How to Make the Perfect Vietnamese Iced Coffee

In Vietnam, the second largest exporter of coffee beans, simultaneously watching your ca phe (sounds like café) drip while watching the world go by is an important morning ritual.

1. Add about 7 grams of ground coffee to the Phin filter cup. The grounds should be more coursely ground than a finer espresso ground. Tap the cup gently to settle them. Set aside a tall glass full of ice and a shot glass of condensed milk. Note: Never pour the condensed milk into the glass of ice before the coffee, as you won’t be able to mix it!

2. Place the filter press inside the filter cup and twist to tighten, but not too much, to flatten the grounds.

3. Place the Phin filter on top of a rocks glass, with the holding tray underneath; it’s full of tiny holes that allow the coffee to filter through. Pour a tiny amount of hot water (not boiling) inside the filter to moisten and expand the grounds. Wait 20 seconds. Don’t skip this step or the water will drip too fast.

4. Fill the filter cup with hot water and put the cap or lid on top to hold in the heat. Now sit back and enjoy watching the coffee filter, drop by drop. This should take about 10 minutes. The slower the better is the key to a good strong Vietnamese coffee.

5. Remove the filter from the glass, place the cap underneath the filter to prevent coffee drips onto the table. Pour the shot of condensed milk into the coffee and stir to mix. Add the coffee to the tall glass of ice. Enjoy!

TIP: The coffee can also be served black (without the condensed milk) in both its hot and iced forms. Though coffees with condensed milk are especially tasty with nuts, chocolate, or whipped cream garnish.

Where to go for Vietnamese iced coffee in Prague: