One of the best ways to learn and experience a culture is through its food. But did you know that it also involves discovering the taste of their traditional drinks? You can explore the world to a greater extent through your tastebuds. This way, you learn about a country’s history and culture and discover something about yourself! Traveling to Hanoi would not be complete without tasting their phenomenal Vietnamese coffees. Since Vietnam is globally known for its coffee because of its strong, flavorful, and rich taste, many people worldwide fly here for this kind of experience. And you’ll know it’s worth all the travel because they keep returning.
The Old Quarter in Hanoi is among the spots that are usually visited by tourists when traveling to Hanoi. As mentioned earlier, the best way to experience the culture of Vietnam is through its coffee! Among the finest egg coffees, a great number of them can be found in the Old Quarter. So, today, I’ll be telling you about several coffee shops where you can drink the best egg coffee Hanoi Old Quarter. We will also tackle a bit of the history behind this unique beverage, so don’t miss this!
When hearing about this drink, you may be perplexed at first with the thought of drinking coffee with an egg in it. However odd as it may sound, it actually tastes surprisingly amazing! Its unique taste for some can somehow be compared to tiramisu, Creme Caramel, and Cappuccino. The ingredients needed to make this include coffee, condensed milk, sugar, and egg yolk. It can be drunk by mixing the creamy whisked egg yolk with coffee or by sipping right into it from top to bottom. However, if it is your first time trying it, I suggest that you drink Vietnamese egg coffee with cream on top.
Here is Quan Cafe’s list of highly-recommended cafes to have the famous egg coffee Hanoi Old Quarter:
1. Loading T Café – Hidden gem in the Old Quarter for coffee lovers
This cafe is considered a hidden gem inside Hanoi’s Old Quarter. It exhibits an exquisite vintage French-style interior design amidst being in an old-fashioned French-colonial mansion built in the 1930s. That’s why this place gives you a West European vibe, and the music played in the whole area mainly consists of different French ballads. They also put effort into the decor because you can find vases on every table. What makes it more pleasing is that the coffee’s aroma mixes well with the scent of flowers. Overall, this cafe has a very cozy atmosphere, and its small space makes it more like home. A downside of this is that the store is always full and jam-packed. So, if you are looking for a cafe to hang out with your friends, it might be better to find other options. I would recommend NeoCafe because they have a larger space enough to accommodate groups of customers and make them comfortable. Also, its interior design leans on the modern style, making it more pleasing and attractive.
Nonetheless, Loading T Café is praised for serving a delectable egg coffee. It would be more sought-after by people who prefer coffees with a more pungent taste. Moreover, it has a balanced level of creaminess and sweetness. The egg white foam’s sweetness and the bitterness of coffee complement one another. Also, there’s a surprise taste of cinnamon at the same time that makes their version distinct from other original egg coffees in Hanoi. The kick of cinnamon makes the coffee more flavorful, so if you’re fond of cinnamon, you’ll definitely love this! Aside from egg coffee, you can try their coconut coffee which is highly praised by many customers.
The interior indeed set a pleasant mood with all the French music playing in the background. It’s nice to spend time alone or with friends in a relaxing cafe like this. Moreover, your coffee gets even more special because the cafe’s owner serves it to you! It’s truly a place that you wouldn’t wanna miss when visiting Hanoi’s Old Quarter, especially if you’re a coffee lover!
2. NeoCafe – A rising star for the best egg coffee experience
Whether you’re discovering the famous Vietnamese egg coffee Hanoi Old Quarter or going cafe-hopping to explore their distinctions, NeoCafe’s Egg Coffee should be on the list! They have multiple physical stores in Hanoi, but one of them is located in the Old Quarter, particularly at 35B Nguyen Huu Huan. It has a modern-style interior where you’ll certainly feel comfortable during your stay. Aside from having enough space to accommodate groups, the ambiance here is relaxing. The overall appearance of the cafe is very elegant, so taking Instagram-worthy pictures wouldn’t be a problem.
Although it can’t match other cafes in terms of years of establishment, it definitely will not lose when it comes to being the best egg coffee Hanoi Old Quarter. Despite only being in business for a short while, it has already proved the quality it serves to its customers. Compared to others, it gives a creamier and more refined quality taste that will cause you to want more. You would be surprised by how delectable they make, the strong flavor of coffee when mixed with sweetened condensed milk and creamy whipped eggs. Because of the highly positive and lasting impression that it leaves, its reputation among locals and tourists rose to fame.
If you want to explore their menu, I recommend one of their best-sellers, Vietnamese Specialty Coffee. You can notice a richer taste of coffee since it is made from the finest and freshest coffee beans roasted weekly. So, suppose quality is your criterion in looking for the best egg coffee Hanoi Old Quarter. In that case, NeoCafe is the crème de la crème!
Besides, NeoCafe is definitely a go-to cafe in all seasons! Even in hot weather, you can still enjoy sipping on your coffee, particularly with their Cold Brew Coffee selection. Here, the special mention would go to Coldbrew Cam Sả or Lemongrass Orange Cold Brew Coffee because of its surprisingly great and refreshing taste. Mixing coffee with lemongrass and orange flavors will result in a complex taste. Oddly, it will be approved by your tastebuds. The richness of coffee blends very well with the sweet citrusy orange taste infused by lemongrass. Thus, this drink will surely be your go-to drink under the sun’s scorching heat!
