Vietnam is the world's second-largest coffee producer, but the interesting part is that it invented its own way of drinking the stuff. This half-day follows those branches in order.
First, a specialty cafe that roasts in house. You watch the drum turn and get a single origin brewed by hand. If Vietnamese coffee has only ever meant strong and sweet to you, this is the surprise — bright, acidic coffee comes from these beans too.
Then a local cafe, where cà phê sữa đá with condensed milk, coconut coffee under whipped cream, and avocado coffee blended with Đắk Lắk avocados sit on one table for comparison. It is hard to believe all three started from the same bean.
At the last cafe you put on an apron and build a coconut coffee yourself — how far to whip the cream so the layers hold, why the ice goes in first. The barista stands beside you for it. You leave with 100g of beans.