If you’d like to try this richly flavored, decadently syrupy treat, there are plenty of opportunities to purchase iced Vietnamese coffee in Vietnamese restaurants, bánh mì shops, and specialty coffee shops. There’s even a version called, Lee’s Cafe Latte Frozen Concentrate available at Costco, but if you’d like to jump in with both feet and DIY your sugar high, you’ll need to gather a few essential ingredients to whip up your own version.
As with any recipe, you can do this as authentically as possible or make do with a more accessible approximation at home — it’s up to your tastes, budget, and perspective. Your first choice comes with the coffee purchase. There are various Vietnamese-style coffee grounds available in Asian markets or online, such as the popular Trung Nguyen or Café Du Monde (a blend with chicory root), but in a pinch, French roasts are very similar in flavor.
Likewise, you can order a traditional Vietnamese coffee filter online (search for phin, Vietnamese dripper, or Vietnamese press), or sub with a French press or any pour-over coffee dripper. Next, comes sweetened condensed milk: While Longevity is a popular Vietnamese brand, any will do, even non-dairy coconut and oat milk versions. The choice of whether to drip your coffee over the condensed milk or do it vice versa, is yours. You could pop the condensed milk in with the ice and pour the coffee over, then swirl together as you sip. Either way, that’s it, easy-peasy.
