Gezouten koffie

Salted coffee is the newest star of Vietnam's inventive coffee scene, originating in the former imperial capital of Hue before spreading rapidly across the country. The drink layers strong Vietnamese phin coffee with condensed milk and tops it with a salted cream foam, sometimes made with fermented milk or fresh cream. The salt does not make the drink taste salty; instead, it performs the same culinary trick as salted caramel - suppressing bitterness and amplifying sweetness and complexity. The result is a remarkably smooth, rounded coffee experience that has won over even die-hard traditionalists. Salted coffee hit the international spotlight in 2023 when it was featured on several global 'best coffee' lists and has since become a must-try for visitors to Hue and beyond.

Regio: Hue, Central Vietnam

Salted coffee is credited to the cafe chain Ca Phe Muoi in Hue, which began serving the drink around 2014. The creator reportedly drew inspiration from Hue's coastal location and its culinary tradition of balancing flavors through salt, fermented ingredients, and complex layering. Hue cuisine is known throughout Vietnam for its sophisticated flavor profiles, and salted coffee fits perfectly into this tradition. The drink remained a Hue specialty for several years before gaining nationwide popularity around 2022-2023, when Vietnamese social media food influencers brought it to widespread attention. Today, major chains like Highlands Coffee and Phuc Long have added their own salted coffee versions to menus nationwide.

The base is classic Vietnamese coffee brewed through a phin filter using dark-roast Robusta beans. A layer of sweetened condensed milk sits at the bottom of the glass. The salted cream topping is the signature element, typically made by whipping fresh cream or condensed milk with a small amount of fine salt (some versions use fermented milk or a butter-cream base). The cream is whipped until thick and fluffy, then spooned or poured on top of the coffee. The drink can be served hot or iced. Some variations incorporate salted cheese cream, similar to the cheese tea trend. The ideal ratio produces a drink where each sip delivers coffee bitterness, milk sweetness, and a subtle savory finish from the salt.

Salted coffee represents the dynamic, ever-evolving nature of Vietnamese coffee culture. While ca phe sua da and egg coffee have decades of history, salted coffee shows that Vietnamese baristas continue to innovate and create new classics. Its origin in Hue is fitting - the former imperial capital has always been Vietnam's most culinarily creative city, known for complex flavor combinations that other regions rarely attempt. The drink's rapid spread across Vietnam also reflects how social media has accelerated food trends in the country. What once might have remained a regional specialty for decades can now go viral in weeks. Salted coffee has even begun appearing in specialty cafes in Bangkok, Seoul, and Tokyo, positioning it as Vietnam's next coffee export to the world.