Vietnam is THE place to try delicious coffee and it comes in many forms here. The beans used in Vietnam are Robusta beans which are strong, dark and bitter which is exactly how coffee should be in my opinion. Be careful of cheap coffee stalls as they sometimes bulk it up with chemicals to save money.
I’m not even a great foodie, but Vietnam was one of the absolute culinary experiences of my life. I even took a vegetarian cooking class in Hanoi, which was incredible and I learnt how to make egg coffee there.
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Here are 7 mind-blowing coffees that I highly recommend that you try while travelling in Vietnam:
1. Peanut butter coffee
Peanut butter coffee was one of the tastiest unusual coffees that I tried in Vietnam, and if you can find it, it’s one that I highly recommend.
It’s essentially peanut butter blended with coffee and ice, a prime example that peanuts make everything taste delicious. I tried this one in Phong Nha town in Vietnam.
2. Coconut coffee
Coconut coffee tops the list for many travellers in terms of their favourite Vietnamese drink, and it’s not difficult to see why once you’ve tasted it. It’s made from coffee, coconut milk, condensed milk and ice, and it’s so refreshing to drink it in this hot country.
I had this coffee in Hu? for the first time and it came with dried coconut on the top, which gave it a wonderful texture. If you’re making coconut coffee at home, I recommend adding a dried coconut topping.
Recipe: How to make coconut coffee
3. Egg coffee
Egg coffee tastes extremely rich but it is something that you should certainly try in Vietnam if you eat eggs. It’s created by whipping the egg in a mixer for a few minutes, then pouring Vietnamese drip coffee over the top of it. It actually tastes just like a pudding and you can get egg hot chocolate too.
The trick is to keep stirring it while you drink it to make sure that you get the full flavours out of it. Before electronic mixers, it would take over an hour to get the egg to the right consistency which is a lot of dedication.
4. Yogurt coffee
Yogurt coffee is very thick blend of coffee, natural yogurt and ice. It can be quite sour from the yogurt, so I do recommend adding sugar to sweeten it up slightly. I had this one in Phong Nha and it definitely fills you up, so not one to drink with a meal.
5. Banana coffee
Banana coffee is a blend of coffee, banana and ice, which you need to keep stirring as it does tend to separate if left too long. It makes a really nice shake, and some places will blend pretty much any fruit in with the coffee to sweeten it for you. Strawberries and durian are popular alternatives.
6. Drip coffee
Drip coffee is Vietnam’s most famous drink and it’s very relaxing to watch the coffee drip through the phin into your glass. The longer it takes, the higher the quality of the coffee (or so I’m told). You can drink it hot or with ice and with condensed milk or without. The choice is yours.
7. Artisan coffee
There are a whole host of coffee options open to you in Vietnam and you can choose from Aeropress, French press, V60 or even more traditional methods that you’d find at home. Challenge yourself to try as many of these craft coffees with different beans as possible and you’ll never be bored in Vietnam.
Coffee is such a big deal in Vietnam, that I really recommend watching a demonstration if you can. Many baristas are so into their coffee and so thoroughly caffeinated that they will happily share their wisdom with you.
I also recommend taking a Vietnamese coffee filter (or phin) home with you so that you can recreate as many of these coffee combinations as you like, back at home.
If you like good, ethical coffee then try PACT, for directly traded coffee plus paraphernalia right to your door:
Don’t forget your reusable mug:
Have you been to Vietnam? What is your favourite coffee that you tried there? Or which would you like to try? Let me know in the comments below.
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