Egg coffee (Ca phe trung): A drink that has the authentic taste of Vietnam

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Vietnamese people and foreigners enjoying egg coffee at Giang Cafe (Source: Collected)

During your Vietnam travel, besides visiting famous tourist attractions, enjoying Vietnamese egg coffee should be one of the top activities on your bucket list. This special kind of drink features the typical characteristics of the S-shaped country’s cuisine. Read on to discover the origin of egg coffee and some fantastic coffee shops serving this foamy delicacy.

1. What is egg coffee? The origin of this Vietnamese specialty

• Ingredients

The traditional recipe of a cup of egg coffee has been kept strategically secret since its introduction to the public. However, as its name and flavor suggest, it can be seen that some main ingredients are egg yolks, condensed milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and strong espresso.

The ingredients of Vietnamese egg coffee (Source: Collected)

Nowadays, the original egg coffee recipe has been adjusted to satisfy the changes in customer’s tastes. Every coffee shop serving egg coffee has its own complicated preparation process and proprietary recipe, which offers diverse experiences for coffee lovers.

No matter where you try this flavourful drink in Vietnam, you will see two layers in a cup of egg coffee. The first one is a thick layer of frothy egg mixture, while the second one is a layer of espresso.

• Origin

Mr. Nguyen Van Giang, who used to be a barista at the famous French Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel in the 1940s, was the father of Vietnamese egg coffee. Inspired by some Western creamy drinks like cappuccino and latte, he decided to make a Vietnamese version at a more reasonable price so that Vietnamese people of all classes would have the opportunity to enjoy it. Looking for alternatives for dairy products which were extremely rare and expensive at that time, Mr. Giang came up with the idea of whipping up some egg yolks to replicate the creamy flavor of milk. Since then, egg coffee has been available at Giang Cafe.

An old picture of Giang cafe (Source: Collected)

Besides egg coffee, there are many popular and tasty Vietnamese food that are worth trying on your vacation in Vietnam.

2. How to drink egg coffee Vietnam in the right manner?

• The right way to enjoy egg coffee

Compared with other kinds of caffeinated drinks, egg coffee offers not only a unique taste but also an original texture. As density plays a vital role in the success of Vietnamese egg coffee, it is remarkably rich and robust to the point that it should be enjoyed by using a spoon. Thus, instead of drinking a cup of egg coffee immediately, you should first stir it slowly to mix both the layers together, then sip it with a spoon to enjoy it to the fullest.

Egg coffee – a taste of elegance (Source: Collected)

• Hot egg coffee and iced egg coffee

Vietnamese egg coffee has had a huge surge in popularity since it was first made available to consumers, leading to the appearance of several variations of the original recipe. You may get it hot or cold, and both seem to offer very different experiences.

Iced egg coffee tastes more like a dessert than coffee, closely resembling coffee-flavored ice cream or tiramisu. This cold version of egg coffee is an ideal refreshment to enjoy during the sweltering summer months in Vietnam.

The cold version of Vietnamese egg coffee (Source: Collected)

The hot Vietnamese egg coffee is served in a smaller cup compared to the iced one. Some cafes will even give you a small bowl of hot water to keep it warm, so that you can enjoy it hot for longer. On a rainy day, sipping a cup of egg coffee while listening to the sound of the rain outside would be a memorable experience.

The hot version of Vietnamese egg coffee (Source: Collected)

3. Where to get the best egg coffee during your Vietnam food tour?

It is almost undeniable that the best cup of Vietnamese egg coffee can be found in Hanoi. Still, egg coffee has become present in both Vietnam’s central and southern regions also, thanks to its wonderful flavor. Therefore, you can enjoy this tasty drink anywhere during your trip to Vietnam.

• Hanoi

Hanoi is the place where egg coffee was first introduced so you can find numerous egg coffee shops in this capital city. The two most popular coffee shops serving this wonderful drink are Cafe Giang and Cafe Dinh.

Giang Cafe, founded in 1946 by Mr. Nguyen Van Giang, was the first to serve this sort of coffee. The cafe’s old look reminds every visitor of an ancient and exquisite Hanoi. The rich egg yolk combined with the filtered coffee and certain secret additives brings an outstanding flavor that sets Giang Cafe’s egg coffee apart from those of other shops.

Cafe Giang – No. 39, Nguyen Huu Huan Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi (Source: Collected)

You can enjoy egg coffee at Giang Cafe from 7.00 am to 10.30 pm. It is worth noting that this coffee shop is really crowded in the evening, so if you want to slowly enjoy your cup of coffee, it is recommended that you come here in the morning or afternoon.

