Iced milk coffee, the drink Saigon runs on: dark, bitter robusta dripped slowly through a metal phin filter over a layer of sweetened condensed milk, then stirred and poured over a glass of ice. Thick, sweet, intensely caffeinated and built for the heat.

When the French brought coffee to Vietnam in the 19th century they also created a supply problem: fresh milk was scarce and did not keep in the tropics, so sweetened condensed milk stood in for it. The result, dripped through the individual metal phin filter the French also introduced, became ca phe sua. Add ice, essential in Saigon's climate, and it becomes ca phe sua da. Vietnam grows mostly robusta, which is harsher and more caffeinated than arabica, and the slow phin drip and heavy sweetening are what tame it. It is sold on every corner, from plastic-stool stalls to old cafes like Cheo Leo.

3 editor picks for Ca phe sua da in Ho Chi Minh City, ranked by editorial score. All Ho Chi Minh City signature dishes · Ca phe sua da across every city.