Hanoi is a home of culture and cuisine where the new are being invented non-stop. Besides food, beverage is a popping industry which does not stop at satisfying the taste of clients but aims at pleasing people with the space where drinks are served, which leads to the offspring of coffee shops and drink bars.
Today we will lead you through top 5 coffee shops for nostalgia.
1. Cu Xa Cafe (Tenement coffee)
Despite having “coffee” in its name, Cu Xa mostly serves tea. Lying hiddenly on the 2nd floor of an aged tenement in Dong Da Dist, Cu Xa café radiates the vintage atmosphere of 1980s when the system of budget subsidies in Vietnam was alive.
Cu Xa cafe view from outside
If you come here for the first time, you might have to struggling for a while to find the entrance. In the old corridors floored with out-fashion flower tiles which were popular in the period of budget subsidies, there lies old –style chairs and benches decorated simply that bring about the breath of the last century. Initially, the coffee shop aimed at the adults and the old as it was expected to recall the memories during their ups and downs. However, over the time, the place turns out to attract youngster better.
Every decoration reminds of the 80s
The menu of the place is quite simple and most drinks are good for throat like chrysanthemum tea with honey, which is the top rated. Besides tea, guests have several choices of junk food of which most are popular for kids back to 2 decades ago: popcorns, smashed instant noodles, colorful candies and so on.
Junk foods once popular in the past now served at Cu Xa
The place is like the gate of time bring people back to the 80s. Everything here is simple but not lame, every corners, every decoration radiates the vibes of 21st century. So, if you’re curious about life in the end of 21st century, come to 2nd floor, A11 Khuong Thuong tenement on Ton That Tung Street.
2. Cong Ca phe (Communist coffee)
The second recommendation on the list is Cong ca phe, its drinks is not quite excellent so basically people can say that what the shop sells is the space where they can spend time either recalling the old days or imagining how the old days were.
Cong ca phe in Sapa
This is quite a famous brand whose branches are all over the big cities of Vietnam and even some abroad in Thailand and Malaysia. Drinks are totally acceptable from tea, coffee to smoothie and shake though they are not its strength.
The pillow with patterns in vogue decades ago
Cong Ca phe impresses guests by the vintage decorations only found in the war time decades ago. Every stuff from little chairs, old tables or even mugs reminds people of the life in war time. Being a big brand, this chain does get the great places to open its bars so visitors have plenty choices of places and views. Most of bars offer a very great view towards the streets so guests could enjoy drinks and watch the daily life on streets, especially at the bars open in the old quarter of Hanoi, it provides seats viewing towards the vendors on streets. It must be a memorable experience for foreign guests.
Mugs popular in war time used to served drinks
As there are many addresses, we would let you discover yourself as it is always easy to find out the nearest Cong ca phe doing little search on google.
3. Nha san Art cafe (Stilt house coffee)
The next candidate on the list is a very small coffee shop hidden in Vinh Phuc resident area and fairly hard to find the way in for a foreign and sometimes local people also. This might look a bit old and messy by the way it is designed but really worth trying.
Sense the peace in the space of Nha San Art coffee
Exactly as its name, the shop is a stilt house and seats are open at both ground and 1st floor. The place lies quietly in a small alley far from hustle and bustle life right hundreds of meters outside. It offers quiet and peaceful atmosphere where visitors can immerse themselves, enjoy drinks and even try the local tobacco which is more than once described to be stronger than weeds.
The entrance
Come to chill at Nha San Art coffee at 462 Bưởi street, Vĩnh Phú, Ba Đình to see the authentic old furniture, yes, it’s real as it was used decades ago and sold by owners when they wished to replace with fashioned stuff, the shop owner spent time buying and transfering the furniture to the shop from all over the country.
An ancient statue collected by shop owner
4. Nha Kho coffee
Nha Kho, or warehouse in English, is a coffee shop described as a magic gate to the old days. Located in busy street De La Thanh, the coffe shop nestled in alley 599 seems to totally separated from the modern life outside. Quiety and peace are the first impressions when people set foot here.
Nha Kho coffee
Every corners, every little stuffs are designed exquisitely to exhale the atmosphere of 20s. Nothing could be more comfortable than sipping a cup of hot tea and rest your mind by immersing in the guitar sounds in a cold winter day.
The green corner
Also, if you’re in love with nature, the place does have a green corner where you can grasp a book and enjoy reading in the green. This could be a great experience so you shouldn’t miss in Hanoi if you can afford time.
5. Ca phe cuoi ngo
The last recommendation has a very simple name, they call it Ca phe cuoi ngo simply because it is a small house at the end of the alley (cuoi ngo) and it sells coffee and drinks (Ca phe). Time seems to flies fast here and each period of time in the day here brings an unique feeling.
The tiny entrance full of green
The coffee shop is located at alley 68/78 Cau Giay street, entrance is a small wooden gate leading through a tiny path full of green on its both sides. At the end of the part lies a small tile-roofed house, all is tiny but neat and pretty.
A small corner in Ca phe cuoi ngo
Every Friday evening, there is a minor concert of guitar and violin on Trinh’s music-a favorite musician of many Vietnames generations. If this sounds interesting to you, find the way here and you will never regret.
Don’t hesitate to pack your luggage, come and discover the amazing land. For more information please visit our family website:
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