Egg Coffee in Hanoi: What It Is, Where It Started, and How to Make It at Home

The first time someone hears "egg coffee," they usually make a face. Then they try it. A thick, sweet, custard-like foam sits on top of strong, dark coffee, and the whole thing tastes more like a warm dessert than an omelette. It's one of Hanoi's best inventions.

Where it came from

The usual story goes back to 1946. Fresh milk was scarce in Hanoi at the time, and a bartender named Nguyễn Văn Giảng, who worked at the Metropole hotel, started whisking egg yolk with sugar as a substitute for milk foam. It caught on, and he later opened his own café. His family still runs Café Giảng today, in a narrow lane in the Old Quarter, and it's still one of the most famous places to try it.

What's in it

• Egg yolk, whisked for several minutes with sugar and condensed milk until it turns pale, thick and fluffy.
• Strong Vietnamese coffee, usually robusta, brewed with a *phin* filter.

The foam goes on top. You can sip through it, or stir it in, or eat the top with a small spoon first. People argue about the right way; there isn't one.

Hot or iced?

• Hot: the classic. Often served in a small cup sitting in a bowl of hot water to keep it warm. Best on a cool day.
• Iced: popular in summer. The foam sits on coffee poured over ice.

Many cafés now do variations: egg cocoa, egg matcha, even egg beer in a few novelty places. The cocoa one is a good choice for kids or anyone who doesn't drink coffee.

What it costs

A cup in a local café usually costs around 30,000–60,000 VND, more in cafés with lake views or famous names. Expect to queue at the best-known spots at weekends.

How to make egg coffee at home

For one cup:

• 1 very fresh egg yolk
• 1–2 teaspoons sugar
• 1–2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
• About 50 ml strong black coffee (espresso works, or a phin if you have one)

Steps: 1. Brew the coffee and keep it hot. 2. Put the yolk, sugar and condensed milk in a bowl. 3. Whisk hard for 3–5 minutes (an electric whisk makes it easy) until it is pale, thick and holds its shape. 4. Pour the coffee into a small cup, then spoon the foam on top. 5. Optional: sit the cup in a bowl of hot water, Hanoi style.

Because the yolk is raw, use the freshest eggs you can find, or pasteurised eggs.

A few tips

• Ask for *"cà phê trứng nóng"* (hot) or *"cà phê trứng đá"* (iced).
• It's rich. One cup is plenty, and it fills you up like a snack.
• If you're sensitive to caffeine, Vietnamese robusta is strong; try it earlier in the day.

Written in October 2026. Prices vary by café.