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    Home >> Vietnamese

    Vietnamese Egg Coffee (Ca phe trung)

    Modified: Apr 28, 2025 · Published: Jul 18, 2019 by Analida · • Word count:1002 words. • About 6 minutes to read this article. • This post may contain affiliate links ·

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    Coffee lovers you need to try this! I know it sounds strange but imagine your latte made with a strong espresso and 1 egg yolk beaten with sweetened condensed milk to a light fluffy crema like topping sitting on top. This is Vietnamese egg coffee or cà phê trúng and it is delicious! | ethnicspoon.com

    Shortly after my daughter moved to Vietnam, she began raving about the food. We raised her a foodie, obviously. No street eat was too questionable, no dish too exotic. But, the one thing she really went on about was Vietnamese egg coffee (ca phe trung  or  cà phê trứng). When she fist told me about it, I had to pause for a moment and think about the word combination. Egg + coffee=Hmm... I must admit that the mental image was not pleasant.

    a cup of egg coffee and a spoon of foam

    Egg + coffee?

    My first thought was: scrambled eggs in coffee? I really didn't know what to think. She swore it was like nothing else I had ever tasted. She sent us a photo and recipe to explain this mysterious beverage.

    Vietnamese egg coffee is a real treat

    Vietnamese egg coffee (ca phe trung) is made by beating an egg yolk with sweetened condensed milk for about 10 minutes until it makes an airy, creamy, meringue-like fluff.  Are you drooling yet? This eggy goodness is then slowly poured on top of hot espresso, or iced coffee. Are you with me so far?

    So, when my family and I traveled to Vietnam last Christmas to visit my daughter, she hooked us up with a street food tour given by her friend Thanh who owns a tour company called Maia Travel.  My daughter now helps her with tours and is part of the team.  Here is Thanh and the team.

    Thanh shopping in the market in Hanoi


    They have great fun and so do their guests!

    a group of people on a tour with Thanh


    If you are traveling to Hanoi this is a must-do tour and you are in for a great experience.

    a group of tourists trying Vietnamese dessert with a local


    On the food itinerary was none other than egg coffee. WOW, what a surprise. It was absolutely delicious.

    The egg cream on top of the coffee was rich and silky, but not overly sweet. The Vietnamese espresso underneath was strong enough to color my hair AND keep me up for days, but perfectly offset by the creamy sweet foam on top. Yes, this is definitely dessert coffee.So, then, how did such a lovely treat come to be? Well, my daughter's friend, Thanh, who gave our street food tour, told us the story:

    a cup of egg coffee

    A curious history

    Egg coffee first hatched (pun intended) in 1946 in Hanoi, Vietnam. An individual by the name of Giang worked at the Metropole Hotel as a bartender. During this time, it was unusual for locals to work for foreign companies, but Giang was a real go-getter. He was passionate and very talented in his pursuits; so when a milk shortage struck Vietnam, he figured out that creamy egg yolks and sugar would make a perfect substitute.

    Giang then started making the curious concoction for hotel guests and they LOVED it! Soon, word got around of his talent, and he left his job at the Metropole to open a small coffee shop serving his now famous Vietnamese egg coffee (ca phe trung).

    where to find egg coffee in Hanoi

    Generations of Hanoians have come to know and love his little family-run coffee shop. Other baristas in town attempted to copy his creation, but nobody did it quite like him. Giang had three sons and one daughter who carried on his brainchild and now owns three cafes in Hanoi that serve the ORIGINAL Vietnamese egg coffee (ca phe trung).

    When you taste Vietnamese egg coffee (ca phe trung), not only will your taste buds dance with joy, you will now be a part of an old  Hanoi tradition. Creamy, sweet egg fluff atop rich coffee, you won't forget it.

    There are two other delicious Vietnamese coffee drinks that I recommend: Ca Phe Sua Da or Vietnamese Iced Coffee is iced espresso with sweetened condensed milk and Vietnamese Coconut Coffee is espresso served hot or cold with coconut cream. You really cannot go wrong with either of them! 

