Uniquely Vietnamese Cocktails Workshop in Hồ Chí Minh City

Vietnamese coffee gets a spirited makeover in this small workshop at Lacàph Coffee Experiences Space. You work with coffee, local flavors, and cocktail ingredients to create drinks such as Cà Phê Mít, made with jackfruit and sampan rhum, and Phở Fizz, which pairs dry gin with Cascara Tea.

I like the clear link to Vietnamese food and coffee culture, rather than a standard cocktail class with a few local labels added. I also like the friendly English-speaking teaching style, with guides such as Vi, Tram Anh, Hung, Joey, and Jory praised for making the session easy to follow. The main consideration is the 90-minute format: this is a compact tasting workshop, not a full bartending course.

Key points to know before booking

• Coffee gets a cocktail treatment: Expect Vietnamese coffee, coffee-cherry tea, coffee blossom honey, spirits, spice, and fruit in unusual combinations.
• Two signature drinks set the tone: Cà Phê Mít uses jackfruit and sampan rhum, while Phở Fizz combines dry gin with Cascara Tea.
• English-speaking local guides lead the class: Vi, Tram Anh, Hung, Joey, and Jory have all been associated with warm, patient instruction.
• The session lasts about 90 minutes: It fits neatly into an evening in District 1 without taking over your night.
• The group can reach 18 people: Small enough for a social setting, though not necessarily a private lesson.
• The $29.68 price buys more than drinks: You are paying for guided tasting, local context, and hands-on cocktail making in a central Hồ Chí Minh City venue.

Why these coffee cocktails feel distinctly Vietnamese

The appeal here is not simply adding espresso to a familiar cocktail. The workshop uses ingredients tied to Vietnam’s coffee culture and everyday flavors, then places them in a modern drinks setting.

The Lacàph Phin Blend is central to the experience. A phin is Vietnam’s familiar metal coffee filter, and its slow brewing style produces a concentrated cup with a character quite different from quick drip coffee. You get a taste of that coffee tradition while seeing how it can work with spirits and other ingredients.

The workshop also introduces Lacàph Cascara Tea. Cascara is made from coffee cherry husks, the fruit surrounding the coffee bean. That gives you a useful reminder that coffee is a fruit before it becomes a roasted bean. Its lighter, tea-like character helps create drinks with more lift and less heaviness than a coffee-only cocktail.

Then there is Lacàph Raw Coffee Blossom Honey, which brings floral sweetness to the mix. These ingredients give the class a clear sense of place. You are not just learning a technique that could take place anywhere. You are tasting products connected to Vietnam’s coffee-growing culture.

The caffeine level is described as low, so you should not expect the session to feel like drinking several strong cups of traditional coffee. Still, the drinks contain alcohol, and the workshop is framed as an evening activity. If you are sensitive to caffeine or alcohol, moderation is sensible.

Arriving at 220 Nguyễn Công Trứ

The meeting point is Lacàph Coffee Experiences Space, upstairs at 220 Nguyễn Công Trứ in Phường Nguyễn Thái Bình, District 1. The central location makes this easy to pair with an evening in Hồ Chí Minh City.

You start and finish at the same address. That matters because there is no extra transfer, walking route, or second venue to manage after the drinks. You can plan dinner or another District 1 activity around the workshop without needing to build in complicated transport.

The venue is near public transportation, and mobile tickets are accepted. Confirmation arrives at booking, so keep the ticket available on your phone. I would still allow a little time to find the upstairs space, especially if you are unfamiliar with the address or arriving during a busy evening.

The location also shapes the mood. This is a city-center coffee space rather than a sightseeing stop or a large entertainment venue. You come for a focused session, then return directly to the city streets afterward.

What happens during the 90-minute session

The experience is designed as a guided meeting point between Vietnamese coffee and cocktail making. You can expect the host to introduce the coffee ingredients, explain their role, and guide you through the drinks rather than simply serve finished cocktails.

