Cafes in Hai Phong: where to sit, what to order, and what to pay

A quick coffee on a tiny plastic stool beside a busy street feels nothing like a lazy afternoon watching the water at Tam Bac Lake. Yet both are part of the coffee culture in Hai Phong. Pick a cafe by what you plan to do: head to the old streets for strong Vietnamese coffee, try coconut coffee for something distinctly local, or settle into an air-conditioned cafe when you need a comfortable place to work.

Where to drink coffee in Hai Phong: choose a cafe that fits your plans

For a quick morning coffee: explore the old town’s sidewalk cafes

Early in the morning, as shops begin opening their shutters, small tables and plastic stools appear along the sidewalks. Someone scrolls through the news on their phone, a group of friends catches up over coffee, and another customer stops by for a takeaway drink.

It’s an everyday scene in Hai Phong, particularly around Hoang Van Thu, Minh Khai, Phan Boi Chau, and the smaller streets of the historic Hong Bang area.

Order a nâu đá (iced coffee with condensed milk) or đen nóng (hot black coffee), spend 20 or 30 minutes watching the neighborhood wake up, and continue exploring.

These cafes tend to keep things simple. The tables are small, the stools are low, and the sounds of passing motorbikes blend into conversations at neighboring tables.

Some of the city’s long-established coffee spots include Cafe Lam on Le Chan Street, Cafe Binh by the Tam Bac River, and Cafe Ke in the Phan Boi Chau area. These names reflect the city’s traditional coffee culture, but look up the exact address on a map before you set off.

A sidewalk stool works for a short break, not for opening your laptop, joining a video meeting, or spending several hours working. Summer heat, sudden rain, and busy traffic can also make an outdoor seat less comfortable than you expected.

For catching up with friends: try a retro-style coffee shop

Traveling with friends, meeting someone local, or hoping to spend an unhurried afternoon chatting? A comfortable table, enough room to sit for a while, and a menu of familiar Vietnamese drinks cover it.

A beautiful cafe can turn out to be a noisy one. Places known for photo opportunities, elaborate interiors, or impressive views can become crowded, especially on weekends. Hoping for a relaxed conversation? The seating arrangement may matter more than how the cafe looks in photographs.

For remote work: look for spacious tables, air conditioning, and power outlets

Some days on the road you still need to answer a few emails, join a meeting, or finish something on your laptop before heading out again.

When choosing a cafe for work, practical details matter: Is the table large enough? Is the Wi-Fi reliable? Is the room reasonably quiet? Can you sit comfortably for an hour or two?

Two places in central Hai Phong are worth trying for light work; ask the staff about sockets and Wi-Fi when you order:

Both work for light tasks, but not every table has a power outlet, and the Wi-Fi may not be fast enough for video calls.

To ask the staff:

• "Quán có Wi-Fi không ạ?" - Do you have Wi-Fi?
• "Ở đây có chỗ cắm sạc laptop không?" - Is there somewhere I can charge my laptop?
• "Mình ngồi làm việc khoảng hai tiếng được không ạ?" - Is it okay if I work here for about two hours?

Weekday mornings and early afternoons are easier for finding a comfortable seat than busy weekends. For an important online meeting, keep mobile data on as a backup.

For a scenic afternoon: find a cafe overlooking Tam Bac Lake

Search for "cafes with a view in Hai Phong," and you’ll probably come across photographs of water, leafy streets, and colorful old buildings.

But Tam Bac Lake and the Tam Bac River are two different places.

Tam Bac Lake is part of the city’s central landscape, close to public gardens and the Hai Phong Opera House area.

Photo: An Nguyễn Hải

Tam Bac Street, meanwhile, follows the Tam Bac River, where the scenery is more about riverside buildings and the old waterfront neighborhood.

For a lake view, look around Quang Trung and Nguyen Duc Canh streets, then check which direction the cafe’s windows or outdoor seats face.

Late afternoon is a pleasant time to enjoy this part of the city, particularly when the temperature begins to drop. During the hottest summer hours, an air-conditioned table beside a large window beats an outdoor seat.

Prefer the riverfront and pedestrian-friendly streets? Head toward Tam Bac Street instead.

