EGG COFFEE

On our first day in Hanoi, Vietnam, we went on a walking tour around the Old Quarter and French Quarter of Hanoi. The tour was excellent! We walked through markets with lots of tropical fruits, explored new and old temples and historical buildings – but don’t get me started on the motorbikes! At every moment, you feel like you might be run over by one! There are very few traffic lights, and people just go. Crossing the street at a busy intersection is nearly impossible. It is very overwhelming. After we dodged motorbikes, and walked through the chaotic city streets, we made it to the quiet but crowded Cafe Giang, world renowned for Vietnamese egg coffee. 

Cafe Giang is named after Chef Nguyen Van Giang, the person who created Vietnamese egg coffee. Chef Giang was working as a bartender at the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi Hotel in the 1930s when milk was scarce due to the war. He had the brilliant idea to substitute milk for eggs to use in coffee. His egg coffee became very popular so in 1946, he decided to quit his job at the hotel and open his own cafe.

Once we arrived at Cafe Giang, we squeezed our way through a narrow alleyway leading to the cafe. The inside is packed to the rim with tourists and locals alike. After we walked up three small staircases, we got to our table, the size of the one we had when we were toddlers! 

The coffee is SO GOOD! The actual coffee is bitter but the sweet, whipped, creamy egg that is placed on top of the coffee is heavenly, and the best part is that it didn’t taste like egg at all! It was very thick, almost like a meringue. The only ingredients are a whipped egg, a little condensed milk, and coffee. Over the years, they’ve added variations to the menu, such as egg cocoa (which the we also ordered), egg matcha, egg rum, or even egg beer!!

If you ever have the option to taste egg coffee in Hanoi, please do!!!!! It is incredible and it gives you a great start to your day! 😉