My Vietnamese Coffee Experience: How It's Made & Why It’s Loved

I would like to start this post by stating that this is not a sponsored post. I am writing this post about my experience making Vietnamese coffee because I genuinely loved this class in Hoi An, Vietnam.

This class was a highlight in Hoi An for me, and I would like to share the experience with others. So, if you’re thinking about what to do in Hoi An, I recommend making Vietnamese coffee.

When I first mentioned my intentions of going to Vietnam, so many people recommended going to Hoi An, a tourist hotspot known for its beauty and proximity to Da Nang. If you look up what to do in Hoi An, you will often get recommendations for boat lantern tours (like in Tangled), coconut boat spins, nightlife, beautiful beaches, and cooking classes. 

One activity that I didn’t find talked about enough was the coffee-making classes. If you don’t like coffee, this may not be for you, but if you’re one of us coffee drinkers, I cannot recommend this enough!

Vietnamese coffee culture

Coffee culture in Vietnam is huge, and it’s all about relaxation. Here, the sense of a coffee break is taken literally. It’s time for locals to sit, slow down, and really enjoy the moment.

There are coffee shops on nearly every corner, each with their own variety of hot, cold, and specialty coffee (think egg, coconut, and yogurt, for example).

About Vietnamese coffee and why it’s so good

Oh man what can I not say about Vietnamese coffee…It kickstarted my caffeine addiction again, that’s for sure.

Vietnam is the second-largest coffee producer in the world (behind Brazil), so obviously, over the years the Vietnamese have mastered many unique brews and styles. There’s a whole list of things they do differently to make this cultural staple, starting with the beans themselves.

Most Vietnamese coffee is made using robusta beans, which have nearly twice the caffeine content as arabica beans (the kind typically used in North America). This gives the coffee a strong, slightly bitter flavour that pairs perfectly with the sweetness of condensed milk (a signature combo in drinks like cà phê sữa đá, or iced milk coffee).

One thing that needs to be said is that Vietnam has some of the oddest coffee combinations that somehow make the most heavenly flavors, like egg coffee, for example. That sounded so gross to me at first, but after trying it I was hooked.

I find myself still dreaming about it months later. Egg coffee is just one of the many amazing concoctions they have, and this variety of coffee flavors was one of the reasons I fell in love with the country.

History of Vietnamese coffee

Vietnamese coffee culture dates back to the early 1800s when the French brought coffee to Vietnam during colonial times. The Vietnamese took this coffee and quickly said, “I can do better”. 

Considering fresh milk was hard to come by during the war (and Vietnam’s tropical climate didn’t help), sweetened, condensed milk became a common substitute. Then it stuck around because it’s so good. That sweet and creamy combo with the strong, bitter coffee is like magic.

One of the most iconic tools used for their coffee is the phin filter, which is a small, metal drip-brewer that’s used primarily in Vietnam. It’s simple, very slow, and lets the bold flavor of robusta coffee beans really shine through. 

Over time, they started experimenting with creative blends, which sometimes mixed ingredients like corn, soybeans, or even rice to stretch the coffee supply. These blends are odd, but they’re part of what makes Vietnamese coffee culture so unique and adaptive!

My experience making Vietnamese coffee

My friend spontaneously signed us up for an afternoon coffee-making class that taught us all how to make five specialty Vietnamese coffee brews. On top of that, they also told us all about the cultural significance and history of these creations, and lead us in some karaoke! It was definitely one of the best things I did in Hoi An.

Our Coffee making table — Our team of coffee makers at the Hoi An coffee course

The company I booked my coffee-making class with is called Vietnamese Coffee and Lantern making workshops. You can find them on Google Maps using this link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/AGFLroErHMP6HT8M8

Cost: ₫350,000 (14.50 USD)
Class duration: 3.5 hours
Location: Old Town Hoi An

The company is a family-run business that focuses on the quality and unique recipes of Vietnamese coffee. There’s no espresso machine here, all this company’s recipes are made by hand in the traditional way. (They also offer traditional lantern-making classes that go through the steps of frame production, painting, etc.)

My initial reaction when we started was, “This family really loves what they do,” and I think that’s the best first impression one can have. The team was an energetic group that cared about their coffee and was so happy to share their craft with those who wanted to learn.

But be warned: they are also quick to turn on the karaoke machine!

The coffee class breakdown

I left this coffee-making class with enough coffee in my system to fuel me for a week, add the extra caffeine strength on top of the multiple cups of coffee and I was literally buzzing.

To start the class, everyone was sat together at a long table so we had a chance to introduce ourselves to other travelers and mingle. Our plan for the day was to make five different coffee brews:

Traditional black coffee
Traditional iced coffee
Egg coffee
Salt coffee
Coconut coffee

When the class officially began, we were told to put on our “professional coffee mixology gear” that they provided for us, which sounded pretty legit…until we realized the gear was sexy body aprons! 

