Bitter, Sweet Hanoi

When I first arrived in Hanoi on a much-needed post-pandemic vacation exactly three years ago, the humid air carried a mix of motorbike exhaust, sizzling street food, and something rich and enticing: coffee.

- RAUL DIAS

When I first arrived in Hanoi on a much-needed post-pandemic vacation exactly three years ago, the humid air carried a mix of motorbike exhaust, sizzling street food, and something rich and enticing: coffee. Not just any coffee, though—Vietnamese coffee. Strong, sweet, and unlike anything I’d ever tasted, being a newly minted coffee drinker.

It was clear from the first sip that coffee here wasn’t just a beverage; it was a ritual, a culture, and, in some ways, a prism through which one could view, and thus, understand Vietnam itself. Over the next few days, I set out on a personal mission to try as many types of Vietnamese coffee as I could, culminating in the city’s most unusual and iconic brew—egg coffee!

Ca Phe Sua Da: My Gateway Cup

My introduction to Vietnamese coffee came quickly, within hours of stepping off the plane. I wandered into a small café tucked between a banh mi sandwich vendor and a narrow alley full of scooters and honking horns. The menu had only a few items, and I pointed to the most popular one: ca phesua da—iced coffee with sweetened condensed milk.

It arrived in a tall glass, dark and layered, with a generous serving of ice. One sip and I understood the obsession. Bold, smoky robusta beans formed the backbone, while the thick condensed milk cut through the bitterness with a creamy sweetness. It was strong enough to jolt me awake after a sleepless economy-class flight, but smooth enough to make me crave another.