Fun & Easy Vietnamese Coffee Workshop in Hồ Chí Minh City

Vietnamese coffee is more than a strong brew poured over ice. At this hands-on workshop, you make three drinks yourself: Bạc Xỉu, Cà Phê Muối, and Phin Con Panna, a modern combination of coffee, yogurt, and raw coffee blossom honey. The class gives you a practical way to taste how Vietnam’s coffee culture moves from familiar classics to new ideas.

I like that you make each drink with your own hands, rather than simply watching a demonstration, and that the lesson connects brewing to coffee’s place in Vietnamese life. One consideration: the drinks include dairy, so this is not recommended if you’re vegan or lactose intolerant.

• Three recipes, three styles: Make Bạc Xỉu, Cà Phê Muối, and the yogurt-based Phin Con Panna.
• Learn the phin: Practice using the traditional Vietnamese filter and get clear instructions as you go.
• A 90-minute session: A compact activity that fits easily into a day in Ho Chi Minh City.
• Coffee, tea, and snacks included: You can taste your creations without paying extra for the listed refreshments.
• Small-group scale: The class is capped at 18 people, with morning and afternoon options.
• A central District 1 address: Meet upstairs at Lacàph Coffee Experiences Space, 220 Nguyễn Công Trứ.

Three Vietnamese coffees, made by you

This workshop is a good fit if you enjoy coffee but want more than another café stop. In about an hour and a half, you learn how to make three Vietnamese drinks, hear about their origins, and drink what you prepare. The emphasis is on doing: you handle the brewing, follow the steps, and see how a phin filter shapes the cup.

The three recipes offer a useful range. Bạc Xỉu is the classic white coffee on the menu, Cà Phê Muối brings salt into the mix, and Phin Con Panna looks toward newer combinations, pairing yogurt with Lacàph Raw Coffee Blossom Honey. The workshop is not just a tasting flight. You get to notice how different additions change the coffee and, if you want to recreate the drinks later, leave with a method to follow.

The session takes place at Lacàph Coffee Experiences Space in District 1. It lasts about 90 minutes, has a maximum group size of 18, and runs in the morning and afternoon. That length makes it a manageable city activity, including on a rainy day, without taking over your schedule.

Start upstairs at Lacàph

The meeting point is Lacàph Coffee Experiences Space, upstairs at 220 Nguyễn Công Trứ, in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 1. The workshop ends back at the same place, so you don’t need to plan transport between separate stops. The address is near public transportation, though the entrance can be easy to miss. Check the building carefully and look upstairs rather than assuming the class is at street level.

The space is part of the experience. It’s described as a modern, stylish setting, with the café on the second floor and the workshop area on the third. The room gives the class a dedicated feel, rather than making you compete with the ordinary churn of a café. Once you’re there, the focus is on coffee and instruction.

The group can include up to 18 people. That’s large enough to make the class social, but still small enough for hands-on practice to be central. If you’re travelling solo, this is an easy activity to join without needing a companion. Couples can make it a shared project, and even a non-coffee-drinking partner may enjoy the process and cultural context, though the finished drinks are the main attraction.

Learn the phin before the recipes

The phin is the traditional Vietnamese coffee filter at the heart of the workshop. Rather than simply being handed a drink, you practice using the equipment and follow the brewing steps yourself. That practical lesson is the workshop’s strongest reason to book: you learn a technique you can repeat at home, not just the names of three drinks.

The instruction is designed to be clear and hands-on. Instructors who have led sessions include Quan, Noah, Julia, Vi, Siu, Giao, Kieu, Joey, Tram Anh, and Sierra. The instructor for your session may differ, but the classes are described as patient and engaging, with clear demonstrations and room for questions. Some sessions have also used a presentation to explain coffee and its background.

Pay attention to the small decisions in each recipe. The point is to understand how the phin works and how ingredients shape the finished drink, rather than memorizing a list of steps. If you already know your way around coffee, the Vietnamese method and combinations give you something new to compare with your usual routine. If you’re a beginner, the guided format means you don’t need to arrive with any brewing experience.

Taste Bạc Xỉu and Cà Phê Muối

The first two drinks introduce contrasting sides of Vietnamese coffee. Bạc Xỉu is the traditional white coffee in the workshop’s lineup. Cà Phê Muối, or salt coffee, offers a less expected variation. You make both during the session, then taste what you’ve prepared.

This is where the class moves beyond a standard coffee tasting. Brewing the drinks yourself helps you see how a familiar base can lead to distinct results when the recipe changes. It also gives you a better sense of what you might want to order at a café around town, and what you could try making at home.

