Beyond Coffee: 5 Things You Didn't Know You Could Do at the Cafe Apartment

The Cafe Apartment at 42 Nguyen Hue, Ho Chi Minh City, is a 9-story creative hub on Saigon’s famous Walking Street — home to hidden cafes, boutique shops, pottery studios, and the only perfume-making workshop in District 1. Built in the 1960s and transformed by Vietnamese creatives around 2015, the Cafe Apartment is far more than an Instagram photo-op. On the 2nd floor, NOTE – The Scent Lab runs a 90-minute perfume workshop where you blend your own custom fragrance from Vietnamese ingredients like lotus, vetiver, and cinnamon. This Cafe Apartment Ho Chi Minh City guide covers everything you need to know.

Every year, thousands of travelers visit the Cafe Apartment, ride the creaky elevator to a random floor, take a photo with a coffee, and leave. They see maybe 20% of what the building offers. This guide covers the other 80% — the experiences that make a visit here genuinely memorable rather than just photogenic.

What Is the Cafe Apartment in Ho Chi Minh City?

The Cafe Apartment (Vietnamese: Chung cư Cà Phê) is a residential apartment building at 42 Nguyen Hue, Ben Nghe, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Originally built as French colonial housing in the 1960s, the building was converted into a vertical creative village around 2015. Today, it houses 20+ independent cafes, workshops, boutiques, and studios spread across 9 floors — each apartment a different business with its own personality.

The building sits directly on the Nguyen Hue Walking Street, Saigon’s most central pedestrian boulevard. Its mismatched colorful balconies — some painted teal, some draped in plants, some left in raw concrete — have made it one of the most photographed landmarks in Ho Chi Minh City.

But the Cafe Apartment is not just about coffee. Here are five experiences most visitors miss entirely.

1. Make Your Own Perfume at NOTE – The Scent Lab (2nd Floor)

NOTE – The Scent Lab operates a perfume-making workshop on the 2nd floor of the Cafe Apartment — and it’s the building’s most unique experience. In 90 minutes, guided by a trained workshop instructor, you explore Vietnamese ingredients, design a fragrance concept based on your memories, and blend a perfume that’s entirely yours.

It’s the only experience in the Cafe Apartment where you leave with something you made yourself — not bought off a shelf. Your formula is saved permanently, so you can reorder anytime you return to Vietnam.

Tourists discover pottery two floors below us. Vinyl records play above. The building has its own rhythm, and our studio is part of it.

“Beautiful space, amazing hospitality and great information from knowledgeable host.”

Rated 4.9 stars by 500+ travelers. Book and pay online — weekend afternoon slots fill fast.

Book Your Perfume Workshop →

2. Pottery and Ceramics Studios

Several pottery studios offer hands-on ceramic experiences inside the Cafe Apartment — sometimes called the Coffee Apartment Ho Chi Minh City by locals. Throw a bowl, shape a cup, paint a tile — all in atmospheric brick-walled spaces. The combination of pottery and perfume on nearby floors makes this part of the building its creative heart.

Sessions typically run 60-90 minutes. Walk-ins are sometimes available, but booking ahead is safer on weekends.

What to expect: You’ll work with a potter’s wheel (hand-operated or electric, depending on your choice) or do hand-building with clay slabs. The studio provides aprons — wear something you don’t mind getting clay on. Finished pieces need to be fired, which takes 1-2 weeks, so most travelers choose the painting option: select a pre-made ceramic piece and paint your own design. You can take painted pieces home the same day. The combination of pottery and perfume makes for a full creative half-day at the Cafe Apartment.

3. Live Music and Vinyl Shops

Tucked away on the upper floors of the Cafe Apartment, you’ll find independent record shops and listening lounges. They stock Vietnamese and international vinyl — jazz, soul, Vietnamese folk, indie. On some evenings, they host acoustic sets that feel more like a living room concert than a bar gig.

If you’re a music person, this is one of those places you’ll talk about when you get home. The kind of spot guidebooks don’t list because it doesn’t photograph well — it’s all about the sound.

What to look for: Vietnamese folk and bolero records from the 1960s-70s — a golden era of Saigon music that most visitors know nothing about. Artists like Khanh Ly, Trinh Cong Son, and Pham Duy created a body of work that still resonates across Vietnam. Picking up a vinyl of pre-1975 Saigon music is one of the most culturally rich souvenirs you can find anywhere in the city. The shop owner is usually happy to play selections and explain the history. Budget 30-60 minutes for browsing and listening. Vinyl prices range from 200,000-500,000 VND depending on rarity.

