But this cup of coffee, at the 50-year-old Dinh Cafe, is just a dollar.

“This is my second time returning to Vietnam, and every time, I make sure to visit this café. It’s not just the unique flavor that draws me in, but also the atmosphere. It makes me feel like I’m experiencing the old Vietnam, something I’ve only seen in books or on the Internet,” foreign tourist said.

“The bitterness of the coffee activates my tastebud and blends really well with ‘the fatty milk’. I love this place,” another added. 

Dinh Cafe sits between Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square and a host of luxury eating places. From the cafe’s balcony, you get the best possible view of the iconic Ngoc Son Temple on Hoan Kiem lake. That’s a million-dollar view, so it’s even more puzzling why drinks here are so cheap.

Dinh Café is surrounded by some of the most luxurious coffee chains in Vietnam, like Highlands and Trung Nguyen Coffee. In contrast, Dinh Café, with its washed out paint, narrow staircase, and modest space of just 20 square meters, is showing its age. Or as Mr. Khoa puts it, “Time has left its mark.”

“When I was 12 years old, I saw King Bao Đai pass by our home with my own eyes. From this balcony, I witnessed the war as it happened and its consequences. This century-old house saw it all. After that, customers from the old cafe started coming here. Most of them were modest, retired people, so no one really named the place. Everyone just called it ‘Poor Coffee’ or ‘Old Coffee,” Mr. Khoa said.

Black-and-white photographs line the wall, offering a glimpse into the lives of Hanoians in a simpler time.

“My wife was the daughter of Mr. Giang, who invented the famous egg coffee. He originally served coffee with fresh milk, but when milk became scarce, he had to buy condensed milk to replace it. Eventually, he came up with the idea of using egg yolks as a substitute. However, the process took a long time since they had to whisk the eggs manually. It wasn’t until later, when they acquired an electric whisk, that they could serve this dish more efficiently - creating a taste that lingers in the memory of anyone who tries it,” he said. 

Khoa’s wife’s name was Bich, a school teacher.

“Back then, her students affectionately called our place ‘U Bich Café’ (Mother Bich’s Café). There was even a popular saying back in the late 80s that went: “Phi ca phe Bich, bat thanh sinh vien.” (You haven’t lived your student life fully without a cup at Bich café.)

In a space of just 20 square meters, customers have to fold themselves in tightly. The seats are nothing fancy - just good old wooden stools and nothing like the sofas you find in more expensive shops. But despite all that, the price of a cup of coffee at Dinh Cafe stayed a dollar for many years and only went up 20 cents last year as inflation rose, which begs the question: How does the shop stay afloat?

Mr. Khoa explained, “Over time costs rise, so I’ve had to bump up the price slightly to keep things going. I run this place as a family business, so it’s not too bad. And thanks to the cafe’s long-standing reputation, we still have a steady stream of customers. That’s why, even though our coffee is affordable, the quality doesn’t decline. Coupled with the ambiance and service here, we compete just fine with the better-known cafes out there. My wife passed away in 2012. Without her, the names ‘Poor Coffee’ and ‘U Bich Café’ fell out of use."

And so for many years, the cafe had operated without a name, until one day…

“A reporter came to ask me about the café’s name for an article. And people suggested changing it to Đinh Café since it’s on Đinh Tiên Hoàng Street. So that’s how the cafe got its current name,” said Mr. Khoa.

It’s not the coffee or the shop’s long history, but the people, that make Dinh Café truly special.

“Sometimes young people come in here and start using foul language. When that happens, I don’t confront them. I hand them a note reminding them to behave and treat each other kindly. In my cafe, respect is just as important as the coffee. I would like to think of this cafe as a place of history and beauty, where we should always cherish each other with kind words and good manners. In 2018, two overseas Vietnamese stopped in, but there were no seats available that day, so I served them two coffees to go. They later wrote an article promoting the café, which helped it become better known abroad,” Mr. Khoa said. 

Mr. Khoa’s gestures, his tone of voice, the way he welcomes and serves his guests embodies the elegance and composure of a true Hanoian. As he flipped through photos of students, foreign tourists, and journalists who have visited his café, Mr. Khoa told us that these visitors are the reason his business is still going strong today.

Mr. Khoa said it’s not just about making affordable drinks. A great café must offer something money can’t buy—authenticity, tradition, and a deep connection to the soul of Hanoi, paying tribute to the enduring legacy of a city rich in history.