Hello, I’m Thang Nguyen
A coffee lover from Vietnam, now living in California.
DailyPhin is where I share the stories, recipes, and cultural traditions behind every cup of Vietnamese coffee.
My Coffee Journey
I was born and raised in Dak Lak, a place still known as “the coffee capital of Vietnam.” My childhood was woven with misty mornings over the coffee fields, the scent of ripe cherries drifting down the hillside slopes. The sound of the roaster turning, the hiss of boiling water through the phin filter, these became the familiar soundtrack of my memory. Back then, I didn’t know what “specialty coffee” meant, nor could I tell you the difference between arabica and robusta.
All I knew was this: every cup my mother brewed was a ritual—slow, patient, and as bold as the people of my hometown.
Coffee Is My Living Language
I worked as a barista in Vietnam, and I continue to pursue this craft here in the U.S. Before I learned about espresso or latte art, I learned to sense the red earth after rain and taste the bittersweet edge of freshly roasted beans. For me, drinking coffee isn’t about waking up, it’s a ritual that opens the door to creativity. And brewing coffee isn’t just technique, it’s a way of storytelling: stories of the land, the people, and the memories we carry.
Why DailyPhin Exists
After years of living away from home, I realized something: foreigners know Vietnamese coffee, but most stop at “Cà phê sữa đá”, when in truth, Vietnamese coffee culture is far more nuanced and refined.
DailyPhin was born from that small desire: to tell the story of Vietnamese coffee, in the voice of a Vietnamese person, from the humble aluminum phin, the roadside cóc cafés, to the robusta beans of the Dak Lak highlands.
Through this blog, I also share my experience as a barista, helping others understand, choose, and brew the coffees, tools, and styles that suit them best.
Thank you for visiting, If you love coffee too, or simply want to understand how the Vietnamese enjoy it, brew yourself a cup of phin, and join me on this journey.