Nha Nam Book Cafe

The sheer number of books collected and preserved at Nha Nam Book Cafe alone is already capable of making the hearts of bookworms jump! In addition, the cafe is delightfully designed with careful consideration that even “tricks” readers that they are lost in another world every time they step foot in each distinct rooms. A huge perk for visitors for such a memorable experience is that beverage’s price is relatively affordable.

Address: 24A Đường D5, Phường 25, Bình Thạnh, Hồ Chí Minh
Hours: 7AM - 10PM
Phone: 028 3510 6778

Monologue Book Cafe

A halcyon day spent in a breezy space pervaded by soothing music now is not only a prerogative of the wealthy as You, too, can relish it too. Monologue presents you with an exceptional zone, embellished by contemporary design, to immerse yourself in another sphere at the time when you might temporarily want to take a break from the hustle-bustle of everyday life.

Address: 93b Võ Văn Tần, Phường 6, Quận 3, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam

Hub Book Cafe

Mellow, balmy and classic thanks to the splendid unison of the architecture and lighting, Hub Book Cafe will not fall short of your expectation. Hub Book Cafe serves as an optimal destination to conduct group meeting as well as to relish the collection of novels and comic books at hand.

Address: 18 Cộng Hòa, Phường 4, Tân Bình, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam
Hours: 7AM-10PM
Phone: +84 28 6277 1422

Ca Chep Bookstore

Located on the book road of Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Ca Chep prides itself on an extensive book collection of up to 20000. There are multiple floors and the book cafe reigns from the highest. A relaxing space is successfully created by use of darker tone colors in order to match the sense of many enduring compositions demonstrated on the shelves. At Ca Chep Book Cafe, readers can indulge in a unique experience with many critic, historical and rare literal pieces such as “Nguyen Dynasty Historical Collection-Minh Menh chinh yeu” published in 1972, 1974 or “Confucius” by Tran Trong Kim or even “The Tale of Kieu” (“Truyen Kieu”) in English by Tran Trong Thuy.

Address: 211-213 Võ Văn Tần, phường 5, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam
Website: cachep.vn
Phone: +84 862906951

Ciao Cafe

Renowned for its gorgeous setting, Ciao Cafe proves to be an excellent venue to meet up not only with friends but also with business partners. Even though the surroundings are very much quiet, visitors can always find that this cafe is upbeat with its cheerful melody played by the shop. Why not come and try a sip while perusing your book choice?

Address: 74 Nguyễn Huệ, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam
Website: niso.com.vn
Hours: 7AM-11PM
Phone: 028 3823 1130

Huy Hoang Bookstore Cafe

Located on the second floor at 357A Lê Văn Sỹ Street, Ward 1, Tân Bình District, Huy Hoang Bookstore Cafe is now a household name of teenagers in search of their reading shelter. A bonus of choosing this cafe is that after work, you can reward yourself a delicious dish at any restaurant along the street nearby with an array of options from Japanese to Korean BBQ or Vietnam Pho.

Address: 357 Lê Văn Sỹ, Phường 1, Tân Bình, Hồ Chí Minh 700000, Vietnam
Website: huyhoangbook.com.vn
Hours: 8AM-10PM
Phone: +84 838396679

Comma Cafe

Operating on the basis of “pay-per-minute”n with more than 2000 titles of various genres and a selection of board games, Comma Cafe even surprises you with its book tents and unique beehive cubicles fully equipped with lighting for you to lie down and devour books to your heart’s content or to have a word with your friends without fear of distraction.

Address: 653 Đường Lê Văn Lương, Tân Phong, Quận 7, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam
Hours: 9AM-10PM
Phone: 0126 437 5167

Work Cafe Saigon

Occupying a vast area on the second floor of Bitexco Tower, Work Cafe Saigon attracts its visitors open working space. Although it is very much always crowded, Work Cafe Saigon still promises you a quiet spot to concentrate on your work. Put away your phone and come to book cafe and explore the giant book collection. Moreover, Work Cafe Saigon is a clear winner in terms of drink quality with its specialized coffee which retains the fullest flavor of each cup of coffee.

Address: 2 Hai Trieu, Bitexco Financial Tower, 2nd Floor, inside Nest (5.98 km) 70000 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Hours: 10AM-9PM (SAT&SUN: 10AM-10PM)
Website: www.workcafesaigon.com
Phone: 090 367 29 44

Container Café

Recycling has never been a new concept, but a coffee house built with two containers with wooden and glass windows might be the first in the city. However, one problem with using containers is that they absorb too much heat on sunny days. After trials and errors, Mr. Giang - owner of the café had come up with the best insulation panels. The interior of the cafe is now fully cooled and ventilated, creating a comfortable place for guests. He even made tables and chairs from fragments like motorcycle wheel rims, tires, and tanks, engine cylinder or vintage cameras, turning the café into an outrageous yet attractive place. 'Scrap materials will worsen the environment. Then why don't we use them to make an eco-friendly hang-out?', said Giang.

Address: #138 No.1 Street, Trung Son residential area, Binh Chanh District
Opening time: 8:00am - 9:00pm (Everyday)
Price range: 20,000 - 60,000 VND

The Other Person 

Originated from Akihabara and have become one of Japan’s popular culture icon, Maid Cafes are themed cafe shops with waitresses dressed as maids treating customers as if they are kings or masters. For those who are interested in Japanese culture, The Other Person is a must-visit. Located in a small apartment block on Ton That Dam St, this is one of the first coffee houses with the ‘maid’ concept in Saigon. The café has a ‘kawaii’ setting, with TVs always screening Japanese animes and a pink piano matching with its surrounding for those who wish to show their musical talents or just simply play for fun. Interestingly, they also organize periodical cosplay shows. Still, one minus point of this coffee house is that due to its small size and tricky location, finding the place can be quite challenging.

Address: #14 Ton That Dam Street, District 1
Price range: 30,000 - 60,000VND

The Workshop

Lied in a small alley of a central street, though you have to walk up a few flights of stairs to reach the place, it rewards with a great view of Saigon and exceptional cups of coffee. The Workshop is flawlessly bedecked in a rustic industrial design with high ceilings and a central open coffee brewing stand where customers are invited to watch how their espresso is processed. And guess what, they even feature an artisan coffee roaster in-store. How cool is that!

The baristas not only excel at espresso but also many other coffee making techniques such as cold brew, cold drip and immersion methods like Syphon, V60, Kone, Chemex or Kalita Wave. With an impressively extensive menu of Vietnamese/Western beans and styles, they never fail to enamor customers who eventually become regulars and some even praised The Workshop as the best place to enjoy the ‘art of coffee’ in town.

In addition, the coffee house offers some great food choice (including vegetarian pasta) in case you are looking for breakfast, lunch or even dinner. Some finger food and snacks are also available dining options. And if you are interested, they sell some coffee making tools, cups, and several pretty nice local artists work hung up on the walls.

That being said, the limited seating might turn some coffee seekers off and those stools can be a bit uncomfortable if you sit for too long.

