Hoi An: Vietnamese Coffee Making Workshop at Local Roastery

Coffee becomes a souvenir here.

At Trí Long Coffee, you learn to make two Vietnamese drinks with a local barista, then sit down and enjoy what you prepared. I like the small, hands-on format, and I like that you choose your own pair from phin, egg, coconut, and salt coffee. The $16 price also covers the tools, ingredients, instruction, and both finished drinks.

The main drawback is time. The workshop is advertised as one hour but can run to 75 minutes, and one session felt rushed when another group was waiting. This is a practical class in a working coffee shop, not a long, quiet coffee seminar.

Key points to know before booking

• Choose two signature drinks: Pick any two from phin, egg, coconut, and salt coffee.
• Make the drinks yourself: The barista demonstrates each step, then lets you prepare the coffee with guidance.
• Hear the bean-to-cup story: You learn about Vietnamese coffee growing, roasting, brewing, and local drink traditions.
• Expect a small class: Several bookings have been private or intimate, making it easy to ask questions.
• Leave with useful takeaways: Some sessions include printed recipes and a completion certificate.
• Meet downtown: The class takes place at Trí Long Coffee, 88 Phan Châu Trinh Street, with a guide in a red hat outside.

Why this Hoi An coffee class is worth your time

Hoi An offers plenty of cooking classes, market walks, and craft activities. This workshop earns its place on your schedule because it gives you something you can repeat at home. You do not just taste Vietnamese coffee. You learn how several familiar drinks are put together.

The class is especially good for first-time visitors to Vietnam. The instructor explains why Vietnamese coffee tastes so strong, how roasting affects the cup, and how local drinks developed. You do not need previous barista skills. The instructions are clear and the ingredients are prepared for you.

I also like the choice of two drinks. You can pick two favorites, or use the class to compare different styles. Egg and coconut coffee are sweeter and more dessert-like. Salt coffee brings a salty cream layer to a strong brew. Phin coffee is the plainest choice, but it gives you the clearest look at Vietnam’s traditional brewing method.

A pair can make different drinks and compare them afterward. One booking used this approach to cover all four styles between two people. That is a smart way to get more from the class without paying for a longer session.

Starting at Trí Long Coffee on Phan Châu Trinh Street

The meeting point is Trí Long Coffee at 88 Phan Châu Trinh Street in central Hoi An. You should arrive five minutes early and look for the guide outside wearing a red hat. The location is described as easy to find, but follow the provider’s directions carefully if you are booking a Grab or taxi.

There is no hotel pickup, so you need to make your own way there. That is not a serious issue if you are staying in central Hoi An, but it matters if you are based farther out near the beach or countryside. Allow enough time for traffic and for finding the shop.

The class takes place in a coffee shop and roastery rather than a separate teaching kitchen. That gives the experience a more local, everyday feel. You can see the connection between the retail beans, the coffee counter, and the drinks you are preparing.

It also means the atmosphere may not be perfectly quiet. The shop can have other customers, music, and another group waiting for its turn. If you want a completely private session, ask about the group size when booking.

The first 15 minutes: coffee culture and roasting

The opening is short but useful. In roughly five minutes, the barista welcomes you and explains how the workshop will work. You then spend about ten minutes hearing about Vietnam’s coffee culture, from the bean and roasting process to the brewing methods used in local cafés.

This introduction gives the drinks some context. Vietnamese coffee is not simply strong coffee with condensed milk. The roast, filter, texture, and added ingredients all shape the final drink. The instructor explains those differences in plain terms before you start handling the equipment.

You may see how coffee is processed and learn about roasting methods. One session also included information about Vietnamese tea and the different types of coffee beans grown in the country. The exact depth of the talk depends on the instructor and the pace of the group, but the teaching is designed for beginners.

Guides named Tee, Thi, and Houng have each been praised for friendly instruction and clear English. The teaching style appears to be relaxed rather than formal. You can ask questions about beans, roasts, or brewing, and there is a short question period at the end.

Choosing between phin, egg, coconut, and salt coffee

After the introduction, you select two drinks. This choice is important because the workshop does not automatically have you make all four. Read the options before you arrive so you can use your time well.

Phin filter coffee

Phin coffee is the best choice if you want to understand the classic Vietnamese method. A small metal phin sits over the cup while hot water passes slowly through the coffee. The process is simple, but the grind, amount of coffee, and water flow affect the result.

This option gives you a direct taste of the coffee itself. It is less elaborate than the other drinks and may appeal to anyone who prefers a strong, traditional cup.

Egg coffee

Egg coffee is the most distinctive choice for many first-time visitors. It combines coffee with a sweet, creamy egg mixture. The contrast between the bold coffee and soft topping makes it feel closer to a dessert than a standard morning drink.

The class lets you see how the topping is prepared rather than merely ordering the finished drink. If you enjoy sweet coffee, egg coffee is a sensible pick. If you prefer lighter or less sugary drinks, choose phin or salt coffee instead.

Coconut coffee

Coconut coffee is served as a cool, refreshing style and was a favorite for several people in the class. Its coconut element softens the powerful coffee flavor and makes it particularly appealing in Central Vietnam’s warm weather.

This is a good choice if you like iced drinks or want something less intense than straight phin coffee. One family found it easy for both adults and children to prepare, though children should have an adult help with the hot coffee and equipment.

Salt coffee

Salt coffee may sound odd until you taste the balance. The salt works with the creamy topping and strong coffee rather than making the drink taste like seawater. It is memorable and different from the usual sweet café order.

