4 Vietnamese coffees among the world's best

TasteAtlas unveiled its list of the world's top 63 coffees, ranking Vietnamese iced milk coffee 7th, black coffee 14th, egg coffee 27th, and yogurt coffee 53rd.

Iced coffee

A stirred iced coffee showcases its caramel-brown hue, a blend of coffee and condensed milk. Photo by Mina

Vietnamese iced coffee is a blend of coffee, condensed milk, and ice.

Traditionally, robusta beans are used, brewed using a drip filter (phin) that slowly releases coffee into a cup. Once brewed, condensed milk and ice are added before stirring and enjoying.

Black coffee

A cup of coffee slowly brews through a traditional phin filter. Photo by Mina

Since its introduction by the French in the mid-19th century, coffee has become embedded in Vietnamese culture. Today, Vietnam is one of the world’s largest coffee producers and the top exporter of robusta beans.

The strong, bold flavor of robusta is showcased in black coffee, brewed using the filter without any added ingredients. International visitors often refer to this style simply as Vietnamese coffee.

Egg coffee

Two cups of egg coffee and egg cocoa at Giang coffee shop in Hanoi. Photo courtesy of Giang Café

Originated in the 1950s, egg coffee is a specialty made by whipping egg yolks with condensed milk until thick and frothy, then combining it with black robusta coffee.

The egg mixture is whisked for about 10 minutes and heated until it reaches a custard-like consistency.

Yogurt coffee

A cup of yugurt coffee. Photo by Mina

A surprising yet popular Vietnamese coffee variation, yogurt coffee is made by combining black coffee with yogurt, condensed milk, and ice. Some versions include a splash of lemon juice. The ingredients are either blended until smooth or layered, with coffee poured over the yogurt mix.

Topping the TasteAtlas list is Café Cubano from Cuba, a pre-sweetened espresso with demerara sugar. It is followed by Indian Filter Coffee, brewed with a traditional filter and mixed with warm milk and sugar, and Greece’s Espresso Freddo, an iced espresso blended until smooth and creamy.