Hoi An: Vietnamese Coffee Making Workshop at Local Roastery

Coffee tells Vietnam’s story. At Trí Long Coffee, you do not just order a cup, you learn how four local styles come together. This small workshop mixes a short lesson on beans and roasting with hands-on brewing, then lets you sit down and enjoy the results.

I especially like the choice of two drinks from four styles and the friendly, patient instruction. The price is also fair at $16, since it includes two coffees, all ingredients, and the class. The one drawback is that the session can feel a little rushed when several groups are waiting, and you must choose only two recipes yourself.

The best part is how easy the recipes are to repeat at home. You do not need fancy equipment for the coconut, egg, or salt coffees, and one participant even received printed recipes along with a completion certificate. For a one-hour stop in Hoi An, this offers more than a caffeine break: you leave with a useful skill and a better grasp of Vietnam’s coffee customs.

Key points at a glance

• Make two coffees yourself: Choose from phin, egg, coconut, and salt coffee, then prepare both with step-by-step help.
• Meet at a central roastery: Trí Long Coffee is at 88 Phan Châu Trinh Street, an easy-to-find address in central Hoi An.
• Hear the bean-to-cup story: The opening lesson covers Vietnamese coffee culture, growing, roasting, brewing, and the origins of popular drinks.
• Expect a small, friendly class: Some sessions have been intimate enough for just two people, while small groups make questions easier.
• Take home practical know-how: The ingredients are simple to source, and the process does not require complicated equipment.
• Allow up to 75 minutes: The advertised duration is one hour, but the full session can run closer to an hour and a quarter or even 90 minutes.

Why this Hoi An coffee class is worth an hour

Hoi An has no shortage of cafés, but sitting with an iced coffee and learning to make one are two different pleasures. This workshop gives you a short, useful look at a daily Vietnamese habit without taking half a day from your sightseeing.

The format works because it keeps the lesson moving. You hear just enough about cultivation, roasting, and local coffee customs before getting to the part most people came for: handling the tools and making a drink. I like that balance. A long lecture would miss the point, while a class with no context would feel like following a recipe in a kitchen.

The class has earned a 4.8 rating from 174 reviews, with repeated praise for the instructors, clear directions, good coffee, and relaxed pace. Names that come up in individual feedback include Tee, Thi, Houng, and several friendly female instructors. The staff seem to be a major part of the appeal, especially for first-time coffee makers.

At $16 per person, the value is strong. You receive instruction, equipment, ingredients, and two drinks that you prepare yourself. You are not paying only for a tasting. You are paying for an activity that gives you something to repeat after Vietnam, which makes the cost easier to justify than another ordinary café visit.

Finding Trí Long Coffee on Phan Châu Trinh Street

The meeting point is Trí Long Coffee at 88 Phan Châu Trinh Street in central Hoi An. You should arrive five minutes early and look for the guide outside the coffee shop wearing a red hat.

This is a useful detail, since the venue also operates as a coffee shop and store. The red hat helps you identify the right person quickly, especially if the street is busy or you are arriving by taxi. If you use Grab or another taxi service, follow the provider’s directions carefully. One participant specifically noted that clear instructions helped with the ride to the address.

Hotel pickup is not included, so you need to make your own way there. The central location makes this manageable if you are already exploring Hoi An on foot. Bring comfortable shoes, water, sunscreen, and a hat. Smoking is not allowed during the activity.

The setting is a working roastery and café rather than a purpose-built cooking school. That gives the lesson a more local feel, though it also means the room may have other customers and café activity around you. One useful warning: the class can feel slightly compressed if another group is waiting for its turn.

The first 15 minutes: coffee culture and roasting

The class begins with a welcome and a short introduction of about five minutes. Your barista explains how the session will work and helps you settle in before the coffee story begins.

The next ten minutes cover Vietnamese coffee from bean to cup. You learn about where coffee is grown, how it is roasted, and how different methods change the final drink. The explanation also touches on the origins and cultural background of the four styles available in class.

This opening is brief, but it gives your drink some context. Phin coffee represents the slow, strong filter style many people associate with Vietnam. Egg coffee shows how a rich, sweet topping can turn a bitter brew into something closer to a dessert. Coconut coffee adds a cool, creamy element, while salt coffee uses a salty cream mixture to soften the coffee’s bitterness.

