The Best Coffee Shops in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

ID Cafe is an oasis hidden amid the chaos of Ho Chi Minh City, and has become a favourite among international residents and local entrepreneurs, who spend their afternoons taking advantage of the speedy wifi. The cosy cafe, sitting on a side street, has comfortable couches, dim lighting and music softly playing in the background. The food and coffee here are equally fantastic, despite being a little pricey, but you do get what you pay for. There’s also an outside seating area if you wish to read a book under the scorching Saigon sun.

L’Usine opened in 2010 and has expanded into a handful of locations throughout Ho Chi Minh City, including two in District 1, two more in District 2 and another at Crescent Mall in District 7. They all offer similar contemporary interiors and comfortable workspaces. The location on Le Loi Street features a boutique shop and gallery on the ground floor, with the cafe and restaurant upstairs. The menus are similar at all outlets, with the usual favourites such as pasta, pancakes, paninis and desserts – and they change throughout the day, so when evening comes you can also start your night in style with a few cocktails – happy hour is between 5pm and 7pm.

Boo Coffee sits inside the Cafe Apartment building that looms above the pedestrian street Nguyen Hue. This complex is famous for having many boutique stores and themed cafes across its floors. This particular cafe is known for its cute decor and fun menu, where the coffee comes in glasses shaped like skulls. Try the signature cotton candy coffee, topped with a comically large puff of cotton candy.

Padma de Fleur is a flower shop and cafe rolled into one quirky space. This floral wilderness is a hidden gem found in an alleyway just a short walk from Ben Thanh Market. The set lunch menu, all home-made, changes every day. Lunch comes with soup, a meat dish and vegetables, similar to a family meal in Vietnam. It’s a little like dining in someone’s private home, surrounded by floral decor. There are only a few typical drinks available, too, such as Vietnamese coffee and tea.

If you’re a real coffee lover then Chat Coffee Roasters and Bistro is where you need to go. In the same alleyway as Padma de Fleur, this cafe is easy to recognise by the coffee-roasting equipment you see at the entrance. It has a minimalist, rustic look to it due to the stainless-steel, copper and wooden decor, complemented by the quiet alleyway. The menu is also rather delicious, and slightly expensive, but well worth it.

The Workshop is a contemporary loft cafe with wooden and brick decor, overhead hanging lamps, tall stools and a giant speciality coffee bar in the centre, with tonnes of cool tools for crafting drinks. The windows let in the perfect amount of natural light, creating a wonderful atmosphere to work, read or hang out with your friends. There’s also a private space for business meetings and a projector for presentations – hence, the name.

Cong Caphe offers visitors a different feeling compared to the Workshop. The furniture, art, flower pots, military decor and tableware, together with dim lights and mellow music, contribute towards creating a rustic, ’80s feeling. It’s a popular chain throughout Vietnam, and there are two branches in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 1. The cafe’s signature iced coconut coffee is exceptional and a genuine must-try.