Cafe Dinh is also one of the top places in Hanoi to have the best egg coffee in Hanoi. The owner of this coffee shop was Mr. Nguyen Van Giang’s daughter, so the egg coffee here is quite similar to Cafe Giang’s. Cafe Dinh’s egg coffee is popular thanks to its rich and unique flavor, which results from a combination of Robusta coffee, egg yolks, and milk at a perfect ratio. Compared with Giang’s traditional egg coffee, that of Dinh Cafe looks somewhat more attractive, with beautiful patterns decorated on the coffee surface.

Cafe Dinh – No. 13, Dinh Tien Hoang Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi (Source: @hamanh_)

If you want to enjoy egg coffee at Dinh Cafe, remember that their opening hours are from 7.00 am to 9.30 pm.

In addition to exploring Hanoi’s cuisine, don’t forget to visit some well-known tourist attractions in Vietnam’s capital, such as VinKE & Vinpearl Aquarium. They are both located in Vincom Mega Mall Times City and widely regarded as the most appealing attractions in the city for young families and teenagers.

VinKE & Vinpearl Aquarium – entertainment and career guidance area

At Vinpearl Aquarium, you can immerse in a colorful world of the mysterious ocean. This place has set numerous records and is now home to almost 30,000 sea specimens. Meanwhile, VinKE is an ideal venue for children to try out their dream occupations while having fun with their parents.

>>> Remember to book tickets of VinKE & Vinpearl Aquarium and enjoy Hanoi to your heart’s content!

• Da Nang

There are also many good coffee shops in Central Vietnam, specifically in Da Nang, for you to taste egg coffee.

At La Bicicleta Coffee, the egg coffee features a thick layer of yellow-brown eggs on top and pure coffee underneath, which balances off the fatty flavor of the eggs. This creamy combination is created by whipping the eggs quickly in a machine and adding filtered coffee. You can enjoy egg coffee at La Bicicleta from 7 am to 10 pm every day.

La Bicicleta Coffee – No. 33, Tran Quoc Toan Street, Hai Chau District, Da Nang (Source: Collected)

Located in a small alley, Noi Cafe has a vintage and rustic style. Here, there are old motorbikes, black and white TVs, cassette players, and loudspeakers, which will make you feel like you just walked into a cafe in the 80s. Noi Cafe’s egg coffee is famous for its creamy egg foam topped with a thick layer of cocoa powder. This coffee shop welcomes customers from 7 am to 10 pm.

Noi Coffee – No. 113/18, Nguyen Chi Thanh Street, Hai Chau District, Da Nang (Source: Collected)

• Ho Chi Minh City

If you are on the hunt for the best cup of egg coffee in Ho Chi Minh City, here are some suggestions:

Goc Ha Noi is widely considered as one of the top coffee shops serving egg coffee in Ho Chi Minh City. It is in an alleyway at the center of Bui Vien Street in District 1. Goc Ha Noi’s menu is quite minimal, consisting of only Vietnamese coffee, egg coffee, teas, and juices. This cafe’s egg coffee is the ideal blend of the bitterness of espresso, the rich taste of eggs, and the sweetness of milk. When sipping it hot, you can immediately feel the fragrant egg flavor and the intense coffee flavor.

Goc Ha Noi – No. 165/3, Bui Vien Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City (Source: Collected)

English & Coffee, another popular cafe known for its egg coffee, is situated in Saigon’s most bustling district. In order to keep the egg coffee hot while you enjoy it, this coffee shop serves it over a tiny candle. If you love the bitterness of coffee, you can order egg coffee without condensed milk.

As its name suggests, English and Coffee offers language classes for Vietnamese individuals who want to study English. Therefore, here, you might meet some locals who want to practice speaking English with you.

English and Coffee – No. 102, Nguyen Van Thu Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City (Source: Collected)

Vietnamese egg coffee has always been the pride of Vietnamese people. This flavourful drink impresses not only locals but also foreigners, with its perfect balance of coffee and whipped egg yolks. If you have a chance to visit Vietnam, don’t forget to enjoy this drink at some well-known coffee shops recommended above.

Besides enjoying the local food, you should also check out some of Hanoi’s well-known tourist destinations, such as Vinpearl Aquarium and VinKE.

 >>> Book tickets of VinKE & Vinpearl Aquarium to have a memorable trip in Hanoi!