Fun & Easy Vietnamese Coffee Workshop in Hồ Chí Minh City

Coffee is a fine way to meet Vietnam. This 90-minute workshop at Lacàph Coffee Experiences Space teaches you to brew three distinctive drinks by hand, rather than simply handing you a cup at a café. I like the hands-on format, and I like that the class connects each recipe with Vietnamese coffee culture. The main caution is that the drinks use dairy, so this is not a good fit for vegans or anyone with lactose intolerance.

The class costs $23.35 per person and includes coffee, tea, snacks, equipment, and instruction. That is fair value if you want more than a tasting. You leave with recipes, a better feel for the phin filter, and perhaps the urge to buy your own setup. The space can be a little tricky to find, so allow extra time for the address at 220 Nguyễn Công Trứ.

Key details before you book

• Three drinks in 90 minutes: Make Bạc Xỉu, Cà Phê Muối, and the workshop’s Phin Con Panna.
• Real phin brewing: You prepare the coffee yourself using Vietnam’s small metal filter.
• A modern coffee setting: The café is on the second floor, with the workshop space above it.
• Morning or afternoon choices: You can fit the class around a day of sightseeing.
• Small-group teaching: The maximum group size is 18 people.
• A practical souvenir: Recipes and a certificate are provided, and brewing equipment and coffee are available to buy.

Finding Lacàph on Nguyễn Công Trứ

The workshop begins and ends at Lacàph Coffee Experiences Space, upstairs at 220 Nguyễn Công Trứ, in District 1. The location is close to public transportation, but the entrance may not be obvious from the street. One useful tip is to look for the building and head upstairs rather than expecting a large street-level workshop sign.

The café occupies the second floor, while the workshop area is on the third. The setting is modern and prepared for teaching, with the equipment and ingredients laid out before the session begins. That makes a difference: you spend your time making coffee instead of waiting for someone to gather supplies.

You should arrive with enough time to get oriented. A class that lasts about an hour and a half leaves little room for a late start, especially if you want to follow each step carefully. The workshop ends where it begins, so you do not need to arrange a second pickup point.

Why Vietnamese coffee needs a lesson

Vietnamese coffee is not simply ordinary coffee served with a lot of condensed milk. The phin filter changes the pace and texture of the drink. Coffee drips slowly through a small metal brewer, producing a concentrated base that can be mixed with dairy, salt, honey, yogurt, or other ingredients.

The workshop gives you a useful introduction to that method. You handle the equipment, watch the drip, and build the drinks yourself. That matters because the best part of Vietnamese coffee culture is not only the finished drink. It is the patient preparation and the way a basic brewing tool becomes the center of a social ritual.

The class also places the drinks in a cultural setting. Instructors explain the origins of the coffee and the way Vietnamese recipes have developed. The presentation may include a short history of the beans and local coffee habits, followed by clear instructions and time to practice.

The exact teaching style depends on the instructor. Past sessions have been led by people including Quan, Noah, Julie, Vi, Siu, Julia, Sierra, Giao, Kieu, Joey, and Tram Anh. The feedback about the instructors is consistently warm, with particular praise for patience, clear demonstrations, humor, and encouragement.

First cup: Bạc Xỉu, Vietnam’s sweet white coffee

The first recipe is Bạc Xỉu, often described as Vietnamese white coffee. It is a gentle entry point because the milk plays a larger role than it does in a strong black phin coffee. You prepare the coffee, combine it with the other ingredients, and taste the result you made yourself.

This is a useful drink for people who find straight Vietnamese coffee too intense. It also shows why the ratio of coffee to milk matters. A small change can make the result more bitter, sweeter, or lighter.

I like this part of the class because it gives you a familiar starting place. If you regularly order sweet coffee drinks, Bạc Xỉu is likely to be the recipe you most want to repeat at home. The class does not leave you watching a demonstration from the sidelines. You do the measuring and assembly yourself, with the instructor guiding you through the process.

