The Best Cafés in Da Nang – The Unique Hidden Gems

I love living in a city where I can get good coffee. Andrew and I both go through a couple cups a day, and when we don’t make the traditional Vietnamese phin coffee at home, we like to go out and get one of the many amazing varieties of coffee in Vietnam. The big three being salt coffee, egg coffee, and coconut coffee. Salt is our favorite!

I also love living in a city where the western food rivals back home. Cafes here may only serve coffee where others have steak dinners, sandwiches, or smoothie bowls. I love the food scene here, and the cafes are a huge part of what is so impressive. We feel like we lack nothing from home.

Not to mention, it's such a nice change of scenery coming from the land of franchises. Often we eat in a very eclectic or unique atmosphere, making it very hard to choose where to eat, drink, and work.

But this is our list of cafés we really love and are tried and true. Oh, and lest I forget, Da Nang has some amazing cafés for fostering entertaining activities and inspiring creative work!

No matter what you seek—a good lunch spot, work station, or creative space—Da Nang will most likely have a café that matches your needs.

Below are a few of our favorites from around town. Enjoy!

Chihiro – Aesthetic 🪑✨

This place is funky cool. Feels like an antique shop but with comfortable old-school leather seating to work and chat. You won’t find something like this in An Thuong; you have to go to the other side of the river to find this gem.

It's quite compact, but I have always been able to score good seating. Last time I was there, the cat that was sleeping under my chair came up and sat with me for the whole time I was there. As a cat person, that was a win for me!

If you are not a cat person, don’t worry—this isn’t really a cat café, and the two cats are on leashes, so you can easily sit away from them if you don’t want that cute distraction.

Come here for some main character energy and to explore the city side of Da Nang.

Sake – Great Quality and Great Price ☕💸

This is my go-to spot; it's right in front of my apartment, which is what initially drew me in. However, the price, quality, and friendly staff keeps me coming back regularly.

I usually get a Vietnamese coffee / milk coffee, and it hits the spot for the best price: 23k VND ($0.87 USD). I also take advantage of their simple breakfast menu and take waffles 35k ($1.33 USD) home, where we can drizzle on the syrup we paid too much for ($6.00 USD).

Their yogurt bowl is pretty good too, and I pop in there for it when I want a balanced breakfast before I start working. This is where the budget traveler can still enjoy high quality and affordable prices.

CEM – Unique Activity 🏹☕

Vietnam keeps surprising me with their unique cafés, and this one wins for best activity! This café features an archery set-up. You can sip watermelon juice or an americano while you get in some target practice.

You cannot get a beer here—there are strict rules about playing if you've had any alcohol. We had a buddy ask for a beer, and they promptly but sweetly reminded him of the no alcohol rule while playing with a weapon.

The cost is 100k VND ($4 USD) for an hour, and that is plenty of time to get the hang of this fun sport. The staff is super helpful and teaches you how to become a better shot.

A great spot for a daytime activity or an alternative to hitting the bars.

REALITY – Come to Have Fun 🎉✨

REALITY is a cornerstone in the events space of Da Nang. My first event here was “speed friending”, and that's where I met a fellow Wisconsinite and was introduced to the owners of REALITY, who suggested I start my English club there.

This space offers a wild array of events: Film Club, Karaoke, Digital Nomad Meet-ups, Dance Nights, Improv Courses—I mean, the list goes on!

They are wonderful to work with, and if you want to start a club, host an event, or run a fundraiser, they will champion your goal if it aligns with their mission.

Check out their weekly calendar to see what expats are up to in Da Nang!

Good Folks – Good Food and Great Workspace 🍽️💻

First recommended by a friend who states, “I go there every day,” I figured it must be pretty good. Good Folks Café is a fantastic workspace that also offers high-quality western cuisine.

On a rainy afternoon, I decided to work on some Canva projects there and see how the place compared to other spots around Da Nang. Though western food is generally a bit more expensive than local food, I found this place to be very reasonably priced. The fried chicken sandwich, at only 90k VND ($3.50 USD), was filling and flavorful.

Most patrons there were quietly working on their laptops while eating everything from avocado toast to English breakfasts to big cheeseburgers. Their juices and smoothies are also exceptionally tasty without being too sweet, sugary, or fake.

Ideal for more of a work session than a social hour, Good Folks in West An Thuong is a top spot for a great lunch and some quiet ambiance.

Roost Roasters – For the Coffee Snob and Ambiance ☕🌿

If you care about the flavor profile of your coffee, come here. If you also want a garden aesthetic away from the beeping of motorbikes, come here. I meet clients here a couple times a week and the coffee is really great, but they have matcha drinks that blow me away. Watermelon matcha isn’t something I expected to mix, but I probably order it once a week.

Other fun combos include Mandarin Americano, Passion (fruit) colddrip, and strawberry jam tea. If the unique drinks aren’t your thing, don’t worry—they also have your standard coffee menu that appeals to the traditional coffee drinker.

They also have all kinds of coffee beans that you can catch them roasting depending on the day. I found this place because a client asked to meet here. Now, this is where I meet all of my clients, and they love it too!

Pro tip: Ask them to make a salt coffee with milk instead of water and enjoy what I consider to be the best salt coffee in Da Nang.

Create – Da Nang’s Art Cafe 🎨☕

If you have ever felt like you wanted to get in touch with your more artistic or creative side, come to this café! They offer courses, workshops, and independent art time if you buy the canvas of your choosing.

Activities range from painting tote bags and traditional Vietnamese hats to making soap and mosaic picture frames. I came here with some friends just to paint canvas on our own, and we had a great time painting while other patrons drank coffee and worked remotely.

I actually love working here because it's a little off the beaten path, so it's not usually too busy. The smoothie bowls are delicious and the best price I have seen, coming in at 65k VND ($2.50 USD).

Final Thoughts ✨

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to cafés in this city. We have more we could have mentioned, but felt like these were the places we frequented the most and want to take our friends when they come to visit.

The longer we stay here, the more we discover, and we plan on adding a Part 2. For now, check out these great spots!