Vietnamese coffee is usually made from robusta beans, brewed slowly through a small metal drip filter called a phin, and often served with sweetened condensed milk, hot or over ice. This guide explains what makes it distinctive and links to the detailed guides on brewing it, why it is so strong, and the classic drinks.
What makes Vietnamese coffee different
Three things set it apart. The first is the bean: Vietnam grows mostly robusta, about 97 percent of its crop in the US Department of Agriculture’s 2026/27 forecast, and robusta brews with roughly 1.4 to 1.8 times the caffeine of arabica. The second is the brew: a phin uses about twice as much coffee per ounce of water as standard drip, so the cup is small and concentrated. The third is the milk: sweetened condensed milk, which has a long shelf life, softens the bitterness without removing any caffeine.
The details, sources and caffeine estimates are in the guide to why Vietnamese coffee is so strong.
How to brew it at home
A phin is a small metal filter that sits on top of the cup. A typical single cup uses about 14 g (2 tablespoons) of medium-fine coffee for about 120 ml (4 oz) of water: a short bloom of 20 to 30 ml, a wait of 30 to 45 seconds, then the rest of the water and a drip of about 4 to 5 minutes. If it runs much faster or slower, the grind or the press needs adjusting.
Step by step, with fixes for a phin that drips too fast or too slow: how to use a phin filter.
The classic drinks
Coffee culture in Hanoi
Coffee reached Vietnam with the French in the 19th century, and today Vietnam is the world’s second-largest coffee producer after Brazil. In Hanoi, lingering over a cup for hours is normal, and some of the city’s cafés are landmarks in their own right. Café Lâm on Nguyễn Hữu Huân street, dating to 1952, is known for the paintings its founder collected, many of them from artists who settled their coffee tabs with art.
Read the story of Café Lâm, or plan a visit with the guide to things to do in Hanoi.
Frequently asked questions
What is Vietnamese coffee?
Coffee in the Vietnamese style is usually robusta brewed through a phin into a small, strong cup, drunk black or with sweetened condensed milk, hot or over ice. Popular versions include iced coffee with condensed milk, egg coffee, salt coffee and the milkier bạc xỉu.
Is Vietnamese coffee stronger than regular coffee?
Usually, yes. Robusta brews with roughly 1.4 to 1.8 times the caffeine of arabica, and a phin makes a concentrated cup. Condensed milk makes it taste milder without lowering the caffeine.
What do you need to make Vietnamese coffee at home?
A phin filter, medium-fine ground coffee (robusta for the traditional taste), hot water and, for the classic sweet version, sweetened condensed milk. A phin is not essential: other methods can make a small, strong cup.