Vietnam has a vibrant cafe scene and you can see the same in Hue. Similar to Da Nang, Hue’s cafe culture isn’t just about finding a place to sip coffee – it’s an adventure through some cozy nooks, chill green spaces and indulgent treats.
Despite just a few days in the city, I still spent a good amount of time checking out some of the coffee places in Hue. Here are some nice ones for a relaxing coffee, work on your laptop, enjoy scenic views and even grab some photos for instagram!
Ngam Cafe
Located along the path to the night market, this is actually a pretty big coffeeshop with 3 storeys. And even mid levels between the three.
The cafe really stands out at night because of its big, flashy neon sign, and the organ glow emitting from the lights.
The first floor interior, despite not being too big, is incredibly beautiful. One table sits amidst a fireplace setting, and another surrounded by greenery and a big bookshelf.
On the second and third floor, you will find patios that give you the street view. If the weather is warm, level 2.5 has an air-conditioned sitting area. So there’s lots of options here depending on what you prefer.
Staff here are friendly and bubbly. Prices are comparable to other cafes. I tried the signature Ngam coffee, which is sort of like a Tiramisu Coffee. It makes for a good dessert-y coffee which is perfect since I came after dinner.
- They take card payment
- Internet Speed (Download/Upload): 22/26 mbps
Marou Chocolate Cafe
If you seen my list of restaurants in Hue, you will already know this is a great spot for some post-meal chocolate indulgence.
This is a brand that sources cocoa beans from all around Vietnam. They do sell their own artisanal chocolates but the place is a cafe which offers up very nice chocolate drinks, milkshakes and pastries.
Prices are on the higher side, but the milkshakes are thick and flavorful. I tried the Chocolate Caramel shake as recommended by the staff and it was a nice ending to an evening in Hue.
The staff here are definitely much better versed in English and are very proactive to greet and introduce things to you.
The cafe itself is super bright and vibrant. There’s fun decorations everywhere and the seats here are super comfy (at least the one next to the windows on level 2).
It is great for working; their super fast wifi is a bonus. Although there’s not as many power sockets around, partly because they don’t need portable fans. Air conditioning here is strong enough unlike many places in Hue.
Do note though that parents like to bring their children here, so it can get noisy at times when kids are playing around.
- They take card payment
- Internet Speed (Download/Upload): 135/119 mbps
Phinholic Hand-brew Cafe
There’s a couple branches of Phinholic cafe around Hue; they are actually in rather close proximity. I’ve only visited the one on Nguyễn Tri Phương road, but the other one on Bến Nghé also looks very beautiful with a balcony overlooking the street.
You are very likely to pass by that as it is on one of the street leading up to the Hue Walking Street.
However, the outlet at Nguyễn Tri Phương is abit of a nice, hidden gem. The entrance is a very small and tight alley, but gets you to this three storey cafe. The first floor is a hue specialty souvenir store. But level 2 and 3 is a quiet, cozy cafe.
Level 3 even has an outdoor space facing the backyard, so it’s quite tranquil, away from the Main Street. You will see people coming here to work because of that. Many of the tables are good height and there are power sockets around.
The cafe is of course known for their coffee. I went their signature Robusta Phin salted coffee and it’s superb. They also serve food like croissants and sandwiches. Prices here are pretty fair.
- They take card payment
- Internet Speed (Download/Upload): 90/94 mbps
ChocoHouse Hue
This is another cafe that also seem to sell their own brand of chocolates. Admittedly I didn’t spend much time looking through the products since I was more interested in the cafe.
The storefront is at the entrance, and you will find the cafe counter at the back. They have a wide range of chocolate drinks as well as other coffee/tea/gelato options. They also have pastries and snack-ish food items like Banh Mi. Y
Pricing here is pretty standard for cafes in Hue. If you are overwhelmed with the selections, feel free to ask the staff for recommendations.
I ended up trying the Midnight Mocha and brownie cheesecake. Both were indulgent and chocolatey.
Seating is on the second floor. They have an indoor air conditioned space and two balconies on each side. Both balconies have nice view of the Francis Savier Church beside it.
This is one of the best cafes in Hue for working on your laptop that I’ve seen. Many tables here are good height, there are power sockets around the whole area. They provide bottles of drinking water and the chairs are cushy.
- They take card payment
- Internet Speed (Download/Upload): 94/77 mbps
View Cafe
This is a very popular spot for locals as I often see it quite full. The cafe has a rustic, raw vibe that works surprisingly well both during the day and night. The dark tone make it feel cooling amidst the warm Hue weather, and
They have a nice balcony area on the second floor that is surrounded by plants, and offers a view of the busy road intersection. I went early in the morning and took up the best view seat. It’s a nice place to do some work.
Although I wouldn’t say its the best cafe for working and I doubt you will find many people of their laptops here. The first floor seats are all short stools for chilling.
Staff here have very limited English since bulk of their clients are locals, but they are very polite. I recommend the Sesame Coffee, it was aromatic, along with a salty hint like your salted coffee. Delicious.
- They don’t take card payment
- Internet Speed (Download/Upload): 91/94 mbps
N.Cafe & Food
If you are looking for a spot with view of the Imperial city walls, N.Cafe is one of those cafes that’s just about the right distance. In addition, they serve very affordable food and drinks which makes it a great spot to chill.
The cafe have a few outdoor seats by waters of the old city moat, which are best for the morning. The sun rises from behind the shophouse, thus hitting the imperial city wall before the seating zone.
As it gets later in the afternoon, the sun sets behind the imperial wall, so the cafe pavement gets more and more sunny even though they have umbrellas.
In any case, they do have a second floor which has air conditioning. That was not open though when I visited.
- They don’t take card payment
- Internet Speed (Download/Upload): 33/10 mbps
Tram Cafe
A cafe that’s pretty popular among the locals, I think because it’s cheap, they have a very good selection of drinks (many of which I did not see in other Hue cafes), and beautiful interior.
While they went for a bit of rustic vibe, the colourful paintings, several vintage elements, greenery and funky shaped wall holes works peculiarly well together.
The cafe has 3 levels with the top one offering views of the river and the bus parking right outside. It’s probably also another reason why the cafe is quite regularly frequented by locals.
I like their selection of tea here amidst other menu items. E.g. I have never seen hibiscus mango tea around. So that’s what I tried. The drink is on the sweeter side but refreshing, and best of all, has those bubble tea white pearls in it!
Although the place does not have air conditioning, it’s pretty cool with the fans and how they shaded the place.
The cafe also has like the faster wifi speed I’ve seen in Hue, although most of the tables on level 1 and 2 are not great height for working.
- They take card payment
- Internet Speed (Download/Upload): 156/105 mbps
Hue’s Coffee Scene
Each cafe here tells its own story, served with a dose of strong Vietnamese coffee and unique atmosphere that is well worth exploring.
Escape the blistering heat, and spend some time checking out coffee places that paints a different picture of Hue’s cafe culture. Or hop in to one after dark, many cafes open until 10pm which is a reflection of how they play into the Vietnamese city lifestyle!