    By the way, if you are ever in Hanoi and want the real deal, there are three Cafe Giang locations to check out:

    • 109 Yen Phu
    • 39 Nguyen Huu Huan
    • 13 Dinh Tien Hoang

    Here are the visual steps to make Vietnamese egg coffee:

    A collage of photos showing the steps to make Vietnamese egg coffee with sweetened condensed milk, egg yolk, espresso and whipping.
    1. Gather all your ingredients and brew 12 ounces of strong espresso style coffee. This is enough for 2 servings.
    2. Add the egg yolk and sweetened condensed milk to a pitcher and whip with a hand blender.
    3. Continue whipping until you have soft peaks and the volume will more than double.
    4. Add the espresso to the 2 cups of coffee and then spoon on the whipped egg mixture over the top. Enjoy!

    If you want to try some other popular Vietnamese dishes at home that are very easy to make check these out or bookmark them for later:

    Chả Giò or Vietnamese Fried Spring Rolls are a delicious side or a light meal. My version is vegetarian but feel free to add pork! 
    Vietnamese Pho Tron is a cold and VERY flavorful beef salad that is served during the hotter months.
    Bun Cha is a grilled pork meatball that is out of this world and it includes the traditional dipping sauce recipe also.
    Thit Kho Tau are slow braised pork medallions in a coconut sauce that you have to try.
    Bo Sot Vang (bò sốt vang) is a delicious beef stew you can make in a slow cooker that has very unique flavors and is served with a crusty bread like French baguette or bahn mi.

    Cá Sốt Cà Chua is Vietnamese Tomato Fish with Dill. You will love how the sweetness of tomatoes goes perfectly with the tangy shallots and aromatic fill. 

    Looking for more recipes?  
    Sign up for my free recipe newsletter to get new recipes in your inbox each week!  You can also find me sharing more inspiration in Pinterest and Facebook.

    A photo of a spoon with Vietnamese egg coffee and a cup.

    Vietnamese Egg Coffee (Ca phe trung)

    A delicious rich espresso topped with a meringue like fluff made with whipped sweetened condensed milk and egg yolk.
    4.96 from 21 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Beverage
    Cuisine: Vietnamese
    Keyword: coffee dessert
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 2 cups
    Calories: 173kcal
    Author: Analida Braeger

    Ingredients

    • 12 oz espresso
    • 1 egg yolk
    • 4 tbsp sweetened condensed milk

    Instructions

    • Brew 2 cups of espresso
    • Whip the egg yolk and sweetened condensed milk until light frothy or soft peaks.
    • Add egg mixture on top of the espresso.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 173kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 79mg | Potassium: 344mg | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 235IU | Vitamin C: 1.1mg | Calcium: 125mg | Iron: 0.5mg

    You might also like to try these:

    • Irish Coffee
      A photo of Irish coffee in a glass from Foynes Ireland.
    • Vietnamese Coconut Braised Pork - Thįt Kho Tàu
      A photo of Vietnamese braised coconut pork, thit kho tau, in a white bowl.
    • Bun Cha: Vietnamese Pork Meatballs
      A photo of Vietnamese bun cha in a white bowl.
    « Arroz con Gandules
    Vietnamese Beef Noodle Salad: Pho Tron »
    7669 shares
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Christine

      June 12, 2017 at 1:00 am

      5 stars
      This sounds amazing! I'd love to try Vietnamese coffee with the addition of the frothy egg.

      Reply
      • Analida

        June 12, 2017 at 7:39 pm

        Thanks Christine! I absolutely love this coffee. Like I said in the blog post, at first I wasn't so sure, but after trying it I was blown away.

        Reply
    2. Jill Lester

      October 24, 2017 at 2:22 am

      4 stars
      It is soooo delicious and very more-ish!

      Also try it at The Note Coffee near the lake in central Hanoi.

      Reply
      • Analida

        October 24, 2017 at 3:35 pm

        Thanks for the tip Jill. We're headed to Hanoi in 2018 to spend Christmas with our daughter. I will certainly try it there. One of the things I love most about Hanoi is the coffee culture. Our daughter took us to so many quaint coffee shops during our stay.

