Michelin suggests six authentic Vietnamese coffee drinks, blending traditional and modern styles, such as iced milk coffee, egg coffee, and salted coffee.
Introduced by the French in the mid-19th century, coffee in Vietnam has developed into a culinary heritage. Today, the phrase "going for coffee" is not just about enjoying a cup of coffee, but also about connecting with friends, meeting people, or conducting business. Below are six ways to enjoy coffee in Vietnam, as suggested by The Michelin Guide, the world's leading culinary guide.
Iced milk coffee: Vietnam's iconic coffee.
Iced milk coffee or iced brown coffee. Photo: EVC
Iced milk coffee (or iced brown coffee) is truly the most precious beverage in the world of Vietnamese coffee. This traditional drink uses ground coffee, brewed in a filter, with boiling water poured in and the coffee slowly dripping through the filter. Below, condensed milk and ice are added last, after the coffee and milk have been whisked together. The blend of flavors—the bitterness of the coffee and the sweetness of the milk—makes iced milk coffee a memorable treat for those addicted to this beverage.
Originating from the bustling streets of Ho Chi Minh City, this iconic beverage can be found everywhere from roadside stalls to luxurious five-star restaurants. Today, iced milk coffee is a staple in Vietnamese restaurants worldwide, an indispensable accompaniment and a culinary heritage of Vietnam.
Iced coffee with condensed milk: A blend of coffee from three cultures.
Vietnamese iced coffee with condensed milk. Photo: KBT
Invented by the Chinese community in Saigon in the early 20th century, bạc xỉu stands as a testament to Saigon's rich culture and cuisine, a drink influenced by Chinese, Vietnamese, and French styles.
Many people find the strong bitterness of black coffee and milk coffee challenging for women and children who are less accustomed to it, so the Chinese came up with a more creative version – bạc xỉu. They modified the traditional iced milk coffee recipe, adjusting the ratio of coffee and milk to make it more palatable (increasing milk, decreasing coffee). Bạc xỉu is a successful combination that balances sugar, milk, and coffee.
Egg coffee: A masterpiece of Hanoi coffee.
Egg coffee. Photo: Le Lien
Egg coffee can be considered a brilliant invention of the wartime era. In the 1940s, when the prices of sugar and milk soared, Mr. Nguyen Van Giang, the founder of Giang Cafe in Hanoi, used egg yolks, inspired by his experiences working at the Metropole Hotel (Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi), to combine with cappuccino coffee. This clever substitution created a rich, golden cream on a coffee base, interwoven with the bitterness and richness of the egg. The finished product also has a sweet taste thanks to honey.
Served in small cups, Vietnamese egg coffee offers a unique experience. The egg coffee is kept warm in a bowl of hot water, providing a pleasant sensation for the drinker. With its balanced ingredients, egg coffee is a truly captivating beverage.
Salted coffee: A combination in coffee
Salted coffee originates from Hue. Photo: Cafe Muoi
As the name suggests, salted coffee is coffee with a salty taste from salt. This beverage reflects the creative spirit of Vietnamese cuisine in recent years, blending long-standing coffee traditions with the innovations of the new century. Originating from Hue, salted coffee subtly combines robusta coffee beans with cream and salt. The saltiness neutralizes the bitterness and sweetness, creating a harmonious and impressive sensation when enjoyed.
Salted coffee has multiple layers: condensed milk at the bottom, coffee in the middle, and a layer of cream on top. Salted coffee is a unique culinary adventure. When stirred together, the saltiness enhances the rich flavor of the coffee while softening the bitterness and adding sweetness and creaminess to the milk.
Coconut coffee: A tropical tradition
Coconut coffee. Photo: Mina
This drink embodies the Vietnamese people's love for tropical fruits. With a skillful recipe, the aroma and bitterness of pure coffee, combined with the sweet and creamy taste of coconut milk and condensed milk, create a symphony of flavors that captivates the senses.
A cup of coconut coffee requires a meticulous preparation process. First, coconut milk is mixed with condensed milk and ice cubes until smooth. Then, black coffee is vigorously shaken in a bottle until a light brown foam forms on the surface. Finally, the coffee is poured into a glass, and the concentrated coconut milk mixture is slowly poured over it, creating a unique and visually appealing beverage. Coconut coffee transports the drinker to a tropical paradise.
Fruity cold brew coffee: A modern coffee drink.
Cold brew with fruit. Photo: Shincafe
Having emerged only about a decade ago, fruit-flavored cold brew coffee has brought a breath of fresh air to Vietnamese coffee culture, quickly winning the hearts of people in bustling major cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
This beverage utilizes a traditional cold brewing method, allowing Arabica coffee beans to blend with fruits or fruit juices such as orange, lychee, and apricot, elevating the coffee-drinking experience to a new level. Whether it's the intense flavor of orange, the subtly sweet taste of lychee, or the tartness of apricot, each variation offers a unique and invigorating taste experience, dispelling the tropical heat.
Tam Anh (according to Michelin Guide )
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