3. Cafe Pho Co – Hidden treasure to try egg coffee Hanoi Old Quarter
Locating this cafe may be difficult at first because you need to go through Silklike, a silk store with a red brand color scheme. Once you enter this store, you walk down a corridor until you see the sign of Cafe Pho Co. It still has an advantage compared to other coffee shops in Hanoi’s Old Quarter amidst the hassle and trouble of going. Since, as often as not, the city streets are bustling and crowded with locals and tourists, going all the way to this cafe allows people to be secluded from there. Cafe Pho Co can become a hideout where anyone can take a break and relax. It is indeed a secret coffee place, like what it was known for.
What completes your stay here is their version of egg coffee. Just by looking at it, you will automatically drool in order to have a taste of its appetizing visual appearance. You wouldn’t be able to resist the silky-smooth and creamy consistency topped on the egg coffee. This creaminess is made from beaten egg yolk and sugar, so expect your first sip to be extremely sweet and tasty. It also depends on your preference whether you want your egg coffee to be served hot or cold. Anyhow, it proves that this drink is not bound by the weather.
4. Cafe Nang – A cafe in the Old Quarter that has been in service for five decades
Cafe Nang is praised for its excellent service alongside serving a delectable and one of the finest original egg coffee Hanoi Old Quarter. When ordering a hot egg coffee, it will uniquely serve you. It will be placed on a small pot-like holder with a burning candle. Although it allows the egg coffee to stay warm for a longer time, it makes it more attractive to be an instagrammable Vietnamese egg coffee Hanoi Old Quarter.
Besides its creative presentation, its taste won’t disappoint you because it’s very creamy. Even though some cafes opt not to mix the egg froth with the coffee to allow the customer to explore its taste, here in Cafe Nang, it’s better to stir your cup before sipping on it. This way, you can mix the sweetness throughout the drink, especially since all the sweetness is at the bottom. So, suppose you prefer an egg coffee leaning towards a creamier and sweeter taste. In that case, you’ll find Cafe Nang’s version very delicious. However, if you are fond of black coffee, this egg coffee might not be to your liking, but make sure that you will mix it first if you still wanna try it.
5. Cafe Trung – Get big portions of egg coffee Hanoi Old Quarter
If you have ever gone to Giang Cafe, then you most likely notice the coffee shop beside it. Cafe Trung is exactly right beside where the famous egg coffee Hanoi Old Quarter first started. So, it’s not impossible to get curious to know the difference between the egg coffees from these two coffee shops. Once you have tried Cafe Trung, you can taste the delicious traditional egg coffee as well as the unique Vietnam flavor in its coffee. Although there is not much special in their egg coffee compared to other prominent cafes, it can still be a great option if you get caught during Giang Cafe’s peak hours.
Since this cafe has the same name as the Vietnamese translation of egg coffee, Cà Phê Trứng, you might have difficulty searching it on the internet. Take note that you can find Cafe Trung on Google Maps using Egg Coffee Cafe Trung. To help you with that, the address to try this egg coffee in Hanoi is 37 Nguyen Huu Huan, Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, Vietnam.
6. Giang Cafe – The cafe where Vietnamese Egg Coffee originated
Of course, when talking about the address where egg coffee in Hanoi was founded, it would be 39 Nguyen Huu Huan, Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, Vietnam. This is where Giang Cafe is located. Let’s be honest, this is among the top cafes you would probably consider when planning to try famous egg coffee Hanoi Old Quarter. Having a taste of the egg coffee here is like going back to the starting point of this phenomenal global drink. Although you can find Vietnamese egg coffee in different parts of the world, coming to the one who invented it brings quite a different experience.
It all started in 1946 when Mr. Giang supposedly wanted to create a signature Vietnamese version of Cappuccino; he faced a problem. There was currently a shortage of milk in Vietnam due to the war. However, his drive to make it was not hindered, so instead of milk, he decided to use whisked egg yolks as an alternative. Afterward, he made the first-ever Vietnamese egg coffee, and little did he know that it would become part of the massive success of Vietnam’s culture.
When you order a hot egg coffee, it will be served on a saucer filled with hot water. This is done to keep the coffee warm and ensure you can enjoy your hot egg coffee fully. The egg coffee is made from a mixture of egg yolk, sweetened condensed milk, butter, cheese, and brewed Vietnamese coffee. Basically, it is coffee with a sweet taste while having a creamy topping. It can be deemed a dessert because of its sweetness; some were even reminded of tiramisu’s taste while drinking it.
In conclusion, we can’t deny that a significant number of cafes are serving egg coffee because of how successful it has become locally and internationally. Nonetheless, suppose we had to pick the best egg coffee Hanoi Old Quarter from Quan Cafe’s list. In that case, you’d probably think of Giang Cafe, where it originated. We can’t deny the high recognition we must give them for creating this phenomenal coffee. However, upon considering the overall taste and richness of the egg coffee, the best one would be the one from NeoCafe. We should also give props to them for delivering a high-quality flavor despite being new to the industry. Besides, they have already proven themselves many times. In addition, it is unquestionable that they will obtain the title of the best cafe if ever, but that is another story!
