18 Must Visit Cafes In Hanoi, 2024 Guide

Hanoi was my first stop on a four-month journey through Vietnam. While settling into the country’s culture, I quickly discovered their coffee was unlike anything I had tasted before. As Anthony Bourdain once said of his first visit to Asia, it was like going from black and white to discovering a whole new box of colors. This perfectly captured my experience with Vietnamese coffee—a whole new world of possibilities suddenly opened up before me. So, naturally I made it my mission to visit as many cafes in Hanoi as possible.

Introduced during French colonization, coffee has become deeply ingrained in Vietnamese culture. Despite being the world’s second-largest coffee producer, accounting for 18% of global exports, Vietnam’s coffee scene often falls by the wayside of public acknowledgment, overshadowed by Colombian, Italian, and Brazilian coffee cultures. This is surprising, given Vietnam’s perfect climate for coffee cultivation.

Hanoi offers countless ways to explore local coffee culture. From roadside stalls and intimate home cafes to third-wave hipster joints tucked away down unassuming alleys, there’s always a new place to discover. The city’s love for coffee is evident in the coffee cup holders hanging from motorbike handlebars and cafes spilling onto the streets. These establishments stay open late and buzz with activity at all hours, testament to Hanoians’ deep appreciation for their daily cup.

You might also like: 32 Aesthetic Cafes In Seoul

Overview Of Vietnamese Coffee

Strong, inventive and sweet is how I would describe Vietnamese coffee. Each cup supercharges you for the day, after-all Vietnamese robusta coffee beans contain twice the caffeine of the more widely used arabica beans. The coffee is traditionally brewed using a phin filter – a metal dripper that sits atop your cup, allowing the coffee to slowly extract creating a rich and intense brew.

Sweetened condensed milk adds a creamy, luxurious balance to the strong coffee, offering a deeper dimension than regular sugar. When served over ice, it becomes the perfect refreshment for Vietnam’s tropical climate. Many variations also feature a sweet, creamy foam topped with creative flavors, adding another layer to the experience.

Vietnamese Coffee Drinks

• Cà phê phin: Traditional drip coffee brewed using a phin filter, served black
• Cà phê sữa da: iconic Vietnamese iced coffee with condensed milk
• Cà phê trứng (Egg coffee): a rich blend of coffee topped with whipped egg yolks, sugar, and condensed milk
• Bac xiu (white coffee): condensed milk and milk with a light touch of coffee
• Cà phê muối (salted coffee): condensed milk, heavy cream, salt, and sugar
• Cà phê dừa (coconut coffee): – coconut cream and condensed milk blended with ice, topped with rich coffee

Cafes To Vist in Hanoi 2024

1. OK Coffee

Located on a corner in the leafy Truc Bach area is the galactic Ok Coffee. Climb the small stairway to the first floor where you grab a camping chair and gaze at the moon. Yes, seriously the moon! The wall has a trippy 3D moon protruding from it.

These guys are serious about their coffee without being pretentious. The menu is fun with drinks like ‘Ok Babe’, a peanut butter macchiato, ‘Tira Miss U’, a latte topped with a thick tiramisu cream, and ‘OK Banana’, a banana-flavoured macchiato. You can also find classic drinks like americano and cappuccino and, of course, the famous Vietnamese powerhouses of egg coffee, salted coffee, and bạc xỉu.

OK Coffee have a few locations across Hanoi, but the one in Truc Bach is the one with the moon.

📍 Location: 126 Phó Đức Chính

2. Sociō Coffee

For a cozy and cute cafe in Hanoi, look no further than Socio Coffee, tucked down a small alley in Quan Thanh it offers both indoor and outdoor seating. Their specialty drinks include ‘Anti bitter’ and ‘C’est Si Bon’. Many of their drinks come with a dollop of thick cream which is both sweet and salty and is shaped into a cute cloud like character. Along with delicious drinks, they are also known for their croffles. Although the space is small there are many outlets making it a laptop friendly cafe in Hanoi.