Website: https://www.facebook.com/the.workshop.coffee/
Address: #27 Ngo Duc Ke Street, District 1 / 2nd floor|
Tel: (+84) 28 3824 6801
Opening time: 8:00am - 9:00pm (Everyday)
Price range: 60,000 - 90,000VND

Du Mien Garden

Despite situated quite far from the city center, Du Mien Coffee is still extremely famous for its extraordinary design. Taking advantage of the banyan trees that are hundreds of years old, the owner has beautified the café with unique nest-shaped wooden houses offering shades for those who fancy certain serenity and intimacy. But should you want to mix yourself with nature, then green grassland, beautiful blooming flowers, a crystal blue lake, and balconies in many different altitudes will definitely not disappoint you. As one of the biggest coffee houses in HCMC with an area of around 6000m2, there seems to be no sense of loss or imprisonment sipping a cup of coffee here and sudden inspirations can always spark off in seconds. Therefore, it is worth noticing that there might be no seat available on weekends considering that the drinks on the menu are quite cheap.

Address: #7 Phan Van Tri Street, Ward 10, Go Vap District
Opening hours: 7:00am - 11:00pm (Everyday)
Price range: 30,000 - 100,000VND

Hard Rock

Hard Rock is an American coffee house and must-go destination for rock lovers, located in the most crowded area of Saigon - the upscale shopping and entertainment complex MPlaza Le Duan (formerly known as Kumho Asiana Plaza) which is within minutes from the city’s prominent landmarks such as City Post, Notre Dame Cathedral, and Reunification Palace. It occupies 2 stories with a bar on the lower and a restaurant/gift shop on the higher floor. At Hard Rock, you can find pieces of clothes, instruments or other memorabilia belonging to many of the most legendary rockers and contemporary artists in the history of rock. There are live rock sessions every night and many tribute nights with no additional charge. Although pricier than other rivals, there is no doubt about the quality of the food and beverages here. Parking is also free if you stay there less than 4 hours.

Address: #39 Le Duan Street, District 1
Tel: (+84) 28 6291 7595
Opening hours: 11:00am - 12:00am (Everyday)
Price range: 30,000 - 90,000VND

The Lab 

  “Don’t drink anything in a lab, unless you’re at The Lab”
Located in a small quiet alley on Nguyen Chi Thanh St, The Lab seems to be distinct from the fast pace of life around the area. Resembling a chemistry laboratory filled with colorful, effervescent, smoke-filled test instruments and tube racks, The Lab mixes science with refreshment and is proving a magnet for young people interested in creativity, science, and unique drinks. Apart from the normal drinks, The Lab also has its signature drinks such as The Lab smoothie or The Lab cocktail, all are served in glass beakers or jars and put on medical trays. With its familiar customers, The Lab is not just any ordinary lab but a lab for new ideas - ideas that need to be tested and turned into reality, which is also their aim through the open-end message "Formula for life?". If you want to find peace after busy working days then The Lab is the place for you.

Address: #47 Pham Huu Chi Street, Ward 12, District 5
Opening hours: 8:00am - 10:00pm (Everyday)
Price range: 30,000 - 60,000VND

Toilet Café

Toilet cafés is not a new concept in Asian countries, but it is new in Vietnam as the first one just came to Vietnam 2 or 3 years ago. Customers sit on toilets and eat from bathtubs and drinks from toilet-shaped cups. The café space is laid out with many toilet seats and even the staircases look like those of a toilet. It may be unimaginable someone would come to a place like this and relish beverages but still, hundreds of customers still go to the Toilet Kingdom café every day for its coziness and reasonable prices.

 

Address: #29 D2 Street, Ward 25, Binh Thanh District
Opening hours: 8:00am - 10:00pm (Everyday)
Price range: 30,000 - 60,000VND

Kujuz 

Located on a small street of Saigon, what makes Kujuz so special is that it has walls made up of a plethora amount of old windows and doors. The quiet space inside this coffee house makes it an ideal place to relax or have some good read. It costs 50,000VND for a glass of drink but if you pay 100,000VND, you can have as many as you want and you can even leave and return within a day. Here, you can also make your own drink with the guidance of the staff.

Address: #35 Ly Tu Trong Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1
Opening hours: 9:00am - 10:00pm (Everyday)
Price range: 60,000 - 90,000VND

Hoài Niệm

“A small place where we brothers and sisters sit together – tell some stories, have some good laugh and give each other memories that will last a lifetime” is what this coffee house on Tran Van Dang St strives for. Although it is not spacious, it’s a perfect place to sit together and recall all the old memories. When you go to Hoai Niem, you will get the feeling as if you’re in the 70s. You can even have a new haircut here if you’ve booked your reservations.

Address: #239/50 Tran Van Dang Street, Ward 11, District 3
Opening hours: 9:30 am - 10:30 pm (Monday to Saturday)
Price range: 15,000 - 40,000VND

Darkroom

Come here, sit on an old wooden chair, look at an old flower pot is a real pleasure after the busy lifestyle in HCMC. Darkroom is decorated with old familiar objects, such as vintage film cameras or film rolls which brings a sense of peace and nostalgia vibe. Coming to this place, you can find some nice talks with many film cameras enthusiasts since this is one of the last two places that scan film in modern Saigon.

Website: https://darkroom.vn/
Address: #30/1F Ngo Thoi Nhiem Street, Ward 25, Binh Thanh District
Tel: (+84) 98 747 96 95
Opening hours: 7:30am - 10:00pm (Everyday)
Price range: 20,000 - 50,000VND

Top Of The Town

Arriving here, you will be surprised at the classic and elegant design of Top Of The Town, giving the vibe of a fairytale garden or the ancient Greek mythological palace. Having a spectacular 360-degree view of Saigon, Top Of The Town is the perfect destination for celebrations, romantic dinners or private parties with its international wine list and à la carte menu. Yet, the food menu is limited in comparison with the drinks one, and water is free here. Come and join the vibrancy in the terrace bar with locals, expats, and tourists.

Website: https://www.facebook.com/TopoftheTownBarandRestaurant (Vietnamese)
Address: #18 An Duong Vuong Street, Ward 9, District 5, HCMC / 25th floor of Windsor Plaza Hotel
Opening hours: 7:00 am to 11:00 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 28 3833 6688
Price range: 100,000 – 660,000VND

Café EON

Located on the 50-52th floor, Café EON is now the highest cafés in Saigon for a stunning view, especially suitable for night get-togethers when the city is overwhelmed with colorful lights. This venue features two concepts, one of those fond of overlooking the cityscape ‘from above the cloud’ while enjoying tasty drinks and the other concentrates on Asian foods. However, since it is ‘on the cloud’, the cheapest price for a drink here is 120,000 VND, which is still better than buying a ticket to Bitexco to see the city. (For more information, the 49th floor of Bitexco Tower is Saigon Skydeck where you can also get a 360-degree panorama of the city through a telescope with an entrance fee of 200,000 VND.)

