Giang Cafe: “How do you take your coffee? With a little egg, butter and cheese? In the Vietnamese capital, that’s how it’s served at the famous Giang Cafe … on one of the endlessly busy streets in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, tourists and locals alike can be seen searching for the almost-hidden cafe down a narrow alley where the original cà phê trúng (egg coffee) can be found.” (The Guardian)
Reng Reng “refers to the sound of a bell in Vietnamese -- a bit like ring ring in English … these guys do great coffee -- and the locals flock to the place … they seem to have decided their coffee cred is boosted by being pretty unwelcoming and not very comfortable … the greeting on arrival was cool … the coffee was sensational.” (Rusty Compass)
KafeVille: “Binh, the owner of KafeVille, is very passionate about producing quality coffee … he pays particular attention to his serving technique … what surprised me the most was the specialty coffee bean varieties he offered … the flavor and aroma of the pour over were outstanding … equally as impressive is their Latte Barista, who is passionate about producing drinkable latte-art cups of coffee.” (Coffee Geek)
Hanoi Social Club “is a great spot with multiple floors of different spaces and plenty of room to relax and hang out for a while … good place to get some work done or just enjoy a coffee in a hipster hangout … we like to head to the third floor terrace and have an egg coffee in the plant-filled oasis overlooking street life below. (The Hungry Suitcase)
Ca Phe Pho Co: “This shop, meaning ‘coffee in the Old Quarter,’ stands deep inside an old house on Hang Gai Street and is hard to find for first-timers … but many customers return, either for the drinks or the exotic space with decorative antiques and woodcrafts, as well as a plenty of trees on all floors … the favorite seats are on the terrace, which takes a climb up three flights of stairs and offers ‘a sweeping view over thousands of motorbikes on their circumambulation around the Hoan Kiem Lake,’ … known for its egg coffee, while smoothies, shakes, sundaes and beer are also on the menu.” (VN Express)
Cong Caphe: “This quirky, retro Communist kitsch-themed franchise has grown quickly in the last few years to a whopping eight outlets in the capital … while all are popular -- particularly among Hanoi’s young hipsters -- the original outlet on Trieu Viet Vuong, simply decorated with wooden furnishings, brightly coloured cushions and propaganda signs, remains the one most steeped in nostalgia.” (Silver Kris)
Café RuNam: “Significantly more upmarket than the majority of the competition, your coffee here comes in a gold phin (the Vietnamese coffee filter, pictured), served on a smart ceramic tray with a homemade cookie … ornate brass chandeliers, a huge brass espresso machine and elaborate tiling replace the busy moped-filled streets outside … order one of the drip coffees to enjoy the upmarket phins, or go for an affogato for something a bit more indulgent.” (Olive magazine)
Oriberry in Tay Ho (there’s one in Hoan Kiem as well) “has a coffee bar downstairs, an indoor space upstairs and a covered (very important for rainy days in Vietnam) 2nd floor patio that overlooks West Lake, Hanoi’s largest lake … staff will frequently come upstairs to replenish drinks and bring waters … there are power plugs everywhere so it’s a great place to get an afternoon of work done … additionally, the bottom floor sells beautiful china tea sets! I might have to invest in one before I leave.” (Sunkissed Suitcase)