The class includes the Lacàph Phin Blend, Cascara Tea, and Raw Coffee Blossom Honey. These products give the session a useful progression. First, you consider the coffee itself. Then you taste another part of the coffee fruit. Finally, you see how sweetness and aroma can shape a mixed drink.

The coffee background is one of the strongest parts of the format. Several instructors connected with Lacàph’s classes, including Vi and Tram Anh, have been praised for clear explanations of Vietnamese coffee, the origins of egg coffee, and the culture around brewing. Those details are valuable because they keep the cocktails from feeling like novelty drinks with no context.

You may also encounter guides such as Hung, Joey, or Jory, depending on the session. The teaching style described by participants is patient, friendly, and easy to follow. The staff speak excellent English, which helps when the class involves unfamiliar ingredients and drink names.

The listed duration is about one hour and 30 minutes. Some past coffee sessions have run closer to two hours, but you should plan around the official 90-minute length. That makes the workshop a good choice for a compact evening activity, though anyone hoping for long, detailed practice with many recipes may find it brief.

Cà Phê Mít, a sweet local twist

Cà Phê Mít is one of the more memorable examples on the menu. It combines jackfruit with sampan rhum, creating a drink built around tropical fruit, rum, and Vietnamese coffee character.

Jackfruit is a natural fit for a workshop that wants to move beyond familiar coffee flavors. Its sweet, perfumed fruitiness can make the drink feel softer and more playful than a dark coffee and spirit combination. Sampan rhum adds another local note while keeping the drink connected to Southeast Asian ingredients.

This is the sort of cocktail that works best for curious drinkers. If you prefer classic recipes with a familiar balance, the combination may feel unexpected. That is also the point. The class gives you a chance to taste how local fruit and coffee can share the same glass.

Phở Fizz and the savory side of coffee

Phở Fizz takes a different path. It pairs dry gin with Cascara Tea, bringing coffee fruit, herbal spirit notes, and a lighter mixed-drink style into the workshop.

The name points toward Vietnam’s famous noodle soup, but the listed ingredients are dry gin and Cascara Tea. You should expect the concept to connect with the country’s savory flavor traditions rather than assume you are drinking a literal bowl of phở in cocktail form.

This drink shows why the workshop is more interesting than a simple coffee tasting. Coffee is treated as an ingredient with several forms and uses. The roasted bean, coffee cherry husk, and blossom honey each offer a different flavor direction.

I like this kind of contrast in a short class. Cà Phê Mít leans toward fruit and rum, while Phở Fizz uses gin and cascara for a sharper, lighter profile. Together, they show that Vietnamese coffee-based drinks do not have to be heavy, sweet, or dessert-like.

The guides make the difference

A workshop lives or dies by its instructor. Here, the teaching team is a major reason to book rather than simply order a coffee cocktail at a bar.

Vi has been praised for his passion for coffee, his clear explanations, and his ability to make the session feel personal. Tram Anh is associated with explanations of egg coffee and Vietnamese coffee origins, and her friendly approach has made a strong impression. Hung has been singled out for making a cocktail workshop both fun and informative.

Joey and Jory have also led Lacàph coffee sessions. Joey has taught people who did not even drink coffee, which suggests that the class is not limited to serious coffee enthusiasts. Jory has been praised for patient explanations, an important quality when you are learning new brewing terms or tasting ingredients that may be unfamiliar.

Guide availability can change, so you should not book expecting one particular instructor unless the provider confirms it. Still, the repeated pattern is useful: the staff are comfortable explaining coffee to beginners, not just to people who already know their phin from their French press.

Is $29.68 a fair price?

At $29.68 per person, this is not the cheapest way to have a drink in Hồ Chí Minh City. You are paying for a guided workshop rather than a simple bar order.

The price makes sense if you value the explanation behind the ingredients. You receive a structured 90-minute activity, access to specialty Lacàph products, cocktail tasting, and instruction from English-speaking guides. It also gives you an evening plan with a fixed start and finish in District 1.