The drink is sweet, and the overall class leans toward dessert-like flavors. If you prefer dark, unsweetened coffee, keep that in mind before booking. You will still learn the brewing method, but the tasting menu is designed around approachable, indulgent combinations.

Second cup: Cà Phê Muối and the role of salt

The second preparation is Cà Phê Muối, or salt coffee. Salt may sound strange in a coffee class, but the point is not to make the drink taste salty. Used carefully, it can soften bitterness and sharpen the other flavors.

This recipe is valuable because it teaches you to think about coffee as a balance of tastes, not just caffeine and sweetness. The phin produces a strong base, and the salt changes how that base comes across. You can see why a small ingredient can alter the whole drink.

The class also gives you a chance to compare the first two recipes. Bạc Xỉu is centered on milk and sweetness, while Cà Phê Muối has a different character and a more surprising ingredient. Making both in one session helps you understand how Vietnamese coffee recipes branch out from the same basic brewing method.

The instructor remains close by to explain each step and answer questions. Sessions led by Quan and others have been praised for clear directions and a friendly teaching style. That is especially helpful if you have never used a phin before. The equipment is simple, but the timing and proportions take a little care.

Third cup: Phin Con Panna with yogurt and honey

The final drink is Lacàph’s own interpretation, called Phin Con Panna. It combines phin coffee with yogurt and Lacàph Raw Coffee Blossom Honey. This is the most experimental recipe of the three and gives the workshop a look toward the future of Vietnamese coffee.

It is also the drink most likely to divide opinions. Yogurt adds tang and creaminess, while coffee blossom honey brings another layer of sweetness. If you enjoy trying unusual café creations, this is a fun finish. If you want only classic Vietnamese recipes, you may find it less essential than the first two.

The important point is that the class does not treat tradition as fixed. You learn two established preparations, then see how local coffee can be adapted into something new. That combination gives the session more range than a basic lesson in adding condensed milk to coffee.

The dairy content is worth noting. The experience is not recommended for vegan participants or people with lactose intolerance. That is not a minor detail, since all three drinks are part of the tasting experience and the workshop does not present a vegan alternative in the supplied information.

What the 90-minute class feels like

The pace is active but manageable. You receive an introduction to Vietnamese coffee, learn about the beans and brewing culture, then work through three recipes. Each preparation includes explanation, hands-on brewing, and tasting.

You should expect a teaching session rather than a formal cooking school. The tone is informal and social, with room for questions and conversation. Instructors have used clear presentations, careful demonstrations, and step-by-step guidance. Several sessions have also included stories about coffee quality, origins, and local habits.

The class is a good rainy-day option in Ho Chi Minh City. It takes place indoors, lasts less than two hours, and ends at the same address. You get a useful cultural activity without giving up a full morning or afternoon of sightseeing.

A group of up to 18 people is small enough for a shared class but not necessarily intimate. If every place is filled, you may need to wait briefly for individual guidance. The practical advantage is that the session has enough people for a lively atmosphere, while the instructor can still demonstrate each recipe for the room.

Coffee, tea, snacks, and the value of $23.35

At $23.35 per person, this is priced above a normal café visit but below a long cooking class or full food tour. You receive three coffee preparations, coffee-making equipment during the lesson, tea, snacks, instruction, recipes, and a certificate of completion.

The value depends on your interest. If you only want to drink Vietnamese coffee, you can spend far less at a café. If you want to understand the method and repeat it at home, the fee is more reasonable. The class turns a tasting into a skill-based activity.

The included snacks are useful because three sweet coffee drinks can be filling. Tea also gives you a break between tastings. Do not expect a full meal, though. This is a coffee workshop with light refreshments, not a food tour.

Another part of the value is the chance to inspect the equipment. Some participants have bought the phin and coffee used in the class because the method felt easy enough to repeat at home. The equipment and coffee are described as reasonably priced, so you can decide after the lesson rather than buying a kit in advance.

