Stop 4: Cafe Pho Co

Coffee is so deeply steeped in Vietnamese culture that it’s hard to believe the beverage has only been around a relatively short time in the country’s long history. Typically made with the aptly named robusta variety of coffee bean, Vietnamese coffee has transcended geographic borders, cropping up not just in cuisine-specific restaurants overseas but in specialty coffee and tea shops as well. And while many countries can point to a signature coffee beverage, Vietnam can claim several, one of which is tied specifically to Hanoi.

The origin of egg coffee (ca phe trung) dates back to the 1940s during the First Indochina War, when the city experienced a milk shortage, prompting one bartender to begin experimenting with whipped egg yolks and sugar as a possible alternative. Ultimately his efforts spawned a drink so singular that it has outlasted any shortage or conflict. Sweet and indulgent, egg coffee has a texture that’s a cross between cappuccino froth and eggnog. In recent years, it’s become a common menu item in cities around the country, not just Hanoi and the surrounding regions. Some purveyors stick to the original formula, while others add sweetened condensed milk for extra creaminess.

Perched over the main square of the Old Quarter, Cafe Pho Co serves a mean egg coffee with an unrivaled view of Hoan Kiem Lake below. Also on the menu is chocolate egg coffee (which adds cocoa for a fluffy mocha-like riff), coconut coffee and salted coffee. The latter, ca phe muoi, might be even thicker than egg coffee with a marshmallow fluff-like cap of heavy cream, sugar, and salt that sweetens the bitter coffee and accentuates the overall taste. Flavor-forward and texturally intriguing, these coffees are quotidian in Vietnam but could be menu all-stars in the U.S., especially as consumers continue to seek global variations with unusual ingredients.  

Feeling a bit of wanderlust? Our Flavor Postcard series spotlights markets around the world for culinary inspiration.