The canonical version and where to order it.
Egg coffee, a Vietnamese invention of whipped egg yolk and condensed milk beaten into a thick, sweet meringue-like custard and floated on a cup of strong hot coffee, drunk by spooning through the foam. A Hanoi creation now poured across Saigon.
Egg coffee was invented in 1946 Hanoi by Nguyen Van Giang, a bartender at the Metropole hotel who, short of milk, whipped egg yolk with sweetened condensed milk to cap his coffee. The idea spread south, and Saigon cafes now serve their own versions hot and cold. The yolk is beaten with condensed milk until it turns pale, thick and mousse-like, then spooned over strong phin coffee so you drink the bitter coffee through a sweet custard cap. Cafes like Runam and a wave of specialty rooms have made it a fixture of the Saigon coffee menu.
1 editor pick for Ca phe trung in Ho Chi Minh City, ranked by editorial score. All Ho Chi Minh City signature dishes · Ca phe trung across every city.
Also in: Hanoi.
Runam is a lavish multi-storey cafe in a French-style mansion facing the cathedral, pouring Vietnamese egg coffee and hot drip alongside a full breakfast.
OrderEgg coffee, Saigon style, with a banh mi to follow.
TipIt faces Notre Dame Cathedral; the upstairs rooms are quieter for a slow breakfast.
Ca phe trung makes more sense with someone from Ho Chi Minh City explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
3 hours
Spend three hours with a talented local chef to cook a three-course meal by yourself, following the steps of the instructions given and using only natural ingredients....
Guided tour · 8 hours
Explore Ho Chi Minh City on a guided tour with a Polish-speaking guide. Ride a traditional rickshaw, visit the Jade Emperor's Pagoda, and enjoy a local lunch.
Private tour · 4 hours
Discover the historic heart of Ho Chi Minh City on a guided tour with a cultural show and meal. Choose between a morning tour with lunch show or an afternoon tour with...
