What types of Vietnamese coffee does the author mainly buy and recommend as a Hanoi shopping list item in the article?

The author primarily buys and recommends Vietnamese Weasel Coffee and Luwak Coffee. They mentioned that these two types have a good aroma and are the most delicious. Vietnamese weasel coffee is 'weasel,' and civet coffee is 'luwak.'

What was the maximum discount rate the author received when purchasing Hanoi coffee, and under what circumstances was the discount applied?

While a maximum discount of 10% is usually applied, the author received a 15% discount because they bought a large quantity, and a staff member called the owner. This discount appears to have been an exceptional case for bulk purchases.

How did the author evaluate tasting the coffee in the shop before purchasing Hanoi coffee beans?

The author described the coffee tasted in the shop as 'extremely bitter.' They mentioned that if they had tasted it before buying, they wouldn't have purchased it, stating that they only smelled the aroma before making the purchase.

Hanoi Coffee Shopping 2026: Discovering Authentic Weasel &…

Vietnam Coffee

Vietnam Weasel Coffee

Luwak

Among the types of posts I don't typically write often, shopping guides are one. While I do them occasionally, it's not as frequent as other topics. For one, I'm not a big shopper myself. Plus, I travel so often that buying souvenirs to remember a place isn't really necessary anymore, especially for destinations I visit frequently. I did, however, create a post for places like Bali, which I visit less often.

But I'm making an exception this time, and for a good reason: there's one thing I absolutely must buy whenever I go to Hanoi. In fact, my recent trip to Hanoi was specifically to stock up on this!

If you're a coffee lover...

I'm talking about Vietnamese coffee. Not the usual coconut coffee or G7 brands you'd find at Lotte Mart on a typical Hanoi shopping list. I have a specific bean shop I always go to. My first visit was about a year and a half ago, around early 2025. It felt like a brand-new spot then, bustling and a bit unorganized. I remember the young owner was so enthusiastic, even bringing tea from a neighboring shop for us. Since then, I haven't seen him; it seems once things stabilized, he left the daily operations to his staff!

They have a wide variety of beans, and you can actually smell each one. On another side of the shop, you'll find various coffee-related accessories. You can also buy a cup to taste, but honestly, when they brew it there, it tastes incredibly bitter. Perhaps it's the dripper they use, but if I had only tasted it there, I probably wouldn't have bought any. Luckily, I was captivated by the aroma alone!

On my first visit, I only bought about 3.5 ounces (100g) each of Luwak, Weasel, and either Arabica or Robusta.

But once I got home and tried them, the aroma was incredible, and the taste was simply divine! I was really getting into coffee at the time, and after trying various other brands, I couldn't find anything that compared to this place.

So, on my second visit,

I bought a huge haul, both for myself and as gifts for friends back home. Even then, I regretted not buying more! That's why, even though I was originally headed to Phu Quoc this time, I made a special detour to Hanoi just to stock up again.

My Third Visit Already!

Here I am again, back at my favorite coffee spot.

You can see the evolution of their menu over my visits. It's definitely showing its age now; I think it's time for an update!

Since I was making a rather large purchase this time, I enjoyed a cup of coffee right there while I waited.

Brewing it this way still results in a bitter taste, and since there's no paper filter, some coffee oils come through.

Even with large purchases, the maximum discount is usually 10%, but the staff member called the owner and managed to get me 15% off! I guess I really did buy a lot this time...

Vietnamese Luwak Coffee

Here's my haul from this trip! It feels like a lot, but then again, maybe not? I won't be traveling for a while, so I bought enough to last me. I suppose once I finish these, it'll be time for another trip to Hanoi!

Oh, and the types I always buy are Weasel and Luwak. They have the best aroma and taste! When I first started buying, the variety was a bit confusing, but to clarify:

Vietnamese Weasel Coffee is