Hanoi is probably one of the cities with the most cafés per square meter in the world. You’ll hardly walk 100 meters without stumbling upon a café worth a stop. Coffee culture runs deep in Vietnam, and its capital is the ideal place to lose yourself among some of the most astonishing cafés you’ve likely ever seen.
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Types of coffee you can find in Hanoi
Although the addiction to (and passion for) coffee is common across Vietnam, Hanoi is one of the places to try styles of coffee you won’t find so easily elsewhere in the country. Here are the main ones:
Egg coffee
If there’s one classic coffee you can’t miss on your trip through Vietnam’s capital, it’s egg coffee.
Its inventor came up with it out of pure necessity: facing a milk shortage, he decided to use what he had at hand — something as ordinary as an egg. Shortly after, he opened Café Giảng (more on it below), a true institution among Hanoi’s cafés to this day.
And yes — the first time any of us hears about mixing coffee and egg in the same glass, something inside us protests. But prejudices aside, wait until you try it: the result is not only surprising, it’s genuinely delicious.
Once you’ve tasted it, you may well become another fan — not to say another of the many addicts who roam the streets of Hanoi in search of a daily fix of egg coffee.
Yogurt coffee
You’re probably among the many who, at first glance, think coffee and yogurt are two ingredients that don’t belong together — ideally consumed far apart.
If so, it’s because you haven’t tried yogurt coffee yet. Rather than canceling each other out, these ingredients join forces in a drink that combines the bold character of Vietnamese coffee with the texture of yogurt. A Vietnamese classic for beating the Hanoi heat and starting the day with energy.
Coconut coffee
Coconut is used everywhere — not just in Vietnam, but across most of Southeast Asia. So its presence in Vietnamese cooking and that of its neighbors is no surprise at all.
What is new is using it in a drink like coffee — something Vietnam has mastered to perfection. The result is a coffee with the aroma and notes of coconut and the intensity that defines Vietnamese coffee. One of the best coffees you shouldn’t miss in Hanoi, available in most of the capital’s cafés.
Top cafés you can’t miss in Hanoi
It was genuinely hard to narrow it down, but here’s a selection of the many cafés worth visiting on your way through the capital. These are just some of the many that deserve a stop, so don’t hesitate to walk into any that catch your eye as you explore the city.
1. Hidden Gem Café
Hidden Gem Café is, as its name promises, a jewel tucked away in the heart of Hanoi’s central district.
The most interesting thing about this café is that it’s decorated entirely with recycled and repurposed objects, arranged into a beautiful, original whole — a harmonious spot where you feel completely insulated from the capital’s noise and traffic.
If you’re after a little oasis to enjoy a good coffee and unwind during your city visit, or a quiet place to work with good internet and no interruptions, Hidden Gem Café is perfect — a delight for visitors and digital nomads alike.
Here you’ll find the different coffee styles typical of Hanoi — coconut, egg, yogurt… — plus teas from around the world and small snacks. Prices aren’t as cheap as at other cafés, but the place more than makes up for the small premium you’ll pay.
Opening hours, prices and visiting tips
- Open from 8:00 am to 11:00 pm
- Reference prices: Vietnamese coffee — 35,000 VND. Latte — 40,000 VND
- Finding this café can be a little tricky, as it hides inside an alley. Luckily there’s a small sign on the street pointing the way — keep your eyes open so you don’t walk past it.
2. Sii Coffee Hanoi
If you’re the kind who savors a quality coffee, Sii Coffee Hanoi is the place for you.
This café specializes in excellent 100% arabica coffee — something not to miss in Hanoi, given that most cafés in the country serve the robusta variety, which dominates Vietnam’s production (and much of the world’s) thanks to its easier cultivation and higher yields.
Sii Coffee’s beans come from the coffee farms of Da Lat — specifically from Son Pacamara, one of those places where baristas from all over the world come to train and learn everything there is to know about coffee.
The minimalist decor and modern, relaxed atmosphere make it a perfect spot for anyone who enjoys top-quality coffee in a pleasant space.
Opening hours, prices and visiting tips
- Open from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm
- Reference prices: Espresso — 35,000 VND. Café latte — 60,000 VND
3. Adapter Workspace & Coffee
For all of us digital nomads forever hunting for a good place to work on our laptops without burning a fortune along the way, Adapter Workspace & Coffee is the closest thing to an office you’ll find in Hanoi.