        Reply
    3. Prem Babu

      July 26, 2018 at 10:07 am

      My grandfather from Kanyakumari makes a fresh egg (just out of hen grown at home) drop in hot black tea. For him this will remove dry cough from chest.

      Reply
    4. Kelly

      March 01, 2019 at 5:25 am

      Just came back from Hanoi and our guide introduced us to egg coffe. Can’t wait to make at home. Your other recipes look great too.

      Reply
      • Analida

        March 03, 2019 at 9:37 am

        Thanks Kelly! We cannot wait to go back to Hanoi! There is so much to experience there and the food culture is outstanding.

        Reply
    5. Moe Rubenzahl

      June 23, 2019 at 7:10 pm

      4 TABLESPOONS of sweetened condensed milk?!? Really? That's 1/4 cup, about 6 times as much as any other recipe I found.

      Please confirm. Did you mean 4 teaspoons, perhaps?

      Reply
      • Analida

        June 24, 2019 at 7:32 am

        Hi Moe, The egg coffee is quite sweet and you need enough volume of egg yolk and condensed milk to whip into a nice meringue. I adjusted to 2 cups of espresso with the same amount of egg and condensed milk to make the meringue. Feel free to add as much on the top of your cup as you want. Enjoy!

        Reply
    6. Elaine Benoit

      July 09, 2019 at 2:18 pm

      5 stars
      How fun that your daughter lives there. I've always wanted to visit Vietnam! Now this gives me another reason to go. This egg coffee looks scrumptious!

      Reply
    7. Kelly Anthony

      July 09, 2019 at 3:11 pm

      5 stars
      I've heard vietnamese coffee is the best and I've always wanted to try it. I love trying new foods and this coffee sounds so unique and delicious.

      Reply
    8. Danielle

      July 09, 2019 at 4:28 pm

      5 stars
      I love discovering Vietnamese cuisine, especially when recipes are as unusual as this one. I am keen to see everyone's face when I say the name of the dish, so definitely something I would experiment with! 🙂

      Reply
    9. Veena Azmanov

      July 10, 2019 at 3:40 am

      This sounds quite interesting. Have never made one before bu need to surely check on this wonderful and unique recipe.

      Reply
    10. Eva

      July 10, 2019 at 4:21 pm

      5 stars
      When I was little my paternal grandmother would sometimes whip a couple of yolks with granulated sugar, whip until all the sugar dissolved. I loved that creamy treat! I can well imagine how good it must be with condensed milk (I love condensed milk!). My colleagues at work drink the keto bulletproof coffee and I'm somehow not intrigued by it. But this one that is sweetened would definitely be much more something I'd be happy to try.

      Reply
    11. Amanda M Mason

      July 13, 2019 at 9:31 am

      5 stars
      I'm so glad your daughter is getting to really experience food while she is in Vietnam! This is such a great post and I'm loving the history part! Yeah - eggs and coffee dont sound good but you've sold me! I'm going to try this soon!

      Reply
    12. Jacquelyn

      July 13, 2019 at 3:35 pm

      5 stars
      This sounds fantastic and I can’t wait to make this. Glad she is able to experience the culture.

      Reply
    13. Marisa F. Stewart

      July 14, 2019 at 10:39 am

      5 stars
      First of all I'm a huge coffee lover. I would love to try this coffee. It sounds rich and creamy - a great treat to enjoy any time of day. I'm anxious to try this out. Your daughter is fortunate to have the opportunity to experience a different culture.

      Reply
    14. Leslie Kiszka

      July 14, 2019 at 10:51 am

      I'm not gonna lie, the idea of adding egg to my coffee kinda freaks me out - but I want to give it a try! Too sweet for my day to day coffee, but this would be a nice weekend treat.

      Reply
      • Analida

        July 14, 2019 at 3:21 pm

        It is like coffee and dessert wrapped into one! I think you will enjoy it.