 

Website: http://eon51.com/cafe-eon/ (English, Vietnamese)
https://www.facebook.com/EON50Cafe/?hc_ref=NEWSFEED (Vietnamese)
Address: #2 Hai Trieu Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, HCMC / 50-52th floor of Bitexco Tower
Opening hours: 8:00 am to 11:30 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 28 6291 8750
Price range: 120,000 – 260,000VND

Moonlight Café

Located on the top floor of Parkson CT Plaza building near Tan Son Nhat Airport, this is the cafe known for the ideal airplane view of Saigon. Therefore, ‘airplane café’ has become the brand of this cafe terrace. Sitting in the café and that is a stunning view you might see! Just lean back to the wooden chair, relish a coconut juice, watch an airplane preparing to take off on a glittering night, and so on. You can also observe the airport on the way up by using the outside glass elevator (this elevator is only available for floor 10 ‘CGV Cinema’ and floor 11 ‘Moonlight Café’). All these things will make your night unforgettable. There are also a ball house for kids and some live piano performances after 8 pm.

Address: #60A Truong Son Street, Ward 2, Tan Binh District, HCMC /11th floor of Parkson CT Plaza
Opening hours: 10:00 am to 10:00 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 28 3547 2555
Price range: 35,000 – 65,000VND

Lac Dinh House

The cool, shady Turtle Lake area is always an ideal place for those who like to savor snacks while observing Saigon’s busy traffic. But have you ever thought of watching the scene from above to see the whole picture of this modern yet classic area? If the answer is yes, then don’t hesitate to go to Lac Dinh House. Frankly speaking, Lac Dinh is not so much a café as a tea shop. At Lac Dinh, you don’t need to be a connoisseur of tea, just say what you like and the mistress will make a teapot that meets your requirements. Tea will be served as a set along with a small teapot and a boiling oven to keep it hot. Cakes and dishes are made to her own recipe, so the taste is very distinctive such as cheesy chicken and rice, tiramisu, avocado double cheesecake, black forest cake, carmen cake, cherry scones, apple pie and even traditional dishes, namely water fern cake, bánh xèo (Vietnamese pancake). You can access the website to know more about the day’s menu as it varies every day. Rarely does anyone complain about cakes and tea; but if they do, it is probably about having to climb the stairs to the 4th floor and there are so few tables that it is frequently crowded. Therefore, reservation is a must. Also, the store closes as soon as the dishes are out of stock and the parking lot on the ground level is for Phuc Long café only so you should call the number below in advance.

Website: https://www.facebook.com/lacdinhtram/ (Vietnamese)
Address: #6 Cong Truong Quoc Te Street, Ward 6, District 3, HCMC / 4th floor
Opening hours: 10:00 am to 10:00 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 901 872 105
Price range: 45,000 – 200,00VND

Chill Skybar

What is more awesome than having delicious cocktails while watching the sunset from the top? And if you have a plan for night parties, this is the perfect place. Located on the 26 & 27th floor, many music stars come here to sing frequently and famous local and international DJs are ready to ramp the energy up every weekend. Fancy as it seems, if you don’t reserve in advance, you might even have difficulty getting a space to stand, much less sit, especially at weekends. Chill also have a restaurant on the 27th floor called 27 Grill, separate from the Chill Skybar that is outdoor on the terrace, specializing in steaks. So you can enjoy the view of Saigon with the outstanding Bitexco building before fill your stomach up as the food preparing time is quite long. Most importantly, men coming here have to wear trousers and shoes, wear shorts and slippers and the securities won’t let you in. As for women, high heels are not recommended since you have to stand most of the time, unless you arrive here before 10 when there are fewer customers.

Website: http://chillsaigon.com/ (English)
https://www.facebook.com/like.chill.saigon/?hc_ref=NEWSFEED  (English, Vietnamese)
Address: #76A Le Lai Street, District 1, HCMC / 26-27th floor of AB Tower
Opening hours: 5:30 pm to 2:00 am (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 938 822 838
Price range: 200,000 – 550,000 VND

Mary Jane’s The Bar

Located on the rooftop of a building in District 1, Mary Jane’s The Bar is an ideal place for young people who love romantic outdoor space and photography. From here, you can enjoy a cool atmosphere on high and observe Saigon from when the sun sets until it glitters in the lights at night. The bar is divided into different areas with different seating styles and you will not have a hard time getting the chance to relax and enjoy the fresh air. There are also long benches and tables for groups with lots of greenery, flowers and graffiti drawings. Sadly, there are some minus points. The drinks are quite bland according to some customers and options are limited. This place is also difficult to find as there is no signboard at the front. So for the entrance, search for the entry of the bank, take the elevator to the 10th floor and take the last stairs up or you can ask the security.

Website: https://www.facebook.com/maryjanethebar/  (Vietnamese)
Address: #85 Nguyen Huu Cau Street, Tan Dinh Ward, District 1, HCMC /11th floor
Opening hours: 7:00 am to 10:00 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 903 104 319
Price range: 30,000 – 200,000VND

Pandora Sky Lounge

If you are looking for a suitable space to watch Saigon at night, Pandora Rooftop Lounge is one of the best options. Being one of the first two rooftop bars in HCMC, located in the prime location of the city, Pandora is divided into two areas: hip-hop music indoors and deep/tropical house music outdoors. Prices here are quite high (a mixed-fruits dish at 490,000VND, shisha at 399,000VND, a cocktail at 98,000VND, cheapest outdoor drinks for a group at 990,000VND and food at 120,000VND or more). But if you come during 6-9pm every day, which is called ‘Happy Hours’, you are offered 50% discount on drinks & shisha and 20% discount on the total bill for food. Yet, ironically, the chefs don’t start cooking until 7:30 pm according to some reviews. And 6-7pm is the suitable time period for couples with romantic dates because it is not very crowded at that time.

Website: https://www.facebook.com/PandoraSkyLounge (Vietnamese)
Address: #36 Bui Thi Xuan Street, District 1, HCMC / 14th floor of HDTC Building
Opening hours: 6:00 pm to 3:00 am (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 28 3926 0455 – (+84) 938 222 324
Price range: 200,000 – 490,000VND

Cloud 9 Lounge (The Fusion)

Situated right next to the Turtle Lake, Cloud 9 Lounge is a perfect hang-out for tourists. The café is divided into 2 different areas. The 6th floor has a modern interior design in harmony with warm lighting, and the rooftop lounge is designed and furnished in a spacious, airy alfresco style. The roof terrace is fantastic, not the highest but what you find will surprise you. It is like you are transported out of the city and into a tropical setting, among lovely greenery with well-placed bamboo and plants. There are also private corners so you can chat with your friends in a more intimate atmosphere. Cloud 9 offers diners a wide selection of international wines along with beers, creative cocktails, and traditional Asian cuisine. Moreover, every Friday and Saturday, DJs come here to rock the place and bring absolute entertainment to everyone with music varies from half-decent dance music to average cheesy pop. But the main selling point still is the view of the bright spots of the city as the sun sets.