The café is partly built from recycled shipping containers — which might not sound very practical, but in reality it’s a beautifully organized space with plenty of power outlets, good lighting for charging your phone and laptop, and proper desks to work at.
This café has another quirk: there’s usually no music playing — or if there is, it’s kept very low — so you can focus fully on your work, undisturbed.
Opening hours, prices and visiting tips
- Open from 7:30 am to 10:30 pm
- Reference prices: Mocha — 45,000 VND. Vietnamese coffee — 35,000 VND
4. Cong Ca Phe
Cong Ca Phe is one of Vietnam’s best-known and most popular café chains.
You’ll find a Cong café in most of the country’s main cities, and several scattered across Hanoi.
The Cong cafés were founded by a Vietnamese entrepreneur who styled them with war-era, communist-propaganda decor: inside you’ll find everything from posters to combat helmets and other decorative pieces that give these cafés a look all their own.
Stopping at any of them is an excellent choice — you’ll soak up their distinctive atmosphere and leave with a few photos worth keeping.
Opening hours, prices and visiting tips
- Most Cong Ca Phe locations open from 7:00 am to 11:30 pm.
- Reference prices: Bac Xiu — 35,000 VND. Coconut coffee — 60,000 VND
5. The Note Café
For Instagram lovers, Cong Ca Phe isn’t the only Hanoi café that will earn you a great post. The Note Café, right on the shore of Hoan Kiem lake, is one of Hanoi’s most famous cafés.
Across its several floors you’ll find sticky notes filled with messages left by visitors, forming a mosaic of color along the walls that gives the place a natural cheerfulness.
Add its lovely views over the lake, and you have one of the cafés you simply can’t miss on your visit to Hanoi.
Don’t forget to leave your own note before you go!
Opening hours, prices and visiting tips
- Open from 8:00 am to 10:30 pm
- Reference prices: Vietnamese coffee — 35,000 VND. Café latte — 45,000 VND
6. Trill Rooftop Cafe
For lovers of panoramic views, Trill Rooftop Cafe is simply spectacular.
This café sits a little away from the historic center, so you’ll need a Grab or taxi to drop you at the door — about 15 to 20 minutes.
This modern, Western-style café has thoroughly earned its fame with views over the whole city: it offers a large open-air space from which to take in the skyline, plus a swimming pool.
To make the most of it, we recommend going at dusk to enjoy the sunset and watch the city light up.
Opening hours, prices and visiting tips
- Open from 8:00 am to 11:00 pm
- Vietnamese coffee — 40,000 VND. Café latte — 60,000 VND
7. Giang Cafe
If there’s one café known to everyone who lives in or visits Hanoi, it’s Giang Cafe.
This place was founded in 1946 by the inventor of the famous egg coffee and is run today by his son.
It sits right in Hanoi’s old quarter, though finding it can be a bit of a challenge — the entrance is easy to miss.
Frequented by locals and visitors alike, Giang Cafe is the place to try the original egg coffee recipe from the hands of its creators.
Opening hours, prices and visiting tips
- Open from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm
- Egg coffee — 30,000 VND
8. Café Dinh
If Giang Cafe is the birthplace of egg coffee, don’t miss its other half: Café Dinh, run by the creator’s daughter.
This is a typical Vietnamese café — meaning small stools and tables, a floor that’s seen things, and cigarette smoke in the air. If any of those ingredients puts you off, better pick another spot.
But lovers of the authentic will find a pleasant, well-priced coffee here — and the chance to simply be one more of the many regulars who drop in daily on a break from their routine.
Because it goes completely unnoticed, not many tourists cross its doors — inside, the atmosphere remains mostly local.
Opening hours, prices and visiting tips
- Open from 7:00 am to 9:30 pm
- Egg coffee — 30,000 VND
- To find it, walk through what looks like a clothing shop and, once inside, climb the metal stairs to the upper floor.
9. Cafe Nola
If what you’re after is a genuine haven of peace amid Hanoi’s daily bustle — somewhere to rest for a while between sights — Cafe Nola is exactly the place you need.
Located in the heart of Hanoi’s historic center and hidden down an alley, this café spreads over several rooms, a terrace and something like a garden courtyard. The atmosphere is truly cozy, and the decor is built from colorful hanging umbrellas that give it a picturesque, homey touch.
Opening hours, prices and visiting tips
- Open from 10:00 am to 11:00 pm
- Café latte — 55,000 VND. Vietnamese coffee — 35,000 VND
