime. Travelling soon? And don’t miss the Vietnam Package Tours featuring authentic coffee experiences and café visits. And when it comes to the best coffee to buy in Vietnam, get yourself a good ol’ authentic Vietnam coffee brand to bring back that rich, cultural flavor.