A "rich people's coffee shop" in an alley in Hanoi, sells 750,000 VND/cup

What's in a 750,000 VND expensive cup of coffee?

Slipping through a small alley at 2D Quang Trung ( Hanoi ), Erwan (French) followed the stairs to the second floor of a house. Behind the door is a quiet space filled with green trees of a shop specializing in serving specialty coffee in Hanoi.

Having had the opportunity to visit shops of the same chain in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang , the French man could not help but be excited when his favorite drinks were sold in Hanoi.

Erwan said he works in the import-export sector and has lived in Vietnam for more than 11 years. As a coffee lover, he often drinks black coffee, bac xiu, egg coffee, etc. To have a more diverse experience, he occasionally visits specialty coffee shops.

Erwan comes to experience coffee at the shop.

Looking at the familiar menu, Erwan chose a cup of Finca La Palestina Gesha - a coffee originating from the Huila plateau, Peru. The price at the shop is 250,000 VND/cup. He felt the light floral aroma and deep aftertaste, delicate sweetness.

In the relaxing space, Erwan also learned more interesting stories about the specialty coffee with the accompanying explanatory leaflet. There, the shop introduced the farm where the raw materials were purchased, the coffee variety, the year of harvest, the altitude of the growing area, the processing method, the layers of flavor, and the cost for the producer (39.7 USD/kg).

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Bich Kieu, Head of Customer Service of a coffee shop chain, attaching a leaflet when serving not only helps customers better understand the type of coffee they enjoy, but also lets them see the journey and value behind each cup of coffee - the reason why the price of the product is higher than the average.

A "rich people's coffee shop" in an alley in Hanoi, sells 750,000 VND/cup ( Video : Nguyen Ngoan - Pham Hong Hanh).

The first shop of this coffee chain opened in Da Nang in August 2018, under the model of a coffee factory combined with an experience shop.

The Hanoi location opened on October 29, attracting attention with its drinks that cost up to VND750,000 per cup. Many people commented that compared to a cup of sidewalk coffee that costs VND15,000-20,000 per cup, the coffee at the shop is 37-50 times more expensive.

A representative of this coffee shop said that the menu includes 5 types of specialty coffee with prices ranging from 125,000 VND to 750,000 VND per cup.

The shop specializes in serving specialty coffees with many different brewing methods.

Ms. Bich Kieu said that the most expensive drink at the store is Sukkot Racemosa, made from Racemosa coffee beans - one of the rarest coffee species in the world. This wild coffee variety is grown in an endemic region in South Africa, at an altitude of about 74m above sea level, where the natural conditions are especially suitable for the growth of the tree.

Another special point is that this type of coffee has a very limited output and meticulous care process.

“At the farm we ordered from, their annual output is only about 100kg. We were lucky to buy 40kg and bring it back to Vietnam so that customers of 5 branches across the country can have the opportunity to access this coffee line. The price of 1kg of Racemosa coffee bought from the farm is 200 USD (about 5.2 million VND),” said Ms. Bich Kieu.

Racemosa coffee beans are imported from South Africa.

According to the store representative, Racemosa coffee beans are as small as green beans, only 1/4 the size of regular coffee beans.

A drink priced at 750,000 VND at the shop is made from the yield of 2 Racemosa coffee trees.

With the traditional wet processing method, Sukkot Racemosa brings a unique flavor reminiscent of many complex layers of aromas such as licorice, chamomile, and cocoa beans.

Regarding the consumption of a 750,000 VND cup of coffee, Ms. Kieu said that in other branches, on average, 5-7 customers request this drink every day. However, in Hanoi, because the shop has just opened, the consumption is lower, about 1-2 cups/day.

To enter the restaurant, guests must go into a small alley and up a long staircase to the second floor of the building.

In response to questions about the product's price, the store representative said that specialty coffee has a higher cost due to many factors such as raw materials imported from far away, transportation - insurance - tax costs, and strict preservation and roasting processes to maintain the quality of the beans. This price reflects the true value and effort invested in each cup of coffee.

The owner admits that the prices of the coffees at the shop are not for the average customer. The customers are mainly those who love and want to experience specialty coffee, most of whom are international tourists.

“Vietnamese customers are also increasingly interested in the high-quality coffee segment. However, with this product line, the price may make it not really popular,” Ms. Kieu shared.

The restaurant's main customer base is foreigners.

The shop does not serve Vietnamese coffee yet.

Ms. Kieu shared that the coffees at the shop are imported from many countries such as Peru, India, Ecuador, Colombia and some American countries. Each type is packaged in suitable quantities, convenient for use and optimized for preservation.

For low-consumption drinks like those priced at 500,000-750,000 VND/cup, the shop will freeze them to preserve the flavor longer; for high-consumption drinks, they will be kept in the refrigerator at a stable temperature.

The shop representative said they do not serve Vietnamese coffee yet because they are researching some more raw material regions that suit the shop's criteria.

The restaurant's menu includes 5 different segments, priced based on quality, crop variety, seasonality and actual farm purchase price.

“With a rather high price, Vietnamese customers have less access, but for international customers, this is a price commensurate with the product's value,” said Ms. Kieu.

For new customers, staff can suggest the most basic experience with types priced at 125,000 or 250,000 VND/cup to help customers get acquainted with specialty coffee without being too "academic".

A space that creates a sense of tranquility amidst the hustle and bustle of life - where guests can truly enjoy and feel the flavor of coffee.

By chance, she stopped by the shop while walking around town with a friend. Ms. Minh Anh (Hanoi) said she was impressed by the shop's many green trees and its serving of imported coffee.

According to Ms. Minh Anh, for coffee lovers, occasionally spending 100,000-200,000 VND or more to enjoy specialty coffee is also a worthwhile experience to learn more about different coffee cultures.

If this is considered a regular drink, then perhaps only people with good income, rich people... can easily choose a shop in this segment.

In addition, according to her, this could also be an address that attracts foreign tourists because it helps guests immerse themselves in a very Hanoi space while enjoying high-end drinks in Vietnam. This guest also thinks that it would be more complete if the shop sold and introduced Vietnamese coffee specialties to international friends.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/quan-ca-phe-nha-giau-trong-ngo-o-ha-noi-ban-750000-dongly-20251109203552350.htm