Pick salt coffee if you want the most unusual option. It is also a good companion to coconut coffee because the two have very different flavors.

The 25 to 30 minute hands-on lesson

This is the heart of the experience. The barista lays out the equipment and ingredients, explains the sequence, and walks you through each drink. You then prepare the coffee yourself while the instructor checks your technique.

The class is set up to make success fairly easy. You do not need complicated equipment, and the ingredients can be sourced in many places around the world. That makes the workshop more useful than a demonstration where you simply watch someone else work.

The pace is generally slow enough for beginners. One participant described the steps as easy to follow, while another felt the session was slightly hurried because other groups were waiting. Your experience may depend on the number of people booked for your time slot.

A small group is best. It gives you more room to ask questions and more direct help with the coffee. Private sessions have occurred, including a booking for only two people made on the same day. That kind of luck cannot be guaranteed, but the class format can feel personal when the group is small.

Pay attention to the proportions. Vietnamese coffee drinks often depend on the balance between concentrated coffee, dairy, coconut, egg, or salt. The point is not only to copy the recipe. It is to understand how the ingredients change the drink.

Sitting down with the two coffees you made

Once both drinks are ready, you sit in the shop and enjoy them. This final 10 to 15 minutes matters because you get to taste your work while the method is still fresh in your mind.

The setting is described as comfortable and music-filled. It is not a grand café ceremony, but it gives you a pleasant pause in the middle of a Hoi An day. You can take photographs, compare your two drinks, and ask last questions.

I would use this time to decide which recipe you want to recreate at home. Coconut coffee is refreshing, egg coffee is the richest, salt coffee is the most surprising, and phin coffee is the most practical for regular use.

Some participants have received a printed recipe sheet and a certificate at the end. These extras are not listed as guaranteed inclusions, so treat them as possible bonuses rather than promises. The two coffees, equipment, ingredients, and instruction are the core value.

What $16 gets you in Hoi An

At $16 per person, this is a fair price for a one-hour activity. You receive a live English-speaking instructor, a short coffee lesson, the use of all tools and ingredients, and two drinks that you prepare yourself.

The value is better if you care about learning rather than simply drinking. Two café orders might cost less, depending on where you go, but they would not include the roasting explanation, guided preparation, or recipes to take home.

The class also avoids a common problem with small food workshops: a hard sales pitch. One booking specifically found no strong pressure to buy from the shop. Optional bean shopping is available after the class, but you can ask questions and leave without treating the workshop as a sales presentation.

The price does not include transportation, food, or extra drinks. Keep that in mind if you want a full meal or need a taxi from outside central Hoi An. For the activity itself, the cost is reasonable.

Timing, comfort, and small practical details

The listed duration is one hour, while the actual schedule can last 60 to 75 minutes. The planned sections add up to about an hour, but questions, photographs, and the number of groups can extend the visit.

You should arrive five minutes early. Missing the opening explanation would make the rest of the class less useful, especially because the introduction explains the drinks before you choose them.

Wear comfortable shoes and bring a camera, hat, sunscreen, and water. Smoking is not allowed. The workshop includes hot liquids and hands-on preparation, so comfortable clothing and a little care around the equipment make sense.

English is the stated tour language. The guides have been praised for friendly communication and clear explanations, but the amount of detail may vary from one instructor to another.

Who will enjoy this workshop most

I would recommend this class to coffee drinkers, curious first-time visitors to Vietnam, couples, families, and anyone who likes a short activity with a practical result. It also fits nicely between sightseeing stops because it takes about an hour rather than half a day.

Families can enjoy it, especially when children help make coconut or salt coffee under adult supervision. Couples should consider choosing different drinks so you can sample more than two styles together.

The class is less suitable if you dislike coffee, want a formal roasting course, or need a completely private and silent setting. It also may not satisfy someone hoping to visit a large plantation or see every stage of commercial coffee production. This is a compact introduction in a central city roastery.

The high 4.8 rating from 174 bookings fits the experience’s strongest qualities: kind instructors, simple steps, good coffee, and a fun format. The praise is especially consistent for the guides and for the chance to make two drinks rather than simply watch a demonstration.

Should you book the Hoi An coffee workshop?

Book it if you want a friendly, low-cost introduction to Vietnamese coffee and like the idea of making your own drinks. Choose coconut and salt for variety, egg and coconut for sweeter flavors, or phin plus one specialty drink for a better comparison.

I would book this early in your Hoi An stay if you want to buy beans or repeat the recipes later. The class is flexible, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start and a reserve-now, pay-later option. Just remember that transport is not included and that the class can feel brisk if the shop is busy.

For $16, it offers more than a tasting and less than a full culinary course. That middle ground is exactly its strength.

FAQ

Where does the Vietnamese coffee workshop take place?

It takes place at Trí Long Coffee, 88 Phan Châu Trinh Street, Hoi An.

How do I find the guide?

Look for the guide standing outside the coffee shop and wearing a red hat.

How early should I arrive?

You should arrive five minutes before the scheduled start.

How long does the workshop last?

The stated duration is one hour, but the full session can take 60 to 75 minutes.

Which drinks can I make?

You can choose two drinks from phin filter coffee, egg coffee, coconut coffee, and salt coffee.

Do I need previous coffee-making experience?

No. The workshop is designed for beginners and includes step-by-step guidance.

Is transportation included?

No. Hotel pickup and transportation are not included.

Is food included?

No. Food and extra drinks are not included.

What language is the workshop taught in?

The live guide and workshop are conducted in English.

Can I cancel the booking?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later.