Hand-pounded lime tea the latest trend in town

There was already a line of more than 40 people waiting to get their drinks when he arrived.

People line up in front of a hand pounded lime-infused tea stall on Ho Chi Minh City’s Nguyen Trai Street Nov. 13, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Ngan

Tien surprisingly said he wasn’t even a fan of the beverage. He hadn’t even tried it yet.

But the 28-year-old still traveled the seven-kilometer distance from his home in District 8, and then waited in line, just to try the new tea out of curiosity. Such is the power of foodie fads in Vietnam these days, especially among young people.

At the stall where Tien waiting, it took two staff members an average of about two to three minutes to make a cup of the tea.

They crushed the limes using a pestle and a mortar and then mix the juice with sugar syrup or honey before adding the mixture to tea, which is selected among the several offerings by customers, with a choice of toppings as the capstone to the sweet and sour combination.

Selling prices range around VND39,000-49,000 (US$1.6-$2) depending on the type of tea used, and the kind of toppings added.

"Everything is made by hand, so I waited for them with patience," Tien said.

After trying a sip, he said the most remarkable part of the drink was it’s scent, not it’s flavor. He said it smelled different than the usual lime tea ubiquitous on streets throughout Vietnam.

Stalls selling hand pounded lime-infused tea started sprouting up across Ho Chi Minh City last week, attracting long queues around corners and in the streets.

The main ingredient of the beverage is limes from southeastern China’s Guangdong Province, which are believed to have a stronger aroma compared to other limes when crushed by hand.

This is likely the reason behind the drink’s "uniquely remarkable scent," according to Tien.

Pham Chi Cong, owner of a stall selling the drink in District 12, said the tea became trendy in China a few months ago. It was then that he first tried, but failed, to import the limes to Ho Chi Minh City. He couldn’t make it work due to the long distance.

It was only when the tea reached Hanoi earlier this month - a result of the closer distance between the capital and the Chinese region - did he find a solution: rebuying the limes from Hanoi and delivering them to Ho Chi Minh City. He then launched his stall 10 days ago.

Offering the drink for VND25,000 per cup, his stall now sells 500 cups a day on average. Young adults account for the majority of his customers, and his stall’s peak hours last between 6-9 p.m.

Bui Duc Thinh, owner of a Ho Chi Minh City café in District 1, said his shop had experienced a surge in the number of customers since he introduced hand pounded lime-infused tea to his menu. Guests have been crowding in his shop until 11 p.m. everyday.

Staff make hand pounded lime-infused tea at Thinh’s coffee shop in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 1 on Nov. 13, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Ngan

Thinh said that Vietnam-grown limes cost VND20,000-30,000 per kilogram, a third the price of limes from Guangdong. His shop now uses 50 kilograms of Guangdong limes a day.

Ngoc Tran, one of Thinh’s customers, said she’s happy waiting for the drink thanks to its "unparalleled flavor and aroma."

By contrast, Tien said he would not buy the drink again even though it was "tasty."

He said he considers it too expensive.

"I would not spend that much for a takeaway drink."