Delivering premium origin coffee and fine art from artists across Vietnam in a tiny room that dates back to French colonial times, smack dab in the middle of District 1, The Ghé Coffee balances the finer things in life and the comfortably mundane.
On a beautiful morning in Saigon that's sun-drenched, raucous, glorious, I was on an errand run with my dad, venturing into the thick of District 1 where all the action goes down. The heat sweltered and the tarmac roads groaned, and we were beat, drenched in sweat. We needed a quiet refuge, and quickly. Rummaging through Google Maps, I came across The Ghé Coffee. Like coming across an oasis in the middle of a trek across the desert, I was equally grateful and suspicious. Upon entering the alleyway, it was hard to miss the three signs, centimeters away from each other, all pointing in the same direction. With every step up the fairy-lighted stairs, my suspicions faded and anticipations grew; suddenly it did not feel like District 1 anymore.
Upon arrival, the aromatic scent of coffee soothes the nerves. Soft lighting from the sun reaches through the balcony and jutting circular window, the cafe’s only. Vibrant artworks of various styles but in a common theme, Vietnam, hang on the walls. Gentle music plays in the background, like wooden wind chimes, resounding a light calm throughout the space. The pleasant sensory experience distracts from time, from your day’s plans, from how small the space really is, even from sitting down or ordering. When I eventually snapped out of the trance and walked to the barista’s counter to order, I was guided to take a seat instead — not a common routine for cafes in Saigon. I chose to sit right by their only window. I was then handed a menu boasting a well-curated assortment of coffee-based drinks, non-coffee drinks, and savory and sweet finger foods and snacks.
As I later learned, The Ghé Coffee’s ingredients are high quality, especially the robusta and arabica coffee beans from Lâm Đồng. In my cold brew: sourness and floral notes dominated, and a subtle sweetness peeked through as if to say hello. In my dad’s cà phê sữa Ghé, the bitterness characteristic of robusta appeared only faintly, taking an assisting role to the fresh floral notes, and a delectable sweet creaminess. Illuminating me to the secret of their “must try” drink, a helpful Ghé staff member said that the bitterness is so faint because a robusta-arabica blend is used and it is extracted through an espresso machine in a very specific way, as opposed to the traditional 100% robusta and through phin filter extraction. Also, in addition to the condensed milk, cheese foam is used to impart a creamy texture. Fear not the special twist, as the concoction truly works. All this to say that The Ghé Coffee is dedicated to detail and depth, which wonderfully extends to their spatial layout.
From the large paintings on the walls to the little ceramic coasters, every detail seems chosen with care. Above a corner in the cafe hangs ‘Lovers’ by Vũ Đình Tuấn, a pair of artworks from the same collection depicting two arched bodies facing towards each other, made with floral velveteen cloth calling to mind olden Vietnamese blankets. “Aside from being two of my favorites, they are also the signature artworks for The Ghé Coffee,” co-owner Tuệ Minh explained about the artwork when we talk during a later visit with the Saigoneer team. “They inspire recollection of a simpler Vietnamese childhood.” This attention-commanding pair so aptly represents the cafe’s elevated homey pre-modern Vietnamese energy that it came as no surprise when Tuệ Minh told me that she never removes them on her routine art rotations.
Outside, on the cafe’s balcony, plants claim their space and stray cats loiter. The eclectic decorations include a Đông Hồ folk woodcut painting, green-and-blue glazed ceramic pigs, and a resin fish bowl. A close-up view of a dangerously heavy, entangled electric pole, a Vietnamese signature sight, is on display. Something about the aureate light, beautiful decoration, genteel music, refreshing drinks, and fragrant snacks seem to get conversations going. So much so that before I realized it, I was having a heart-to-heart with my dad, for the first time in a long time. Apparently, sipping on coffee and spilling all the tea was the vibe of the day.
“If I had to choose, my favorite time to visit the cafe is in the morning,” said Tuệ Minh. “From the balcony, you can appreciate the birds chirping, the buzz of people going to work, the gentle breeze, and there is a local elderly couple that always visit together, relishing a cup of coffee together.” This cinematic snapshot of local Saigon life is full of genuine charm; truly a delightful people-watching experience!
Soft-spoken yet concise, Tuệ Minh originally hails from the north, which might begin to explain the distinct aesthetics of The Ghé Coffee. Mixing French Indochine with elegant, laidback northern interior design, the energy is reminiscent of cafe bệt culture. Somewhere one might like to catch their pace before work, after work, or after school, soaking in the frivolity of life. “Similar to cafe bệt, I try to keep our operational costs down in order to do the same for customers,” Tuệ Minh said, “but at The Ghé Coffee, we don’t compromise on the quality of drinks.”
With an eye for the premium, yet an appreciation for the rustic, Tuệ Minh seeks to bring normally elitist joys of good coffee and fine art to the everyday visitor. Tuệ Minh revealed that all artworks displayed in the cafe are originals in her own personal collection from various living artists. “When choosing which pieces to display, aside from basic things like value and size, variety is one of my top considerations, as I want to introduce visitors to a wide range of great Vietnamese artists.”
The art does not stop at the walls, however. I learned that the cafe’s very floor is a work of art left by a previous artist tenant. A wash of industrial emerald green reveals several different shades that sheen at the touch of sunlight. The building itself, a remnant of colonial architecture, features unmistakably Saigon-style ventilation holes at the top of the walls. A recent revamp sees the room now filled with friendly, inviting padded terracotta and emerald green industrial-style chairs and low-to-the-ground wooden stools. Thus, the cafe’s small size is less a limitation, and more an opportunity.
When talk with Tuệ Minh turned to the logistics of running a business, she explained that her customer base is roughly 50% foreign and 50% local. “We don’t run any advertisements,” she said explaining the cafe’s organic reach. “Foreigners and tourists find us on Google Maps, and locals find us on social media.” If there is one demographic they do not cater to, however, it would be those who are looking for gimmicky instantaneous photo spots posing as unique selling points. “I am not a fan of the Instagrammable cafe culture,” she said while noting that she also has a reluctance towards opening new branches. She prefers to continue to trial-and-error her way through, giving her all to one location.
I intend to revisit often: for daddy-daughter dates, studying, meeting friends and acquaintances, and indulging in a momentary refuge from the southern metropolis’ insanity. I especially recommend it for those who are nurturing their inner artist, those who love cats, birds, and ceramics, and locals who need a spot to show visitors a Saigon calm.
The Ghé Coffee opens from 8am to 7pm every day.
To sum up:
To sum up:
Taste: 4/5
Price: 3.5/5 — average VND55,000 / drink
Atmosphere: 5/5
Friendliness: 5/5
Location: 5/5 — Motorbike parking in the alley.
Khuê is Saigonese born and raised but now goes wherever the wind blows, which often means a cinema, beach, park bench or quaint cafe.
The Ghé Coffee
39/10 Mạc Thị Bưởi, Bến Nghé Ward, D1, HCMC