What you can take home

The strongest practical feature is that the lesson is designed for repetition. You do not just watch an instructor make the drinks. You practice the phin method and learn the order in which the ingredients are combined.

Recipes are provided at the end, along with a certificate. The recipes make the class more useful after your holiday, especially if you have access to a phin or decide to buy one from Lacàph.

I would pay attention to the instructor’s advice about technique, not just the ingredient list. Coffee strength depends on how the phin is used, and the finished drink depends on proportions. A recipe without the feel of the process can be hard to follow. Here, you have already made the drinks once, which gives the printed instructions more meaning.

The workshop also makes a good activity for a solo visitor. You have a built-in social setting without needing to organize a group. Couples can enjoy it together, and the class has enough variety to appeal even to a person who usually chooses tea. One session was particularly successful with a tea drinker who still enjoyed the coffee preparation and cultural background.

Small drawbacks to consider

The biggest practical drawback is finding the entrance. The space is upstairs, and the location can be easy to miss. Use the full address and give yourself a few extra minutes.

The second issue is the limited number of drinks. Three recipes are enough for a focused 90-minute class, but you may wish there were more variations to try. The session favors depth and participation over a long tasting menu.

The drinks are also sweet and dairy-based. This is a poor match for vegan visitors and people with lactose intolerance, and the available details do not indicate substitute recipes. Coffee purists may also find the yogurt and honey drink more playful than traditional.

Finally, the maximum group size is 18. That is reasonable for a workshop, but it is not a private lesson. If personal attention is your top priority, ask about the group size when booking, though the available information confirms only the maximum.

Who should book this coffee workshop

I would recommend this experience to coffee lovers who want to understand what they are drinking in Ho Chi Minh City. It is especially useful if you have noticed the small metal phin filters in cafés and want to learn how they work.

It also suits solo visitors, couples, curious food fans, and anyone looking for a short indoor activity. The morning and afternoon choices make it easy to place between other plans. The class is structured enough for beginners but interesting enough for people who already know Vietnamese coffee.

I would skip it if you dislike sweet drinks, cannot have dairy, or only want a quick cup. You can get a cheaper and more immediate coffee at a local café. This workshop earns its price through participation, explanation, and the chance to repeat the recipes later.

The free cancellation policy allows a full refund when you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations within 24 hours are not refunded, and changes in that final period are not accepted.

Should you book it?

Book this class if you want to turn Vietnamese coffee from a holiday treat into a skill you can use at home. The combination of Bạc Xỉu, Cà Phê Muối, and Phin Con Panna gives you classic technique, a surprising flavor lesson, and a modern local creation.

I especially like the clear instruction, the practical phin practice, and the chance to buy the equipment afterward at a reasonable price. Just allow time to find the upstairs entrance, and avoid booking if dairy is a problem. For $23.35, it is a friendly, useful introduction to one of Ho Chi Minh City’s most enjoyable daily rituals.

FAQ

Where does the Vietnamese coffee workshop take place?

It takes place at Lacàph Coffee Experiences Space, upstairs at 220 Nguyễn Công Trứ, Phường Nguyễn Thái Bình, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

How long does the workshop last?

The workshop lasts approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.

What coffee drinks will I make?

You will make Bạc Xỉu, Cà Phê Muối, and Phin Con Panna, which combines yogurt and Lacàph Raw Coffee Blossom Honey with phin coffee.

Is the coffee brewing hands-on?

Yes. You practice the Vietnamese brewing methods yourself and make the drinks rather than only watching a demonstration.

Are coffee, tea, and snacks included?

Yes. Coffee, tea, and snacks are included in the experience.

Are morning and afternoon sessions available?

Yes. You can choose from morning and afternoon tour times.

How many people can join the class?

The maximum group size is 18 people.

Is the workshop suitable for vegans?

No. The activity is not recommended for vegan participants.

Is the workshop suitable for people with lactose intolerance?

No. The activity is not recommended for people with lactose intolerance.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations made less than 24 hours in advance are not refunded.