COFFEE GUIDE
Vietnamese Coffee
Strong dark roast dripped through a phin filter over condensed milk. Intense and sweet.
WHAT IT IS
Vietnamese coffee (cà phê) is made using a small aluminum or stainless steel drip filter called a phin. Dark-roasted Robusta coffee (often with chicory or butter added during roasting) drips slowly through the filter into a cup containing sweetened condensed milk. Iced Vietnamese coffee (cà phê sữa đá) adds ice.
HOW IT IS MADE
Sweetened condensed milk is placed in the bottom of the cup. The phin filter is placed on top, filled with coarsely ground dark roast coffee, compressed with the press plate, and hot water is added. The coffee drips slowly through the filter over 4 to 6 minutes.
WHAT IT TASTES LIKE
Very strong, dark, and sweet. The condensed milk creates an intensely sweet base that balances the strong dark Robusta coffee. Iced, it becomes a dessert-like cold coffee drink. Nothing else tastes quite like it.
WHEN TO ORDER IT
At Vietnamese restaurants and Vietnamese coffee shops. When you want something sweet, strong, and completely different from espresso culture. As an introduction to Robusta-based coffee traditions.
HOW TO ORDER IT
Say "Vietnamese coffee" or "ca phe." Specify hot or iced. Some shops have pre-made condensed milk ratios; others let you control it.
VARIATIONS
Cà phê sữa đá: iced Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk. Cà phê trứng: Vietnamese egg coffee, made with a whipped egg yolk custard instead of condensed milk.
CAFFEINE
About 70 to 90mg per serving. Robusta beans have nearly double the caffeine of Arabica, so Vietnamese coffee is stronger than it looks.
According to Pulled Coffee data from 462,531 coffee shops worldwide, 15.9% of all coffee shops are classified as specialty — the type most likely to serve a proper Vietnamese Coffee. In cities like Vancouver (4,175 specialty shops) and London (3,621), your chances of finding a great one are significantly higher than the global average.
Find a great Vietnamese Coffee near you
Pulled Coffee helps you discover the best coffee shops in your city. Check in, earn real cash.
Find a great Vietnamese Coffee near you