All coffee, tea, and snacks are included. The drinks themselves are likely to be sweet and substantial enough to feel like an afternoon treat, so keep that in mind if you’re planning another coffee stop or a meal immediately afterward. The listing doesn’t specify the exact size or strength of each serving, so don’t count on this being a full meal.

Try the yogurt-and-honey Phin Con Panna

The third recipe is Phin Con Panna, Lacàph’s own take on where Vietnamese coffee might go next. It combines yogurt with Lacàph Raw Coffee Blossom Honey, making it noticeably different from the two more traditional drinks. If you like trying unusual combinations, this is the part most likely to stay in your memory.

The contrast is part of the lesson. After making the familiar Bạc Xỉu and the salt coffee, you get to see how coffee can work in a more experimental recipe. You don’t have to prefer every drink for the workshop to be worthwhile. The comparison is useful in itself, especially if you’re curious about how local ingredients and newer ideas can shape a coffee menu.

There is a real dietary caveat here. The workshop is not recommended for vegan visitors or people with lactose intolerance, and at least one of its signature recipes includes yogurt. If dairy is an issue for you, contact the provider before booking rather than assuming substitutions will be available.

Take the method home, not just the memory

One of the practical benefits is that the lesson can change what you do after class. You’ll have practiced with a phin and learned three recipes, so you can decide whether you want to make Vietnamese coffee part of your home routine. Some participants have bought coffee and a phin after the workshop, and the equipment and coffee have been described as reasonably priced. That doesn’t mean you need to buy anything to get value from the class.

You may also receive recipes and a certificate of completion. These have been part of some sessions, but they aren’t listed as guaranteed inclusions, so ask your instructor if having the recipes is important to you. The key takeaway is the hands-on practice: you leave with more than a tasting note if you’ve followed the brewing steps closely.

The workshop’s price is $23.35 per person. For that, you get an approximately 90-minute class, instruction in three drinks, and coffee, tea, and snacks. The value is strongest if you’ll use the brewing method again or want a richer understanding of Vietnamese coffee culture. If you only want a quick cup, a café will cost less and take less time. This class charges for instruction and participation, not just for the drinks.

Fit it into a District 1 day

Morning and afternoon sessions give you some choice in how to arrange your day. Because the activity is based at one address and ends where it begins, it doesn’t require a transfer or a half-day commitment. It can also work as a rainy-weather plan, since the main activity is indoors.

The class is suitable for coffee fans, curious beginners, and solo visitors looking for a guided activity. It’s also a good option for a couple or small group with mixed levels of coffee interest, as the process and cultural explanation add something beyond the taste. On the other hand, if you don’t drink coffee, avoid dairy, or mainly want a broad city tour, this is a narrow activity and may not suit your plans.

Book with the venue location in mind. The entrance can be easy to overlook, and the workshop is upstairs, so give yourself enough time to find the right floor. The experience is mobile-ticketed, and confirmation is provided at booking. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time; within 24 hours, the amount paid is not refunded.

Should you book the Lacàph workshop?

Book it if you want to learn a repeatable skill, taste three distinct Vietnamese coffee recipes, and spend about 90 minutes on a focused local food experience. The phin practice, clear instruction, and mix of classic and experimental drinks make it more useful than a simple tasting. At $23.35, it’s fair value if you’re interested in the craft and expect to use what you learn.

Skip it if dairy is a concern, you don’t enjoy coffee, or you’d rather spend your time exploring the city than sitting down for a workshop. If you’re on the fence, ask yourself one simple question: would you enjoy making these drinks again at home? If yes, the class gives you a practical start. If not, order a Vietnamese coffee at a café and save the hour and a half for something else.

FAQ

How long is the workshop?

It lasts approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.

What drinks will I make?

You’ll make Bạc Xỉu, Cà Phê Muối, and Phin Con Panna, a coffee made with yogurt and Lacàph Raw Coffee Blossom Honey.

What is included in the price?

Coffee, tea, and snacks are included, along with the workshop.

Where does the workshop meet?

It meets upstairs at Lacàph Coffee Experiences Space, 220 Nguyễn Công Trứ, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. The activity ends at the same location.

Are morning and afternoon sessions available?

Yes. You can choose a morning or afternoon tour.

Is the workshop suitable for vegan visitors or people with lactose intolerance?

It is not recommended for vegan visitors or people with lactose intolerance.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the experience for a full refund. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the start time are not refunded.