Belgian royal couple enjoys Hanoi's egg coffee 

The King and Queen of Belgium's choice mirrored that of global celebrities like Apple's Tim Cook and former US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who have all sought out this unique Vietnamese drink.

Clad in a graceful blue ao dai (Vietnamese traditional dress), Queen Mathilde watched intently as baristas demonstrated the art of whipping egg yolks with condensed milk to create the coffee's signature velvety foam. King Philippe, who was particularly interested in the 1940s recipe, playfully clinked glasses with the queen in a local-style "cheers" moment captured by Belgian journalist Wim Dehandschutter.

Café owner Nguyen Van Tho expressed his astonishment at being contacted by the Belgian Embassy a week before the royal visit. "They specifically wanted an authentic experience," Tho said, noting that the king praised the drink's "perfect balance of bitter coffee and sweet cream." The couple spent nearly an hour admiring the cafe's upcycled decor made from discarded bottles and building materials.

This wasn't the first international spotlight for Hanoi's egg coffee. In recent months, the drink has gained new adepts: former  US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Apple's Tim Cook, Nvidia's Jensen Huang, music star John Legend, and US MasterChef winner Christine Ha.

The Belgian royal couple spend nearly an hour admiring the cafe's upcycled decor, made from discarded bottles and building materials. Video: Wim Dehandschutter/X

Its global fame stems from a unique texture, combining strong Vietnamese coffee with a light egg custard topping - invented during the war, when milk and cream was hard to come by.

The royal stopover also highlighted Belgium's focus on sustainable development cooperation with Vietnam. By choosing a café built entirely from recycled materials, the visit reflected the shared environmental values of the two nations, which are currently working together on green energy and agricultural projects.

Earlier in the day, the royals visited the Thang Long Imperial Citadel and expressed their admiration for the site's preservation. On their third visit to Vietnam since 2015, they witnessed the country's economic progress firsthand and enjoyed its cultural treasures, one frothy cup of coffee at a time.