        Reply
    15. Nicoletta De Angelis Nardelli

      July 14, 2019 at 4:23 pm

      5 stars
      This egg coffee would be so delicious, I know! My Italian grandma would beat egg yolks with sugar for me to make zabaglione and when I was old enough to have coffee, she poured espresso in the zabaglione and it made this amazing creamy foam...

      Reply
      • Analida

        July 14, 2019 at 7:39 pm

        Wow! Egg yolks and sugar sounds very similar to sweetened condensed milk whipped up too! Sweet and delicious with coffee!

        Reply
    16. Tammy

      July 14, 2019 at 9:04 pm

      5 stars
      This is totally new to me but I would love to give this a try! Sounds delicious and a nice way to change up my usual coffee. Can't wait to make it 😀

      Reply
    17. Kieran

      July 20, 2019 at 7:40 pm

      How long does it take to whop the yolk and condensed milk? Im not able to get it to froth up

      Reply
      • Analida

        July 20, 2019 at 8:09 pm

        Be sure you have a really fresh egg. The whipping time would typically be about 10 minutes on high, sometimes less depending on the speed and type of blender.

        Reply
    18. T Roro

      August 07, 2019 at 6:58 pm

      Um yeah. Do you mean "middle coffee" or "egg coffee?" Because "trung" means "middle" in Vietnamese. The translation of "egg" to Vietnamese is "trứng".

      Reply
      • Analida

        August 07, 2019 at 8:16 pm

        Thanks for pointing that out. My Vietnamese friends suggested using the English and Vietnamese characters as I have done in the first paragraph, second line: ca phe trung or cà phê trứng I hope you enjoy the coffee. Cheers!

        Reply
    19. Deborah O'Brien

      August 28, 2019 at 9:36 pm

      I accidently came across an egg coffee in Hanoi last week on my last night in Vietnam. The vision in my head of this coffee was not pretty but I thought I could always not drink it. I had no idea what I was getting. I thought they had forgotten me as it took so long to make but when it finally arrived WOW. I have not stopped going on about it since. Hence finding this website.I am now going to try to make my own in Australia with my little Vietnamese coffee brewer and coffee grounds I brought back with me.

      Reply
      • Analida

        August 29, 2019 at 7:25 am

        Hi Deborah, We make it at our house for dessert since it is so rich. Enjoy!

        Reply
    20. CDS

      August 29, 2019 at 3:34 am

      We will be in Hanoi in a couple months to kick off a lengthy Vietnam/Cambodia tour. We plan on going on a popular evening food tour in Hanoi on our first night. The egg coffee is featured, and reviewers have raved about it. I’m embarrassed to ask, but is a decaf variation available? Should I even ask? My system absolutely can’t handle anything caffeinated after noontime. I would be up all night if I had any regular coffee in the evening. Should I just politely pass or ask for a decaf? Would I even actually get a decaf if I asked?
      Thanks for your thoughts..,

      Reply
      • Analida

        August 29, 2019 at 7:24 am

        Hi, I checked with my daughter who lived in Hanoi for 4 years and she said there is very little chance to get a decaf egg coffee. She said you may be able to have them serve you a mung bean drink with the same egg meringue on top. Enjoy!

        Reply
        • Maggie Major

          January 09, 2020 at 9:03 pm

          Hi...we just returned from Vietnam and Cambodia with our children over the Holiday break. Someone was asking me to explain “Egg Coffee” and I came across this blog...excellent review! We stayed at the hotel of the originator and they add cognac...yum! To answer this question above, as we had two non coffee drinking children with us...one shop did it with chocolate, and when they didn’t have chocolate the children just ate the egg cream on its own sans coffee. Hope this helps!

          Reply
    21. ta ngoc hoang

      September 15, 2019 at 11:31 am

      amazing, that's absolutely delecious!

      Reply
    22. Lou

      February 22, 2020 at 1:28 pm

      5 stars
      I’m excited to try this recipe. We loved egg coffee the first time we tried it in Hanoi. If you’re going to make espresso, it’s better to use a coffeemaker or French press rather than the Phin filter because the latter is very slow and depending on the size, may only yield one serving for a small cup. Too long of a wait for this lovely delight! I brought back a 500 gm (17.5 oz) package of Trung Nguyen ground coffee . It’s rich and robust, you can smell chocolate when you open the package. Yummmm!