You may also hear about different beans and roasting methods. The staff explain and demonstrate parts of the roasting process, according to several participants, which helps you understand why Vietnamese coffee can taste so bold. The lesson is aimed at beginners, so you do not need to know anything about grind size, brewing ratios, or roast levels before arriving.

I would not expect an advanced coffee seminar. If you already roast beans or brew coffee at home, the information may feel introductory. For most people, though, especially first-time visitors to Vietnam, the short explanation adds useful meaning without slowing down the practical part.

Choosing two of the four Vietnamese coffee styles

After the introduction, you choose two drinks:

• Phin filter coffee
• Egg coffee
• Coconut coffee
• Salt coffee

This choice matters because two drinks are included for each person, not all four. If you are visiting as a couple or family, you can select different combinations and compare the results. One couple chose different drinks so they could learn all four recipes between them. A family of four made coconut and salt coffees, while another person chose coconut and phin.

Here is how I would think about the options:

Phin coffee is the most traditional choice. The small metal filter sits over the cup and lets the coffee drip slowly. Choose it if you want to understand the basic Vietnamese brewing method and prefer a strong, direct cup.

Egg coffee is the richest and most dessert-like option. It is a good pick if you enjoy sweet coffee or want to try a Hanoi-style specialty while in central Vietnam. You learn how the creamy egg mixture works with the coffee underneath.

Coconut coffee is refreshing and creamy, often served cold. It received especially warm praise from people who liked its sweet, cooling character. Choose it if you want something less intense than straight phin coffee.

Salt coffee may sound odd, but the salty cream can round off the coffee’s bitterness. It is the most unusual selection and a memorable choice if you want to try something you are unlikely to order by habit.

You can choose freely, but the selection also creates the workshop’s main limitation. You cannot make every style on your own in one session. If all four interest you, coordinate with the people in your group and compare recipes afterward.

The hands-on lesson: 25 to 30 minutes at the worktable

This is the heart of the class. Your instructor lays out the tools and ingredients, then walks you through both recipes one step at a time.

The process is built for beginners. You are shown what to add, how to prepare it, and how to assemble the drink. The instructors answer questions as you work, rather than leaving you to copy a demonstration from across the room. This makes a real difference with egg and salt coffee, where the texture of the topping matters as much as the ingredients.

You also get to see the practical side of Vietnamese coffee preparation. The workshop does not depend on complicated machinery or hard-to-find ingredients. One participant noted that the ingredients can be found around the world and that the recipes are realistic to recreate at home.

That home-use value is one of the strongest reasons to book. You are not simply watching a barista make a photogenic drink. You are learning a method you can try in your own kitchen, using tools that are not intimidating. Some participants received printed recipes, and others received a certificate at the end, although these extras are not listed among the formal inclusions, so I would treat them as possible additions rather than guaranteed parts of every session.

The instructors receive consistent praise for making the process comfortable. Tee was singled out as a strong host, while Thi was praised for clear English and kind instruction. Houng also helped make one session especially enjoyable. The staff appear to keep the tone informal and supportive, which is useful if you are worried about getting the recipe wrong.

Sitting down with the two coffees you made

Once both drinks are ready, you move from preparation to tasting. You have about ten to fifteen minutes to sit back, take photos, and drink the coffees in the café’s comfortable, music-filled setting.

This pause is important. The class would feel like a rushed demonstration if you had to leave as soon as the final ingredient went in. Instead, you get to compare the two drinks and decide which style suits you best. Coconut coffee often wins with people who prefer a cold, creamy drink, while egg coffee offers a more indulgent finish. Salt coffee tends to be remembered because it tastes different from the usual sweetened coffee.

The café setting adds a pleasant social element, but it is not completely private. Trí Long is both a shop and a coffee venue, so the room may have other activity nearby. One person found the class slightly hurried because another group was waiting. If you want a slow, quiet tasting with no pressure at all, this may not feel as leisurely as a private cooking lesson.

Still, the time is enough to enjoy both cups. You can ask follow-up questions about beans, roasts, or brewing while you drink. That final conversation can be more useful than the formal lesson because you can focus on the particular coffee you liked and ask how to make it again.

