Three Vietnamese coffees are among the top 10 best drinks in Southeast Asia.

The bartender decorates a cup of egg coffee with an image of the Turtle Tower. (Photo: Lam Khanh/ VNA)

Vietnam continues to make a strong mark on the international culinary map, especially in Southeast Asia, when three coffee drinks were honored by the famous culinary website Taste Atlas in the top 10 of the list of 62 best drinks in the region.

Leading the Vietnamese beverage group is Ca phe sua da, ranked 3rd. Taste Atlas describes this as a harmonious combination of strong coffee, condensed milk and ice, creating an irresistible, distinctive flavor.

The strong bitterness of coffee is softened by the sweet, fatty taste of condensed milk, combined with the coolness of ice, bringing a truly Vietnamese experience.

Iced milk coffee. (Photo: Pham Hau/VNA)

Traditionally, iced coffee with condensed milk is made with medium or coarse roast coffee, usually Robusta, using a drip filter. The coffee is then poured over ice, mixed with condensed milk, and served in a tall glass. Today, a version using espresso and condensed milk is equally appealing.

Vietnamese black coffee is ranked 6th. Although this is a popular drink globally, it is the typical Vietnamese ingredients that make this drink honored. Taste Atlas said that coffee was introduced to Vietnam by the French in the mid-19th century, and Vietnam quickly became one of the largest coffee producing countries in the world , especially leading in Robusta exports.

Robusta is the most popular coffee in Vietnamese culture. This bean has a strong, bitter taste, is not very sour and sometimes leaves a slightly astringent aftertaste. The distinctive flavor of Robusta is further enhanced by the slow roasting process; some places also roast the beans with butter, sugar, and even cocoa or vanilla. For those who love pure flavor, a glass of black coffee without sugar is always the standard choice.

Egg coffee, a specialty drink of Hanoi, is the perfect blend of the strong taste of coffee and the rich taste of whipped egg yolk. This is a truly attractive drink for tourists when they come to the capital. (Photo: Lam Khanh/VNA)

Egg coffee, a famous drink of Hanoi, is in the top 10. Egg coffee is described as a sweet, rich drink, combining Robusta coffee with a smooth cream layer of beaten egg yolks and condensed milk. The egg mixture is beaten for about 10 minutes and boiled until smooth, creating a characteristic foam layer.

Traditionally, coffee is dripped through a filter and then poured over a layer of beaten eggs. This drink was created in the 1950s and is still a symbol of Hanoi cuisine.

In addition to the top 10, many other Vietnamese drinks continue to make their mark in high positions such as Lotus Tea (12), Iced Yogurt (23), Apple Wine (26), Can Wine (29), and Black Sticky Rice Wine (31).

Many other unique coffee dishes such as salt coffee and coconut coffee also appeared in the rankings, demonstrating the diversity and creativity of Vietnamese beverage culture.

Number 1 on the list of 62 best drinks in the region is Thai red milk tea; second is Ipoh white coffee, Malaysia.

Over the years, Vietnamese coffee has been continuously honored and praised in a series of prestigious international newspapers.

Previously, in 2023, Taste Alas also ranked Vietnamese iced milk coffee 2nd in the top 10 most highly rated coffee drinks in the world.

In 2022, Canadian travel magazine The Travel listed the countries with the best coffee in the world, in which Vietnamese coffee was mentioned first.

In 2020, in an article on CNN "Why the world is waking up to Vietnamese coffee", Vietnamese coffee was introduced as a popular drink with many different brewing methods.

The New York Times also published an article titled "In Vietnam, Coffee Culture Brims With New Energy" ("In Vietnam, coffee culture is full of new energy") in March 2020, assessed that Vietnamese coffee is becoming a national brand with diverse and unique flavors.

Not only that, Vietnamese special filter coffee and iced milk coffee are always drinks that international politicians, heads of state such as US President Obama, and world famous stars always praise and look forward to enjoying when coming to Vietnam.

Coffee harvest in Dak Lak. (Photo: Vu Sinh/VNA)

Coffee was introduced to Vietnam in 1857 by French missionaries and tested in the North (Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa) with the Arabica variety, but was unsuccessful. It was then brought to the Central Highlands (Dak Lak) and developed strongly thanks to the ideal climate and soil, especially the Robusta variety, turning Vietnam into a world coffee exporting powerhouse.

Currently, coffee has become one of the key industrial crops, of strategic importance, with an area of about 680,000 hectares spread across the country.

Although it is an imported drink, Vietnamese coffee has developed its own unique style over time, creating a clear difference compared to European styles.

This distinctive flavor comes from the diversity of plant varieties, soil characteristics, climate, rainfall, sunlight and even the altitude where the plants grow. Currently, Vietnamese coffee is used to make many rich and unique drinks with attractive aromas, in which the most prominent is Buon Ma Thuot Robusta - a dark roasted coffee, slightly sour, thick and rich in flavor.

It is this rich Robusta that has played an important role in bringing Vietnamese coffee to the world.

In recent years, Vietnam has emerged as one of the leading countries in coffee export, with impressive growth figures.

Accumulated from the beginning of the year to November 15, 2025, coffee exports reached nearly 1.35 million tons, worth 7.64 billion USD - an increase of 14.6% in volume and 62.3% in value over the same period in 2024./.

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