Address: #2bis Cong Truong Quoc Te Street, Ward 6, District 3, HCMC / 6-7th floor of Hai Nam Building
Opening hours: 5:00 pm to 00:00 am (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 909 445 544 – (+84) 983 160 521
Price range: 200,000 – 400,000VND

Shri Restaurant & Lounge

Located on the 23rd floor of Centec Tower, this modern, comfortable and stylish restaurant - café is the perfect place to meet up and enjoy Asian cuisine with panoramic views of the city. The word ‘Shri’ in Sanskrit means ‘light’, as this location uses transparent glass to receive multiple sources of light. In the evening, the place is sparkling with the light from the city, creating a romantic atmosphere suitable for couples and intimate dates with friends and family. Customers say that there are about 6-7 tables in the restaurant yet it is not often crowded. And for over six years, Shri has been famed for its delicious Asian and Spanish grill dishes, especially the savory and tangy goose liver paste dish, with the largest selection of international wines and cocktails.

Website: http://shri.vn/ (English)

https://www.facebook.com/shri.restaurant/ (Vietnamese)
Address: #72-74 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, District 3, HCMC /23rd floor of Centec Tower
Opening hours: 10:00 am to 00:00 am (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 28 3827 9631
Price range: 300,000 – 660,000VND

Café De La Poste

With a beautiful location in the heart of the city, next to HCMC Post Office and opposite Notre Dame Cathedral, Café De La Poste is a great place to enjoy coffee and have a date with Saigon. Being one of the rarest venues with a panoramic view of the most beautiful area of Saigon, its French architecture reminisces the beauty of the Pearl of the Far East, gracefully contrasts with the glittering modern buildings. Starting off the morning at Café De La Poste with a cup of Noisette coffee while watching the vibrant and liberal lifestyle of Saigoneses is absolutely refreshing. Café De La Poste is also a favorite destination of travelers not only for the view of Saigon architecture but also for the European, American and Vietnamese cuisines and the bar with an attractive wine rack. And don’t forget to try Vietnamese beef and vegetable stew (bò kho) and shredded pork skin bánh mì – two most positively rated dishes here. Sadly, a few customers were displeased at the slow service when having to wait for 10-15 minutes for food and some unattentive waiters. Yet, why not come here to admire the view and see if those complaints are true?

Website: https://www.facebook.com/cafedelapostevietnam/ (Vietnamese)

Address: #2 Cong Xa Paris Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, HCMC
Opening hours: 7:00 am to 11:00 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 28 3823 1634
Price range: 49,000 – 149,000VND

1. Nguyen Hue Apartment Block - 42 Nguyen Hue Street

Built in the 20th century, this block used to house government and military personnel, including US advisors ad naval officers before and after 1975.

Visitors often wander floor to floor up the twisting stairs looking for something that suits their taste. As there are options galore, make sure you have a look through all the cafés

Before stepping into the block, don’t forget to take a photo of it from the other side of the Walking Street. The combination of lighting from all the cafes at night surely will take your breath away.

The ground floor is occupied by the Fahasa bookstore, the left side of which lies the small entrance to the Café apartment. It is a bit hard to find due to the electrical cables and signs.

Once inside, the building is like a maze. Keep to the stairs, or just take the elevator. The first café you bump into is the Saigon Vieux  (2nd floor), where suits anyone looking for a romantic landscape. The swing reminds customers of childhood memories, while balcony looking over the Walking street is a perfect place for a short chat. Right next door is a fusion of fashion boutique and café, the Balcony Cafeteria.

Upstairs is a perfect place for a dessert. Apart from traditional coffee, Mango Tree also offers a good choice of ice cream and bingsu - a Korean dish consisting of ice shavings, sweetened condensed milk, fruits, Korean rice cake, cereal flakes and ice cream. A few meters away is The Maker, which stands among the most popular coffee shops in the area. This is more of a café-workshop, for it gives visitors an arty vibe.

On the fourth floor is Partea. Heavily influenced by English style, this tearoom allows customers to choose from an encyclopedic section and even drink in an English teapot.

There are far more to explore upstairs. Perfect examples are Metsign Café –a utopia for European style fanatics and Boo Café, a milk-tea shop with playful interior and The Letter Café – specially designed for Japanese culture’s enthusiasts.

Cafe Apartment Block in Saigon

However, the coffee apartment is not just about coffee. There are numerous fashion boutiques (e.g Baddest Blue -3rd floor, Maison De Jenny- 4th floor, etc.), some furniture shops and a jewelry store, perfect for window shopping. You should spare at least one evening to explore the apartment with all these activities!

2. Pasteur Apartment Block–158 Pasteur Street

Located on Pasteur Street, another tourist quarter filled with fast food restaurants in District 1, this block seems pretty old and insignificant on the outside. However, the interior is far more lively. The spiral staircase provides a perfect background for a shot.  

The most well-known cafés here are She Café and Secret Garden.

She Café  is highly recommended for single ladies for its quiet, tender atmosphere. In particular, the place is furnished with small-sized sets of tables and chairs, each with a flower vase. What’s more, portraits of beautiful women such as Angelina Jolie, Julia Roberts, Marily Monroe and Princess Diana all the more honor women’s virtues. Despite being not so spacious, this design can create a feeling of comfort. Certainly, this indoor coffee shop remains at the top of the must-try list for energetic young ladies making the most of their youths.

Secret Garden, in contrast, provides families and close friends with a chance to gather. This café-restaurant also serves Vietnamese specialties and seafood in large portions for a group of at least 4 people to enjoy. After a long chat with homies, customers can comfort themselves watching the starry sky and Saigon’s nightlife while the gentle winds give them a good massage.

3. Ton That Dam Building - 14 Ton That Dam, District 1

Known as the most time-honored apartment block in Ho Chi Minh city, it was built in 1866 by the French, thus having some French influence in style. After the Vietnam War, it was given to government officials, whose families still live there now.

The old age and historic values turned it into a tourist destination. Consequently, some flat owners saw this as an opportunity to open up cafes and fashion shops with vintage style. Others soon caught up and turned what was simply a block into a frequently crowded area.

Located on the 1st floor, Banksy Studio is a perfect mixture of West and East. The traditional teapots are tastefully placed among the colorful furniture. Since the manager and his staff are knowledgeable about tea, they can give instructions on brewing your own drinks, which cannot be a more rewarding experience. Though it is arguably the best place to explore cultures, non-smokers are not well advised to go here, for smoking is allowed.

The Other Person Coffee on the 2nd floor, however, is radically different in style. All the objects resemble Japanese culture, while “waiters” are dressed in kimonos like geishas or anime characters. Since its operation in 2012, this café has never stopped appealing to anime and cosplay fans in the neighborhood.

If you are looking for a sweet, sugary and a bit unorthodox dessert, nothing suits you better than The Mockingbird (4th floor).  The specialty here - coconut ice cream mixed with pear and wine- is not something to be forgotten. Likewise, Coke Float makes visitors’ mouth water with the funny, fatty look. Regrettably, this image cannot maintain for too long before the cream melts and turns the drink into a hideous sight. What’s more soothing than enjoying a luscious dessert while watching the unceasingly exciting life of our country’s biggest city?