4. Boutique Shopping: Vietnamese Designers

Several floors of the Cafe Apartment house small fashion and accessory boutiques run by Vietnamese designers. Handmade jewelry, locally designed clothing, leather goods, and artisan souvenirs. These aren’t mass-market tourist shops — the pieces are curated, often one-of-a-kind, and priced fairly.

The best approach: start at the top floor and work your way down. Each floor reveals something different. Don’t rush — the building rewards slow exploration.

5. Rooftop Views Without the Crowd

Most visitors head to the famous rooftop cafes for the Nguyen Hue Walking Street view. But the best-kept secret is the stairwell access to the actual rooftop — above the cafes. The view from here is wider, quieter, and free. Ask around; not every building resident will point you there, but some will.

Best times: golden hour (5-6 PM) or after dark when the Walking Street lights up below.

Cafe Apartment Ho Chi Minh City: Floor-by-Floor Guide

Each floor of the Cafe Apartment has a different character. Here’s what you’ll find as you explore:

Insider tip: The mid-floor cafes (3rd-5th) are where Saigon locals actually go. They’re quieter, have better Wi-Fi, and charge 10-20% less than the rooftop spots. The rooftop is worth visiting once for the view, but don’t spend your whole visit there — the real character of the Cafe Apartment is in the middle floors.

Best Time to Visit the Cafe Apartments

The Cafe Apartment has a completely different energy depending on when you visit. Here’s when to come based on what you want to do:

Half-Day Itinerary: Coffee Apartment Ho Chi Minh City

Here’s a suggested itinerary that covers both the famous cafes and the hidden experiences at the Cafe Apartment:

Pro tip: Start with coffee, then do the perfume workshop mid-morning when your nose is freshest. Save shopping for after — you’ll browse more intentionally once the creative workshop has put you in a discovery mindset.

Why NOTE – The Scent Lab Is the Cafe Apartment’s Best-Kept Secret

Most “Cafe Apartment guides” focus on which cafe has the best latte or the best Instagram angle. But the building’s highest-rated experience isn’t coffee — it’s perfume.

NOTE – The Scent Lab on the 2nd floor is rated 4.9 stars from 500+ reviews on TripAdvisor, making it the #1-rated experience inside the Cafe Apartment. Here’s why travelers love it:

• 90-minute guided workshop — you design and blend your own perfume from scratch
• Vietnamese ingredients — lotus, oud, vetiver, cinnamon, jasmine from local sources
• Your formula is saved forever — reorder your custom scent anytime, from anywhere
• Take it home same day — a 50ml bottle of YOUR perfume as a one-of-a-kind souvenir
• Perfect for couples, friends, and solo travelers — small groups, personal attention

“The workshop was amazing, the space and environment is very clean, comfortable and beautiful.”

“Very helpful and friendly staff. Chloe was the staff taking care of us. Chill vibes.”

Read more from 500+ travelers on TripAdvisor.

Prefer to explore NOTE’s products from home? Browse the ready-made perfume collection — same Vietnamese ingredients, crafted by the same team. Popular choices include the signature scent sets inspired by Vietnam’s landscapes.

Cafe Apartment Parking, Transport, and How to Get There

Address: 42 Nguyen Hue, Ben Nghe, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

The Cafe Apartment sits directly on the Nguyen Hue Walking Street — Saigon’s most central pedestrian boulevard. From most District 1 hotels, it’s a 5-15 minute walk.

On Foot

The best way to arrive. The walking street is pedestrian-only, so you’ll approach from the north (near People’s Committee Building) or south (near the river). Look for the building with the mismatched colorful balconies — impossible to miss.

By Grab / Taxi

Drop-off point: ask your driver to stop on Le Loi Street or Ham Nghi Street — both are one block from the building. Nguyen Hue itself is pedestrian-only, so vehicles can’t drive directly to the entrance. From the drop-off, it’s a 2-minute walk. From Thao Dien: 15-20 minutes, 50,000-80,000 VND. From Tan Son Nhat Airport: 25-40 minutes, 150,000-250,000 VND.

By Motorbike

Paid parking lots on the side streets — Mac Thi Buoi and Dong Khoi streets both have options. Expect 5,000-10,000 VND for motorbike parking. Don’t park on Nguyen Hue itself — it’s enforced pedestrian-only.

