Where can I find the best Western style coffee in Hanoi?

Tried the California-based Coffee Bean?
28 Thanh Nien Road, Tay Ho Dist., Hanoi

Purported to be good.

Otherwise, you can wait for the well-worn Starbucks who is setting its first shop in Saigon.

I tried the Starbucks in Japan, it was quite consistent but they still only do a few drinks, of which. Americano, was not one of them.

Highlands, to most here, over priced and under qualified, to me is the only place I found I can go and order an Americano that's actually on the menu.

I will give this Coffee Bean.

Thanks!

Kind of like taking coal to Appalachia!

Nestle coffee is all over. They make their decaffeinated version using dry cleaning fluids. Smaller companies use water, but it takes longer.

If you like what Starbuck's laughingly calls 'coffee' there are a few outlets for it in Ha noi, too.

highland coffee! i thinks it's ok.

Starbucks is not coffee. It's dessert that's flavored with coffee. Kind of like coffee ice cream.

The Vietnamese newspapers have debated a lot about the coming entry of Starbucks into Vietnam.

I remember the first opening of Starbucks in Thailand in 1998. A lot of discussion at that time as well. The Thai also love their Thai iced coffee (called oliang) as well, so there was much doubt whether Starbucks with their taste and high price will win customers.

Jump to today. Starbucks has 141 stores in Thailand. Price wise, not much cheaper than the US, if I remember correctly, so strong brand and status does draw (influent) customers.

Vietnam may be different though, and Starbucks today is not Starbucks 15 years ago. Interesting to follow this.

Phi Long wrote:

Starbucks is not coffee. It's dessert that's flavored with coffee. Kind of like coffee ice cream.

Until a person recently announced, for the third time, he was retiring from this forum, you would have been denounced for criticising 'American' cuisine.

Maybe even hung drawn and quartered.

Starbucks tastes more like sweepings from a warehouse floor, sprinkled with some flavouring. Terrible stuff. Now they are selling wine in some stores.

Did you hear about their products with dead beetles used as part of the recipe?

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ZOMA cafe - 22 Ly Quoc Su (cozy place, nice decor, English speaking staff, full of Expats)

Align Cafe (1 Khuc Hao St. or 6B Duong Thanh St. Nice Asian decor, English speaking staff, nature lovers's favorite place)

sevencoloriris wrote:

ZOMA cafe - 22 Ly Quoc Su (cozy place, nice decor, English speaking staff, full of Expats)

Align Cafe (1 Khuc Hao St. or 6B Duong Thanh St. Nice Asian decor, English speaking staffs, nature lovers's favorite place)

Thanks! I will visit these Cafes and give a review.

You can buy some coffee at Punto Italia at To Ngoc Van St. The owner is Italian man.

I'd like to know where some other places offered brewed coffee. Only place i know is Coffee Bean. I would like to know some others since im not particularly keen on the coffee bean in hanoi. I just need a good old cup of Joe not an espresso machiatto hazelnut mocha vanillacino BS

I think it was on Hang Giay I found a small shop selling all kinds of coffe beans. There you can get a brew on arabica beans. They had some different kinds. I like my coffe the scandinavian way: strong, a bit sour, hot and black. So a strong brew on arabica is what i prefer. I can agree that robusta coffe all the time becomes boring.
Cheers
Anders

Caycothu wrote:

I like my coffe the scandinavian way: strong, a bit sour, hot and black. So a strong brew on arabica is what i prefer. I can agree that robusta coffe all the time becomes boring.

Ha, ha. I have to laugh!! Scandinavian way. First time I heard about the expression. You make it sound so exotic, high-class and exclusive!!

It is the opposite what the "real" Scandinavian coffee is, if there ever is one: instant coffee, sometime brew coffee (a lot of it) poured into a big can (1-2l) to be consumed during the course of the day.

Here is a parody of this coffee. Since your profile says you live in Sweden, I am sure you understand it.

http://www.rema.no/Reklamefilmer/article42727.ece

For the others: a guy walks into a coffee bar. Other sophisticated customers order: "espresso" "machiatto" "double...".
He just orders "coffee". It shocks everyone. After recovering himself, the bartender just shrugs it off "ok, a coffee".
Tag line "The simplest is often the best".
The ad is from a low-cost supermarket chain trying to promote its no-frill image.

I found Joma Bakery Cafe to be like stepping back into a California location. Good coffee. Nice staff. Good food. It's not the same as sitting in a tiny seat and having a traditional Vietnamese coffee (so good!) but it's a nice place to sit and chat with friends or with your laptop to get some work done.

Joma Bakery Cafe
Address: Lý Quốc Sư, Hang Trong ward, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Phone:04 3938 1619

One more recommendation for you guys:

The Hanoi social club, at No.6 Hoi Vu st. 3 floors, small and cozy rooms, cute tables and chairs, full of expats. Drinks are okay but the atmosphere is nice. A Hanoi-French style house but you won't feel out of place

Cheers,
Thuy

I like the Hanoi Social Club too!

Anatta wrote:

Here is a parody of this coffee. Since your profile says you live in Sweden, I am sure you understand it.

I guess the taste is different. We drink horrible volumes of coffee in scandinavia and then it's easier with brew. Instant exists but is not that common as you might think. It is more common to cook, brew, press or percolate. Insence coffe also exists.

It is strange though that even if we crave caffein so much it is almost impossible to find Robusta beans in Sweden. I guess it have to be a culural thing. Almost all roasts is based on different arabica beans.

I once got a big surprice i Hanoi. In a small café I saw in the menu that they sold mocha coffee. As mocha beans used to be popular back home when I was a kid I imagined that I would experience a cup made from arabica mocha beans. I was exited to try it and got a chock from the strong chocolate taste they had added.  The fault was on me, and I made a note to self that I shall ask what it is next time.  So much depend on the context and if you order a cup of black coffe you never know what you will get. It might even be sugar in it.