4. Ly Tu Trong Apartment Block-  26 Ly Tu Trong Street

Another café apartment in District 1! This one is situated at the intersection of Dong Khoi and Ly Tu Trong street. As it is just opposite the luxurious Vincom Centre, the background cannot suit you better for a good pose! Inside you can find bars, pubs, galleries, second-hand clothing shops, and, of course, cafes on offer. Styles range from classic to modern as you wander from floors to floors. Also constructed by the French, it is a symbol of great influence from their architecture, which can easily be seen in the staircase and the old lift. Unlike others, Ly Tu Trong apartment block has not undergone much reconstruction, therefore looks relatively more original.  Nonetheless, there has been little, if any, deterioration.

The Le Xuan art gallery, besides catching western travelers’ eyes, helps decorate the hallway with its stunning oil paintings.

Cong Café reminds nostalgic adults living in post-war years of those hard times. Enjoy the coffee and see the streets from the balcony. Don’t forget to look around to discover what your parents/ grandparents described as something “today’s kids never know how hard it was!”

The Loft on the same floor is another good choice for visitors. Ice-blended, soda and fruit juice are on the menu to freshen your day. This also serves dishes for the main course: European dishes like pasta are fantastic! One feature that makes The Loft stand out is the clock-like window.  This European object has acted as an icon for this café, attracting both city dwellers and tourists. In addition, jazz music is carefully selected by the owner to create an artistic landscape, so having lunch here would be something you cannot resist.

Bong Cai Xanh, despite being a cafe, is mainly known for main courses. A nutrient-rich meal in the vintage atmosphere here will suit office workers well.

Too much food and drinks already? Try shopping or photography. Saigonese love both. There are detailed instructions in the hallway, so getting lost will not be a problem. Otherwise, just wander to a random place. Photographers can help you with some memoirs of the trip, while shops have a variety of souvenirs for your friends.

5. Thai Van Lung Apartment Block, Thai Van Lung & Nguyen Du street

This one may be a bit different since the hallway is dark and a bit creepy. Still, this is all the more interesting for intrepid, curious visitors.

Cafes in this block are typical of Saigonese coffee culture: simple decoration. Reflections of this city’s culture can be seen anywhere. There are paintings, wooden doors, black and white TVs, and live acoustic music. For middle-aged adults willing to liven up their youth, there cannot be a more ideal place.

Bang Khuang Café, which was previously an old, abandoned flat, can revive memories of the good old days in every elder Saigonese. Listen to the door creaking, the people chatting. Look at those shelves and indoor hanging plants. Bang Khuang may have limited space, but the new owner managed to re-furnish and redecorate the flat to offer customers the airiest place possible. The warm and charming lighting from lanterns, with its focus on the paintings, turn this place a heaven for book readers. Beside the authentic homemade coffee, give the main courses a try.

Nguoi Sai Gon Café has its walls full of photographs, paintings and meaningful sayings about life. Music, sets of teapots and other potteries of the pre-1975 style give foreigners an overview of the city’s history. In the evening, several invited artists give live acoustic performances, mainly pre-war pieces.

ICHI Cat Café

Highlighted in the center of Saigon with the gentle white color, ICHI Cat Cafe is known as the first ‘miniature paradise’ of numerous mischievous yet adorable noble cats, namely Maine Coon, Bengal, American Shorthair. Sadly, only children above 7 are allowed to enter the café, you cannot bring your own cats here and there are also some other rules that you have to follow (Read here: http://www.ichicatcafe.com/ichi-rules.html ).

 

Website: http://www.ichicatcafe.com/  (English, Vietnamese)
Address: #221/2 Tran Quang Khai Street, Tan Dinh Ward, District 1
Opening hours: 10:30 am to 10:00 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 28 6277 2898
Price range (for food and drinks): 15,000 – 60,000VND
Cuddle charge (for cat service): 40,000VND per adult
30,000VND per child (under 1m2)

Tokyo Pet Center

On entering, you have to change your shoes into the shop’s slippers and the staff will spray hand sanitizer for you. You are free to hug, cuddle them and take pictures but you cannot feed them, grasp their tails or touch them while they are sleeping. There are 4 floors in total. The 1st floor is a pet shop that sells foods, utensils, and breeds of pure and rare dogs. The 2nd one is home to many cats from many countries in the world: Vietnamese Calico cats, Japanese dogs, long- or short-haired cats from the US and the UK, Persian cats, Russian cats with the fur as white as snow, etc. The 3rd one is for dog lovers with beautiful and adorable puppies like Toy Poodle, Miniature Schnauzer, Dachshund. And the uppermost floor is a pet hotel with air-conditioning and wide space, perfect for pets to play around freely, where you are guaranteed that your pet is safely taken care of while you are on vacation.

 

Address: #284C Nguyen Trong Tuyen Street, Ward 10, Phu Nhuan District / 1st floor
Opening hours: 8:30 am to 9:30 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 28 3997 0299
Price range: 35,000 – 60,000VND
Cuddle charge: 25,000VND

Hachiko Coffee

Hachiko Coffee is where you will be surrounded by Pug, Husky, Alaska or Poodle Chow Chow dogs. In addition to enjoying coffee and hugging these cuties, you can also get advice, discuss how to train your dogs and where to join with other animal enthusiasts. The interior design is very lovely with decorative items such as dog-printed pictures and cups. This place is also famous for drinks that will not disappoint you. And there is also a hand sanitizer on every table.

Address: #14 Hoa Sua Street, Ward 7, Phu Nhuan District
Opening hours: 7:00 am to 10:30 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 906 478 389
Price range: 40,000 – 70,000VND
Cuddle charge: 22,000VND

PETS N’ ENGLISH Coffee

With the ‘kawaii’ overwhelming pink color, long wooden tables, shelves, and other decorative items are neatly arranged to leave plenty of room to freely run and play with the dogs. The place is cleaned frequently and sprayed with lemon fragrance so the dogs' smell is really limited. On the ground floor, most of the dogs are quite small in size, the biggest and most popular of which is the rare Samoyed dog with fluffy snow-white fur called Sam. On the 2nd floor, the dogs are bigger, but only a few like to be hugged, stroked and surrounded by people. 

 

Address: #106A No Trang Long Street, Ward 14, Binh Thanh District
Opening hours: 8:30 am to 10:30 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 973 292 318
Price range: 39,000 – 59,000VND
Cuddle charge: 25,000VND

BABO Café

Babo Coffee is a unique cafe in Saigon with many reptiles such as snakes, pythons, salamanders, and lizards. However, don’t be scared or worried as they are all well-trained and guaranteed to be extremely safe. The staff will also instruct you how to cuddle and play with them. In addition to reptiles, there are owls, parrots, rabbits, turtles, and hamsters. The shop is spacious and drinks are cheaper in comparison with other pet cafés. I will definitely recommend you come here and experience the exciting feeling of touching these animals and seeing them crawling on the tables around your drinks.

