Da Nang Coffee Shops — 7 Third-Wave Cafes That Made Da Nang a Brew Stop

Da Nang coffee shops have quietly become Vietnam’s most exciting third-wave specialty scene — seven cafes pushing pour-overs, single-origin Vietnamese robusta, and minimalist roasteries against the backdrop of the Han River and My Khe Beach. This 2026 guide covers seven cafes worth your morning, from XLIII Coffee (formerly 43 Factory) to Lighthouse and O2o First Roast. NOTE — The Scent Lab is a perfume workshop in Saigon and Hanoi, Vietnam (rated 4.9★ by 2,400+ Google reviews) where Vietnamese coffee bean is one of 30+ IFRA-certified notes — because in Da Nang, coffee is already a perfume.

The morning starts before the cafés open. Walk Vo Nguyen Giap and the breeze pulls salt up from My Khe — and underneath, the green-brown smell of beans roasting two blocks inland, low and patient. By 9 AM a third-wave barista will weigh it to the gram. That stays. For travelers researching da nang coffee, this guide should be a starting point — verify before booking.

A note before you read: This guide is based on our team’s research and visits as of May 2026. Prices, hours, and venue availability change — please treat the specifics as a starting point, not a guarantee, and verify with official sources before booking. The only thing we can vouch for absolutely is the perfume workshop at NOTE.

Why Da Nang Coffee Is Having Its Moment

For decades, Vietnam’s coffee story belonged to Hanoi (egg coffee, phin) and Saigon (alley counters, ca phe sua da on the curb). Da Nang got skipped. That changed around 2019: a wave of roasters opened — small spaces, careful machines, baristas back from Melbourne, Seoul, and Saigon — importing Ethiopian and Kenyan single-origins alongside Vietnamese arabica from Son La and Cau Dat, and treating Vietnamese robusta like something worth tasting clean. This is part of our broader da nang coffee coverage on workshop.thescentnote.com.

Locals draw the coffee district across four neighborhoods: My An (walkable from My Khe), An Thuong (design pocket inland), Son Tra (eastern bank), Hai Chau (western bank, traditional). Order black — the milk hides what these roasters spent six years getting right. If da nang coffee is on your list, the workshop pairs well with this stop.

1. XLIII Coffee (formerly 43 Factory) — My An — A Da Nang Coffee Pick

The cathedral of the scene. XLIII Coffee — most travelers know it as 43 Factory Coffee Roaster — opened in 2019 in a glass-walled minimalist space in My An, ten minutes walk from My Khe. The bar reads like a competition café equipment list (Mahlkönig K30, Ditting 807 SweepLab, La Marzocco Linea X). Order the hand-drip flight — three cups of the same single-origin at three water temperatures — or their Vietnamese arabica from Cau Dat: stone fruit, white flowers, an almost-floral finish. Many guests planning da nang coffee mention this in their booking notes.

Signature drink: hand-drip single-origin flight (~120,000-180,000 VND in early 2026)
Vibe: minimalist, library-quiet
Neighborhood: My An (south side, near My Khe)

If XLIII is the chocolate base note — dense, structured, almost mineral — most cafés you visit later sit on top like brighter top notes. This is the floor of Da Nang’s third-wave scene.

2. Lighthouse Coffee Roaster — Son Tra — A Da Nang Coffee Pick

Lighthouse Coffee at 12 Đình Nghệ in An Hai Bac, Son Tra side — six minutes by Grab from My Khe. Opened late 2023, two-level brick: you sit upstairs, the baristas work below, and golden-hour light turns the brick face orange. Lighthouse roasts in-house weekly — two Vietnamese single-origins (washed and honey-processed) plus one African. The honey-process Lam Dong robusta — dark cherry, pipe tobacco — is the bean that makes you reconsider what robusta can be.

