Vietnam's war-themed coffee chain: Where hipsters meet Vietcong


By AGENCY
Cong Caphe is a large Vietnamese café chain. Its trademark is a khaki-green exterior and waiters and waitresses in Viet Cong outfits. — Photos: Carola Frentzen/dpa

Vietnam knows its coffee. After all this country has its own national coffee style, a drip coffee served with condensed milk, beloved around the world.

It's also the world's second largest producer of beans behind Brazil - and globally known for its robusta beans.

One coffee chain combines the country's love of caffeine with the other thing it is internationally associated with - the Vietnam War.

Cong Caphe is a large Vietnamese café chain. Its trademark is a khaki-green exterior and waiters and waitresses in Viet Cong outfits. — Photo: Carola Frentzen/dpa
Cong Caphe is a large Vietnamese café chain. Its trademark is a khaki-green exterior and waiters and waitresses in Viet Cong outfits. — Photo: Carola Frentzen/dpa

Founded some 20 years ago, the Cong Caphe chain serves you coffee by baristas clad in military-green uniforms in cafes that might make you feel like you've sought shelter at a bunker (albeit a very stylish bunker with a great interior decorator).

The chain that has since expanded beyond the country's borders, running over 100 cafes, including in South Korea, Canada, Malaysia and Taiwan. A French branch is set to open soon.

Dark-green walls adorned with camouflage helmets and war-time photographs are complimented by rusty wooden furniture, with other memorabilia displayed like in a museum.

Cong Caphe is a large Vietnamese café chain. Its trademark is a khaki-green exterior and waiters and waitresses in Viet Cong outfits. Photo: Carola Frentzen/dpa
Cong Caphe is a large Vietnamese café chain. Its trademark is a khaki-green exterior and waiters and waitresses in Viet Cong outfits. Photo: Carola Frentzen/dpa

"With our attire, we want to honour the soldiers of that time who fought for our country," says employee Duc Anh Lee, adjusting his dark green military cap.

Young people and digital nomads crowd around the counter to place their orders. Vietnam is a young country: like most of his compatriots, Duc was born after the Vietnam War fought from 1955 to 1975.

Coffee and wartime memorabilia are eveywhere in Vietnam. One trendy chain of coffee shops is now even combining both in one space. Photo: Carola Frentzen/dpa
Coffee and wartime memorabilia are eveywhere in Vietnam. One trendy chain of coffee shops is now even combining both in one space. Photo: Carola Frentzen/dpa

Memories of that time are omnipresent throughout the country to this day, with the ruling communists doing their part to remind the younger generations - and tourists - that it was them who ultimately emerged victorious after dealing US forces a devastating defeat after years of deadly jungle fighting.

Cong Caphe says its mission is "to inspire imagination and bring about a distinct emotional experience of Vietnam."

Indeed, its military-meets-hipster cafes are truly unique. If you go, make sure to try the iced coconut coffee, the chain's absolute bestseller. – dpa

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
coffee , Vietnam , Lifestyle food , food

Next In Living

A home and school in Nairobi offer street children a better future
Children's museum in US gives families with sensory needs a calm space to play
Airlifting pets and their owners who were trapped by the Middle East crisis
KL Cocktail Week returns for its third year, with events across KL and PJ
Older Ukrainians in Berlin are learning German to rebuild their lives
Sperm can't swim properly in space, study says
A Japanese city received 21 gold bars with instructions: Fix your water pipes
The platypus is even weirder than we thought, scientists discover
Belgium's top chocolatiers showcase artistry in Easter egg exhibition
Blind Lego fan makes it possible for others with low vision to build Lego too

Others Also Read