13 hours ago
Vietnam's war-themed coffee chain: Where hipsters meet Vietcong
Cong Caphe is a large Vietnamese café chain. Its trademark is a khaki-green exterior and waiters and waitresses in Viet Cong outfits. — Photos: Carola Frentzen/dpa
Vietnam knows its coffee. After all this country has its own national coffee style, a drip coffee served with condensed milk, beloved around the world.
It's also the world's second largest producer of beans behind Brazil - and globally known for its robusta beans.
One coffee chain combines the country's love of caffeine with the other thing it is internationally associated with - the Vietnam War.
Cong Caphe is a large Vietnamese café chain. Its trademark is a khaki-green exterior and waiters and waitresses in Viet Cong outfits. — Photo: Carola Frentzen/dpa
Founded some 20 years ago, the Cong Caphe chain serves you coffee by baristas clad in military-green uniforms in cafes that might make you feel like you've sought shelter at a bunker (albeit a very stylish bunker with a great interior decorator).
The chain that has since expanded beyond the country's borders, running over 100 cafes, including in South Korea, Canada, Malaysia and Taiwan. A French branch is set to open soon.
Dark-green walls adorned with camouflage helmets and war-time photographs are complimented by rusty wooden furniture, with other memorabilia displayed like in a museum.
Cong Caphe is a large Vietnamese café chain. Its trademark is a khaki-green exterior and waiters and waitresses in Viet Cong outfits. Photo: Carola Frentzen/dpa
"With our attire, we want to honour the soldiers of that time who fought for our country," says employee Duc Anh Lee, adjusting his dark green military cap.
Young people and digital nomads crowd around the counter to place their orders. Vietnam is a young country: like most of his compatriots, Duc was born after the Vietnam War fought from 1955 to 1975.
Coffee and wartime memorabilia are eveywhere in Vietnam. One trendy chain of coffee shops is now even combining both in one space. Photo: Carola Frentzen/dpa
Memories of that time are omnipresent throughout the country to this day, with the ruling communists doing their part to remind the younger generations - and tourists - that it was them who ultimately emerged victorious after dealing US forces a devastating defeat after years of deadly jungle fighting.
Cong Caphe says its mission is "to inspire imagination and bring about a distinct emotional experience of Vietnam."
Indeed, its military-meets-hipster cafes are truly unique. If you go, make sure to try the iced coconut coffee, the chain's absolute bestseller. – dpa
