Vietnam is famous for its ubiquitous, dark-roasted filter coffee. Hanoi, the country’s capital, has recently become home to a burgeoning speciality coffee scene, with new roasteries and cafés popping up all the time. Still, upon my arrival in the city 6 months ago, it wasn’t easy to find the best speciality brews, and many of my favourite coffee spots were either: stiffed out by Googling ‘coffee’ ad nauseum for months; stumbled across accidentally. So, coffee loving visitors to and residents of Hanoi, please profit from this list of the best speciality coffee shops I’ve found in Hanoi over the course of my first six months in the city. This article will be updated to include any new discoveries I make (hopefully, lots). Enjoy.

Gấu Coffee & Bakery // 33 Hàng Bè, Hàng Bạc, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội

Gấu is, hands-down, my favourite and most frequented cafe in Hanoi. Gấu Coffee & Bakery is the second Hanoi cafe run by Van, the business’s founder, CEO, and self-taught coffee connoisseur (the first shop is simply named Gấu Coffee). Van is extremely involved in every level of the supply chain of his coffee: he owns his own coffee farm in the Gia Lai province in South Vietnam and he roasts his coffee beans in house at the cafe. Located in the heart of Hanoi’s Old Quarter (the tourism epicentre of the city), Gấu serves his coffee in delicious espresso form, brewed using Arabica blends and single origin beans. The coffee goes swimmingly with the best pastries I’ve found in the city by far; these are also baked in house by Van’s wife, Yen, who also teaches baking courses and sells sourdough bread. Gấu serves traditional dark roasted Vietnamese Phin (or filter) coffee alongside their espresso offerings. This spot is never too busy and I can always find a perch on the balcony, overlooking (and hearing) the chaos of the Hanoi’s steamy streets (see photo above). This family business certainly deserves more customers and attention than they seem to be currently attracting: for its fantastic coffee, excellent bakery selection and lovely setting. Along with the care and attention behind the coffee served at Gấu, these conspire to create a coffee experience truly unique to Vietnam’s capital city.

Gà Phê // 20 Ngõ 7 Thái Hà, Trung Liệt, Đống Đa, Hà Nội

Gà Phê is a newly opened speciality coffee shop with a tasteful but start-uppy feel: there’s a Mac repair shop downstairs and illustrations of a pug and chicken adorn the walls. Coupled with the quietness of the alley, this coffee shop is a solid place to work and sip on something delicious. Gà Phê serves espresso based drinks brewed with 100% Vietnamese arabica beans, as well as dark roasted Vietnamese coffee, and pour over coffees made with V60 or aeropress. These guys work with a variety of local roasteries, and offer blends and single origins to customers.  Located in Dong Da district, this café is a little out of the way for most tourists and expats, but is definitely worth a visit. Drawing and comic creation also take place here in the evenings.

Kachiba Coffee and Tea // Số 2, Ngõ 3, Phố Linh Lang, Cống Vị, Ba Đình, Hà Nội

Kachiba is my latest go-to haunt for getting some quiet done while I’m out and about in the city. This café is conveniently located at the intersection between Cau Giay and Ba Đình. It’s quiet and cool, with deep blue walls and soft lighting, a welcome relief from the stifling summer heat outside. The staff are friendly and efficient. The large tableaus, statues, trinkets and mahogany furniture on the second floor give the impression of being a guest in an artist’s studio. Still, the place hasn’t a hint of pretension or hipness – there are often Vietnamese classes being taught to expats, people having small, low-key meetings, or relaxed dates. The small outdoor seating area is leafy and lovely (though not very cool in the afternoon heat). The coffee is excellent: they serve espresso (roasted in house and brewed to perfection), pour over, and Vietnamese coffee – all at very reasonable prices.

Kafeville // 1 Bắc Sơn, Ngọc Hồ, Ba Đình, Hà Nội

Kafeville serves excellent espresso. While small and pokey by Hanoi standards, with no outdoor seating, this gives Kafeville the feel of a New York coffee shop, something strengthened by the excellent single origin espresso (Columbian) and filter coffee (Vietnamese filter, Kalita, V60 and aeropress available, made with a bean of your choice). The cafe is non-smoking – a luxury in Hanoi – and there are carefully curated books on the sale, in English and Vietnamese, on coffee and literature. The staff are energetic, enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the coffee. The food side of things is limited: banana bread is the sole option for a snack. Nevertheless, the focus is on the coffee, which is fine by me. Kafeville is also a great place to sit and work, with nice wooden tables, and plenty plugs.

Note: This list focuses on cafes that serve speciality coffee. An article on my favourite Vietnamese-coffee serving cafes is coming soon!