For centuries, drinking coffee has become one of the elegant joys of everyday busy lives. In Vietnam it’s no different. Here are my personal favourite cafés in Saigon that you should be sure to check out whilst you’re in town.
Café Bet (Sidewalk Café)
30/4 Park
There are many popular areas for sidewalk cafes in Saigon , like the roadside Nguyen Trung Truc in District 1 or by the Marie Curie school gates in District 3. However, the ideal location and most attractive spot for young people at the weekends is the park area in front of the Presidential Palace. The café is one of the biggest in the city, it’s located by the Notre Dame Cathedral and the 30th of April Park (so named to commemorate the day that the Americans left Saigon). The cool, calm area has no tables or chairs; just sit down on the sidewalks, or on the walkways under the trees. From students to police officers, the place draws in a mixed crowd, all drawn by its unique, somewhat romantic atmosphere. Sipping coffee here while talking with friends in a green open space gives you time to notice a different side of Saigon; a slow, gentle side. A strangely peaceful Saigon.
La Cafeteria De L’usine
151 Đồng Khởi Bến Nghé Quận 1 Bến Nghé Quận 1
If you’re missing Western Coffee, you should come to L’usine. When you arrive at this typical apartment café, your first thought will be “Well that was difficult to find”. Here’s a little help for you: Enjoy a stroll along alleyway number 151 on Dong Khoi street, street art galleries line both sides, walk through them until you find a right turn and where you will see the sign for L’usine by a staircase.
L’usine is a well known name, not just for coffee lovers but for the cool kids of Vietnam. It is a beautiful space with its very own French restaurant, fashionable clothing shop and art exhibit all sharing one understated open space. Its worn brickwork, simple, old furniture and selection of antiques combine to give a gentle impression of Saigon in the Indochinese era.
Chieu Book Café 2 & 3.
The original Chieu Book Café is in Bau Cat, Tan Binh but for a real treat head to café 2 or 3 near Nhieu Loc River. Head out of District 1 on Hai Ba Trung Street, until you see Tan Dinh bridge. Go right down the road Paracel 300, 400m you will find Chieu 2 and 3 on the right hand side. It’s the coffee here that I love, but the diverse selection of books and the river view never fails to draw an artistic crowd of writers, poets, and journalists. During the rush hours, you can watch the traffic pouring over the roads and the bridge, moving in all directions like a ribbon flying in the wind.
La Fenetre de Soleil
Lầu 1, 44, ĐườngLýTựTrọng, Quận 1, HồChí Minh, Vietnam
+84 8 3824 5994
This small cafe is found on the upper floors of an apartment building. At first, the patchwork, ramshackle décor can be a little overwhelming, when I first went I couldn’t help but be reminded of a little girl whose tried on all of her mother’s make-up and didn’t quite know when to stop. That said, the place certainly has charm. As the name, “window of the sun” suggests, the most striking feature of the place are the windows. Your eyes will be so drawn to the romantic, old window frames that you might forget to look at the beautiful view of calm, blue Saigon that they expose. The Fenetre De Soleil experience is a romantic one, best shared without words, listening to the soft music and gazing at the fragile beauty of the city outside.
Du Miên Garden Coffee
07 PhanVănTrị, Phường 10, QuậnGòVấp, TP.
The décor is rustic but modern. Du Mien Garden Coffee is an airy but intimate space with rustic décor and balconies wrapping around tree trunks. Grass covered canopies look over lakes giving a relaxed casual feel to the place. If you want to immerse yourself in nature, where you can enjoy earth, wind and the faint smell of flowers then you should stop at the white porcelain terraces of Du Mien Garden Coffee. Whilst it’s great for sharing with family, friends or colleagues you certainly won’t feel lost or crowded if you visit alone. Many people come here to fill their minds with inspiration and playful ideas.
Written by Tu Ngoc for Teacher’s Friend – Vietnam.
