The coffee culture in Asia is a fast-growing art form with many different styles of coffee. As an Australian, when we think about coffee, one of the first thoughts that might come to mind is—so many choices! We have way too many choices. The options are endless. What type of milk would you like? How hot do you want it? Small, medium, large, or extra large—who’s ordering this? Decaf? Half-shot, iced, but hold the ice. You’ll be very surprised at how simple a coffee order can be in another country. So we’re going to show you where to find the best coffee in Asia!
Here we go; you’re flying over to Asia and think you’re going to wake up in a tropical paradise, and you order your oat milk, extra-hot double-shot decaf-caramel-latte, that’s a real order; no, it’s not ours. Instead, you wake up and are faced with the reality of a black coffee or a white coffee (for the most part). Depending on where you are in Southeast Asia, yes, there are some amazing coffees; you’ll just have to know what your preferred coffee is! Read on to find out which country in Southeast Asia, along the Banana Pancake Trail, has the best coffee and what you should order!
What is special about Thai coffee, a contender for Asia’s best?
Well known for its arabica coffee plantations in the north, Thailand has some of the best coffee in Southeast Asia. I’m sure you’ve heard of ‘Thai iced coffee’, and not just in Thailand. You’ll notice two popular milky drinks in Thailand, one being an orange-coloured sweet tea known as Thai milk tea and the other being Thai iced coffee, locally called Oliang [o-lee-ang]. You have to try both, but of course, only one is caffeinated. Hopefully, you like iced coffees because they’re quite popular in this part of the world, and it’s even better if you don’t have dairy allergies. If you like a cold brew or an iced long black, your go-to order will likely be an iced Americano in most of Thailand.
The key ingredients of a Thai iced coffee consist of: a shot of coffee, ice, condensed milk, and sugar. Some coffee carts and corner stores often don’t have a coffee machine and will substitute the shot of coffee for a strong powdered coffee, which usually contains milk powder as well. This does not discredit the taste of the Thai iced coffee but, in fact, makes it creamier if that’s your style.
Tip: A macchiato is not a macchiato in Thailand; you will get a large cup of coffee, hot or cold—you choose. If you can work out the difference between a regular iced coffee and a cold macchiato, we’d be impressed. It could have to do with chocolate or sugar ratios, but it is not measured on a milk-to-coffee ratio. You have been warned. Always ask if you’re unsure; the Thai’s are quite friendly and will try their best to understand what you mean if they don’t.
Cost: 70 THB | $2.30 USD | $3 AUD
Recommended: Oliang (creamy iced coffee)
Unveiling Laos coffee, could it be Asia’s best?
Despite its lack of farming land due to the war, Laos still produces some of the best Robusta-Arabica blends, roughly 30 thousand tonnes annually. Due to its higher elevation, coffee in Laos tends to be of sweeter and complex flavours still holding a high content of caffeine.
As there are cafe’s slowly emerging they are more targeted towards tourism, the locals are quite content with their instant packet coffee or home brewed coffee mixed with a drop of condensed milk. Although you may find some local carts that sell these simple coffee variations.
Lao coffee lingo:
- Ka Fe Yen: Iced coffee
- Ka Fe Dum: Black coffee
- Ka Fe Nam Nom: Coffee with milk
Similar to the coffees in Thailand, the cafes in Laos also lack milk variations; there was one cafe in the heart of Luang Prabang called Joma Bakery and Cafe that served almond milk and was worth the extra 20 cents if you’re missing dairy-free coffee that isn’t just black; all the coffees here tasted amazing. While you’re at Joma you should try their Coconut cake, or any of their bagels, which seem to be a trending baked good in most of the cafes in Laos. If you want to avoid cow’s milk in Laos, you’re best off opting for an iced Americano. If you don’t have dietary requirements, you should try both local market stalls and franchises make great coffee. At Amazon Cafe, you can find the sweetest range of flavoured coffees and western variants. But, is this the best coffee in Asia?
Cost: 7,000-14,000 LAK | $0.34-0.67 USD | $0.52-1.03 AUD
Recommended: Ka Fe Yen (Iced coffee) and Instant coffee sachet
Is Vietnamese coffee the best coffee in Asia?
We took a coffee roasting class at LaCaphe in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where we learned how coffee came to Vietnam and their local brewing methods. If you didn’t know it already, Vietnam is one of the largest coffee bean producers in the world—second in fact, right behind Brazil. The robusta bean contains a higher amount of caffeine than arabica, and the Vietnamese not only grow it well, but they also make killer-strong coffee. If you love a great brew, you’ll be happy you’re in Vietnam.
When in Hanoi, you definitely want to try North Vietnam’s famous egg coffee (Ca Phe Trung), you’ll be sad to miss out if you’re travelling down south. We visited three times during our trip to Hanoi; the best one is located at the family-run, Giang’s coffee. You can order any type of coffee here, hot or cold. We tried one each. The iced-cinnamon was a winner for Jacinta who highly recommends it if you like cinnamon, and of course, try the original hot egg coffee! To be honest, you could easily order two of these coffees, as they have a thick consistency that is similar to whipped creme brulee, not at all eggy like you’d think, and are small in size. You just might not feel hungry right after.
