Charming Cafes to Visit in Hoi An, Vietnam

A GUIDE TO THE BEST CAFES IN HOI AN

Saying that Vietnam is a country that runs on coffee would be an understatement.

Coffee is life in Vietnam. Everywhere you go, it’s coffee mania.

In big cities, like Sai Gon, Hanoi, and even Da Nang, you see a bunch of cafes but things are so spread out, it doesn’t quite hit you just how many there are.

But in tiny Hoi An, there seems to be a cool cafe or traditional-esque coffee shop every other block.

No complaints from my end- you all know how much I enjoy seeking out good cafes and good brew when I travel. It’s one of my favourite ways of getting to know a city, and seeing how locals live firsthand.

In Hoi An, I stayed for a week, which some people told me was too long when I was planning it out.

If I were just there to sightsee, I’d agree with them. However, because I took the time to work and venture around town, it was the perfect amount of time to accomplish a lot, but still take tons of time to relax.

Discovering new cafes each day, and working from a few of them, was one of my favourite ways to pass the boiling hot afternoons. Cool in the shade with a coconut coffee, does it get better?

Even if you’re not a ‘huge coffee drinker’, you’d be remiss if you didn’t try the different types of coffee in Vietnam.

Coffee has a strong cultural connection in Vietnam. Trying the different types is just as much of an experience as doing a street food tour, or sightseeing any city’s major attractions.

The best cafes in Hoi An, 9 cafes near the historic town centre:

Hoi An Roastery: Of course, I need to start with Hoi An’s namesake roastery. There are over seven locations in town, so chances are you won’t have any trouble finding one.

My favourite two are the ones with a terrace that overlooks the busy street below. An excellent place to kick back, sip caphe sua dua and watch the city come alive in the morning.

Bonus tip: The location near the Cloth Market has a back-room with strong air-con.

The Espresso Station: Tucked down a sidestreet right outside the historic centre, you’ll find this chill, airy outdoor cafe. Why did I love it so much?

Well, the coconut coffee is ace, and exactly what you’ll need to cool down after walking here.

And, if you come in the morning, you can order cold brew coffee that’s been frozen into ice cubes. It arrives with hot coconut milk (regular and soy options are available) for you to pour over. As the cubes melt, the strong cold brew blends with your chosen milk, creating a wonderfully balanced morning drink. Be sure to come before mid-day though, it sells out quick.

The Hill Station: Wonderfully traditional, The Hill Station is just past the Cloth Market, inside an old building. There’s a wide variety of food and drink on offer, even cheese plates.

I stuck to simple caphe sua dua here and didn’t regret it. They serve the coffee bit to you while it’s still dripping, which is cool to watch.

Faifo Coffee: Everyone’s pick for that classic ‘above Hoi An’ shot, the rooftop here is legendary.

When it opens and at sunset, the roof is most crowded. Mid-day, it wasn’t too bad. Luckily, there are also two other floors with plenty of seating. I came here twice, trying fruit smoothies and coconut coffee on another occasion. Both were great.

Rosie’s Cafe: My favourite place in Hoi An for breakfast, Rosie’s is a relaxed, airy cafe with multiple rooms and beautiful details to observe. The food is mostly Western, but healthy and delicious.

In addition to great food, there are interesting smoothie flavours on the menu. And, the cold brew is fantastic, and so affordable!

Avos & Mangos: As it sounds, everything on the menu at this cafe right outside the historic town centre has either avocado or mango in it. Except the drinks.

I did try a mango smoothie, kind of have to right? But, also, in the course of the afternoon I spent there working, tried Hoi An’s version of egg coffee. Much thicker than what I had in the north, I didn’t love it, but I also didn’t dislike it. And, I would’ve come back to have another just to sit in the cafe’s garden with the owner’s cute puppy.

Mon Coffee: Nondescript, it’s easy to walk past Mon. Unless it’s a hot day. Then, you may be drawn in by their lure of air-conditioning (a rarity at cafes in Hoi An).

Mon isn’t charming in the way some of the other cafes on this list are. But, their coconut coffee is seriously excellent, tiny plants decorate the cafe, and did I mention the strong air-con?

Cong Caphe: Wherever there’s a Cong Caphe, I’ll find it. This Vietnamese coffee chain, oft compared to Starbucks for its relative scale in Vietnam, quickly stole my heart in Hanoi. Travelling south, I was determined to keep seeking them out, in need of my coconut coffee fix.

Coconut coffee elsewhere is good, but no one does it like Cong. You must visit this communist themed cafe branch while in Vietnam.

While arguably, their coconut coffee is more a desert than a morning wake-up (frozen, lots of sugar), no one can dispute it’s the perfect thing for a hot, steamy Vietnamese day.

Reaching Out Teahouse: As soon as I stepped inside this teahouse, something felt different. The first thing I noticed was the silence. It was eerily quiet.

In front of me, I noticed a sign that explained the teahouse employs deaf and hard of hearing employees, as well as those who may have speed impediments. Because of this, they ask their guests to keep conversations low to create a calming atmosphere, and instead, communicate with service staff via writing down their order/request.

Loving the mission of this teahouse was one thing, but then sitting in a tranquil garden and sipping green tea from the mountains of Vietnam? Late afternoon perfection.