HCM CITY — Near Thiếc Market in HCM City’s District 11 is the best place for those who want to try a cup of coffee served in a Chinese style.

The no-name coffee shop has been serving this distinctive brew for more than two decades.

It has no signboard and is just a steel pushcart with utensils, spoons, milk, tea pot, and other items on it. The cart is stationed near the house of the owner, Cường. Besides it are small plastic tables and chairs for customers.

For half a century now, drinking coffee during breakfast has been part of the HCM City culture. Among the variety of coffee styles in the city is the Chinese one: brewing in a clay pot. 

The Chinese brought this unique way of making coffee to HCM City, and later many Vietnamese started to adopt the style.

Although the stall is near the market, it feels peaceful sitting on the street, listening to some Chinese music wafting from a house and drinking a cup of coffee for VNĐ12,000 ($0.52). 

Visitors should also try the signature bread and breadstick dipped in coffee. This is a now a famous dish that has its origins in the economical breakfasts of the past of Chinese workers in Saigon.

The baguette is crunchy. You can tear off a small piece of crispy, warm bread or breadstick and dip it into hot milk coffee. The starch gives you energy to start a new day. —VNS