Group size, pace, and the small-class advantage

The class size can vary. Some bookings have been private or nearly private, with only two people attending a chosen time. Other sessions include several small groups.

A small group is the ideal arrangement here. You get more room to ask questions, and the instructor can watch your technique. One participant specifically recommended coming in a small group, while another family of four found the setup easy to follow.

The trade-off is that the workshop takes place inside an active coffee business. If several groups arrive together, you may have less personal space and a faster rhythm. The formal schedule adds up to about 60 to 75 minutes, but one person reported a total of 90 minutes. I would keep at least an hour and a quarter free, especially if you have a timed dinner, lantern activity, or train connection afterward.

The workshop is suitable for beginners and does not call for previous coffee-making experience. It can work for couples, families, and solo visitors. Children can take part when accompanied by adults, based on the family participation described, although no specific minimum age is provided.

Is $16 a fair price in Hoi An?

Yes, for most people. At $16, you get an English-speaking barista, a guided lesson, all coffee-making tools and ingredients, and two drinks you prepare yourself. The class also occupies only about one hour, so it fits neatly between other Hoi An plans.

The value is best if you care about learning, not just consuming. A regular café visit costs less, but it does not give you the background, the practical instruction, or the chance to make two different drinks. If you are traveling with someone who does not drink coffee, the price may be harder to justify, since the activity centers entirely on tasting and preparing coffee.

There is no hotel transportation, food, or extra drink included. You should also remember that buying beans or coffee products afterward is optional. A useful point from one booking is that there was no strong pressure to shop, so you can browse the roastery without treating the retail side as part of the cost.

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity and the reserve-now, pay-later option add flexibility. These policies are useful if your Hoi An schedule depends on weather or changing day trips, but the main value still comes from the class itself.

Who should book this coffee workshop?

I would recommend it to coffee fans, curious first-time visitors to Vietnam, couples who want a short shared activity, and families looking for something hands-on. It is also a good choice on a hot afternoon when you want a break from walking but do not want to spend several hours indoors.

It suits people who like practical souvenirs. You can take home the recipes, remember the proportions, and try the drinks for friends and family. The recipes use accessible ingredients, so this is more useful than a demonstration built around equipment you cannot buy later.

You may want to skip it if you dislike sweet coffee, cannot drink caffeine, or prefer a formal, quiet class. The venue is a café and shop, not a silent classroom, and the pace may quicken when groups are waiting. Also, if your main goal is to learn every available drink, two choices per person will not be enough unless your group divides the options.

Final verdict: book it if you want coffee with context

I would book this workshop if I had a free hour in Hoi An and wanted an activity that felt local, affordable, and easy to repeat at home. The instructors are the strongest part, the two-drink format keeps you involved, and the short coffee lesson gives each recipe a reason to matter.

Choose phin and one creative style if you want a traditional comparison. Choose coconut and salt if you want the most unusual tasting pair. If you are traveling with a partner, pick different drinks so you can cover more ground.

The class is not perfect. Timing can stretch, the café setting can feel busy, and you cannot make all four coffees individually. But for $16, it offers more substance than a standard tasting and enough guidance for a complete beginner to leave with two good drinks and a recipe worth trying again.

FAQ

Where does the Vietnamese coffee workshop take place?

The workshop takes place at Trí Long Coffee, 88 Phan Châu Trinh Street in central Hoi An.

How do I find the guide?

Arrive five minutes early and look for the guide outside the coffee shop wearing a red hat.

How long does the workshop last?

The planned duration is about one hour, but the full session may take 60 to 75 minutes. One reported session lasted around 90 minutes.

Which coffees can I make?

You can choose two of four styles: phin filter coffee, egg coffee, coconut coffee, or salt coffee.

Are the coffee tools and ingredients included?

Yes. The workshop includes the necessary coffee-making tools and ingredients, along with two cups of coffee that you prepare yourself.

Is the class suitable for beginners?

Yes. No previous coffee-making experience is required, and the instructor explains each step.

Is the workshop conducted in English?

Yes. The activity includes a live English-speaking guide.

Is transportation included?

No. Hotel pickup and transportation are not included, so you need to travel to Trí Long Coffee yourself.