      I love your blog!

      Reply
      • Analida

        February 22, 2020 at 3:46 pm

        Thanks Lou! I hope you enjoy the cà phê trứng!

        Reply
    23. MARA

      April 26, 2021 at 9:55 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is a standard Italian breakfast item in many homes. We grew up on it and my parrot loved it as well:)
      To make the dessert known as Zabaglione(in Italy) or Sabayon (French), after beating the eggs and sugar (as originally was done) add some sweet dessert wine and beat over a bain marie(Double boiler) for a sweet sensation to be eaten warm.

      Reply
      • Analida

        April 27, 2021 at 11:02 am

        Thanks for sharing your story with me!

        Reply
    24. Y.Dalangin

      February 16, 2023 at 9:25 pm

      5 stars
      I just got back from Hanoi and the first thing I googled is "How to make Egg Coffee". I will try your recipe.

      In Hanoi, I found this back alley cafe named HN Time and tried egg coffee for the first time. Delicious! It was creamy and pairs well with the bitter espresso at the bottom. Cannot forget it! I also tried their Coconut coffee which was also delicious. 😄

      Reply
      • Analida

        February 18, 2023 at 12:44 pm

        Hi! I am glad you found the recipe. I have recipe for Vietnamese coconut coffee too!
        Enjoy!

        Reply
    25. Janet

      February 23, 2023 at 6:05 am

      I just got back...was in Hanoi on February 14, 2023 and a bit hesitant to try it as I am not a coffee person and the combination did not paint a pretty picture in my mind but our tour guide and my husband convinced me to try it. We tasted it at 39 Nguyen Hou Haun and was pleasantly surprised. So I had it original style but the barista put a twist on it for my husband and added rum. Omg . It was delicious 😋.. anyone traveling should try it . Nice way to end a Valentine's day!!

      Reply
      • Analida

        March 01, 2023 at 12:33 pm

        Thanks for sharing your story! The rum sounds great!

        Reply
    26. Maria

      April 08, 2023 at 11:41 pm

      5 stars
      I just got back from a wonderful holiday in Vietnam & thoroughly enjoyed their egg coffee. It sounds terrible but it's so delicious, light & fluffy. Mine was made slightly differently, the egg yolk was beaten with honey for about 7 mins then a caramel syrup was added for extra flavour & this was poured over the coffee, yummo!

      Reply
      • Analida

        April 17, 2023 at 12:32 pm

        That sounds fabulous! Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
    27. Merran O'Neill

      September 24, 2023 at 5:51 am

      5 stars
      I've just left Hanoi and Giang Cafe, and am determined to master these having fallen in love with them, thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Analida

        October 20, 2023 at 6:38 am

        Thank Merran! I loved visiting Hanoi too!

        Reply
    28. Kimberly Wagner

      March 30, 2024 at 9:23 am

      ERITBOMH! OR.... eyes roll in the back of my head DELICIOUS!

      WOW. Thanks for sharing!!

      Reply
      • Analida

        April 03, 2024 at 7:12 am

        Thanks Kimberly! I am glad you enjoyed the egg coffee!!

        Reply
    29. PepaBulac

      April 11, 2025 at 10:02 am

      5 stars
      Very delicious coffee. I have one question though, whisking the egg cream takes too long for such a small serving, do you think you could prebatch a few more and store it in the fridge? If yes, how long would it last?

      Reply
      • Analida

        April 11, 2025 at 11:42 am

        Hi
        The whipped egg should be used immediately after it is fully whipped up. It will quickly lose volume and won't store well in the refrigerator.

        Enjoy!

        Reply

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    Analida profile pictureI have been researching and creating ethnic recipes for over 20 years. I love to share "mostly healthy" easy and affordable ethnic recipes using fresh ingredients, with a bit of culture and food history sprinkled in.... Read more-->

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