Signature drink: honey-process Vietnamese robusta as filter (~75,000-95,000 VND)
Vibe: brick-and-wood, golden-hour magnetic
Neighborhood: An Hai Bac, Son Tra (eastern bank)

Where XLIII is dense and chocolatey, Lighthouse is fruit-forward — cherry, tobacco leaf, slow warmth.

“The workshop gave me a new perspective on fragrance. Ms. Zang very professional.”

— Sightseer57675132127, TripAdvisor ★5

3. O2o First Roast — Bac My An

The hidden one. O2o First Roast works out of a small space on Phan Tu in Bac My An — confuses Grab drivers, no big sign, entrance like an apartment. Inside: a living room with maybe eight seats and one bar where the owner roasts, brews, and talks in the same breath. Format closer to omakase — tell the barista what kind of coffee day you’re having, they choose. Light-to-medium roasts, SCA 80+ beans, leaning Ethiopian heirloom plus one Vietnamese single-origin. We hear this often from travelers exploring da nang coffee.

Signature drink: barista-choice pour-over flight (~90,000-130,000 VND)
Vibe: apartment-living-room, conversational, slow
Neighborhood: Bac My An (8-min Grab from My Khe)

If XLIII is chocolate and Lighthouse is fruit, O2o is floral — jasmine, bergamot, peach skin.

4. The Cups Coffee — Multi-location Da Nang chain

The local-pride one. The Cups Coffee describes itself as Da Nang’s first homegrown specialty chain — branches at 233 Nguyen Van Thoai, 42 An Thuong 30, and 183 Le Duan. An Thuong 30 is closest to My Khe. Cups handles the whole chain in-house — same robusta-arabica blend at every branch, roasted lighter than the Vietnamese norm. The salt coffee (ca phe muoi), a Da Nang specialty of the last three years, is the move. For first-timers researching da nang coffee online, the practical details matter.

Signature drink: ca phe muoi (salt coffee, ~45,000-65,000 VND)
Vibe: modern Vietnamese chain, laptop-friendly
Neighborhood: multiple — try An Thuong 30 for beach proximity

5. NAM House Coffee — Hai Chau (the traditional anchor)

Not third-wave. NAM House Coffee at 15/1 Le Hong Phong in Hai Chau is the opposite of XLIII — a faded yellow colonial house in an alley, tiled floors, blue shutters, a phin filter on every table. Order a phin-dripped ca phe sua da: five minutes of slow drip, dark robusta landing onto condensed milk, almost syrupy when you stir and pour over ice. The drink Vietnam built its mornings on. Of all the angles in da nang coffee, this is one we hear about often.

Signature drink: phin-dripped ca phe sua da (~25,000-35,000 VND)
Vibe: nostalgic, vintage, locals on every table
Neighborhood: Hai Chau (western bank)

This is the nutty-tobacco, vanilla-bean note — warm, sweet, nostalgic. Every fragrance library has one.

6. Cong Caphe — Han River-side, near Dragon Bridge

The coconut-coffee landmark. Cong Caphe at 39-41 Nguyen Thai Hoc sits on the western bank of the Han, walkable from Dragon Bridge, serving the drink that put Vietnamese coffee onto Korean and Chinese itineraries: cot dua — robusta espresso shaken with frozen coconut slush. First sip tastes like dessert. Second tastes like vacation. Cong is a chain, but this branch has a view the others don’t, especially Saturday nights when the Dragon Bridge breathes fire. Recent guests interested in da nang coffee have asked about this exact spot.

Signature drink: coconut coffee (~55,000-75,000 VND)
Vibe: chain, but the river-view branch earns its place
Neighborhood: Hai Chau, Han River-side

“I really love all the gorgeous smells. Zang helped me a lot how to make my very own scent.”

