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Private tailor-made journeys of a life time
Jul 13, 2023
By Ms Anh Thu
Egg Coffee (cà phê trứng) is a Northern Vietnamese specialty and one of the must-try Vietnamese dishes in Hanoi. Vietnamese Egg Coffee has gained international acclaim, and you can even get it in coffee shops in New York. In Vietnam, where to drink egg coffee in Saigon, Hanoi or Hoi An is always a hot topic. Tourists who tasted it in Hanoi were astounded by its delectability, however, the taste and look different depending on the establishment. While egg coffee is more common in Northern Vietnam, many good coffee shops in the South provide this foamy delicacy. If you are in Ho Chi Minh City and you want to know where to drink Egg Coffee in Saigon, read the article by Vietnam Escape Tours below to figure it out!
Nguyen Van Giang invented egg coffee in 1946, at the start of the First Indochina War (also known as the French War in Vietnam). He was working at the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel at the time, and there was a milk crisis in Hanoi. He decided to whisk up some egg yolks as a substitute to add to the coffee for the hotel's guests.
You can expect layered egg coffee no matter where you try it. The thick, frothy egg mixture floats on top of the second layer, a strong slug of espresso. The mixture is incredibly luxurious, more akin to a dessert than a morning drink. The flavor is most commonly associated with liquid tiramisu.
Thick and frothy egg coffee
To achieve the complete experience, start with the rich egg layer first and then combine the two layers. Because egg coffee is best served hot, don't allow your drink cool too much while sipping it. Some cafes will even serve your cà phê trứng over a candle or in a bowl of hot water to keep it warm so you may enjoy it for longer.
Here are the top 5 cafes you can consider to get the best Vietnamese Cà Phê Trứng
1. Goc Ha Noi
Goc Ha Noi (Góc Hà Nội) is our favorite egg coffee shop in Saigon by far. This adorable small coffee shop is situated down an alleyway in the heart of District 1's Bui Vien Street.
Goc Ha Noi has three floors. The proprietor has barely enough area on the ground floor to receive orders and prepare coffee. The two little floors above contain only six tables in total, with seating for about twenty individuals at full capacity. The squat furnishings and Vietnamese antiques will transport you to an old Vietnamese house.
Goc Ha Noi's menu is quite minimal, consisting of Vietnamese coffee, egg coffee, egg chocolate, and a few teas and juices. The egg coffee here is basic but wonderful, and it's the cheapest cà phê trứng on our list at only 40,000. And don't miss out on the sugar cookies on the third floor, which is produced with the leftover egg whites from Go Ha Noi's egg coffee.
Egg Coffee costs: around 40,000 VND (~1.7$)
Address: 165/3 Bui Vien, Pham Ngu Lao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh
Vintage vibe of Goc Hanoi Cafe
2. Okkio Cafe
Okkio Cafe, a true hidden treasure in Saigon, is located on Le Loi Street, just a few hundred feet from Ben Thanh Market. Take the spiral staircase to the third floor after passing through the tiny red door. There's a cute coffee cafe there with exposed brick and blue tiling - the perfect combination of old and new Saigon.
Except for business hours, this hidden cafe is surprisingly spacious and tranquil. Okkio's baristas are friendly and helpful, and their egg coffee is, of course, fantastic.
The egg froth has a creamy marshmallow flavor and is topped with a good dusting of chocolate!
Okkio Cafe is the place to go if you're looking for egg coffee near Ben Thanh Market.
Egg Coffee costs: 70,000 VND (~2.97$)
Address: 122 Le Loi, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Chic Interior design of Okkio coffee shop
3. Runam Cafe
Runam Cafe is a high-end Vietnamese coffee shop and bistros franchise with more than a dozen locations in Saigon, Nha Trang, Danang, Hanoi, and Ha Long City. It's a popular coffee shop for Saigon's upper-middle class. And Runam Cafe is highly recommended by the locals, especially young people.
You'll have to pay a little more for your egg coffee (95,000 VND), but you'll get a great cup of Cà Phê Trứng brewed from fresh, high-quality ingredients. And, because egg coffee contains raw egg yolks, it's a good idea to start with a more upmarket cafe, especially if you have a sensitive stomach.
In District 1, Runam boasts two beautiful bistros where you can get luxurious delicious food to be companied with your egg coffee. If you need to do some shopping, they also have two smaller cafes in Saigon Center Mall and Vincom Center Mall.
Egg Coffee costs: 95,000 VND (~4$)
District 1 Runam Cafe Locations:
Runam Bistro – 2-4-6 Đong Khoi
Runam Bistro – 96 Mac Thi Buoi
Runam Boutique Saigon Center – 65 Le Loi (inside Saigon Center Mall)
Runam Boutique Vincom Center – 72 Le Thanh Ton (inside Vincom Center Mall)
The classical ambiance of Runam Cafe
4. English & Coffee
English & Coffee, another well-known cafe for its egg coffee, is located in Saigon's historic Đa Kao ward. The cà phê trứng is served with a little candle to keep it warm as you eat it.
English & Coffee, as the name suggests, provides English lessons for Vietnamese individuals who want to study English, so if you stop by, you'll most likely meet a few locals who want to practice with you!
Egg Coffee Costs: 70,000 VND (~2.97$)
Address: 102 Nguyen Van Thu Street, Da Kao, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
The special way of serving at English & Coffee
5. Ong Chu Cuoi Hem (Ông Chú Cuối Hẻm)
Ong Chu Cuoi Hem, the final Saigon cafe on our egg coffee list, is a lot more local venue to enjoy your cup of caffeinated eggy delicacy. Even though it's only a few blocks from Bui Vien Street in District 1, you're unlikely to see many Westerns there.
This little bistro serves coffee and cocktails and is tucked down a small alley. The name Ong Chu Cuoi Hem translates literally as "the uncle at the end of the ally." With a gloomy interior, a menu scribbled in dayglow paint behind the bar, and a small terrace full of plants and vegetation out front, its design is an odd blend of hipster and reggae.
The main attraction, of course, is the egg coffee. For 42,000 VND, Ong Chu Cuoi Hem provides a delicious cup of cà phê trứng in a charming egg-shaped glass. And if that isn't enough to entice you, they also have a lovely resident French bulldog named "Coffee" who is properly named.
Egg Coffee: 42,000 VND (~1.78$)
Address: 117/28A Cong Quynh, Nguyen Cu Trinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
The tranquil atmosphere at Ong Chu Cuoi Hem cafe
Many Vietnamese, particularly those from Hanoi, like egg coffee as a beverage. They come not just to sip coffee, but also to escape into memories and recollections of the past. If you travel to Vietnam but are unable to travel to the north, make sure you have egg coffee in Saigon at one of these establishments. The smell and taste of coffee combined with the smell of eggs will be the highlight of your journey.
