The 13 BEST coffee shops in Hanoi

Last updated on March 15th, 2024

From hidden cafes, to high quality roasters, to rooftop gems, the coffee scene in Hanoi is incredible. And in this guide we’re sharing over 11 of the best coffee shops in Hanoi!

Discovering local coffee shops is one of our favorite things to do while traveling. And lucky for us, Vietnam is known for being a coffee mecca. Not only is it the world’s second largest coffee producer, but it also has a wide variety of unique drinks. Like coffee with EGG in it (trust us, it’s amazing)!

We spent about 10 days in Hanoi, with many of our days being filled with work. And what do you need on a long work day? Coffee of course! So we made it our mission to visit as many coffee shops as possible during our time in Hanoi. 

Watch our experiences in Hanoi, including exploring the Old Quarter, visiting Train Street, and going on an epic food tour! 

If you’re like us and seek out the best coffee on your travels, we’ve gotcha covered! In this guide we’re sharing 13 of the best coffee shops in Hanoi! This list includes both spots serving traditional Vietnamese coffee, plus trendy third wave coffee shops and roasters, which have your standard lattes. Ready to get caffeinated?

A quick rundown on Vietnamese Coffee

Coffee was first introduced to Vietnam by the French in the 1850s and Vietnam is now the world’s second largest coffee producer after Brazil. 

Vietnam is the largest producer of the Robusta beans, which has almost twice the amount of caffeine than Arabica beans and has a more bitter and strong taste. 

Unsure what to order? Here are some of our favorite Vietnamese coffee drinks!

Cà Phê Sữa Đá (or Cà Phê Nâu Đá in the North): This is the classic Vietnamese coffee drink to try. It is iced coffee with condensed milk, making it a refreshing, sweet, and rich drink. 

Egg Coffee: Egg coffee is a Hanoi staple! This creamy, rich drink consists of coffee, plus whipped egg yolk and condensed milk on top. It came to be during a milk shortage during the French War.

Salt Coffee: Salt coffee may sound a bit strange, but it is SO good! This is coffee with a salty, sweet cream foam on top, giving it almost a salted caramel flavor.

Coconut Coffee: For a nice icy treat, try coconut coffee! This is basically a coconut cream slush, with coffee poured onto it. 

Looking for the best food to try in Vietnam? Read our guide to the 10+ best foods to try in Vietnam!

1. Cafe Dinh

Easily one of the best coffee shops in Hanoi is Cafe Dinh. This is a must-visit to try the famous Hanoi egg coffee! When we went on a food tour with a Hanoi local we learned that it is actually owned by the creator of egg coffee’s daughter. He left the original spot Café Giang, for his son. So either spot is a great choice to try it!

Egg coffee is truly a must try drink in Hanoi. It may sound a bit strange, but it is a decadent dessert in a cup! The whipped egg yolk and condensed milk top is thick, creamy, and sweet. It reminded us of a melted marshmallow! This balances out perfectly with the bitter coffee. We suggest trying the egg cream part first, and then mixing it together to cut the sweetness a bit.

2. Atelier Coffee

For a sleek, modern coffee shop experience, head to Atelier Coffee! This small coffee shop serves a wide variety of drinks, like Vietnamese drinks, cold brew, lattes, and tea drinks, plus some specialty concoctions that you won’t find elsewhere. 

3. Hidden Gem Coffee

Hidden Gem Coffee is truly a hidden gem! To get to the cafe, you have to go down a small alley, enter a building, then climb some stairs to the third floor. Besides its hidden location, what makes this cafe extremely cool is that it is decorated using recycled items. You’ll see aquariums and seats made out of old tires, water jug lights, and more! There are also tons of seating areas among its few floors, with murals and lots of natural light.

We enjoyed an egg coffee and while we think the egg coffee from Cafe Dinh was slightly better, it was still really good. And you must try their sticky rice pandan leaf coffee! It had coffee, a pandan slush, and sticky rice, which was a fun texture and temperature combination. They also have a few food items. We got their beef noodle bowl, which was delicious!

4. Tranquil Books & Coffee 

As book lovers and coffee lovers, we get excited when our two loves combine! And that is exactly what happened for us at Tranquil Books & Coffee. The interior of this coffee shop is lined with bookshelves, making it the perfect spot to read, work, or just relax for a bit while exploring Hanoi. 