Highlands Coffee at 103 Tam Bac Street is one cafe here with seating that looks out over the river, not over Tam Bac Lake.

The former Tam Bac Market building on Phan Boi Chau Street no longer operates as the old market. The site has been planned for conversion into a public garden, with the project timeline extended into 2026.

So "near Tam Bac" is too vague for meeting someone, and two people can easily end up in different places.

What makes Hai Phong coconut coffee special?

On a first visit to Hai Phong, make room for at least one coconut coffee.

Known locally as cà phê cốt dừa, this drink tastes nothing like a traditional black coffee or Vietnamese iced coffee with condensed milk.

Instead of focusing entirely on the bitterness and aroma of coffee, it combines coffee with the creamy richness of coconut.

A common recipe includes coffee, coconut milk, fresh dairy milk, and sweetened condensed milk. Depending on the shop, you might also find shredded coconut, jelly, tapioca pearls, or other toppings.

Some cafes blend the coconut mixture into a thick, smooth drink. Others serve it in a cup filled with toppings, making it something you eat with a spoon as much as you drink.

So coconut coffee is closer to dessert than a quick caffeine fix. It suits anyone who enjoys sweet, creamy drinks but still wants the aroma of Vietnamese coffee.

Does Hai Phong coconut coffee contain milk?

Yes. Most traditional versions of Hai Phong coconut coffee contain dairy milk or sweetened condensed milk, in addition to coconut milk.

Vegan travelers, people who avoid dairy, and anyone with a milk allergy should know this before ordering. The coconut milk is plant-based; the fresh milk and condensed milk in the cup are not.

You can ask:

• "Cà phê cốt dừa này có sữa bò không ạ?" - Does this coconut coffee contain dairy milk?
• "Quán có làm loại không sữa tươi, không sữa đặc được không?" - Can you make it without fresh milk or condensed milk?

Some shops prepare their coconut mixture in advance using a fixed recipe. In that case, removing dairy after the mixture has been made may not be possible.

With a milk allergy, asking for "no milk" is not enough: ask about the ingredients in any premade mixture and about possible cross-contact.

Where to try coconut coffee in Hai Phong

Several coconut coffee businesses in the Lam Son area have similar names, such as Co Hang at 124A Lam Son Street. With names this close, look carefully at the street number so you don’t walk into the wrong shop.

Coconut coffee prices differ from shop to shop, so check the menu at the counter before ordering, particularly if you want extra toppings.

Fans of unsweetened, bitter coffee might find coconut coffee a little too rich for their taste. A traditional black coffee or nâu đá may suit you better.

How to order Vietnamese coffee in Hai Phong

In northern Vietnam, a coffee order comes down to a word or two: nâu, đen, bạc xỉu.

Photo: Souradeep.Dasgupta

How to ask for less sugar or less ice

Five short phrases for ordering coffee in Hai Phong when the menu is all in Vietnamese:

• Ít ngọt nhé - Less sweet, please. This asks the shop to reduce sugar, condensed milk, or other sweetening ingredients when possible.
• Ít đá nhé - Less ice, please.
• Đá riêng nhé - Ice on the side, please.
• Không đường nhé - No added sugar, please.
• Cho mình thêm nước lọc nhé - Could I have some drinking water, please?

Asking for less sugar doesn’t make your coffee less caffeinated.

A nâu đá with less condensed milk may taste more bitter, but it can still contain the same amount of coffee.

To cut down on caffeine, ask whether the shop can use less coffee, or choose a drink with a smaller amount of coffee relative to milk. Coconut coffee made from a premixed base leaves less room to adjust.

Also, "no added sugar" and sugar-free are not the same thing. Condensed milk and some premade ingredients already contain sugar.

Is Vietnamese coffee too strong for foreign visitors?

It can be, especially for people who are used to milder coffee or only drink a small amount of caffeine each day.

Traditional Vietnamese drip coffee, made using a small metal filter called a phin, is often intensely flavored. Many shops use robusta beans or blends containing robusta.

And a small cup won’t always mean a small caffeine dose.

