Vietnamese Coffee Latte: Phin and Espresso Methods

A latte, in its original Italian sense, is espresso and steamed milk, nothing more complicated than that. But the word has traveled a long way from a Milan espresso bar, and today, especially among home baristas making coffee their own way in their own kitchens, a latte has come to mean something broader: coffee and milk together, hot or iced, made however you actually brew at home. That's the sense I'm using when I talk about a Vietnamese coffee latte in this post, and the reason why says a lot about how Vietnamese coffee culture actually took shape.

Where Vietnam's Own "Coffee With Milk" Comes From

Long before an espresso machine ever reached Vietnam, people there already had their own way of drinking coffee with milk. Vietnamese households and street vendors brewed coffee through a phin filter and stirred in sweetened condensed milk, not simply out of preference, but because condensed milk kept without refrigeration in a way that fresh milk couldn't, at a time when both fresh milk and modern equipment were hard to come by. That combination, phin-brewed robusta sweetened with condensed milk, became Vietnam's own original version of coffee with milk, and it took hold generations before the Western latte ever reached the country.

So when I talk about a Vietnamese coffee latte in this post, I mean it in that fuller, more evolved sense: Vietnamese coffee with milk, made either the traditional way through a phin filter, or the more modern way, pulled as an actual espresso shot from Vietnamese beans. Both versions come from the same tradition, and neither one is more authentic than the other. They simply represent two different points along the same history.

Why Robusta Is the Whole Point

None of this works quite the same way with just any coffee bean. Vietnam is the largest producer of robusta in the world, and robusta is really what gives Vietnamese coffee its character. It carries close to twice the caffeine of arabica, along with a bolder and nuttier flavor, and it has enough body to hold its own against condensed milk and steamed milk without losing itself in the process. Swap in a lighter arabica bean, and the drink loses much of what makes it distinct in the first place. This has never really been about the milk. It's always been about starting with a bean bold enough to still taste like something after you've added it.

Two Ways to Make a Vietnamese Latte

With that history in mind, I want to share two ways to make a Vietnamese coffee latte at home: the traditional method using a phin filter, and a more modern version using an espresso machine. Both start from the same bean and the same idea. They simply arrive there with different tools, so use whichever one fits the way you actually brew your coffee.

The Traditional Method: Phin Filter

Ingredients (one serving):

• 2 tablespoons ground Vietnamese robusta coffee
• 4 ounces hot water
• 2 to 3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
• 4 to 6 ounces steamed or frothed milk (dairy or oat both work)
• Ice, if serving cold

Instructions:

Brew the robusta through a phin filter: add the grounds, level them, place the press, pour a small amount of hot water to let the coffee bloom for 30 seconds, then fill the rest of the way and let it drip fully. This takes about 4 to 5 minutes.

Stir the condensed milk into the hot coffee concentrate while it's still warm, so it dissolves evenly.

For a hot latte, steam your milk and pour it over the sweetened coffee concentrate.

For an iced latte, fill a glass with ice, pour the sweetened coffee concentrate over it, then top with cold milk, frothed if you want the texture.

The Modern Method: Espresso

Ingredients (one serving):

• 1 to 2 shots of espresso, pulled from Vietnamese robusta beans (a strong moka pot shot works if you don't have an espresso machine)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk, or to taste
• 4 to 6 ounces steamed or frothed milk (dairy or oat both work)
• Ice, if serving cold

Instructions:

Pull your shot or shots using Vietnamese robusta beans, then stir the condensed milk into the hot espresso right away, so it dissolves evenly.

For a hot latte, steam your milk and pour it over the sweetened espresso.

For an iced latte, fill a glass with ice, pour the sweetened espresso over it, then top with cold milk, frothed if you want the texture.

Getting the Ratio Right

The most common mistake, with either method, is treating this like a regular latte and drowning the coffee in milk. Vietnamese coffee is brewed concentrated, whether that's through a phin filter or as an espresso shot, and the condensed milk carries much of the flavor, so the milk-to-coffee ratio should stay closer to even, or even coffee-forward, rather than the three-to-one milk ratio a regular latte uses. Start with equal parts concentrate and milk, then adjust toward more milk if the result feels too intense.

Once You've Got the Base Down

This base recipe is really just a starting point. Once you're comfortable with the ratio, the flavor add-ins are where things get more interesting, and we've got full recipes for a pandan latte, an ube iced latte, and a rose latte, along with several more on our drink recipes page. All of them begin from the same base you just made.

Frequently Asked Questions About Vietnamese Coffee Lattes

What is a Vietnamese coffee latte made of?

The traditional version is phin-brewed Vietnamese robusta coffee sweetened with condensed milk and topped with steamed or frothed milk. A more modern version replaces the phin with an actual espresso shot pulled from Vietnamese robusta beans, still finished with condensed milk and steamed milk. Both versions count, since they represent different points along the same tradition.

What's the difference between a Vietnamese latte and a regular latte?

A regular latte, in its original Italian sense, is simply espresso and steamed milk. A Vietnamese coffee latte comes from Vietnam's own tradition of coffee with milk, built around robusta and traditionally sweetened with condensed milk, whether it's made through a phin filter or with an espresso machine.

Do you need a phin filter to make a Vietnamese coffee latte?

No. The phin filter is the traditional method, and it's the most historically accurate way to make one. Pulling an actual espresso shot with Vietnamese robusta beans works just as well, since it's simply the modern version of the same drink rather than a substitute for it.

Is a Vietnamese coffee latte sweet?

Yes, it's noticeably sweeter than a typical American latte because of the condensed milk. You can adjust the amount of condensed milk to taste if you prefer it less sweet.

Can you make a Vietnamese coffee latte iced?

Yes, it's just as common served iced as it is hot, with either the phin or espresso method. Pour the sweetened coffee over ice, then top with cold milk, frothed or plain.

What kind of coffee is best for a Vietnamese coffee latte?

Robusta is the answer. Vietnam is the world's largest producer of it, and it's what gives Vietnamese coffee its identity, carrying close to twice the caffeine of arabica, a bolder and nuttier flavor, and enough body to stand up to condensed milk and steamed milk without getting washed out.