Cafe Giảng

Cafe Giảng is a small cafe at 39 Nguyễn Hữu Huân in the Lý Thái Tổ ward of Hanoi's Old Quarter, Vietnam, and is the cafe most closely tied to the invention of Hanoi egg coffee in 1946. It is now run by the founder's family. The signature drink is cà phê trứng, egg coffee, in which whipped egg yolk and condensed milk are beaten into a custard-thick foam and poured over strong coffee. It is served in a small cup set in a bowl of hot water to keep it warm. Other signature items are egg cocoa, a coffee-free version of the same foam, and cà phê nâu, iced coffee with condensed milk. The cuisine is coffee and drinks rather than food, and the appeal is the history behind the recipe and the dense, sweet texture of the foam, which is often compared to a dessert. The setting is narrow and old-fashioned: seating runs along a corridor and upstairs, with small tables and stools, no dress code and a mix of visitors and locals. Noise is moderate, and the cafe can be crowded because of its reputation. There is no wine programme; the drinks list is the coffee and cocoa menu. The cafe opens daily from 7:00 to 22:00 and does not take reservations, so visitors join the queue for the next free seat. Prices are low, around 35,000 to 60,000 VND (USD 1.35 to 2.30) per person. The address is within walking distance of Hoàn Kiếm Lake, and the cafe has a website at giangcafehanoi.com. Egg coffee is rich and sweet, so it is often shared or treated as a dessert. The narrow corridor layout means that seating is limited at peak times, and visitors should be prepared to wait or take a table upstairs when one becomes free.