There are two types of people: those who don’t drink Vietnamese iced coffee, and those who can’t get enough. If you’re a member of the latter, you know that no commute is too lengthy for the perfect cup. The sweet beverage is on the rise in Baton Rouge, so the 225 Dine team did some research to learn more about the history of Vietnamese coffee, how it’s prepared today and the best places to find it locally.
How it originated
Coffee was first introduced to Vietnam by French colonists in the 1880s, and the product soon became one of the country’s largest exports. Due to the slow-growing Vietnamese dairy industry, condensed milk was used as a substitute, and it stuck.
How it’s different from the average cup of joe
The main difference of Vietnamese iced coffee, also known as cà phê sữa đá, is that it’s mixed with sweetened condensed milk instead of regular milk, making for a strong, creamy drink. The flavors are typically rich, bold and sweet, without being too bitter or saccharine.
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The typical process involves roasting medium coarse-ground coffee, then pouring it over ice and about two tablespoons of condensed milk. One popular method is to use Cafe du Monde coffee and chicory grounds, and drip through a Vietnamese coffee filter. (Check out this Thrillist piece for great insight into the history of New Orleans and Vietnamese coffee culture, and how the two are intertwined and evolving together.)
Though the prep is simple, there are variations from one restaurant’s coffee to another depending on the type of coffee beans used, how it’s roasted and how much condensed milk is blended into the mixture.
For example, Viet Garden‘s Mai Ngo arrives at the eatery at 8 a.m. to start mixing the iced coffee, and uses several different blends, rather than just one kind, to create a distinct flavor. Ava Street Cafe uses two types of coffee beans and soaks them overnight, and then mixes the blend with salt and condensed milk the next day.
Where to get it in Baton Rouge:
Ava Street Cafe
5207 Essen Lane
Bao Vietnamese Kitchen
8342 Perkins Road
Cafe Mimi
329 Florida St.
Dang’s
12385 Florida Blvd.
Little Saigon Restaurant
11224 Florida Blvd.
Pho Cafe
3851 South Sherwood Forest Blvd.
Uncle Ben’s Coffee
7132 Florida Blvd.
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City Pork Deli & Charcuterie
2363 Hollydale Ave.
District Donuts
7415 Corporate Blvd.
Where’s your favorite place to get your Vietnamese coffee fix? Let us know in the comments below!