Watching Hanoi from above
Quiet, airy and spacious views are the reason why many tourists come to the rooftop cafes. The roofs and balconies of buildings around West Lake and Hoan Kiem Lake are home to many cafes with the best views. These include Avalon Cafe Lounge on Cau Go Street, Illy Café on Le Thai To Street, and Summit Lounge on Thanh Nien Road. However, if you are looking for a place to enjoy a cup of coffee and the ancient beauty of the Hanoi Cathedral, Hanoi House is not a bad choice.
Nestled in a small alley, on the second floor of a house on Ly Quoc Su Street, the balcony of Hanoi House attracts many in the Hanoi Cathedral area, and is a favorite spot of those who want to gaze at the church. With simple ceramic chairs, this cafe is quiet enough to watch the streets of Hanoi and high enough to admire the panoramic view.
Music playground
Enjoying a cup of coffee and listening to favorite songs is the way many people pass a relaxing evening. If you like international songs, you should go to Hanoi Social Club. Though it is not purely a cafe, with simple but close design style and music events that are held weekly, this is a Hanoi address that you should not miss.
The club is a three-story, ancient French-styled house on Hoi Vu Road. The first floor is home to musical feasts with the participation of artists from many countries. The second and third floors are where you can find your own silent space.
Besides Hanoi Social Club, there are many cafes with live music, such as Polygon Café on Nui Truc Street, for rock music lovers, or Cuoi Ngo Café in Cau Giay District for those who love the haunting ballads of Trinh Cong Son. Depending on your tastes, you can choose a suitable space.
Ancient French space
For those who love Western classic and modern architecture, the cafes in old French villas have their own charm.
At Chuon Chuon (Dragonflies) Café on Hoi Vu Street, tourists feel the European classical style from the entrance, the stairs to the 2-story house with large windows.
You can also enjoy French architectural space at the Bar Betta on Cao Ba Quat Street, Unicorn's Home Café in Ly Thuong Kiet Streets. Though they are located inside old villas, these cafes are different in design and furniture.
Cafes in the Old Quarter
Though you may pass Hang Gai Street every day, if you don’t pay attention, it is difficult to recognize the signboard of Ca Phe Pho Co shop, located in a small alley. Following a small path, visitors step into the garden courtyard with light shining inward. Mixed in every corner of the walls, sills and stairs are antiques.
To admire the museum space of this cafe, you have to climb up to the second floor, which is connected by a small red bridge. Sip a cup of coffee and enjoy the quiet space, and you will feel the beauty of an ancient Hanoi in this small place.
However, this is not the only place where you can come back to Hanoi in memory. There are many addresses you can visit, such as Dinh Café on Dinh Tien Hoang Street, Giang café on Nguyen Huu Huan Road and Nang café on Hang Bac Street
Art destinations
Manzi is located in an old French village on the quiet street of Phan Huy Ich. In addition to enjoying drinks, diners are immersed in a contemporary art space with experimental music. The first floor of Manzi is decorated with many contemporary art works.
If you're a fan of pictures and photos, besides Manzi, you can go to Lam Café on Nguyen Huu Huan Street or Art Talk Cafe on Quan Su Road to experience art spaces