Website: https://www.facebook.com/ReptileCoffee/ (Vietnamese)Address: #93/18 Pham Van Hai Street, Ward 3, Tan Binh District
Opening hours: 8:00 am to 11:00 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 933 069 399
Price range: 15,000 – 28,000VND

Pet Me

If you are a fan of Rio bird in the same named American film series and want to see the daily lives of birds in person, Pet Me is the place should not be ignored. This is the first and only parrot cafe in Vietnam. There are many kinds of colorful parrots in various sizes and from various countries, ranging from Asia, Australia to South America. Notably, there is a tour for children, guided in English and Vietnamese, introducing about birds and how to take good care of them. You can buy birds and accessories such as sliders or football courts. Apart from parrots, there are also squirrels, geckos, rabbits and guinea pigs.

 

Website: http://petmeshop.com/en/ (English, Vietnamese)
Address: #198 Nguyen Van Huong Street, Thao Dien Ward, District 2
Opening hours: 9:00 am to 8:00 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 917 096 677 – (+84) 916 399 299
Price range: 30,000 – 80,000VND

Black House Coffee

There are separate zones for those who want to enjoy the drinks with or without fish massage. You can also try fishing for free here.

 

Address: #480/58B1 Binh Quoi Street, Ward 28, Binh Thanh District
Opening hours: 6:00 am to 10:00 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 914 331 779
Price range: 20,000 – 100,000VND
Massage price: Free

* Board Game Station 01:

Address: #21 Trinh Van Can Street, Cau Ong Lanh Ward, District 1
Opening hours: 8:00 am to 11:00 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 909 361 556

* Address: #1401 Nguyen Van Linh Street, Tan Phong Ward, District 7 / 2nd floor
Opening hours: 11:00 am to 10:00 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 188 814 9256

TableTop Café

TableTop Café is a heaven for experienced gaming enthusiasts as most of the board games here are top-tiered like Kemet, Through The Ages, Agricola, Caverna or Cydades Titans. Moreover, they have a large menu with many food and drink options to choose from, but you can still bring your own dishes (and pay a fee of 20,000VND if you don’t order their food or drinks). The seats are plenty but not so comfortable if you were to spend over 2 hours there as they are made of wood. Cushions should be put on them for a better experience. And you should reserve in advance since the place gets crowded quickly, especially at weekends.  

Website: https://www.facebook.com/tabletopBC/?hc_ref=SEARCH&fref=nf  (Vietnamese)
Address: #324/1 Dien Bien Phu Street, Ward 11, District 10 / Alley 322, 1st floor
Opening hours: 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm (Weekdays)
8:00 am to 10:00 pm (Weekends)
Tel: (+84) 128 366 4936 – (+84) 903 438 903
Price range: 25,000 – 30,000VND
Game ticket price (you can stay and play for as long as you want): 15,000VND/person/game
20,000VND for unlimited games

HUB Tavern

The interior is designed in a medieval style, making you feel like being in a real castle. There is also a ‘Commander Room’ with a fireplace and torches lit up the whole place. With over 100 game titles, HUB Tavern frequently cooperates with many local gaming groups (such as BG Viet and BGVN) to organize offline gaming events and tournaments, one of which is the annual Catan Championship in November, a chance for gamers to compete and win valuable presents. The most exciting event here is still the Boardgame Trading Weekend held every 3 months where you can exchange board games with other players.

Website: https://www.boardgamehub.net/ (Vietnamese)
Address: #30 Nguyen Dinh Chinh Street, Ward 15, Phu Nhuan District
Opening hours: 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 28 9840 8265
Price range: 20,000 – 30,000VND
Game ticket price: 29,000VND/party game (with 1 soft drink included)
49,000VND/any game (with 1 any drink included)

Meet Coffee and Board Game

Located in the heart of District 3, Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, the gourmet style with dark colors and light décor of the place will help you feel relaxed and comfortable. Meet Coffee now owns over 40 board games and all are 100% free to encourage young people to know more about access board games. Also, many customers praised that drinks here are much better in comparison with those of other board game cafés.

Address: #290/52 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, Ward 8, District 3
Opening hours: 8:30 am to 11:00 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 941 909 51
Price range: 15,000 – 26,000VND
Game ticket price: Free

Nhã Nam Books N’ Coffee

On arriving, you will be impressed by its spacious front with glass windows. Combining books and cafes, Nha Nam Books N’ Coffee is where young people can find most of Nha Nam’s published books along with enjoying the peaceful and open space of more than 200 square meters. The place is divided into many areas with different decorative styles specializing in different genres of books. For instance, the Hobbit Cave: displaying all books of Nha Nam that are on the market; the Pigeon Nest: a small warm nest for young souls, possessing an impressive number of children’s books; the Don Quixote’s Windmill: the ultimate meeting room with two long tables and colorful chairs, suitable for groups to study and work, or the Green Corner: a small quiet study space dedicated to Korean-Chinese-Japanese literature where you can make tea by yourself and drift into the mysterious regions of Eastern Asia, etc. Nha Nam Books N’ Coffee serves only drinks and prices are quite high. Yet, every coffee-drinking area is facilitated with air-conditioners and strong wifi. So, what is more relaxing and refreshing than sipping a cup of coffee while reading books in such a nice place like this?

Address: #24A D5 Street, Ward 25, Binh Thanh District
Opening hours: 7:00 am to 10:00 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 28 3510 6778
Price range: 25,000 – 45,000VND

*Phương Nam Book Café:

Address: Nguyen Van Binh Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1

Opening hours: 8:00 am to 10:00 pm (Everyday)

Price range: 25,000 – 59,000VND

 

* Đẹp Café:

Address: #3 Nguyen Van Binh Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1

Opening hours: 7:00 am to 10:30 pm (Everyday)

Price range: 25,000 – 30,000VND

Ciao Café

With light yellow color and angel photos on the walls, Ciao Café brings out a friendly and cozy atmosphere. There are over 800 books and private sitting areas with small wooden tables and sofas so you can comfortably read for hours without feeling disturbed. In addition, the music of the restaurant is very romantic, so you can read the book and enjoy the mellow love songs. The menu of Ciao Café varies from delicious drinks to Italian fast food such as: Pizza, spaghetti with all kinds of coffee (cappuccino, espresso and Vietnamese coffee). And if you are a fan of ice cream, Ciao Café is the just the place for you with a diversity of flavors such as mint, vanilla, taro, chocolate, orange, coconut, peach, kiwi, strawberry, Rhum - raisins, almonds, peanut, lemon, chocolate - chestnut, ginger, durian, banana, etc.

