Where: 160/29 Bùi Đình Tuý, Phường 12, Bình Thạnh, Hồ Chí Minh
Type: Outdoor Café
Offer: Drinks (coffee, juice) & Food
Price: $
This slightly unusual café is in the middle of Binh Thanh in a middle of a rather interesting looking neighborhood. I cam across that place when I explored the hems in that area.
It is a rather smaller café that suppose to be in a Hanoian way, though the interior with the painted windows on the wall and yellow colour reminds me more of Hoi An. Either way, I like the set up.
There are a few tables with the usual set up of having four tables around the table, but there are a few tables on a kind of “balcony” looking area, which is separated from the other section by some stone balustrades, with the comfy chairs next to each other with smaller table. Overall it has the feel you look down from a balcony to the street (the bigger tables). This effect actually works and adds to the atmosphere of the place.
They serve the usual coffee options, but as it is based on Hanoian cafes the Egg coffee cannot be missed on the menu, though I have not tried it yet. They also have a very interesting selection of juices. They actually ferment some fruits (you can see them on the wall), with interesting results. I tried the Dracontomelon Juice and Pink Lemon soaked in Honey. Due to the fermented process the Dracontomelon Juice had a slight sparkling wine flavour. The Pink lemon juice though was very good.
I must admit, I really like this café. The setting is different and well executed. It feels like you are not in HCMC but in Hanoi (or Hoi An 😉 ). I want to try the other juices on offer and of course the egg coffee. Overall, I would highly recommend to check this very hidden gem of a café.
While I class it as an outdoor café, they can close the roof when it is raining, which will be very important during the rainy season. I wonder though how hot it will be inside.
Rating: 9/10
(First visited February 2019)