Cà Phê Sữa Đá

Vietnam — everyday tradition

The everyday Vietnamese coffee: strong robusta dripped through a phin filter directly onto sweetened condensed milk, then poured over ice. The phin's slow drip forces patience — you watch each drop fall for five minutes before stirring it all together. The condensed milk tames the robusta's intensity, and the ice makes it a survival drink for Saigon's heat. Every street corner has a version.

How to make it

1. 1

   Add 2–3 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk to a glass.

2. 2

   Place a phin filter on top, add 25g of coarse-ground Vietnamese coffee (typically robusta or robusta blend).

3. 3

   Add a small amount of hot water to bloom, wait 30 seconds, then fill the phin completely.

4. 4

   Wait 5–7 minutes for the coffee to drip through. Don't rush it.

5. 5

   Remove the phin, stir the coffee and condensed milk together thoroughly, then pour over a full glass of ice.