Robusta beans carry noticeably more caffeine than arabica. People who aren’t used to that much caffeine may sleep badly, especially after several cups in a day or one in the late afternoon.

If you aren’t used to it, start with one drink, preferably after eating, rather than ordering several different coffee styles back-to-back.

Go slower still with coconut coffee. Its creamy sweetness can hide much of the bitterness, making it easy to forget that there’s still caffeinated coffee in the drink.

If you experience palpitations, trembling, or unusual discomfort after drinking coffee, avoid consuming more caffeine. Seek medical attention for severe or persistent symptoms.

Not drinking coffee? Order a cup of hot chrysanthemum tea, known locally as trà cúc, another familiar drink in Hai Phong. Pure chrysanthemum tea is caffeine-free, but blends with green or black tea are not, so ask what goes into it if you need to avoid caffeine completely.

How much does coffee cost in Hai Phong?

Coffee prices in Hai Phong vary depending on the type of cafe, the drink, and the size you order.

At a small sidewalk coffee shop, budget about 20,000-40,000 VND per person.

At a chain like Highlands Coffee, the classic drinks start at these prices:

Prices can vary a little by size, branch, and whether you order in store or through the app.

Cafes with elaborate interiors, rooftop seating, or attractive views may charge more than neighborhood sidewalk spots.

Coconut coffee prices in travel blogs from a few years back are out of date. Check the current menu at the cafe, and ask whether toppings cost extra.

Another coconut-based treat is dừa dầm, a cold dessert drink made with young coconut, coconut jelly, tapioca pearls, milk, and shaved ice.

Shops around Lach Tray and Mieu Hai Xa streets charge around 20,000-25,000 VND per cup.

How to pay at cafes in Hai Phong

For a small sidewalk cafe, Vietnamese cash is still the most dependable option. Keeping a few smaller notes, such as 10,000, 20,000, and 50,000 VND, makes paying much easier.

At larger cafes and coffee chains, you may be able to use a bank card, though not every shop accepts international credit or debit cards.

QR payments are widely familiar to Vietnamese customers, but international visitors need to distinguish between domestic bank transfer QR codes and cross-border payment systems.

You can ask:

• "Quán nhận tiền mặt hay thẻ ạ?" - Do you accept cash or cards?
• "Có thanh toán được bằng ứng dụng nước ngoài không?" - Can I pay using a foreign payment app?

When the staff aren’t sure, pay with cash or a card the cafe confirms it accepts.

This is particularly useful for travelers from China, South Korea, and Thailand who are accustomed to making everyday purchases with QR codes back home.

Can you vape inside cafes in Hai Phong?

No. Vietnam prohibits the use of electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products, including in cafes.

A few things worth knowing before visiting Hai Phong cafes

Only have a day or two in central Hai Phong? One well-chosen cafe beats rushing through a list of famous coffee shops.

Start the morning with a nâu đá in the old town, where the streets are already busy with everyday life.

In the afternoon, try coconut coffee or settle into a cafe overlooking Tam Bac Lake for a quieter break.

If you love photography, explore the Tam Bac riverside area or look for upper-floor cafes around the center. Check whether the advertised view is of the lake, river, or simply the surrounding streets.

When booking a taxi or ride-hailing car, send the complete cafe name and street number.

Older addresses may still appear with former district or ward names because Hai Phong’s administrative boundaries changed in 2025.

Streets such as Minh Khai, Hoang Van Thu, and Phan Boi Chau now belong to Hong Bang Ward, while parts of the former central area around Cau Dat and Lach Tray fall within newer wards such as Le Chan and Gia Vien.

The street name, building number, and map pin are usually more useful to drivers than an old administrative label.

And if you feel like continuing your evening after coffee, Hai Phong opened a new night-time commercial, cultural, and food street around 53 Lach Tray Street on October 30, 2026.

Located in Gia Vien Ward near the Children’s Cultural Palace and An Bien Lake, the new street has 52 stalls and is scheduled to operate from 5:00 PM until midnight during a pilot period running through April 2027.

The street runs until midnight, but not every cafe nearby stays open that late.

With a free morning in Hai Phong, sit down at a sidewalk cafe in the old streets, order a hot nâu and watch people go by.