Best Cafés in Hue, Vietnam 2025: Where to Sip, Chill & Get Local Vibes
When I first arrived in Hue, I expected to see palaces, temples, and have some royal cuisine.
But it was the café culture that surprised me in exciting ways: quiet gardens, retro houses, and stylish coffee shops where locals were happily spending hours with friends, or working on their computers.
Top Cafes in Hue to Visit
1. The Coffee House beside the Huong River
If you want to sip while you look over the river, this café has to be on your list. Sitting there with an iced Vietnamese coffee and watching boats drift down the Huong River is pure magic. I loved visiting later in the day, around sunset.
📍No. 7 Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, Hue
Best for: Evening chill, riverside tourist vibes, observing daily life flow by.
2. Roots Plant-Based Café
A hidden gem for vegetarians and health-conscious travelers. The café specializes in smoothie bowls, they offer kombucha, and they use locally sourced coffee. I am a traveler who, on occasion, craves lighter food;
📍 12 Nguyen Cong Tru Street, Hue
Best for: Vegans, digital nomads, and healthy eats.
3. Tinh Tam Garden Café
This café has a lotus pond inside a traditional Hue-style house. It felt like I was part of culture and history at once. The local cafe scene is slow, and I felt like I got a nice little retreat from the crazy street action.
📍 112 Dang Thai Than Street, Hue
Best for: experiencing Hue's slow rhythm, traditional vibe.
4. Gạo Café & Bakery
A cool yet cozy cafe that brings the experience of modern coffee and Vietnamese creative elements at the same time. I thought the bakery items were quite good with my cappuccino.
📍 94 Le Loi Street, Hue
Best for: young vibe, bakery options, casual meetups.
Roots Plant-Based Café is also a popular stop for many travelers on a Hue city Full Day Tour from Hoi An & Danang, since it fits perfectly between sightseeing and relaxing.
5. Play Café Hue
If you are traveling with friends or want something to do to have fun while drinking coffee, this café has board games, books, and a colorful vibe. It rained in on a Sunday afternoon, and I really enjoyed being in the local student scene.
📍 57 Le Loi Street, Hue
Best for: rainy days, fun group meetup.
6. De Rella CaféHue
Talk about chic! This café was fresh and had a combination of European minimalism and coziness. The design is for Instagram shots, but the coffee is strong….you get that alertness! I found this a great place to get my morning coffee before visiting Hue's Imperial City.
📍 11 Nguyen Cong Tru Street, Hue
Best for: instagrammable shots, stylish travellers, morning coffee.
7. Laph Café
Tucked away on a quiet street, Laph Café is a local favorite. I found the atmosphere to be really casual, having indie music played with strong coffee - it was the perfect way to experience the "Hue student lifestyle." The staff were also super nice!
📍 4 Pham Hong Thai Street, Hue
Best for: creative backpackers, independent music lovers.
8. Momi Coffee & Tea
If you are a beverage person, Momi is a must - the house teas and fruity mixtures are favourites among the younger local crowd; plus, it has a fun vibe, and it was the first place I felt Hue's modern café scene switch into pretty daylight!
📍 17 Tran Cao Van Street, Hue
Best for: fun beverages, tea drinkers, fun vibe.
9. Hillside Coffee
Hillside Coffee is up above the city and has stunning views of Hue. I dropped by later in the afternoon, and it was a bit magical watching the sunset behind the Huong River and into the distant hills. A breezy café, lots of outdoor seating, just begs to be lolligagged in.
📍 Kiệt 27 Le Ngo Cat Street, Hue
Best for: sunset views, panoramic photos, uninterrupted conversation in the breeze.
What Kinds of coffee to Try in Hue
Hue cafés have a common offer of cà phê sữa đá, iced coffee with condensed milk, or cà phê đen đá, strong black coffee, but if you are looking for something unexpected, I would recommend you try salt coffee (cà phê muối).
The first sip was strange, but by the second, I couldn't get enough.
Tips for flexible café hopping in Hue
Timing: Relax to enjoy sunsets at riverside cafés, slow mornings at the garden cafés when the weather is cooler.
Then, take cash: not all smaller cafés take cards.
Lastly, Slow down: Hue is not a city that demands fast living, order slow, sip slow, feel.
FAQ
Is salt coffee only in Hue?
Salt coffee is native to Hue, but may be popping up in other cities as well now.
But the real taste lives in Hue.
Can you work in a café in Hue?
Yes, there are several cafés in the city centre that have wifi and are laptop-friendly.
How much is coffee?
Most drinks cost between 25,000-50,000 VND (1-2 USD).
Final thought: Hue, without the monument.
Hue cafés are more than coffee – they reflect the city’s lifestyle. To truly feel this blend of tradition and modern vibes, consider our Hue city Full Day Private Tour from Hoi An & Danang for the complete experience.
