Cafés line Vo Thi Sau Street (Tran Bien Ward), open 24/7, seemingly unwilling to miss a single moment of the city's hustle and bustle. These cafés are often popular spots for young people to take photos for social media and ideal workspaces for office workers. But there are also cafés with a cozy, tranquil, and classic style, situated alongside modern, trendy establishments on Nguyen Van Tri Street. These places are more poetic, perfect for weekend dates, when people can temporarily forget their busy work schedules and find moments of peace and tranquility.
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| Taking a sip of bitter coffee, I suddenly realized that the people of Bien Hoa are known for their free-spirited nature and love of socializing, making coffee shops an indispensable part of their culture. Perhaps coffee has been present in the heart of the city from the past to the present, long enough to blend into the cultural flow of this place. (Illustrative photo: Minh Thanh) |
Along the roads, rickety roadside stalls are present on the sidewalks, where buses and coaches often stop briefly before hastily departing. The stall owner has already brewed coffee in a large pot, her hands swiftly pouring it into paper cups, adding a little sugar, some milk, and plenty of ice to create a takeaway coffee for those busy trying to make a living.
The coffee brewing styles are as diverse as the pace of life here. At the Highlands Coffee shop on Dong Khoi Street (Tam Hiep Ward), with its machine-brewed espresso, a cup is poured into a glass, carrying an irresistible, rich flavor. Sitting here with my colleagues, we discussed digital transformation. I joked that if even coffee shops are pushing digital payment methods, then in a few years, we'll all be as tech-savvy as people are used to the taste of a morning coffee. Just as I finished speaking, a black card in my hand rang, and my friend laughed, saying, "It's your turn to serve yourself coffee now." I wasn't quite used to it, but looking around, I saw that young people seemed to favor the cashless, self-service style of these coffee shops.
I consider myself still not quite up to the pace of modern life, and I still prefer traditional-style cafes. A spacious, airy garden cafe with just the right amount of distance for conversation without encroaching on other people's personal space is always my preferred choice.
Therefore, Thuy Tien Cafe, located right next to the tranquil Dong Nai River (Tran Bien Ward), nestled under the shade of ancient banyan trees casting their shadows onto the reddish-brown, silt-laden water, with the distant Ghenh Bridge in sight, made a strong impression on me from my first visit. A cup of filter coffee was brought out, each drop slowly trickling down the rim of the cup, perfect for those who appreciate a slower pace of life. I enjoy sitting and drinking coffee with close friends. The instrumental music of Paul Mauriat playing from an old radio, combined with stories about old Dong Nai, made me love this land even more.
From my observation, the small roadside coffee stalls are usually the busiest and bear a very distinctive character of the street. A small corner on the street, a coffee shop nestled there, the atmosphere both hurried and relaxed. Those who want to hurry can do so, but this city still has many people who take their time.
Nguyen Tham
Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/dong-nai-cuoi-tuan/202510/nham-nhi-ly-ca-phe-o-pho-thi-8b43f80/
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