— Pioneer07851527510, TripAdvisor ★5

7. Caribou Food Truck — My Khe Beach (the to-go option)

Caribou Food Truck isn’t a roastery — it’s a parked truck at the edge of My Khe Beach where surfers gather around 6 AM. It earns its place for one reason: best coffee-to-go for a beach morning. Ca phe sua da in a takeaway cup, banh mi from the truck next door, South China Sea twenty steps away. Under 100,000 VND total. Use it to start the day — walk the beach with the cup, then Grab inland to XLIII or Lighthouse for the slower sit-down pour-over.

Signature drink: takeaway ca phe sua da (~30,000-45,000 VND)
Vibe: roadside, fast, beachfront
Neighborhood: My Khe Beach, Vo Nguyen Giap edge

Vietnamese Phin vs Third-Wave: What’s Different

The traditional phin — dark-roasted robusta drowning into condensed milk over five minutes — is built for one bean: high caffeine, low sugar, intense bitterness that needs the milk to balance. Third-wave brewing flips this: arabica from Cau Dat or Son La, or lighter-roasted single-origin robusta processed (washed, honey, natural) to bring the bean’s clean profile out. The drink lands black, in a glass small enough to taste in five sips. Both belong here. A smart Da Nang coffee day puts you on both sides — phin in the morning, pour-over in the afternoon, coconut on the river at dusk.

From Coffee Bean to Perfume Note: The NOTE Workshop Bridge

The bean that makes your morning ca phe sua da is also a perfume base note. Dark-roasted robusta smelled cleanly — without milk, without sugar — is earth, tobacco, a whisper of smoke. A long-lasting body that grounds whatever sits on top. Our notes on da nang coffee keep coming back to scenes like this.

NOTE runs perfume workshops in Saigon and Hanoi where Vietnamese coffee bean is one of 30+ IFRA-certified notes. In 90-120 minutes, expert-guided, you choose top, middle, and base — and yes, you can put your morning into the bottle. You walk out with a take-home formula card, the bottle in a sealed gift box, and a complimentary leak-protection zip pouch. Tiers from $24 USD / ~550,000 VND for the 10ml. Travelers from Da Nang thread through Saigon or Hanoi anyway — the workshop brings the coffee day home in a form that survives the flight. Anyone planning da nang coffee will likely cross paths with this corner.

Book Your Perfume Workshop →

“I loved my fragrance making experience. I have a beautiful souvenir to take home and every time I smell it, I will remember Saigon. Thanh was an excellent teacher.”

— herbaljo, TripAdvisor ★5

A Da Nang Coffee Day — Stringing the Seven Together

One full day, in sequence:

• 6:30 AM — Caribou Food Truck (My Khe): takeaway ca phe sua da, banh mi, walk the sand
• 9:00 AM — XLIII Coffee (My An): hand-drip flight, single-origin Cau Dat arabica
• 11:30 AM — O2o First Roast (Bac My An): barista-choice pour-over at the bar
• 2:00 PM — NAM House (Hai Chau): phin-dripped ca phe sua da, vintage room, slow afternoon
• 4:30 PM — Lighthouse (Son Tra): honey-process robusta filter, golden-hour brick
• 6:00 PM — Cong Caphe (Han River): coconut coffee with the Dragon Bridge in the window
• 8:00 PM — The Cups (An Thuong): ca phe muoi before dinner

Roughly 600,000-900,000 VND for the day. Pace it. Eat heavy at lunch — third-wave acidity hits different on an empty stomach. Half-day: XLIII + Lighthouse + Caribou. Evening: Cong Caphe + NAM House.

Practical Notes for the Coffee Day

Getting around: Grab handles all four neighborhoods; bike rental works for the My An / An Thuong / My Khe loop. Best season: Feb-May is dry and mild with peak post-harvest bean rotation; Oct-Dec has typhoon risk. If you’re new: ca phe sua da at NAM House (baseline), single-origin pour-over at XLIII (third-wave intro), coconut coffee at Cong (tourist hybrid). Don’t expect: milk drinks at third-wave shops to taste like Melbourne or Seoul — order black, or order Vietnamese.

