It is no challenge to find a coffee shop with an incredible atmosphere or delicious drinks that fit your taste in Hanoi. However, if you want a place that checks all the boxes, you may need recommendations from the experts.
No Food Phobia, a food and travel blogger in Vietnam, gives some suggestions of cafes in the capital city that might just be the right place for you.
SOL Arch Space
Entering the cafe is like entering another world. To get here, go deep from the main street into a smaller lane.
The space in Sol is beautiful in a rustic style, but the colors and the separate layout are not the same. Decorative furniture is made from rustic wood, bamboo, and rattan. The most special thing is that the house is built of earth, it is rare for any cafe to use this unique material.
One point that was initially apprehensive when I knew Sol was the pre-booking of a table. Why does one need to book a table at a cafe? Because the owner is an architect, he won't open the shop on a busy day, so calling in advance will avoid the situation where guests have to leave.
Menu
- Coffee in Sol uses mainly foreign beans, the slight advantage of foreign beans compared to Vietnamese beans is that it is smooth, not harsh and if you are not used to drinking coffee, you will still enjoy the whole cup without getting coffee-high
- Sol doesn't have a menu, so ask the barista for advice on the right drink for you
Information
- Address: At the end of Lane 54 Quan Su
- Opening time: 08:30 - 22:00
- Drinks price: From 60,000 VND
- Parking: Leave your vehicle at the entrance of the alley, or send it to the dental hospital at the corner of Trang Thi - Quan Su
Room 501 Coffee Roastery
Room 501 is located on the second floor of an old dormitory. The tiny space has only about 7-8 seats, mainly around the bar, and next to it is a large glass door.
This is also the interesting point of the shop because you can both enjoy a cup of real specialty coffee and watch the barista "perform."
The room is small with strong red wall color, without many decorations because the shop only focuses on the quality of each cup of coffee, with many cups, and sophisticated machines being displayed on a long, rough iron table. Wooden stairs lead to the second floor, this is also the roasting area of the restaurant.
Menu
- Includes specialty coffees prepared in different ways: traditional coffee, filter, machine, manual methods
- The shop roasts and grinds its own coffee
- Most especially, try to experience coffee made by siphon pot with reverse osmosis method - dramatic, "chemical" like the movie Breaking Bad. Note, coffee made by this method is quite "shocking", and not for the faint of heart.
Information
- Address: 2nd floor, at the end of Lane 35 Hue Street
- Opening time: 08:00 - 21:00
- Drinks price: From 40,000 VND
- Parking: In Lane 35 Hue Street
Still Color Cafe
Sharing the same modest area as Room 501, at Still Color, you don't need to climb upstairs, the shop is located right in the alley, and very easy to find. The space is small, but the layout is pretty impressive.
The bar has 2-3 bar seats, a table for groups of four in the center, and a small table on the edge of the glass door, which is also the front of the shop.
Taking advantage of natural light from the large glass panel, the interior is only decorated with a few old-fashioned lamps and a small bookshelf below the plain wall. This wall is also the highlight of the restaurant, always playing videos/movies that match the list of light, pleasant, and relaxing jazz music.
If you prefer openness, you can choose to sit outside with camping-style "lazy" chairs and a table made from old milk cartons.
Menu
- The quality of selected coffee beans, the cafe menu has all the popular drinks, loved by many people
- Try the Cream de Latte, a latte with a thick, rich savory cream. And Cream de Choco for those who can't drink coffee
Information
- Address: 32 Tho Xuong, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
- Opening hours: 08:00 - 18:00 | Every Wednesday off
- Drinks price: From 40,000 VND
- Parking: In front of the shop
Chốn
/:chốn/ is a place that’s hidden in plain sight. But if you want to run away from the world, feel free, this cafe is where you find a space for yourself, in the middle of summer.
Chốn has many locations, but the newest branch is located on the 2nd floor of an old house, although it looks quite "exposed" at first, the entrance is quite a maze. Don't worry though, just follow the "hints" to discover the way up.
The shop has a small space, with a small corridor filled with green trees. There is a small room with a soft sofa and a "mini balcony" with ancient walls.
Menu
- There is no machine coffee, only hand-made coffee so please wait patiently
- “Béo ngậy”, “Kao”, “Koi” are coffee drinks worth trying
Information
- Address: 130 Bui Thi Xuan
- Opening time: 08:30 - 22:00
- Drinks price: From 30,000 VND
- Parking: 08:30 - 18:00 - At 167 Bui Thi Xuan | 18:00 - 22:00 - Park your vehicle inside the yard
Lily Coffee
Lily has been open for a long time, but its name is not as popular as it deserves to be. Located at the back of the old villa, with the entrance is a tiny alley, Lily is really like a peaceful refuge from the noisy streets of Hanoi.
The split-level design makes the most of small spaces. On the first floor, there is a bar with long wooden benches along the edge of the wall. The mezzanine above is modest with a view of the small tables below. The light in the restaurant is quite dark, but it feels warm and comfortable.
Menu
- Quite diverse when including a full range of coffees prepared by many different methods, including non-coffee drinks
- Try Mokara Winter, Irish coffee is also a good choice if you want to experience coffee combined with Whiskey
Information
- Address: 6A Nha Hoa, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
- Opening time: 08:00 - 07:00
- Drinks price: From 40,000 VND
- Parking: Park your vehicle in the alley or in front of the house at 31 Nha Hoa