The Ultimate Guide To Egg Coffee Hanoi – The Travel Bite

Originally featured in ANA Airlines’ in-flight magazine

I consider myself an epicurean, an explorer of food, and a connoisseur of great coffee. As a frequent jet-setter, you’d think caffeine was just for combating fatigue from frequently hopping time zones, but it’s also nice just to enjoy the exquisite experience of sipping coffee in a new city and taking in all the sites, sounds, and scents that come along with it. So, while Asia might be best known for tea, I was excited to explore their coffee scene, especially the famous egg coffee Hanoi that the city is renowned for, and surprised to find exceptional brews both on land and in the sky.

Coffee In The Sky

ANA has enlisted the expertise of master chefs and beverage specialists, The Connoisseurs, to create a fine dining experience at 30,000 feet that even includes curating a perfect cup of mid-flight coffee. The Business Class menu had a whole page dedicated to sharing the story of ANA’s coffee, from sourcing single-origin BSCA certified beans cultivated on Monte Alegre in Brazil, to how the coffee is roasted. And get this, they use a roasting method that takes into consideration the air pressure of the plane (.7 to .8 atmospheric pressure to be exact) to produce a pleasant, well balanced flavor that would taste completely different on land, so it is a unique coffee experience that can only be savored in flight.

“The luxury of tasting the vastness of the sky and the richness of the earth can be experienced only on a plane and connects customers to their fight journey.”

— ANA Original Coffee, Pour Over The Sky

Coffee On Land: Discovering Hanoi’s Coffee Culture

There’s no better city for coffee lovers to explore than Hanoi, Vietnam. When walking through the old quarter, it seems every third storefront is a cafe. From the most casual street corners where you can pull up a stool and order a traditional phin (a Vietnamese drip coffee press) and cup of sunflower seeds to snack on, to elegant European style cafes with Italian style espresso machines, and even the most trendy hipster hangouts with Instagramable drinks and decor.

As for coffee, Vietnam is the second largest producer of coffee in the world, mostly robusta beans which are known for having a higher caffeine content and a strong, sometimes bitter flavor. This is why most of Vietnam’s coffee drinks are balanced with a bit of sweetness. When visiting Hanoi, here are three essential Vietnamese coffee experiences to try!

Egg Coffee Hanoi (cà phê trứng): The City’s Most Famous Brew

Hanoi is best known for their egg coffee, a strong espresso with a freshly whipped egg and condensed milk topping, similar to a dollop of sweet custard, that pairs just perfectly with the bitter nutty flavor of strong coffee. 

You’ll find egg coffee offered everywhere, but the best place to try it is at the cafe that started it all —Giảng Coffee Shop north of the Old Quarter near Long Bien Bridge. There’s also a second location opened by the founder’s son in the Hoan Kiem district 

We went to the original cafe with a guide that taught us the proper way to drink an egg coffee. She says most people make the mistake of stirring it all together with a spoon which turns it into a sweet latte and advised that we instead just give it a light stir to help the coffee cut the cream without mixing it, that way you taste both flavors.

Yogurt Coffee (cà phê sữa chua): A Tangy Twist

Another unique coffee experience you’ll find in Hanoi is yogurt coffee. Instead of your typical coffee milk or creamer, it’s made with yogurt. Some versions are smoothie-like, but our favorite was the yogurt coffee with sweet purple sticky rice at Cong Ca Phe. It combines a shot of espresso, plain yogurt, and sweet rice for a refreshing combination of tangy and sweet flavors. Cong Ca Phe has several locations throughout Hanoi, but I recommend visiting the original on Nha Tho (Church) Street across from St. Joseph’s Cathedral.

Iced Coffee (cà phê sữa đá): The Perfect Afternoon Pick-Me-Up

There’s nothing like an iced coffee on a warm afternoon, and a Vietnamese iced coffee will give you a perfect mid-day jolt of energy too. For a relaxing break, I recommend sitting up on the second story balcony at Cafe RuNam and ordering an iced coffee. You can order it several different ways, such as a plain iced coffee which will come served with a Vietnamese drip filter and a tall glass of ice to pour it over with sweetened condensed milk served on the side so you can mix it to your preferred sweetness. Or you can order an iced coconut milk coffee for something a bit more tropical.

Drew Coffee: Where Tradition Meets Innovation

For a perfect blend of traditional atmosphere and creative coffee innovation, Drew Coffee offers an experience that captures the essence of Hanoi’s evolving coffee culture. The cafe features a striking modern green awning that draws you in from the street, while inside you’ll find the classic short cafe stools that are quintessentially Vietnamese. What sets Drew Coffee apart is their extensive menu that goes far beyond the traditional egg coffee Hanoi offerings, though they certainly serve an excellent version of the classic.

Their signature drinks are creatively named after the months when the beans were roasted: Coffee December, August Milk Coffee, and November Affogato each offer unique flavor profiles that reflect the seasonal character of their bean selection. For those seeking something more adventurous, try their Black Sea salted cream coffee, which balances the robust Vietnamese coffee with a hint of sea salt, or their coconut coffee for a tropical twist. Their November latte is particularly noteworthy, beautifully layered with flavor and care that’s evident in every sip.

Final Thoughts: Why Hanoi Should Be Your Next Coffee Destination

Whether you’re savoring egg coffee Hanoi at the legendary Giảng Cafe or discovering unique yogurt coffee blends, Hanoi offers coffee experiences you won’t find anywhere else in the world. The city’s rich coffee culture, combined with Vietnam’s position as the world’s second-largest coffee producer, makes it a must-visit destination for any serious coffee enthusiast.

Read more about our trip to Vietnam here: 72 Hours In Hanoi