I wonder why people always go to Highland Cafes in Viet Nam. Even though they are a bit expensive, they seem to springing up everywhere. Lots of people I know say that they don't go to Highland Cafe to actually drink coffee, but rather they go there to drink fruit juices, have a chat and enjoy the comfortable environment. Another reason is that they are usually located right near or inside big office buildings near where people work.
In Hanoi, the most popular Highland Cafe is on West Lake, where you can sit on a floating boat looking over the whole beautiful lake and enjoy your drink with nice breeze and see the sun set in the afternoon. If you don't really like to sit outside then you can choose the air conditioned area right inside the boat. Hanoi's very hot at the moment.
In Ho Chi Minh City, I heard lots of people talking about the branch in front of Notre Dame Cathedral. This is a great location for watching passers-by. But I also sit inside when my friends can't stand the heat. I much prefer the juices and gin and tonics rather than coffee in this hot weather of summer.
That 1st photo seems to be a nice coffee shops. It's not only there where people love to drink coffee. Here also. People line up just to have a cup of coffee.
ReplyDeleteI found your blog last night, I am very fortunate to come across such a wonderful blog about your country. I am thinking about going to Saigon in August, your blog will surely provide plenty of valueable information for a lonely traveler like myself...
ReplyDeleteI have lived in Japan for 8 years, when you have a moment feel free to watch a couple of my videos...
Looking forward to reading all of your stuff! Thanks for such a great blog!
The ice-cream and the juice were really bad the last time I had been in Highland Cafe in front of Notre Dame cathedral in Saigon
ReplyDeleteso which is better vietnam coffee?
ReplyDeleteHighland or trung nquyen? thks!
i love cafes. they are perfect for lounging about and being artistic and people watching (or just goofing off). one of these days i want to do a world tour of cafes.
ReplyDeleteHin, you are right.
ReplyDeleteslurp! not them, check out local coffee shop then you will have the answer- Cafe Nang is an example.
Thao, moody, sometimes good and bad, sorry for your bad drink.
FRIDAY'S CHILD, it looks cool.
April smae here girl.
Hey VG...great blog...just back in Australia from a wonderful trip to Hanoi and discovered Highlands Coffee store & Vietnamese drip-filter cofee..so wonderful! I bought one filter plus mug and a bag of coffee from the Highlands store but found one problem when I got home...no instructions! Im not adventurous enough to experiment as I dont want to waste the little coffee powder i have..And no website for Highlands Coffee to ask. Help!
ReplyDeleteIf you know how to work one of these magic devices please email me (mxfiveau@yahoo.com.au) .. and I will shout you a cup of the best coffee in Aus..
Cheers...Grantley..
Grantley,
ReplyDeletehttp://www.highlandscoffee.com.vn/contactus.php
highland has an art space for coffee!!!
ReplyDeleteThe coffee and drink are good. but I lose my helm there. I went to the highland cafe in Le loi street in Viet Nam. I put my helm in my car for the security to park it, after i finish my meal there i ask the security to bring me my car, but my helm is stolen. I told the manager there but he didn't help me at all. I just dont understand that they park the car for you they keep the key but when something is lose in your car they are not reponsible for it. might think twice before going there again. Never know what will happen might be my car stolen next time and they might just say they not reponsible for it....
ReplyDeleteI don't think Highland coffee is as good as Trung Nguyen or Vietcoffee. When I was in Vietnam I was a regular customer of Highland Coffee visiting their cafe very many times and the Highland coffee staff know me very well. I was there regularly for my business to meet customers and have coffee and do business as well as I met my friends there regularly. I don't like the flavour and I have a friend who refused to go there as the flavour not as good. However the ambience, image and service was quite good. They always have the shop with a good view and atmosphere to make the customers feel comfortable.
ReplyDeleteIf you want coffee of good flavour you need to choose from the two biggest coffee manafacturers and distributors in Vietnam go with Trung Nguyen or Vietcoffee.
Check out this website for their coffee in Australia. www.viet-coffee.com.au
Highland coffee is made for western taste with emphasis on bite rather than depth of flavour. Vietcoffee and Trung Nguyen coffee has the traditionsl flavour that is great for cafe da and cafe su da.
Viet-coffee has a range that is more aceptable to western taste as well the traditional Vietnamese coffee suitable for making in the phin.
To make coffee with Vietnamese phin -If you have ground coffee - fill the phin one third to half full place the filter cap on top and then place large cap with holes over cup, place phin with coffee and filter press on top then fill with hot water from the kettle - for best flavour of vietnamese coffee you need to have water not just boiled but still very hot and fill up the phin with the water and then put the cap on the top. For a strong flavour push the filter press firmly to slow the speed of water through the phin. For western taste of not so strong the third is better and you end up with espressso like short black - for more western taste you may use less eg. a third fill and you may do extra hot water to get more coffee in cup. Depends on what you are used to.
ReplyDeleteDont worry about limited supply as you can get real vietnamese coffee from www.viet-coffee.com.au.
Lets taste it and enjoy it.
Highland coffee at the beginning opened in Dong Khoi Street around the corner from Duc Ba church in about 2000.
My fiends and I from all over the world sit down and have coffee on the most beautiful street in Saigon (Dong Khoi Street) but it is no longer trading on this street. They opened more Highland Coffee shop across Saigon and Vung Tau and Can Tho and other places.
This is a great work, i love your blog.
ReplyDeleteThe highland cafe! maybe the greatest place in this world! there's no doubt about it!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your post, very useful information.
ReplyDelete