The century-old coffee shops tucked away in the alleys and narrow lanes of Hanoi have long become a nostalgic haven for generations of Hanoians, whispered from one to another.
Nostalgia has become a specialty of coffee in Hanoi. Photo by: Coffee canteen
The capital city has witnessed numerous historical ups and downs, observing societal shifts. Adding to the timeless charm are the French architectural styles of ancient villas nestled in the heart of Hanoi. Many of these have transformed into renowned coffee shops, disregarding the hustle and bustle of modern city life. These “century-old” coffee shops find solace amid majestic houses, their existence acting as a thread connecting the youth to the values of the past, the essence of a bygone era.
Coffee in Hanoi might not be the finest, and you could easily find similar elsewhere. However, savoring coffee in Hanoi always leaves me with unique impressions that can’t be replicated elsewhere.
The allure of Ancient Town coffee lies in the journey through the hustle of the modern city to find these ancient coffee spaces. It’s when you slow down to avoid losing your way in the labyrinth of house numbers, slink through, maneuver, evade people, dodge vehicles, and sometimes even cross dimly lit alleys, deep corridors, and mossy stairs to reach your destination. Then, you encounter a vintage space, completely distinct from the outside world.
These coffee shops maintain the architectural essence of Hanoi’s ancient houses, almost intact, with wooden tables and chairs, parallel sentences, flower vases, ceramic pots, oil lamps, bunny-shaped flashlights, or frog-shaped fans. The interior decor is genuinely captivating and impressive for first-time visitors, featuring old, peeling lime-washed walls, blurry black and white photos, old box speakers, or playing songs that stir the hearts of young men and women of a bygone era, accompanied by a few seasonal flower vases, low tables, and chairs.
Just like that, it’s enough to saturate this place with nostalgic hues, making it challenging for generations, both young and old, to resist. They continue to preserve a tranquil corner of Hanoi, untouched by chaos, conserving the essence of old Hanoi in every cup of coffee.
It seems that every cup of coffee in these ancient coffee shops carries a part of memory, a hint of nostalgia that the owners wish to convey. Here, time and life seem to slow down, every sip akin to drops of coffee, providing us with the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the quiet realm of the past and present. This is the unique allure of Hanoi’s ancient coffee shops, where each coffee becomes a window opening to the world of memories and preserving beautiful moments.
Coffee has long become an integral part of Hanoians’ lifestyle. Enjoying coffee in the Ancient Town is a beauty that anyone visiting Hanoi should not miss. Nostalgia has become the hallmark of coffee in Hanoi, most notably embodied in the renowned coffee shops nestled in lifelong old houses.
Visitors come not only to savor the peaceful atmosphere and deepen their love for the capital but also to relish and indulge in flavors that have been preserved through the years. Hanoi is changing every day, becoming more modern, causing the people around us and these old coffee shops to gracefully adapt.
While you can easily find a cup of coffee on any street in Hanoi, it’s not as simple to discover a favorite corner to reminisce, to relive the old days as in the Old Quarter coffee shops. Sitting with close friends, sharing small stories in the chilly, beautiful autumn weather, beside a cup of coffee in the nostalgic atmosphere of old Hanoi, is a unique charm that is hard to find anywhere else.
Xuan Mai
Tìm về những giá trị xưa cũ (kinhtedothi.vn)