Saigon Cafe Catalog

This article from Nomadic Notes inspired my trip to Saigon. I was so excited to experience this crazy city and its awesome café culture.

I'm happy to say that I found a few gems in the city that were not on the Nomadic Notes list (I would feel lame anyway if I literally just visited the exact same cafes). I did also stop by some on the list but they didn’t look cool enough to try.

Here is my 2015 version of the  great cafes in Saigon. This list is small because I was so happy with the cafes I found, I didn’t want to try any others!

Tous Les Jous

I visited this café every single day. Though it is an international chain, I grew a special attachment to the branch in Binh Thanh district.  It was a five minute walk from my apartment, had excellent lattes and Vietnamese coffee, pastries, comfortable seating, and wifi. I loved this café so much I didn’t want to go anywhere else, but I did force myself to explore District 1 from time to time. 

id café

This was the first café I tried out in District 1. True to form, it is trendy and dark, up a narrow staircase, and located on the second floor of an inconspicuous building. Wifi and drinks were good, but the food could have been better. It was worth a visit but I did not return. 

L'Usine

I visited L’Usine twice. Their food menu is overpriced, but they have amazing cupcakes and a great flat white. During the day, the restaurant is illuminated by sunlight, and I work well in natural light. This place is very hard to find, but I will leave some good directions. First, pin it on Google Maps. Get to that pin. You will see an Art Arcade (long hallway). Walk down the hallway, when it dead ends, turn right. Go up a flight of stairs to the second floor. You have arrived at L’Usine. 

Effoc coffee

I found this place while on the way to La Rotande. It appeared new and still in the process of being decorated. Cheap drinks and a perfectly suitable place to do some work for a few hours. 

La Rotande

I recommend La Rotande even if you are not interested in working from cafes. The atmosphere and abundant sunlight make a serene afternoon trip, whether for drinks or lunch.  I order the do-it-yourself spring rolls, and they were amazing.