First published June 2024 | Words and photos by Joshua Zukas
Joshua is a contributing writer for Vietnam Coracle. A freelancer whose body of work focuses primarily on travel & architecture, Joshua covers Vietnam regularly for Lonely Planet, Michelin Guide, Insider, Ink Global & many of Asia’s top inflight magazines. He also writes intermittently for publications such as The Economist, Wallpaper & Interior Design Magazine. He holds an MSc in sustainable tourism….read more about Joshua
The northernmost major settlement on the Hà Giang Loop, Đồng Văn is an ancient market town with an exciting (and unexpected) cafe scene. Despite its skyrocketing popularity, Hà Giang Province remains a far-flung, intrepid and somewhat obscure corner of Vietnam. Towns here offer little in the way of cafes, bars and restaurants – and that is part of the province’s appeal. Still, after days spent settling for late-night instant noodles and battling the elements clinging to a motorbike, Đồng Văn is an oasis of choice. In this town, conveniently positioned about halfway around the Hà Giang Loop, homesick urbanites can tuck into vegan feasts, hearty hotpots and even passable pizza and pasta. But, most impressive of all, is Đồng Văn’s surprising selection of cafes that surpasses even Hà Giang City, the province’s capital and a much larger settlement.
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DONG VAN CAFES
Coffee Culture in an Ancient Market Town on the Hà Giang Loop
While on an extended research trip for several Hà Giang guides for this website, I spent a lot of time working in Đồng Văn and got to sample a dozen cafes in the town. In this guide, I have selected the three coffee shops I liked the most. They all offer something special, whether that’s friendly service, a hip atmosphere or a historic setting. Click from the contents below for details and see Related Guides for similar posts.
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MAP:
Cafes | Đồng Văn, Hà Giang
Cà Phê Phố Cổ:
(The Heritage Café)
Address: 2 Nguyễn Trãi [MAP]
Inhabiting Đồng Văn’s most photogenic heritage house, Cà Phê Phố Cổ (Old Town Coffee) is tucked away on the corner of the market square. Seating in the cavernous interiors is across two high-ceilinged floors that encircle an attractive stone courtyard. This square courtyard is the best place to study the wooden beams, pillars and interior balconies that help support the roof. The staff claim that the house was built over a century ago and that this is one of the oldest buildings in Đồng Văn, which is probably true though I couldn’t find verification. I can’t be sure, but I suspect that much of the wood was replaced recently given the state of repair. The interiors are impressive, but the huge outside terrace is the best place to sit and absorb the atmosphere of the town, especially if there’s something happening in the market square. Kick back here and it might almost feel like you’re in some baroque Catalonian village.
You may not find any vermouth, but the cocktails are decent and strong according to the table sitting next to me. The Vietnamese coffee is okay and the juices are good. Cà Phê Phố Cổ has one of the larger menus in Đồng Văn: you’ll also find beer, smoothies, yoghurt and ice cream. Impromptu music events happen here on a makeshift stage in the central courtyard, usually arranged by large groups of Vietnamese tourists travelling with an entertainer, but anyone can join.
Phiên Coffee:
(The Hippest Café)
Address: 11 Phố Cổ [MAP]
If you’d like a glimpse of how tourism might transform Đồng Văn over the coming years, head to Phiên Coffee, which feels like a hipster cafe in Hội An or the Hanoi Old Quarter. Set over two floors that offer views out towards the market square, Phiên is one of the more attractive buildings on this row of heritage houses, though I’m not convinced that the building is actually old (I asked the staff, but they didn’t know). The exposed brickwork, yang tiles and wooden beams combine to craft a rustic, romantic aesthetic, and inside you’ll find cushion cases sporting H’mong designs and subsidy phase-era furniture, including comfortable loungers made from wood.
Along with good Vietnamese coffee, Phiên serves imported wine and locally made Thơm craft beer. The best place to enjoy these luxury delights is from the balcony on the upper floor. From here you can look over the happenings of the market square, which regularly hosts evening activities like night markets, games and synchronised dance groups. If these activities aren’t too loud (they usually are) you’ll be able to tune into Phiên’s apt playlist of retro classics.
H’mong Coffee:
(The Friendliest Café)
Address: 10 Đường QL4C [MAP]
Run by a group of cheery H’mong friends, H’mong Coffee & Homestay is one of the most welcoming accommodations in town (even though it’s clearly a hotel and not a homestay). It’s also one of the friendliest places to grab a coffee. The team is young and speak basic English, which they are keen to practise if you’re willing to chat. The Vietnamese coffee is fine, though perhaps more bitter than it should be, but they’ll also attempt Western coffee (which I didn’t try), juices (which I did try, and are also fine) and smoothies.
This café is especially pleasant in the morning on a sunny day, when the handful of lemon-yellow tables on the pavement catch the light. Inside there’s a mural depicting idealized scenes of H’mong life set in fields beneath the Lũng Cú Flag Tower (Vietnam’s ‘North Pole’). The atmosphere here is reminiscent of a backpacker café from the 2000s, and is somehow already starting to feel a little retro and nostalgic. H’mong Coffee is also one of the best places in town to do some work. You can spread your belongings out on the sturdy wooden tables and there are a handful of plug sockets scattered around the room.
*Disclosure: Vietnam Coracle content is always free and independent. Joshua has written this guide because he wants to: he likes these cafes and he wants readers to know about them. For more details, see the Disclosure & Disclaimer statements and my About Page
