Naii Specialty Coffee
A friendly hidden cafe in the heart of Saigon run by a local coffee afficionado who roasts on-site. The space, the coffee and the team make Naii worth seeking out. Right downtown down a wonderful alley off Le Loi St - close by our place - The Old Compass Cafe.
Address: Alley 36, Le Loi St (near cnr of Pasteur), District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Photo: Mark Bowyer Naii Specialty Coffee, Saigon
The Old Compass Cafe
The Old Compass is Rusty Compass’s little hidden home in Saigon. Our coffee gets plenty of compliments - as does our breakfast. We do everything from espressos and flat whites to Vietnamese cafe sua da and phin coffee. The Old Compass is upstairs in a classic 1960s apartment down an alley off Pasteur St right in the heart of the city. It takes some effort to find us. But it's worth it. Come by and say hi.
3rd Floor 63/11 Pasteur St, District 1 Ho Chi Minh City - down the alley right by Liberty Citypoint Hotel
Photo: Mark Bowyer Old Compass Cafe. Coffee and calm.
Photo: Mark Bowyer Old Compass Cafe, Saigon
La Viet Coffee
A true farm to cup experience in Saigon. La Viet grow their beans in Dalat in Vietnam's Central Highlands. La Viet is one of Vietnam's coffee success stories and this is their little Saigon flagship - packed with coffee-loving locals. La Viet cafe will take you away from the centre of Saigon to a lively local neighbourhood where there's loads of amazing streetlife. There are several others from this group around town. This one is located down an alley that runs between Hai Ba Trung and Dien Bien Phu St - not far from Tan Dinh Church aka. the famed Pink Church and Tan Dinh.
Address: 193 Hai Ba Trung District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
Photo: Mark Bowyer La Viet Coffee, Saigon
Okkio Caffe
This is a cute little spot to grab a coffee right by Ben Thanh Market. You’ll need to climb an especially tricky staircase, but once in, Okkio is a charmer. The handsome design - among the nicest in the city - is bathed in natural light from large colonial-era windows. The views across the city skyline are more interesting than beautiful and include some of the stalled projects embroiled in Saigon's massive real estate scandal. Coffee’s good, staff are too. There’s a tiny food menu. Good spot to get some work done.
Address: 22 Le Loi, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City - right by Ben Thanh Market
Photo: Mark Bowyer Okkio Coffee, Saigon
Lacaph
A Dutchman and a Korean have created Lacaph with big coffee ambitions. They're doing nice things with Vietnamese coffee in a sweet colonial-era shophouse, located in a favourite Saigon neighbourhood. Shophouses are facing extinction in Saigon so it's always nice to get inside one. Lacaph serves up lots of Vietnamese coffee options - they also sell their beans and other merchandise. Co-founder Timen explained to me that, among other things, they're focused on rehabilitating the reputation of the robusta bean. Turns out in these complicated coffee times, robusta beans are a better option for the environment and local farmers.
Address: 220A Nguyễn Công Trứ, Nguyễn Thái Bình Ward District 1, Hồ Chí Minh City
Photo: Mark Bowyer La Caph, Saigon
Little Hanoi
These guys have picked up on the egg coffee craze of the past decade and this is a cool place to try it or other Vietnamese traditional coffee. They do a decent breakfast too. The space is fabulous in a favourite Saigon neighbourhood (same as La Caph above) where you can still sense the city's disappearing soul.
Address: 119/5 Yersin St, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Photo: Mark Bowyer Little Hanoi Cafe in Saigon
Bang Khuang Cafe
A long time sentimental favourite - we love the space here and have been coming here for well over a decade. These guys were among the first to open a cool cafe in an old apartment block. The owner, Doan, hails from the coffee producing region around Ban Me Thuot in Vietnam's central highlands. Her coffee comes from the family farm. This is traditional Vietnamese coffee rather than the more international flavours of other specialty coffee houses.
Address: Upstairs - 9 Thai Van Lung, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Photo: Mark Bowyer Bang Khuang Cafe, Saigon
Photo: Mark Bowyer Bang Khuang Cafe, Saigon
Bosgaurus Coffee Roasters
Some of Saigon's most acclaimed baristas are on the team at Bosgaurus. And Hung the owner is viewed by many as one of the city's most knowledgeable coffee devotees. He roasts on site with two enormous roasters, and has all the toys for satisfying exacting coffee needs.
His space is a mellow retreat on the Saigon River around 10 minutes from downtown by cab in the Saigon Pearl Apartment complex. In recent years Bosgaurus has also opened in District 1.
Address:
By the river - Saigon Pearl Apartments, Nguyen Huu Canh St, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City
District 1
12 Nguyễn Siêu, Phường Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh
Photo: Mark Bowyer Bosgaurus Cafe, Saigon
Photo: Mark Bowyer Bosgaurus Cafe, Saigon
Les Monts Cafe, Saigon
Owned by one of Saigon’s major coffee exporters and importers, Les Monts is coming up with some outstanding brews from around the world. These guys supply many of the coffee houses around town. They know what they’re doing. It’s a friendly spot too - but it’s almost only coffee. They’re very focused. Located in the centre of town opposite Bitexco Tower.
Address: 51 Ham Nghi St, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City - opposite Bitexco Tower.
Photo: Mark Bowyer Les Monts Coffee, Saigon
Photo: Mark Bowyer Les Monts Coffee, Saigon
Ru Nam d'Or
If you like your coffee served in fancy surrounds by smartly dressed staff, Ru Nam d’Or will be your place. Even for those of more humble tastes, this place is an interesting stop, right by Saigon landmarks, the Post Office and Notre Dame Cathedral.
It’s Saigon's most expensive coffee (as far as we can work out) in a seriously fitted out colonial villa - an experience well beyond coffee.
The decor is a little over the top, but well done. The city's rich and famous gather here. And the bill at the end of it all would shock in any city. Expect to pay more than 100,000VND. But we reckon it's worth a look anyway.
Address: 3 Cong Xa Paris, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City - right by Notre Dame Cathedral
Photo: Mark Bowyer Ru Nam d'Or Cafe. Saigon
Photo: Mark Bowyer Ru Nam d'Or Cafe. Saigon
Shin Specialty Coffee
These guys get the award for investing the most effort in coffee hardware and theatrics. Many view Shin as the city's best practitioners of the specialty coffee thing, with a variety of international blends right in the heart of the city.
Address: 27 Luu Van Lang, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Photo: Mark Bowyer Shin Specialty Coffee, Saigon
Photo: Mark Bowyer Shin Specialty Coffee, Saigon
The Workshop
These guys were among the first to get serious about coffee in Saigon and they’re still a standout. Great coffee in a cool heritage space drenched in natural light. The Workshop is located up a rickety staircase just off Dong Khoi St one block up from the river. It's been a popular stop for a long time - still worth a look.
Photo: Mark Bowyer The Workshop Coffee, Saigon
Photo: Mark Bowyer The Workshop Coffee, Saigon
Vietnam Coffee Republic
In an alley not far from the centre of town, Coffee Republic has a stable of loyal customers in the local and expat community. The coffee’s good and Phong's a great host. A good spot to get some work done too.
Address: Down the lanes, 8A/8C2 Thái Văn Lung (Hẻm 8A),
Bến Nghé, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Photo: Mark Bowyer Phong - the man behind Coffee Republic, Saigon
Photo: Mark Bowyer Coffee Republic, Saigon
Check out our independent guide to Hanoi's best cafes here.
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