Building Access & Entrance Fee

The Cafe Apartment charges a small entrance fee (currently around 3,000 VND) at the ground-floor elevator. The elevator is old and slow — during peak hours (4-6 PM), expect a 5-10 minute wait. Taking the stairs is faster for floors 2-4. If you’ve booked a workshop at NOTE, mention it at the entrance — the staff can direct you to the fastest route up.

History of the Cafe Apartment: From Colonial Housing to Creative Hub

The Cafe Apartment was built in the 1960s as a French colonial residential block. During the decades after reunification, it served as government housing — families lived in the small apartments, hung laundry from the balconies, and raised children in the narrow corridors.

By the 2000s, the building was aging and many apartments were vacant. Around 2015, Vietnamese creatives — cafe owners, artists, designers — began renting individual apartments and converting them into businesses. The transformation was organic, not planned by any developer or landlord. Each tenant brought their own vision: one apartment became a coffee shop with river views, another a pottery studio, another a record store.

This organic quality is what makes the Cafe Apartment fundamentally different from a mall or a planned creative space. There’s no corporate curation. No unified aesthetic. The mismatched balconies tell the story of dozens of independent decisions by dozens of independent people. That’s also what makes it fragile: there have been periodic rumors of redevelopment, which would erase this unique ecosystem.

Today, the Cafe Apartment is both a functioning creative community and one of Saigon’s most photographed landmarks. It’s consistently ranked among the most unique experiences in Ho Chi Minh City — not for any single business inside, but for the building itself as a living, evolving organism.

Related Reading

• The Cafe Apartment Guide: Floor-by-Floor Breakdown
• What is a perfume making workshop?
• Last day in Vietnam — perfume workshop experience
• 3-day Ho Chi Minh City itinerary
• Why a custom perfume is the best Vietnam souvenir
• Nguyen Hue Walking Street Guide

Further reading: Wikipedia — Nguyen Hue Boulevard | Ho Chi Minh City travel guide on Wikivoyage | Vietnam Tourism Board — Ho Chi Minh City

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Frequently Asked Questions About the Cafe Apartment

What is the Cafe Apartment in Ho Chi Minh City?

The Cafe Apartment is a 9-story residential building at 42 Nguyen Hue, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City that has been converted into a vertical creative village. Built in the 1960s, it now houses 20+ independent cafes, a perfume-making workshop, pottery studios, boutique shops, and a vinyl record store — all inside individual apartments.

What can you do at the Cafe Apartment besides drink coffee?

Make your own perfume at NOTE – The Scent Lab (2nd floor), try pottery at one of the ceramic studios, browse Vietnamese designer boutiques, visit record shops, and enjoy rooftop views. The building has 9 floors of experiences beyond coffee — plan 3-4 hours to explore properly.

Where is the Cafe Apartment located?

42 Nguyen Hue, Ben Nghe, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City — directly on the Nguyen Hue Walking Street. Walkable from most central hotels. The nearest Grab drop-off is Le Loi or Ham Nghi Street, one block away.

What are the Cafe Apartment opening hours?

The building is accessible from early morning to late evening (roughly 8 AM – 10 PM), but individual businesses set their own hours. Most cafes open by 8-9 AM. NOTE – The Scent Lab’s perfume workshop runs scheduled sessions — check availability and book online.

Is there an entrance fee for the Cafe Apartment?

Yes, a small entrance fee of approximately 3,000 VND (about $0.12 USD) is charged at the ground-floor elevator. This goes toward building maintenance.

Which floor has the perfume workshop at the Cafe Apartment?

NOTE – The Scent Lab is on the 2nd floor of the Cafe Apartment. The 90-minute perfume-making workshop is rated 4.9 stars from 500+ TripAdvisor reviews. Book online to guarantee your spot — weekend afternoon slots fill fast.

What are the best cafes in the Cafe Apartment?

Popular choices include rooftop cafes on the 8th-9th floors for Nguyen Hue views, mid-floor specialty cafes (3rd-5th) favored by locals for quiet Wi-Fi working, and ground-level options for quick stops. Expect to pay 50,000-100,000 VND per drink depending on floor level.

How do I get to the Cafe Apartment from the airport?

From Tan Son Nhat Airport, take a Grab (25-40 minutes, 150,000-250,000 VND). Ask the driver to drop you on Le Loi Street — the Cafe Apartment is a 2-minute walk from there on the pedestrian-only Nguyen Hue Walking Street.

Do I need to book the perfume workshop in advance?

Recommended, especially for weekend afternoons. Book and pay online to guarantee your spot. Walk-ins are possible on weekdays but not guaranteed.