But not only is the vibe worth visiting for (they also have a great outdoor seating area!), we think it’s one of the best coffee shops in Hanoi because of the coffee itself. We got one of their seasonal drinks, which was sort of like a salt coffee latte. And it was so good that we had to go back for seconds! Next time, we want to try their banana coffee!

5. Hanoi Coffee Station

Want to enjoy coffee with a view? Head to Hanoi Coffee Station! This coffee shop in the Old Quarter has a great upstairs balcony that overlooks the hustle and bustle of the city. For the peanut butter lovers, you have to try their peanut butter coffee. This is basically a peanut butter slush, with coffee! You can also get smoothie bowls, avocado toast, and french toast.

6. THE WISELANDS Coffee

During one of our work days in Hanoi, we headed to THE WISELANDS Coffee to get a change of scenery. This multi-level coffee shop also functions as a bookstore, with bookshelf lined walls, plus lots of plants and lighting, making it a nice, bright space. They have a bunch of drink choices, like lattes, tea concoctions, and ube lattes! Since we were there for hours, we tried a mix of everything!

7. Sonder Coffee Bar

When it comes to creative, high quality coffee drinks, Sonder Coffee Bar may win for the best coffee shop in Hanoi. Sonder means “the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own.” You can tell by the name alone that they put a lot of thought into this coffee shop. And that shows in the coffee as well!

Here you can try some interesting crafted drinks, like whiskey barrel aged cold brew, a fluffee, and a pho macchiato! What is a pho macchiato? Well, we aren’t 100% sure. It is espresso, milk, and secret ingredients. Whatever those secret ingredients are, it sure was tasty!

8. Blackbird Coffee

Blackbird Coffee is another upscale, modern coffee shop, whipping up the classics, like cappuccinos, plus Vietnamese favorites, like nâu (coffee, plus condensed milk). There are a few locations around town, but this location in the Old Quarter has an upstairs balcony, where you can look down onto the streets below. 

9. Cộng Cà Phê

Cộng Cà Phê is a Vietnamese coffee chain that we visited in both Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. It is a great coffee shop to try some Vietnamese classics, like coconut coffee. 

The shop itself is army inspired, so you’ll find lots of army green accents, old books on the wall, black and white photos, and vintage decor. The staff even wears khaki outfits that are reminiscent of the Vietnam War era.

While there are many locations in Hanoi, we highly recommend this one, which overlooks a crazy roundabout in the middle of the Old Quarter. We loved sitting up there and watching the motorbikes and cars zip around, plus pedestrians trying to find their way through the craziness.

10. The Note Coffee

The Note Coffee is one of the most unique coffee shops in Hanoi. Before you even walk in you’ll notice tons of post it notes. These are all written by customers and line all of the walls, including outside. On these notes you’ll find messages, quotes, and drawings. You could stay entertained for hours here, just trying to read the notes. And maybe you’ll find some inspiration or a kind word to brighten your day!

11. Ta Coffee

While the majority of the best coffee shops in Hanoi that we’ve shared have been in or near the Old Quarter, Ta Coffee requires a bit of a trek to get to. Located near West Lake, which is a higher end area home to many expats, this is a great shop to pop into if wandering around the lake (or after eating tacos at Naco Taco!). Ta Coffee has a wide open interior space, with lots of seating areas, but we loved sitting on their front patio, with lots of locals and plants around!

12. Bluebirds’ Nest

Hanoi must have a thing for coffee shops filled with books, because Bluebirds’ Nest is yet another book plus coffee shop combo. And just like the other two, it’s a great spot to get some work done. But what makes this one stand out is that there are CATS! While we are dog lovers ourselves, any chance to hang out with animals while drinking coffee is a WIN for us!

13. Hanoi 1990s

Last, but certainly not least, is Hanoi 1990s. This cafe is less about the coffee (although it is good!) and more about the experience. Located right along the train tracks, you’ll get to experience your coffee while a train passes just inches in front of you. It’s an exhilarating experience that was a HUGE highlight of our time in Hanoi. 

Hanoi 1990s is not in the main area of Hanoi Train Street, but it is in an area that is MUCH easier to access. The owner is super kind and welcoming to tourists who want to experience the train. We highly recommend choosing them over other cafes along the tracks!

Want to visit Hanoi Train Street and Hanoi 1990s? Read our full guide to visiting Hanoi Train Street for everything you need to know. Including the two areas to visit, how to avoid any closures, the train schedule, and what to expect while there. 

Ready to get caffeinated?

Pin this guide with the best coffee shops in Hanoi to plan your trip!