Four Vietnamese Coffees Ranked Among the World’s Best
Vietnam’s iconic iced milk coffee, black coffee, egg coffee, and yogurt coffee have earned spots on TasteAtlas’s list of the 63 best coffee drinks worldwide, as recognized by the international food magazine. In the ranking, Vietnamese iced milk coffee placed 7th, black coffee 14th, egg coffee 27th, and yogurt coffee 53rd.
Iced Milk Coffee
Vietnamese iced milk coffee, or cà phê sữa đá, combines coffee, condensed milk, and ice for a refreshing treat. Traditionally brewed with robusta beans through a drip filter (phin), the coffee slowly trickles into a cup. Once ready, condensed milk and ice are added, stirred, and enjoyed chilled.
Black Coffee
Introduced by the French in the mid-19th century, coffee has since woven itself into Vietnam’s cultural fabric. Today, Vietnam ranks among the world’s leading coffee producers and is the top exporter of robusta beans. Black coffee, or cà phê đen, highlights the bold, intense flavor of robusta, brewed simply through a phin filter without any additives. Internationally, this style is often dubbed simply “Vietnamese coffee.”
Egg Coffee
Born in the 1950s, egg coffee is a Vietnamese specialty that blends whipped egg yolks and condensed milk into a thick, frothy topping, layered over robusta black coffee. The egg mixture is whisked for about 10 minutes and gently heated until it achieves a custard-like texture, creating a rich, indulgent drink.
Yogurt Coffee
An unexpected yet beloved twist, yogurt coffee merges black coffee with yogurt, condensed milk, and ice. Some variations add a hint of lemon juice for extra zest. The ingredients can be blended into a smooth concoction or layered, with coffee poured over the yogurt base, offering a unique balance of tangy and bitter notes.
Topping the TasteAtlas list is Cuba’s Café Cubano, a pre-sweetened espresso made with demerara sugar. It’s followed by Indian Filter Coffee, brewed with a traditional filter and mixed with warm milk and sugar, and Greece’s Espresso Freddo, an iced espresso whipped until smooth and creamy.
