Drinks in Vietnam

Vietnam is increasingly gaining reputation as the ideal holiday destination, and for good reason too. It has a little bit of everything, from national parks to UNESCO sites, mountains to beaches, and mind-blowingly delicious food. But either out of the fear of ‘travel diarrhea’ or a mere lack of awareness, drinks in Vietnam are largely ignored. But, Vietnamese drinks are as fascinating as its marvellous cuisine and are a must-have. We’ve compiled a list of the must-try drinks in Vietnam, so that you can truly experience all the country has to offer. 

There are a wide range of drinks in Vietnam that go beyond your archetypal iced teas – Photo Credit Chinh Le Duc

Coffee – Ca Phe

The Vietnamese and their coffee are practically inseparable. Often you’ll see them taking a break just to sip on some black coffee and look around. Vietnamese coffee is one of the more well known drinks in Vietnam and it packs quite the kick. The coffee is made from Robusta beans that are grown in the central highlands. These are ground and put into a metal drip filter to create the coffee, often served with ice.

There are two ways you can drink this coffee – ca phe sura da which is iced coffee with condensed milk, or ca phe da which is just the black coffee. Be careful to not have too much, you don’t want a caffeine rush keeping you up at night!

Traditional Vietnamese coffee served with ice packs quite the kick- (Photo Credit Frank Mckenna)

Egg coffee – Ca Phe Trung

Don’t cringe, or shy away. Egg in your coffee may seem strange but once you taste ca phe trung, there’s no going back. Egg coffee has an interesting story to its origin – Back in 1946, a bartender at the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel in Hanoi was facing a milk shortage due to the First Indochina War. As a substitute, he whisked in egg yolk. Today, he owns his own cafe in Hanoi, Giang cafe, where his son still serves the legendary concoction.  

The egg yolk is whipped to a foam with condensed milk, tasting almost like meringue, and sits atop the coffee. More a dessert than a coffee, it is sweet, thick and rich. Of course you can have it across Vietnam, but the number one location would be at Giang cafe itself. The taste here is unbeatable – they also add in some butter and cheese for that creaminess, but their entire recipe remains a secret.

Ca Phe Trung or Vietnamese egg coffee is a must-try, & is bound to leave you pleasantly surprised- Photo Credit Robert Metz

Herbal Tea – Nuoc Sam

Cuisine in Vietnam is known for its philosophical background – every dish is prepared to be as balanced as possible, similar to the concept of Yin Yang. And their herbal tea is the possible example. Drawn from a Chinese influence, nuoc sam is a black herbal tea that is made up of around 24 ingredients. One of these ingredients? Artichoke! It is served with ice, and no sugar. 

It sure is a little difficult to swallow, especially for those not used to herbal tea. But its properties, each devised to help heal and rejuvenate the body, will make you feel amazing. The concoction is also said to improve conditions like diabetes, blood pressure, and heart problems. This is fantastic for a good detox after indulging in the delicious street food, whether vegetarian or meaty.

Vietnamese herbal tea is a cleansing concoction of around 24 ingredients- Photo Credit Marina Pershina

Vietnamese Beer – Bia Hoi

Going to Vietnam and not having a drought of bia hoi is near sacrilege. Intrinsically a part of Vietnam and the experience it offers, this is a fun one on our list of must-have drinks in Vietnam. Bia hoi is locally brewed beer. It is freshly made and has an alcohol content of less than 3%. You can chug down three mug fulls of this refreshing nectar with ease. 

The best part about bia hoi is how cheap it is – one glass will cost you around 25 cents. While Vietnam does have branded beer, bia hoi is unbranded. It is stored in kegs, and a tap at the side will pour the beer out. Head to Hanoi’s Old Quarter, to the famous Bia Hoi Junction to experience it as authentically as possible. 

Light, refreshing and cheap, bia hoi has to be on your list of must-have drinks in Vietnam- Photo Credit Lana Graves

Rice Wine – Ruou Nep

Vietnam is known for its rice production so naturally, there had to be a drink in Vietnam made of rice. But be warned, ruou nep is no ordinary drink – with an alcohol content of 29.5%, this packs quite the punch. Rice wine is best had when accompanied with some delicious seafood or meats. The flavours complement each other, and the food intake helps ensure the wine doesn’t go straight to your head!

There is also a sweeter version of rice wine, called ruou nep cam. This is also stickier, and goes down a little easier than regular rice wine. 

Rice wine is one of the more traditional drinks in Vietnam- Photo credit Rod Long

Sugarcane Juice – Nuoc Mia

Among Vietnam’s diverse bounty of fruits and vegetables is the sturdy and refreshing sugarcane. And trust us, there’s very few things as refreshing and fulfilling as a tall glass of nuoc mia. Surprisingly sweet, the juice contains no added sugar. But some sellers will squeeze in a dash of lime for a sour tang. You can choose to even have it with ice. If you’re worried about the water used to make the ice, here’s a handy tip – if the ice cubes have holes in them, they’ve been factory produced. These cubes are safe for consumption.

Delicious and cheap, you’ll find carts across Vietnam selling the juice. The best way to identify them is by the stacks of sugarcane you’ll see piled next to a metal juicer. These are usually hand cranked to crush the sugarcane, squeezing the juice out of them.

Sugarcane juice is the best organic option to beat the Vietnamese humidity- Photo Credit Joseph Mucira

Coconut water – Dua Tuoi

Yes, Vietnam also has plenty of coconut water! But you’ll be disappointed if you only accept the manufactured, packaged kind. In Vietnam, you get it fresh from the coconut. Vendors sit with coconuts piled up around them. When you ask for one, a neat swipe of a machete carves out a hole for a straw. Coconut water is not just cooling, refreshing and all-organic, it is also packed with electrolytes. Whether as a mid-morning refresher or a hangover cure, this is one of the drinks in Vietnam that is perfect for every occasion.

Pack up on those electrolytes with fresh coconut water in Vietnam- Photo Credit Markus Winkler

Sinh To – Fruit Smoothie

Vietnam’s surplus of fresh fruits is quite stunning to behold. From familiar varieties like bananas, watermelon and apple to the more exotic pomelo and mangosteen, fruits are everywhere to be found and cheaply bought. Naturally, you’d find a stunning variety of fruit smoothies everywhere. While you can get ordinary smoothies, you can also find smoothies with custard apple, dragonfruit, and jackfruit. These are served with or without ice, and with yogurt or condensed milk. 

Try out a dragon fruit smoothie, courtesy of Vietnam;s range of fruits -Photo Credit Osha Key

Lime Soda – Soda Chanh

Take some lemonade and add to it some fizzy soda, and you get an unbeatable hit for a sweaty summer’s day. Lime soda is mostly served half finished i.e. you get the lemonade with a can of soda. Sometimes they may even serve you slices of lime so you can squeeze it in yourself. Order for soda chanh “khong duong” – no sugar or “ít đường” – a little sugar.

There’s no better way to beat the heat than with some fresh lime soda- Photo Credit Chinh-le-duc

Vietnam is a fantastic destination, and tasting the drinks in Vietnam is just one of the many reasons you should visit. It is exceedingly affordable, it has fantastic sights like the world-famous Halong Bay, and is very well connected in terms of flights and trains. It is also safe and doable, for both solo female travellers and backpacking! Interested? We can help you curate an itinerary that is centered around your budget, wants and needs. Just click Plan Your Trip to know more.