Foreigners get hooked on Vietnamese coffee despite sleepless nights

Many people have jokingly shared on social media that a single cup of Vietnamese coffee kept them awake all night, some quipping that they would not sleep until 2030.

Others even “swore they would never drink it again,” only to find themselves reaching for another cup the next day because they were hooked on its flavor.

These humorous stories are helping fuel the buzz around Vietnamese coffee, sparking curiosity among international visitors and making them eager to try it for themselves.

“A productivity tool disguised as coffee”

On Threads, scores of travelers have shared their first experiences with Vietnamese coffee, expressing surprise at just how strong and caffeinated the drink is.

“I’m convinced Vietnamese coffee isn’t a drink, but a productivity tool disguised as coffee,” one commenter wrote, while another said it “isn’t nicknamed ‘rocket fuel’ for nothing!”

Another comment, from a traveler using the nickname just_melanin88, received more than 28,100 likes on Threads: “Whoever invented Vietnamese coffee was tired of people moving slow.”

Another Threads user recalled his first iced Vietnamese coffee and wondered why the glass was full of ice, with only about half a cup of coffee.

“I didn’t push it because the coffee was only VND25,000 (US$0.96),” he shared.

“The second time I ordered, I insisted on very light ice! Still annoyed at the half cup of coffee!”

“I was up 27 hours!” he concluded, adding the hashtag #neveragain.

“One of the finest things”

The jokes about its strength are one thing, but it is the flavor of Vietnamese coffee that truly has foreign visitors hooked.

“Just tried Vietnamese coffee for the first time,” matt_leyden wrote in a post. “Possibly one of the finest things that has passed over my tastebuds.”

“Vietnamese coffee is extreme. Extremely strong, extremely sweet and extremely satisfying,” came one reaction, while another insisted that “milk coffee with banh mi is the best in the morning.”

Amid the countless “bittersweet” and often hilarious stories shared by foreign visitors about their experiences with Vietnamese coffee, some Vietnamese social media users have stepped in to explain the mystery behind the “extremely strong, extremely sweet, extremely satisfying” drink.

“The secret is the Robusta coffee dark roasted bean,” mr.luutuong revealed. “It's about double the caffeine of Arabica beans. Strong and bitter, but add condensed milk and suddenly it all makes sense.”

Another chimed in with a recommendation: “You have to try our top-tier Fine Robusta beans.”

“Don’t drink it all in one go, we usually sip for hours,” someone else offered a tip.

‘Swearing off’ Vietnamese coffee, only to come back for more

Earlier this year, TikTok users in Vietnam had plenty of laughs over videos posted by a creator named Patrik Matiaska.

He shared a series of clips about Vietnamese coffee, including one that has racked up more than 1.3 million views.

“I’m never drinking Vietnamese coffee again. It’s 3 am, and I can’t fall asleep. I don’t know what to do,” he said in the video, which was captioned, “Will I ever learn?”

But just seconds later, the scene cut to the next day, when he was… drinking coffee again.

“Surprise! Surprise! I have to try it again. It’s so delicious. And this time I’m drinking it a little bit earlier, so I’m gonna sleep like a baby,” he said.

As it turned out, he was up until 3 am again, concluding that Vietnamese coffee “is not for the weak!”

Think that was the end of it? Not quite. The next day, Patrik gave Vietnamese coffee another shot.

“But this time is going to be different. I get everything prepared. I’m going to drink a lot of water. Nothing can happen,” he said.

That “nothing can happen” attempt kept him awake until… 4 am. 

The video ended with the TikToker sitting and taking in the nighttime seaside view after continuing to drink Vietnamese coffee during the day.

“Don’t worry. Just keep drinking it and you’ll get used to it,” Vietnamese viewers reassured him in the comments.

After spending some time in Vietnam, Patrik Matiaska seemed to have finally “conquered” Vietnamese coffee.

He even cheekily joked that Vietnamese coffee was one of the reasons people… should not come to Vietnam if they want to get some sleep.

“Have you tried salt coffee, or egg coffee? It tastes too delicious, you will have too much energy and you won’t be able to sleep,” he said in one video.