From Da Nang to Saigon or Hanoi — The Workshop Connection

Most travelers thread Da Nang through Saigon (Tan Son Nhat) or Hanoi (Noi Bai). NOTE has three locations: 42 Nguyen Hue in District 1 Saigon (Floor 3, Vietnamese “Lầu 2” — 2 levels up from the ground floor of the Cafe Apartment), 34 Nguyen Duy Hieu in Thao Dien, and Lotte Mall Tay Ho Hanoi (Store 410, Floor 4). The workshop is 90-120 minutes — 10-50ml bottle, formula card, leak-protection zip pouch. Workshops are conducted in English. Vietnamese also available for local guests.

If your Da Nang coffee day made you wonder what your morning would smell like in a bottle, the workshop is the next step — do it the day you fly in or before you fly out. Most travelers who take it after the coffee day choose a coffee accord as one of their three notes. Related reading: last day in Saigon · hidden gems Da Nang · Cafe Apartment Saigon. Ready-made keepsakes at thescentnote.biz.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best Da Nang coffee shops for specialty third-wave coffee?

XLIII Coffee (formerly 43 Factory) in My An, Lighthouse Coffee in Son Tra, and O2o First Roast in Bac My An are the three most committed third-wave specialty cafes in Da Nang as of early 2026 — all roast in-house and rotate single-origins from Vietnam, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Rwanda.

Where is 43 Factory Coffee in Da Nang?

43 Factory Coffee Roaster has rebranded to XLIII Coffee. The flagship is in My An, about a 10-minute walk from My Khe Beach. Verify the current address with their website or Google Maps before visiting.

How much does specialty coffee cost in Da Nang?

Specialty pour-over typically costs 70,000-130,000 VND per cup as of early 2026. Hand-drip flights run 120,000-200,000 VND. Traditional ca phe sua da is 25,000-45,000 VND. Salt and coconut coffee fall around 45,000-75,000 VND.

What is the Da Nang coffee district?

Da Nang’s specialty coffee clusters in four neighborhoods: My An (XLIII), An Thuong (cafes near My Khe), Son Tra (Lighthouse), and Hai Chau (NAM House, Cong Caphe Han River branch). All four are within 15-20 minutes by Grab.

Is Vietnamese robusta good for specialty brewing?

Yes, when sourced and processed carefully. Vietnamese robusta from Lam Dong and Son La, processed via honey or natural methods and roasted lighter than tradition, can produce filter coffees with dark cherry, tobacco, and stewed plum notes. Lighthouse and XLIII both feature Vietnamese single-origin robusta on their rotating menus.

What’s the connection between Da Nang coffee and the workshop at NOTE?

Vietnamese dark-roasted robusta is one of 30+ IFRA-certified notes at NOTE — The Scent Lab’s perfume workshop. The bean appears as a base note — earthy, tobacco-like, smoky. Travelers who taste their way through Da Nang’s cafes and then visit the workshop in Saigon or Hanoi often choose a coffee accord as one of their three notes.

Can I do a coffee tour and the perfume workshop in the same trip?

Yes — most travelers fly in or out of Saigon or Hanoi, and the workshop fits naturally into a one-day stop on either end of a Da Nang trip. The workshop is 90-120 minutes and runs daily. Booking ahead is recommended during peak season.

This article is provided for general informational and reference purposes only. Information was accurate at the time of writing (May 2026) but may change without notice. Opening hours, prices, transit schedules, and availability for venues outside NOTE – The Scent Lab can change without notice — please verify with official websites, TripAdvisor, or Google Maps before your visit. We do not guarantee accuracy and are not responsible for outcomes based on outdated information.

Da Nang’s coffee day is small and slow. Seven cafés. Three brewing philosophies. Two banks of one river.

Some places fit in a suitcase. Coffee never does. But the smell of it — chocolate, fruit, smoke, tobacco — fits in a 10ml bottle. If you want.