Avocado coffee: A new drink that captivates foreign visitors in Vietnam

The hesitation often comes from the fact that, for many foreigners, avocado is typically used in savory dishes rather than sweet treats. 

Unlike in Vietnam, where the fruit is commonly blended into creamy smoothies or mashed with condensed milk, the idea of enjoying avocado as a dessert can be surprising.

Avocado coffee: a surprise in the best way

Klaudia Głód, a Polish traveler who has been living in Da Nang for several months and runs the YouTube channel Nomadic Klaudia about her life in Vietnam, told Tuoi Tre News that she only drank Arabica coffee in Europe.

So when she first tried traditional black Vietnamese coffee, it felt too intense and she did not enjoy it right away.

But then she started experimenting with different varieties of Vietnamese coffee, and that was when she really discovered how unique and creative it can be.

“I tried salted coffee, egg coffee, avocado coffee, and coconut coffee. Out of all of these, my favorite so far has been avocado coffee,” she said.

“I’ve always loved avocado, but I never imagined it could be blended into coffee and turn into something that feels almost like a dessert.

“Before coming to Vietnam, I had never even heard of avocado coffee, so it was a complete surprise for me in the best way.”

The Polish traveler said she first learned about avocado coffee on social media, through YouTube videos by fellow travelers who recommended it as a must-try Vietnamese specialty.

“The taste really surprised me,” she recalled.

“It reminded me of the avocado ice cream dessert I enjoyed before, but with a stronger kick because of the robusta coffee at the bottom,” she added. 

"For me, it felt like a sweet, creamy dessert balanced with a bold coffee flavor.

“If you love avocado, you will definitely enjoy this drink, because it combines the freshness of the fruit with the intensity of Vietnamese coffee in a very unique way.”

When Głód shared a video of the drink on her TikTok channel @nomadicklaudia, she received plenty of positive feedback.

In her opinion, avocado coffee definitely has the potential to become as popular as egg coffee or ca phe sua da (Vietnamese coffee mixed with sweetened condensed milk), especially among tourists.

“First of all, it’s such a visually striking drink — a beautiful green color in the glass, sometimes topped with avocado slices, with the contrast of strong coffee at the bottom,” she explained.

Beyond its appearance, the taste and the whole experience make it special, the tourist added.

“Drinking avocado coffee feels like a ‘once in a lifetime’ moment — something unique you associate with Vietnam,” she said.

“I don’t necessarily see it becoming part of the daily routine for locals, since it’s more like a dessert coffee, but for travelers, it has everything it takes to be iconic: it’s unusual, delicious, and memorable.”

According to Tuoi Tre News’ findings, avocado coffee is not exclusive to Vietnam, as countries like Indonesia, where avocado is often used in sweet dishes, also have similar variations.

Still, thanks to the reputation of Vietnamese coffee culture, the drink has become a word-of-mouth favorite among travelers, adding a fresh flavor to their coffee experience in Vietnam.

“Just like visitors are told they must try egg coffee when they come here, I think avocado coffee could become another ‘signature experience’ for tourists,” Głód said.

According to her, Vietnamese coffee has been a journey of discovery.

“While I usually drink black Americano without sugar or milk on a daily basis, these creative versions feel like treats I can enjoy from time to time,” she said. 

"It’s one of the things I love about Vietnam — the coffee culture is so rich and full of surprises.”

'Vietnam has some of the best coffee I’ve tried!'

Searching TikTok with the phrase 'avocado coffee Vietnam' brings up several videos of foreign visitors sharing their experiences with the drink, many of which attract numerous likes and comments.

Among them is Caleb Wallis, a 21-year-old Canadian travel blogger who runs the TikTok channel @journeywithcaleb.

He came across the drink while traveling in Vietnam and was curious to try it, thinking it would be something unique.

It tasted like an avocado smoothie, very creamy and the sweetness added complimented it nicely, complete with a rich coffee flavor, he described his experience to Tuoi Tre News.

Besides avocado coffee, he also tried another 'unusual' drink — banana coffee.

“Both are like a smoothie almost, the sweetness mixed with avocado and the creaminess that was offered, with deep flavour of coffee, was very unique,” he said.

“I quite enjoyed it to be honest, definitely something you should try when you are in Vietnam!”

In the comments under avocado coffee videos online, many expressed their excitement about the unique flavor combination.

Some even suggested that foreign visitors try sapodilla coffee, a drink familiar to many Vietnamese at smoothie stalls.

However, Wallis noted that while smoothie-style coffees can be fun to try, they are unlikely to rival Vietnam’s more famous varieties.

“Vietnam has some of the best coffee I’ve tried!” he said.

“Their salted coffee is smooth, creamy, moderately sweet, and the salt just pulls it all together!

“I’ve tried their milk coffee, which is another great one, and even a black coffee, it almost has a bit of a smoky tiramisu flavor to it.

“Coconut coffee is in a league of its own, and lastly, the egg coffee is another must-try. 

"It’s almost like a delicacy, more of a dessert than a coffee, and it does taste good!”