Currently transiting in Ho Chih Minh City’s airport so I’m taking the opportunity to write this before I’m back to hectic schedules.
Vietnamese coffees are still pretty much using robusta beans and roasted till very dark with margarine and sugar. Sounds familiar? Yeah a little like Singapore’s Kopitiam coffee but this is pure 100%. No adding of corn or any form of fillers. That’s why the taste is always super bold, coupled with a nice caramelized finish. Arabica coffees are rare as they are usually double the selling price but most of the time, the baristas fail in their extraction. Anyways, holidays are meant to chill, hence I was cool about it. 😉
Anyways, my Top 5 list is base on mainly coffee, ambience and service. May differ from yours so just use this as a guide. You can check out my videos uploaded on my Instagram (@eatwithroy or #roydanang) or FB page.
No. 5 – Gopatel Hotel Coffee House
Ambience: Yes, it’s the cafe at hotel that I was staying in. Yes they have buffet lunch, tea and buffet dinner too. So you can go try if around that area. Not much of ambience but they do have full window seats looking out. Free wifi but slow.
Service: Service is ok.
Coffee: Vietnamese coffee brewed in batch. Served daily at the buffet was just really rich with flavour, really nice even with fresh milk mixed into it.
Add: 202 Nguyễn Chí Thanh, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng, Vietnam
Tel: +84 93 5007707
No. 4 – Rafew Cafe
Ambience: I was debating with the guys if they meant ‘refuel’ or ‘review’ when naming this place. Anyways Rafew is tucked away within the city, walking distance from Gopatel hotel. Very instagrammable ambience, there’s a second storey overlooking the backyard. When I was there, it was very nice and windy. Really chill. Free wifi.
Service: Service was absent after the first order. No one came back to check on us. We had to pay our bill downstairs.
Coffee: No espresso based drinks, no Viet drip coffees. Only those pre-maid and iced coffees. Tiramisu can skip.
Add: 58 Hoàng Văn Thụ, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng, Vietnam
Tel: +84 90 5773721
No. 3 – Coffee Namu Namu
Ambience: Love the interiors of this place, very modern, has 3 levels and obviously I climbed to the top level. At the rooftop, you can see the Dragon Bridge afar and also the Ferris wheel. Very chill especially when the weather is as chilly now. Free wifi.
Service: Very good and always smiling.
Coffee: Finally some espresso drinks but latte was a little on the weak side. Not cheap though as beans are said to be Italian. Banana bread could be more moist though.
Add: Q. Hải Châu, 180 Bạch Đằng, Hải Châu 1, Q. Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng, Vietnam
Tel: 0511 3575808
No. 2 – Pho Xua
Ambience: Super rustic and traditional Viet. Felt a little like entering one of the temples in Cambodia. There’s a second storey also.
Service: Not too bad and they stationed one person upstairs.
Coffee: No espresso based drinks, only Vietnamese drips or iced. This is probably one best local beans I’ve tasted so far; rich, bold, flavourful, brown sugar finish. Good place for food too.
Add: 17 Phan Đình Phùng, Hải Châu 1, Hải Châu, Đà Nẵng, Vietnam
Tel: +84 511 3894589
No. 1 – Cong Ca Phe
Ambience: Cong has a very nice rustic olden Vietnamese revolution decor and the name says it all. I totally love this place especially level 2 where you can see the Han River. Staffs are all don with green tshirt uniforms which fits in the whole branding very well. Free wifi. But people smoke inside the enclosed area which is bad for non-smokers.
Service: Pretty attentive and prompt.
Coffee: No espresso based drinks. Coffees are good and very creative. Love their Coconut Coffee Smoothie and iced coffee with fresh milk. Can try the coconut glutinous rice with coffee also.
Add: 1 hai chau 1, 98 Bạch Đằng, Hải Châu 1, Đà Nẵng, Vietnam