Address: #40 Ngo Duc Ke Street, District 1
Opening hours: 7:00 am to 11:00 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 28 3829 1491
Price range: 50,000 – 165,000VND

FYI Bookcafé

The FYI Bookcafe looks rather modest but still impresses customers with its modern and elegant decoration, from the signboard to the meaningful name (FYI: For Your Inspiration). The books here are selected carefully and divided into five main categories: Chicken soup for your soul, Novels, Sales & Business, Marketing, and Communications. Not too many genres, but FYI Bookcafe will give you a lot of exciting experience that can not be ignored. Coming to FYI Bookcafe, you can enjoy reading with a glass of coconut juice, coffee or crispy golden French fries and plenty of other food and drinks at reasonable prices. At noon, they also serve thick noodle soup (aka ‘bánh canh’), broken rice or ‘bánh mì’.

 

Address: #205/2-3 Nguyen Trai Street, Nguyen Cu Trinh Ward, District 1
Opening hours: 7:00 am to 10:00 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 28 3925 3645
Price range: 22,000 – 72,000VND

Huy Hoang Book Café

Located on the 2nd floor of Huy Hoang Bookstore, Huy Hoang Book Café impresses everyone by the quiet space, relaxing yet modern and luxurious. The layout of bookshelves and the combination of books with fancy colors really attract its customers. You may also be pleased with the variety of its menus like coffee, ice cream, juice, tea, or pastries... at reasonable prices and the dedicated service of the staff members. And come before 10 if you want to study or read in a quiet atmosphere.

Address: #357A Le Van Sy Street, Ward 1, Tan Binh District / 2nd floor
Opening hours: 8:00 am to 10:00 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 28 3991 3636
Price range: 35,000 – 80,000VND

Ca Chep Bookcafé

As a bookstore everywhere is related to books; the walls of the café full of famous are written writes both in the country and abroad with their famous quotes. The space is luxurious and quiet with the layout of tables and chairs suitable for reading and viewing the beautiful scenery of Saigon. The menu at the bar is diverse with a variety of drinks, ice cream, and quality assurance, at affordable prices to serve the needs of customers when they are coming here.

 

Address: #211-213 Vo Van Tan Street, District 3
Opening hours: 8:00 am to 9:00 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 28 6290 6951
Price range: 20,000 – 39,000VND

HUB Book Coffee

With a large area, Hub Book Coffee is divided into three main spaces: two spaces are quiet rooms hidden behind the mini library of the café, suitable for workshops or private meetings; the widest one uses transparent glass for natural light, where you can have lunch and relax. Hub Book Coffee’s book library is very large and located in the middle of the shop with hundreds of books from a variety of topics, culture, life to economics, science and many other useful books, including precious and rare books. Not only can you read books on the spot but you can also borrow and take them away.

Address: #18A Cong Hoa Street, Ward 4, Tan Binh District
Opening hours: 7:00 am to 11:00 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 28 6277 1422
Price range: 20,000 – 55,000VND

* L’Usine Heritage @ Dong Khoi:
Address: #151/5 Dong Khoi Street, District 1
Tel: (+84) 28 6674 9565

* L’Usine @ Le Loi:
Address: #70B Le Loi Street, District 1
Tel: (+84) 28 3521 0703

Khanhcasa Garden Café

Khanhcasa is spacious, airy and beautifully decorated in classical style. Still a nice, fresh café with beautiful view of Saigon. However, the difference here is its strange and meticulous detail in decoration. And if you pay close attention, you will notice that all table legs here are made of the familiar sewing machine legs, placed next to luxurious white mica chairs, which becomes the unmistakable beauty of Khanhcasa Garden café. There are many green trees both inside and outside, creating such pleasant feelings, close to nature. The menu specialises in tea and cakes, with free candied crystallized ginger to use along with tea. There is also a separate area for display and sale of pots, dishes made of ceramic, porcelain or glass.

 

Address: #66 Le Loi Street, District 1/ 1st floor
Opening hours: 7:00 am to 10:00 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 28 3822 7796
Price range (for food and drinks): 40,000 – 150,000VND

Bond Anime Café

As Saigon’s first anime café, Figure collectors, especially the Otaku or anime, manga, doujinshi enthusiasts will surely fall for Bond, because the shop devotes the whole ground floor to selling Japanese items. The 1st floor with comfortable sofas, the 2nd one with lovely manga style paper chair and the 3rd one with low tables and chairs for you, all are suitable for you to chat with friends and observe the dolls. While contemplating those on the spot, if you like any, you can ask to buy but their prices are quite expensive. In addition to the manga characters, the shop also owns a collection of more than 300 notebooks and hundreds of unique cartoon character keys. This is also the ideal place for groups with toys and board games such as Jenga, Uno, Werewolf, etc.

Address: #372 Hoa Hao Street, Ward 5, District 10
Opening hours: 7:00 am to 11:00 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 28 6264 5427
Price range (for food and drinks): 20,000 – 50,000VND

Me Café

Me cafe is decorated with sophisticated and pretty handmade stuffs. And if you like any item in the shop, feel free to ask the staff because those decorative items are also what the shop is selling.

Address: #8A Luong Huu Khanh Street, Pham Ngu Lao Ward, District 1
Opening hours: 8:30 am to 10:30 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 28 3926 2828
Price range (for food and drinks): 20,000 – 60,000VND

THE LABAN

Located on one of the most prettiest and busiest streets of Saigon, from The Laban, it takes only a 10-minute walk to Ben Thanh Market and the same amount of time to reach Notre Dame Cathedral. Because of such convenience, therefore, besides with cheaper price than hotels, you can save more money for eating and drinking. The most popular and spacious room here is the Penthouse with a cute small garden and a terrace facing the center of the city. There are also large double rooms and separate dorm rooms with balconies for men and women. The ground floor is used as a café, with an extensive menu of egg coffee or Yofu Panda, and the must-try dish here is the rice field with a unique combination of yogurt, violet glutinous rice and brown rice. At the weekend, there are also acoustic performances.

 

Website: https://www.facebook.com/theLabanvn/ (Vietnamese)
Address: #23A Bui Thi Xuan Street, District 1
Opening hours: 8:00 am to 11:00 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 28 3925 2822
Price range:
For food and drinks: 30,000 – 50,000VND
For rooms: Penthouse: 1,899,000VND/night
Private rooms: 550,000 – 1,400,000VND/night
Dorm rooms: 200,000VND/bed/night

4221 Café & Homestay

Located on a quite street, the plus point of 4221 is its gentle, classical warm design reminiscing the old Saigon. What makes 4221 really different is the Vietnamese traditional dished literally homemade by the lovely owner and the staff. Particularly, the peach and lemongrass teas are very favored here. There is also a piano which customers can play freely. On Saturday and Sunday evenings, 4221 has acoustic sessions beginning at 8:30pm.

 

Website: https://www.facebook.com/4221.cafe.nhahang/ (Vietnamese)
Address: #157 Nguyen Dinh Chinh Street, Ward 11, Phu Nhuan District
Opening hours: 9:00 am to 10:30 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 963 175 577
Price range:
For food and drinks: 25,000 – 125,000VND
For rooms (breakfast included): Private rooms: 600,000VND/night
Dorm rooms: 250,000VND/bed/night

Prem Bishop & Café

Prem is a true gem for vegetarians in Saigon and is walking distance to Tao Dan Park and War Remnants Museum. The ground floor of Prem is the café, upstairs are dorm rooms. As the owner of Prem is a yoga trainer who is really health-conscious, everything from fresh smoothies to the healthful wraps are all made with care and love. On top of that, they also organize yoga classes on weekends.