Super professional Vietnamese coffee making apron — Super professional Vietnamese coffee-making apron

The surprise had us all cracking up and pointing at each other’s ridiculous outfits. It was such a clever and hilarious way to get everyone relaxed and laughing together. Definitely not your average coffee class intro.

Once we all had our official coffee-making attire on, we began.

Coffee #1 — Traditional black Vietnamese coffee

The first coffee cup we created was a traditional black coffee. This we made with what is called a phin.

The phin is the Vietnamese version of a French press: it’s a drip contraption that filters the ground coffee in the same way a paper coffee filter works, but the results are much more concentrated

Vietnamese coffee philter - the phin — Traditional Vietnamese coffee filter — the *phin*

The phin was first introduced to Vietnam by the French in the 1800’s. Since then it has been fully adopted by the Vietnamese.

Only after I drank this full cup of coffee was I reminded that I had four tastier, and just as highly concentrated drinks to make still. Don’t be like me and drink them all. Sip it so your heart doesn’t leap out of your throat from the adrenaline and caffeine.

Coffee #2 — Traditional white iced coffee

Traditional white Vietnamese iced coffee is basically the traditional black coffee mixed with condensed milk and some extra whipped black coffee to add the *jazz* on top. It’ is one of my favorite coffees ever. So simple and so perfect.

Traditional Vietnamese white coffee — Traditional Vietnamese iced white coffee

To make it, we started with the whipped coffee, taking a small batch of cold brew and using a little hand mixer to whip it up. After about a minute, it was foamed up to perfection. We set that aside and were given a beaker, a cup of ice cubes, a jug of brewed coffee, and a jug of condensed milk.

The recipe calls for about 2/3 of your cup coffee and 1/3 of your cup of condensed milk —top off the glass with the whipped coffee. No mixing required!

Coffee #3 — Egg coffee

Egg coffee is one of the famous specialties of Vietnam, created and perfected here. It’s more of a dessert than a drink, in my opinion. The whipped egg and coffee create a cream that tastes almost like tiramisu. 

The whipped ingredients make a foam so thick you need a spoon to eat it, and it’s so much better than I expected egg coffee to taste! It’s a must-try here, because it’s a bragging right (in my opinion) to say you’ve had coffee mixed with eggs.

Okay, but how did we make it? We started with the egg. We cracked it and put the egg yolks into a small cup to be whipped. It took about two minutes of whipping for it to become thick and foamy. Then we added some vanilla, poured the coffee on top, and put the whole mug into a bigger bowl of hot water and let it sit. (This was to let the raw egg cook for a bit before we ate it.) Lastly, we added some cinnamon, and boom, perfection!

Or, almost. I can’t say I did a good job with this one; it was tasty, but I’m definitely no pro at creating this masterpiece.

Coffee #4 — Salt coffee

AKA the perfect mix of sweet and salty, or the perfect hangover cure, but you tell me after you try it. 

Vietnamese Salt Coffee — Traditional Vietnamese salt coffee

Salt coffee is exactly what it sounds like. We started with a pinch of salt directly into the cup (which is all you need to get the full salt taste), then some cream and condensed milk. Make some drip coffee and whip that puppy into shape (foam shape) using the hand mixer.

If you have ever tried putting salt into your normal coffee at home, think of that but 10x better somehow. The mix of condensed milk, whipped coffee, and salt in one just blew me away.

Coffee #5 — Vietnamese coconut coffee

The coconut coffee is a joy in itself. The coconut as a sweetener for coffee? Joyous,. Amazing,. Supreme. Every other word associated with those ones I would include in this description as well. I don’t even like coconut; but mixed with the coffee? I was addicted…

The coffee starts with condensed milk, coconut milk, whipped cream, and ice cubes thrown into a shaker. Shake like crazy and mix that stuff all together.

Then, fill half a mug with coffee and add the shaken amazingness in, stir and wow.

Final thoughts on my Vietnamese coffee-making class

Can you tell I liked the coffee here? I left this coffee-making class with enough coffee in my system to fuel me for a week — take into consideration the extra-caffein strength of the robusta beans on top of the five cups of coffee, and it’s safe to say I was literally buzzing.

If you’re a coffee fan like me, Vietnam can offer you some of the most unique coffee experiences, and one of them is learning how to make a simple cup of hot Vietnamese coffee.

Not only did this class energize my day with a caffeine overload, but the team’s warm smiles and enthusiastic instruction just made me so happy. They infused (coffee pun intended) joy into their craft and made jokes about everything they saw which, honestly, low-key inspired me to do the same. 

I would recommend this class to all the coffee lovers out there looking for something to do in Hoi An. I honestly just really enjoyed the atmosphere and the drinks; the additional mix of Vietnamese history and culture was also a big bonus.

Having a good time, many laughs, and brand new coffee recipes to make at home? It was a win-win-win for me.

Vietnam is a beautiful country, filled with amazing sights, the kindest people and so many unique activities to do. Not to forget how budget-friendly it is for travel.

If you’re interested in where to go in Vietnam or other adventures to embark on while you’re there, take a look at some of my other posts about the country: