Vietnam's largest city has a real buzz. Spend any amount of time in the metropolis and before long you'll begin to suspect that the frenetic pace is driven by caffeine. You can't walk down a street in Ho Chi Minh without tripping over a coffee shop. It was the French who introduced the beans to Vietnam in the late 19th century and it wasn't long before the country began growing its own coffee in the highlands and exporting it. Some cafes offer Western-style cappuccinos and lattes, but they all do the national classic known as cap he sua da literally "coffee, milk, ice" — a rich dark roast made in a special version of a press pot, and served with lashings of sweet condensed milk and ice. It has a real kick to it so don't drink it before bedtime. Here are five of the best places to get your coffee fix.
This is Vietnam's most successful coffee company — its very own Starbucks, but better, of course. Opened in the late 1990s, there are now more than 1,000 outlets across the country. The coffee menu is extensive (it's a book) and the prices are on the high side, but you can't beat it for quality. If you feel like splashing out on a classic Vietnamese-style brew, try the "Number 8: Break Through" for 94,000 dong (HK$34). Made with arabica, robusta and excelsa coffee beans it smells divine, tastes strong and will give you a buzz that lasts all day. This is a chain, so the interiors are similar — simple pale wood furniture, splashes of red — and if you enjoyed your brew you can buy a bag of beans to take home with you. Regulars say they come back because it's consistently good.
80 Dong Khoi Street. Open: 6am-10.30pm. www.trungnguyen.com.vn/en/