The value is strongest for people who want cultural context with their drink. You learn about Vietnamese coffee, coffee cherry husks, coffee blossom honey, and the way local ingredients can be used in mixology. That knowledge can change how you order coffee and cocktails for the rest of your stay.

The value is weaker if you only want a large number of drinks or advanced bartending practice. The session is short, and the emphasis is on tasting and learning rather than a long professional course. Think of it as a social food-and-drink activity, not a certification class.

The fact that it is often booked about 20 days in advance is a useful planning clue. If your dates are fixed, reserving early is sensible, especially if you want a particular evening.

Who will enjoy this most

I would recommend the workshop to coffee drinkers, cocktail fans, couples, and solo visitors who like a social activity with a local angle. It also suits business visitors who want something more memorable than a hotel bar after work.

You do not need to be a coffee expert. The teaching team has worked successfully with beginners, including people who do not usually drink coffee. The low caffeine content also makes it less intimidating than a full coffee-tasting flight, although alcohol remains part of the experience.

This is a good celebration option because it is intimate without requiring a full private booking. With a maximum of 18 people, the group is limited enough to feel organized while still offering the chance to meet other people.

It may be less suitable if you dislike coffee, spirits, or sweet fruit flavors. You should also choose another activity if you want a long night of bar hopping. The workshop ends back at the starting point after roughly 90 minutes, so it works best as one part of an evening rather than the entire night.

Practical details that affect your plan

The experience is offered with a mobile ticket, and confirmation is provided at booking. Service animals are allowed, and the venue is near public transportation.

The maximum group size is 18 people. That is not a one-on-one class, but it keeps the session smaller than a large food tour or commercial bar event. The exact balance between demonstration, tasting, and hands-on work may depend on the group and the guide.

Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the local start time. Cancel at least 24 hours ahead for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made within 24 hours are not accepted for a refund, so check your evening plans before booking.

Because the activity begins and ends at the same place, you can combine it with nearby District 1 plans. I would avoid scheduling anything that requires a long cross-city transfer immediately afterward. Give yourself room to enjoy the final drink and leave without rushing.

My verdict on the Lacàph cocktail workshop

Book this if you want to understand Vietnamese coffee through unusual drinks rather than only drink a traditional cup. The combination of phin coffee, cascara, coffee blossom honey, jackfruit, rum, and gin gives the class a strong local identity.

I especially like the balance between instruction and fun. You get useful coffee background, but the session does not sound like a formal lecture. The guides’ patient, friendly approach is a real asset, and the 90-minute length keeps the activity manageable.

Skip it if you are seeking a serious bartending course, a long tasting menu, or a purely alcohol-focused night. At $29.68, the best value comes from the mix of local culture, guided tasting, and hands-on cocktail making.

For most curious visitors in Hồ Chí Minh City, this is a smart evening choice: central, compact, English-friendly, and different from the usual coffee stop.

FAQ

How long does the Vietnamese coffee cocktails workshop last?

The workshop lasts approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.

How much does the experience cost?

The listed price is $29.68 per person.

Where does the workshop start?

It starts upstairs at Lacàph Coffee Experiences Space, 220 Nguyễn Công Trứ, Phường Nguyễn Thái Bình, District 1, Hồ Chí Minh City, Vietnam.

Where does the activity finish?

The activity ends back at the same meeting point.

How many people can join the workshop?

The maximum group size is 18 travelers.

Is the workshop offered in English?

The local Coffee Guides speak excellent English.

What drinks and ingredients are included?

The workshop features the Lacàph Phin Blend, Lacàph Cascara Tea, and Lacàph Raw Coffee Blossom Honey. Featured cocktails include Cà Phê Mít with jackfruit and sampan rhum, and Phở Fizz with dry gin and Cascara Tea.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not refunded.