Top 4 most famous racket cafes in Saigon

1A few words about racket coffee – An ancient Saigon specialty

1.1 Origin of racket coffee

Racket coffee is a type of coffee that bears the mark of ancient Saigon. Its name comes from the unique brewing method, using a large racket to filter coffee through boiling water. According to Vietnamtravelio’s research, since around the 1950s, this drink followed the Chinese and was introduced to Saigon. As time passes, although the appearance of many different types of coffee has quickly dominated the market, racket coffee still exists as an indispensable cultural feature.

Raccoon coffee used to be a familiar drink for Saigon people in the 90s. They often visited sidewalk cafes, sat on plastic chairs, and enjoyed a hot cup of racquet coffee in the vibrant atmosphere of the city. city. It can be seen that racket coffee is the pride of Saigon, a symbol of an era. Even though time has passed, racket coffee still retains its appeal.

Today, many people still look for traditional racket cafes, or buy the ingredients and make their own at home. However, not everyone can make a perfect cup of coffee, rich and fragrant with the old taste. Most racket cafes today have quite modest areas and rustic spaces. The price for a cup of coffee will range from 12,000 VND – 16,000 VND so people can easily enjoy it every day.

1.2 Unique features in the way of preparing racket coffee

Racket coffee is a unique culture of Saigon people, loved for its rich, delicious flavor. Racket coffee is prepared using a cloth filter racket, which can be considered a variation of traditional filter coffee. However, racket coffee has its own differences and characteristics. To make racket coffee, you need pre-ground coffee powder or coffee beans if you have a grinder. In addition, you need to add boiling water, granulated sugar, a cloth filter about 25cm long, an earthen pot, wooden spoon and cup to hold the finished coffee.

Instead of using a filter or press, people will put the powder in a cloth bag and dip it in boiling water until all the essence is released, then filter out the residue and strain to get coffee. In shops that specialize in serving this drink, every step from roasting and grinding coffee, brewing it in a ceramic pot, and using a racquet to drain the water is done entirely by hand. That must be the reason why racket coffee has a special, irresistible flavor.

Racket coffee is a type of rustic coffee, simple but no less attractive. This drink gives the drinker a feeling of warmth, closeness and friendliness. Try it once and you will definitely not forget the taste of racket coffee.

2Top 4 famous racket cafes in Saigon

2.1 Cheo Leo Cafe?

Address: No. 109/36 Nguyen Thien Thuat, Ward 2, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City.

Opening hours: 06:00 – 18:00

Cheo Leo Cafe is a familiar address for coffee lovers in Ho Chi Minh City. The shop has a history of more than 80 years, and is one of the oldest racket cafes in the city. The shop maintains the traditional way of making racket coffee, using typical silver cups. This place is known as the oldest address serving racket coffee in Saigon. The profession of making coffee here has been passed down from father to son for three generations. Therefore, the traditional way of brewing coffee in a pot of medicinal herbs remains unchanged no matter how long it takes.

Nowadays, young people with the trend of looking for old-style cafes love to come to Cheo Leo to explore a very different corner of Saigon. Cheo Leo Cafe is not only a place to enjoy coffee but also a place to preserve old memories. This cafe retains the ancient, simple and close features of a family cafe. The restaurant space is spacious, airy, with many trees and decorative paintings. Although it doesn’t have a “cool” space like Jeju Coffee, Cheo Leo still attracts a large number of people to come and enjoy it every day. The price for a cup of coffee at Cheo Leo currently ranges from 15,000 – 25,000 VND.

2.2 Racket Coffee – A long-standing racket cafe in Phu Nhuan

Address: No. 330/2 Phan Dinh Phung Street, Ward 1, Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City.

Opening hours: 06:00 – 21:00

From a coffee cart traveling everywhere, Racket moved to a small alley on Phan Dinh Phung street and exists here to this day. During its 70 years of operation, this Phu Nhuan racket cafe sells day and night and rarely closes. According to regular guests, the taste of coffee here has not changed once even after all that time.

Stop at Racket Coffee, the humble, rustic and old space will make you feel extremely nostalgic. The restaurant is not only a familiar destination for local people but is also popular with young people or office workers, who often visit every morning or weekend.

2.3 Uncle Thanh’s racket coffee

Address: No. 480 Tan Phuoc Street, Ward 6, District 11, Ho Chi Minh City.

Opening hours: 06:00 – 21:00

Uncle Thanh’s racket coffee is one of the oldest and rare Chinese racket cafes still existing in Saigon. Temporarily away from the hustle and bustle out there, coming to Uncle Thanh’s racquet coffee, you will be completely immersed in the unique flavor of coffee here. Existing for more than half a century in Saigon, this racket cafe still maintains its simple, ancient Chinese architecture despite going through many ups and downs.

To be able to create unique cups of coffee, the shop uses wood stoves and terracotta stoves specialized for cooking traditional Chinese medicine. Uncle Thanh said that you only need to brew it hot with super soil for the coffee to taste delicious. When you take each sip, you will clearly feel each rich flavor melting right from the tip of your tongue all the way to your throat. Uncle Thanh, with more than half a century of coffee making skills, has served this delicious and attractive drink to many Chinese people living in Saigon. The preparation steps at Uncle Thanh’s racket cafe are completely handmade. Perhaps that is also the secret that helps racket coffee possess a delicious taste that captivates the hearts of anyone who has ever tried it.

Nowadays, this type of preparation is not too popular and not well known in magnificent Saigon, so most of the customers coming to the shop are middle-aged or elderly people. If you have the chance, don’t forget to try experiencing the special flavor of this type of coffee at least once. Surely, the taste of coffee at Uncle Thanh’s shop will make you feel surprised as if you were returning to the golden age of old Saigon.

2.4 Café Ba Lu

Address: No. 199B Phung Hung Street, Ward 14, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City

Opening hours: 06:00 – 16:00

The name Ba Lu racket cafe is certainly no longer unfamiliar to many people, especially those living around Cho Lon. The coffee flavor here is prepared with a secret Chinese recipe. The interesting point of Ba Lu racket coffee is that all preparation steps are done manually. Thanks to that, the taste of coffee here is completely different from that in filter coffee shops.

Ba Lu is a famous racket cafe in the Cho Lon area. Although it has been in operation for more than 60 years, up to now, the shop still maintains the same way of roasting and preparing coffee as in the first days of opening. The coffee here is roasted with wood, then a little butter and salt are added in heirloom proportions, so it has a distinct, rich flavor. The shop opens very early, from before the first market session at 2 am and sells until the end of the afternoon market session at around 5 pm every day. The space of the shop is also a bit small, surrounded by bustling shops, so it’s easy for you to enjoy coffee while watching the streets and crowded people passing by.

Besides enjoying attractive racquet coffee, visitors to this district 5 racquet coffee shop can also witness many interesting brewing stages. Ba Lu Restaurant not only serves delicious drinks but also helps people learn more about the unique beauty of coffee enjoying culture in Saigon.

It can be said that racket coffee is a drink associated with the culture and people of Saigon. Stopping in this magnificent city, don’t forget to take some time to enjoy a delicious cup of coffee that has captured the hearts of countless coffee connoisseurs. Vietnamtravelio travel guide firmly believes that the delicious and distinct flavor of this ancient coffee will make you flutter forever.