📍 Location: 118A P. Quán Thánh, Quán Thánh

3. M(8)TE Cafe

Spread across 3 floors, M(8)TE Cafe boasts a modern and funky interior. Bright and bold colours, comfy seating and a balcony over looking Truc Bach Lake. The cafe is spacious, with wide tables and plenty of seating, it is ideal for remote working. Their menu has something for everyone, they specialise in the Vietnamese coffee classics, their banana coffee is to die for. If you’re not in the mood for coffee they also have boba tea, juices and fruit tea.

📍 Location: 108 P. Trấn Vũ, Trúc Bạch

4. Hanoi Shouten

This was possibly the most relaxing cafe I visited in Hanoi. Although the inside is bright and airy the seats outside are where it’s really at. overlooking Truck Bach Lake with lanterns above your head, Hanoi Shouten in one cafe to visit on those slow days. I enjoyed coming here with a book and just watching the scooters pass by. Their signature drink is egg coffee which is light and well balanced, additionally the salted coffee deserves a bit of spotlight too. They also serve bagels and cheesecake.

📍 Location: 160 P. Trấn Vũ, Trúc Bạch

5. FUKU Coffee

Cozy cafe with a small green oasis in the back offering a tranquil escape from the busy streets of Hanoi. FUKU Coffee serves up spectacular1 brews with a creative menu that features drinks such as ‘apple cold brew’, ‘olympus’ an espresso with greek yogurt, and ‘cloudy donut mocha’. Aside from coffee their matcha is highly rated, it is made with Japanese Shizuoka Matcha and condensed milk resulting in the creamiest matcha of your dream.

📍 Location: 160 P. Trấn Vũ, Trúc Bạch

6. Blackbird Coffee

With 3 locations across Hanoi, Blackbird Coffee is a well known haunt for serious coffee drinkers. The menu focuses on the classics like espresso and cappuccino, their signature drink is the egg coffee. Using Vietnamese beans, the coffee is strong! The orange and black design is both modern and peaceful, you’ll find many remote workers and people looking for a quiet place to study here.

📍 Location: 11 P. Đặng Dung, Quán Thánh, 63B P. Lãn Ông, Hàng Bồ, Hoàn Kiếm and 5 P. Chân Cầm, Hàng Trống, Hoàn Kiếm

7. AYUP Neighborhood Coffee

This is a little coffee shop that packs a big punch. A Western style cafe with cute outdoor seating down a small alley. It’s the perfect place to recoup. The baristas in AYUP meticulously prepare each drink from their balanced menu. Drinks include egg coffee, Ayup’s signature style salt coffee and homemade kombucha.

📍 Location: 2A Ng. Châu Long, Quán Thánh, Ba Đình

8. All Day Coffee

Best for: egg coffee

Walking through the doors of All Day Coffee feels more like Brooklyn than Hanoi with its rustic wooden beams and red brick walls. Specialising in egg coffee, you can try it in a variety of ways, like salted egg coffee, coconut egg coffee and of course the classic egg coffee, so delicious! They also handbrew coffee and have a Western inspired food menu that includes ratatouille and hummus meatballs.

📍 Location: 55 P. Hàng Bún, Quán Thánh

9. The Note Coffee

If you’ve done any research on Hanoi I can almost guarantee you have stumbled across The Note Coffee, aka Hanoi’s most instagrammed cafe! I promise its not just all hype, it really is one of the best cafes in Hanoi. Most people will visit here due to the cool interior, every wall across the 4 – 5 story building are covered in colourful handwritten post it notes left by previous guests. The views are also incredible overlooking the Old Quarter . The menu is extensive featuring lots of different flavoured Frappes, but they are most known for their egg coffee and coconut coffee.

Grab a window seat, write a note and watch the world go by below.

📍 Location: 64 P. Lương Văn Can, Hàng Trống, Hoàn Kiếm

10. Cafe Giang

This is no off the radar cafe, it can be found on most peoples Hanoi itinerary but it is a truly special cafe. Thought to be the place that invented the beloved egg coffee, a recipe dating back to 1946. It is an extremely busy place which can feel cramped but it’s all part of the experience, service is quick though. The menu is full of twists on the egg coffee with drinks like oreo egg coffee, mung bean egg coffee and egg cocoa. Undoubtably one of Hanoi’s most iconic cafes.