Website: http://www.prembistro.com/welcome#about (English)
https://www.facebook.com/prembistro/ (English)
Address: #204 Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, Ward 6, District 3
Opening hours: 10:00 am to 10:00 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 983 189 911 (English) – (+84) 28 6279 9920
Price range:
For food and drinks: 40,000 – 195,000VND
For rooms: Dorm rooms: 220,000VND/bed/night

ChaosDowntown ( or Cháo Downtown)

On Saigon’s rainy days, if you want a warm place to rest, you can visit the beautiful tents of Chaosdowntown, which is 500m away from Tao Dan Park and 800m from Ben Thanh Market. Coming here, you can easily use many services such as bar, restaurant, café,… And though located in a small alley, this is a famous art space of Saigon which frequently organizes many art exhibitions and fashion fairs.

Website: https://www.facebook.com/chaosdowntown/ (English, Vietnamese)
Address: #121/61 Le Thi Rieng Street, District 1
Opening hours: 9:00 am to 8:30 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 931 818 824
Price range:
For food and drinks: 15,000 – 45,000VND
For rooms: Private rooms: 350,000 – 450,000VND/night
Dorm rooms: 160,000VND/bed/night

1. Cheo Leo

Opened in 1938, Cheo Leo is now the oldest café in the city and has remained practically unchanged ever since. The name ‘Cheo Leo’, which means ‘high and dangerous’ in Vietnamese, was due to the fact that the café was miles away from downtown when first built. Before Reunification Day, it was a favorite venue among students of Saigon’s high schools for the gifted such as Pétrus Ky (former name of Le Hong Phong), Chu Van An, Kien Thiet and many famous artists at that time. Presently, it is a preferred drink stop of many foreigners, expats and locals aspiring for a reminder of what Vietnamese coffee used to taste like. The process of making coffee is infinitely elaborate and meticulous. To have a good batch of coffee, tap water must be stored in a tank for 2-3 days to get rid of unwanted smell of disinfectants in water because of which determines the fragrance of coffee. Then the finely ground coffee will be put into a strainer and go through two filtration to produce a perfect cup of coffee. Notably, the best-known drink here is ‘bạc xỉu’- a Chinese-style coffee with a huge amount of condensed milk.

Website: https://www.facebook.com/cheoleocafe/ (Vietnamese)
Address: #109/36 Nguyen Thien Thuat Street, Ward 2, District 3, HCMC
Opening hours: 5:15 am to 6:45 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 1669 626 363
Price range: 8,000 – 15,000VND

2. Chiêu

Built in 1969, through numerous events, Chieu Café has been an iconic symbol for the persistence of Saigon’s coffee culture. The major space of the first floor, considered as Chieu’s ‘soul’, still remains intact, including its furniture and colors. With the interior design full of warm colors, the blend of orange and brown, Chieu Café gives you immensely comfortable vibe. Later, when the shop has more customers, the owner requisitioned the second floor as a small music stage. As the background is filled with music written by Vietnamese famous composers such as Ngo Thuy Mien, Vu Thanh An and Trinh Cong Son, the beautiful green lianas, and ornamental trees make it comfortable to stay for a while. The menu varies from many types of juices, coffee, cocktails to Vietnamese cuisine for breakfast and lunch.

Address: #124/1 Cao Thang Street, Ward 4, District 3, HCMC
Opening hours: 7:30 am to 10:00 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 28 3839 3217
Price range: 25,000 – 75,000VND

3. Âm Phủ

This was the first café in Saigon that was set on a trolley, has no official name, no brand and no stop for a long period of over 60 years. Therefore, it has such a creepy name Âm Phủ, or Hell café, called by its repeated customers. In Mr. Dang Ngoc Con’s memory, his father began pushing a trolley to the road to sell coffee during the French colonization in the mid-1950s. Then he followed his father’s footsteps and started a small business together with his wife. The coffee trolley is now set inside their small house along with one or two plastic stools and some more outside in the alley after sunset, when there is much more people’s arrival to enjoy this signature coffee.

Address: #330/2 Phan Dinh Phung Street, Phu Nhuan District, HCMC
Opening hours: 9:00 am to 10:00 pm (Everyday)
Price range: 15,000 – 40,000VND

4. Mr. Thanh’s

Mr. Luu Nhan Thanh, a Chinese-Vietnamese man in his 70s, is a coffee lover who used to make coffee for himself and some neighbors every morning. Then one day, one of them proposed a brilliant idea to open a coffee shop and now, the coffee shop has been opened for more than 30 years in the Chinatown of District 11. Like Âm Phủ café, this café has no signboard and is poorly-equipped with only a couple of wooden tables and stools. Yet, the neighbors are still able to find the place by following the combined smell of sweet coffee and firewood smoke. On a daily basis, he always gets up early at 5 am to light up a charcoal stove to boil water, put coffee powder in a racket kept inside a pot and pour in boiled water. After a few minutes, the coffee is poured into a steel kettle, which is heated on the stove before bringing to his very first customers, and many people also call this process coffee-braising. And the result is a fragrant cup of coffee with surprisingly cheap price unchanged for more than 3 decades. There is also a small diner near the shop with just VND 20,000 for a bowl of Chinese-style glass noodles. Then, what is more refreshing than kicking off your day with a bowl of hot noodles and a cup of Saigon coffee with just VND 30,000?

Address: Alley 313 Tan Phuoc Street, District 11 / Behind Thiếc Market
Opening hours: 6:00 am to 17:00 pm (Everyday)
Price range: 4,000VND – 10,000VND

5. Bâng Khuâng

The oldest coffee shop in the red basalt area called Bang Khuang (opened in 1967 at 176 Phan Boi Chau Street, Buon Ma Thuot City) was brought to Saigon by the daughter of the owner. In Vietnamese, ‘Bang Khuang’ is a dazing emotion of human, but here it’s the name of a beautiful purple flower known as Angelonia goyazensis in Latin. Renovated from an apartment in an old building, the path to the café are faded stairs. A nostalgic space with old floral tiles, old bookshelves, and tall, open ceilings. Its simple interior decor with paintings, bicycles, plant baskets hung on the wall are arranged randomly, making customers feel like visiting a close friend’s home. Interestingly, the cuckoo sound will resound whenever someone pushes the door in. The café is on a one-way street so it’s a bit inconvenient that you have to take a detour. Parking is free but just keep in mind to get the free parking ticket at the cashier after paying your bill!

Address: #9 Thai Van Lung Street, District 1, HCMC / 2nd floor
Opening hours: 8:00 am to 11:00 pm (Everyday)
Tel: (+84) 903 878 667
Price range: 40,000 – 110,000VND