Cost: 25,000-40,000 VND | $1.03-1.63 USD | $1.60-2.50 AUD
Recommended when in Hanoi: Ca Phe Trung (egg coffee)
I’m sure you’ve also heard about Vietnamese iced coffee. While there are many variations, two of the most popular ones are: Ca Phe Sua Da [ka-fe-soo-da] served cold with ice and a bit of condensed milk at the bottom. Ca Phe Den Nong [ka-fe-den-non] is a hot black coffee. If you have trouble ordering, the staff at most places speak enough English to help you, and the menu usually has some English translation.
Cost: 12,000-30,000 VND | $0.50-1.63 USD | $0.77-2.50 AUD
Recommended in Ho Chi Minh: Ca Phe Sua Da (iced coffee with condensed milk)
Is Cambodian coffee strong?
Strong and bitter are the words that come to mind. If you’re in Cambodia, you’re likely to be in the sweltering heat and a hot coffee is likely off the cards. Travel is back, and Cambodia is improving their cafe culture with plenty of laptop-friendly cafes within Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. Another plastic-cup city in Asia, if you order a takeaway coffee, it would look something like a strong black coffee with some condensed milk, packed to the brim with ice and optional syrup in a takeaway plastic-sealed cup. A traditional brewing method called ‘sock coffee’ can be found here, said to extract more strength and flavour. While not using actual socks, it is a cotton cloth filter and metal ring used to slow brew the grinds, you will usually find on a street cart and sometimes offered as a specialty in trending cafes.
The basis for your orders will look like this:
- Kreay: Black coffee, without milk or sugar
- Kafe somtou: Coffee with milk
- Kafe somtou tror kong: Strong coffee with milk
- Kafe Kat Chhnear: Iced milk coffee
If you’re new to Robusta bean black coffee, it would be wise to take small sips and let the ice melt; this helps dilute the strength and is locally how it’s consumed. If you’re worried about ice, most cafes, restaurants, and even local market trolleys tend to purchase their ice bags from a shop, so its sanitary. If unsure, just ask and try to see if they are the ice cubes with a hole through them. In saying that, we didn’t always check, but we couldn’t recall ever feeling sick after a coffee.
Cambodia, being one of the most affordable countries in Southeast Asia won’t leave you without a caffeine hit, surprisingly for us, it had one of the best coffees in Asia, it also won’t set you back more than a couple of dollars no matter where you go.
Cost: 4,000-8,000 KHR | $1-2 USD | $1.50-3.00 AUD
Recommended: Kafe Kat Chhnear (iced milk coffee)
What is Singaporean Coffee?
Being one of the wealthier countries in Southeast Asia, you’re more likely to stumble upon a modern cafe around the city centre. These don’t differ too much from the usual coffee culture digs in the western world. Popular for their breakfast culture, you will come across a local Kopitam (coffee shop) serving traditional Singaporean coffee, called ‘Kopi [ko-peeh]’. Likely to be sustainably farmed and picked, made from robusta beans; which, as you know, are higher in caffeine. If you don’t mind a sweet short-black, then order the traditional Kopi. Kopi is usually brewed in the ‘hand-pulling’ method to achieve a smooth blend, before adding condensed milk.
Depending how you like your coffee, here are some local lingos:
- Kopi: Black with condensed milk
- Kopi-O: Black with sugar
- Kopi-O Kosong: Just black with no sugar
Whether you’re ordering from a cafe or a Kopitam, between the hours of 6am till 10:30am, you will usually see locals having their ‘Kaya toast set’ for breakfast. Served with Kopi the kaya has as similar taste to pandan – a must try. If you’re at a cafe, you will notice the difference in price but not so much in taste (in our opinion). So if you’re strapped for time, try the local market stalls or the outdoor Kopitams to get the full Singaporean experience.
Cost: SGD $1-6 | $0.73-4.40 USD | $1.20-7 AUD
Recommended: Ko Pi (black coffee with condensed milk)
So, where can you find the best coffee in Asia?
Asia’s coffee culture is a literal bitter-sweet blend of Robusta and Arabica beans compared to Western coffee. From Cambodian, to Lao, to Vietnamese coffee, or even Thai coffee; you will be amazed at the traditional and modern methods of brewing showcased around Asia. Not only are the beans and brew unique to Asia but also the many types of sweet iced coffees are never missed on an adventure through Southeast Asia. The best coffee is truly based on how you enjoy your coffee, as you often find a favourite taste in each country. In our opinion Vietnam’s coffee culture had our favourite range of coffees, but honestly they are all worth trying out. We think, a strong Robusta black brew is the foundation of what makes a true Asian coffee.
Read on here if your interested to learn about the best southeast asia travel tips
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