📍 Location: 39 P. Nguyễn Hữu Huân, Lý Thái Tổ, Hoàn Kiếm

11. Kafeville

Small, cosy and ambient, Kafeville is a must visit for any coffee connoisseur in Hanoi. Brewing speciality coffee from arabica beans harvested from the Da Lat region. They also have beans from Panama, Ethiopia, Columbia and Kenya. I recommend the cold brew which comes with a refreshing homemade lemon syrup for those hot Hanoi Summers.

📍 Location: 23 P. Yên Ninh, Trúc Bạch

12. Tranquil Books Coffee

One of the best cafes to work from in Hanoi, with a large comfortable space in a French style building spread across 3 floors. You won’t find many Vietnamese coffees here, the menu is Western inspired along with a variety of hot chocolates. As the name suggests the cafe features a small library with books from different countries.

📍 Location: 18B Nguyễn Biểu, Quán Thánh

13. Eggyolk Coffee

Eggyolk’s signature drink is the tasty egg coffee, perfecting it to a smooth velvety consistency. Putting their own spin on this classic drink with egg match and egg cocoa. Don’t think egg is all that’s on offer,the menu is vast with western coffee and creative cold brews such as the apricot cold brew. Inside is a charming and colourful nook. This is one aesthetic cafe in Hanoi to add to your list!

📍 Location: 42c Trần Hưng Đạo, Hàng Bài, Hoàn Kiếm

14. Hidden Gem Cafe

Hidden Gem is a 4 floor quirky cafe with colourful murals and lots of little nooks to cosy up in. Known as the ‘recycled cafe’ expect to be sitting on repurposed tyres using a motorbike as your table. They make a seriously good coconut coffee along with local dishes like banh mi and nem.

📍 Location: 1 Hàng Mắm, Phố cổ Hà Nội, Hoàn Kiếm

15. C.O.C Legacy Specialty Coffee

This might just be my favourite cafe in Hanoi. C.O.C Legacy Specialty Coffee, it is one of the best coffees you will find in the Old Quarter. A bit hidden, with an unassuming entrance but this place will leave an everlasting impression. Once you walk in you will be greeted with music from a vinyl record player in the background. The space is comfortable with both tables and counter seats. The baristas are top quality with a deep knowledge of their craft. Their signature drinks are a unique Jackfruit Coffee, Egg Coffee, Coconut Coffee and Bac Xiu.

You can also sign up for their coffee making workshop.

📍 Location: 84 P. Hàng Bạc, Hàng Đào, Hoàn Kiếm

16. Brobusta Coffee Stand

Friendly, stylish with a slightly hipster feel, this cafe in Hanoi will please even the pickiest coffee sippers. Brobusta Coffee Stand has a carefully selected bean list that the owner freshly roasts himself, this is evident by the incredible aroma that hits you when you walk into the cafe. The owner is so friendly and open to custom requests and tweaks to suit your tastes. Their menus is a mix of Vietnamese and Western coffee along with matcha and hot chocolate.

📍 Location: 51 P. Bùi Thị Xuân, Bùi Thị Xuân, Hai Bà Trưng

17. Nosleep Coffee Hub

One of the newest cafes on this list but it is a good one and I predict with become a steadfast on the Hanoi cafe scene. Nosleep Coffee Hub is intimately designed, but remains comfortable and feels spacious. Keep an eye out for the interiors! They have a deliciously refreshing lemonade espresso tonic along with a selection of pastries. You can also get a tattoo here!

📍 Location: 6 Ng. 52 Đ. Tô Ngọc Vân, Quảng An, Tây Hồ

18. bake&burnt

This next cafe in Hanoi is one for the people with a sweet tooth. bake&burnt have some of the most delicious cakes in Hanoi. The most famous are the buttery cookies and the rich cheesecakes in a variety of delicious flavours. Coffee offerings include a Cinnamon Biscuit Latte and Tiramisu Latte, if coffee isn’t for you bake&burnt have a generous selection of teas and smoothies ensuring there is something for everyone.

📍 Location: 5 Ng. 195 P. Đội Cấn, Đội Cấn, Ba Đình

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