When it comes to uncovering hidden gems in Ho Chi Minh City, few places capture the city’s vibrant, layered spirit quite like the Cafe Apartment on Nguyen Hue Walking Street. Once a humble residential block, this historic building has transformed into a modern-day cultural hub and a unique destination in itself.
For travelers, the Cafe Apartment offers a half-day itinerary packed with discovery. From browsing local designer brands to exploring family-run restaurants, sipping artisan coffee, and discovering creative workshops, this spot has everything to make your Ho Chi Minh City trip unforgettable.
Discover perfume workshop in Ho Chi Minh City.
First Impressions: A Building of Hidden Gems
At first glance, the Cafe Apartment doesn’t look different from an usual block. Its worn balconies and concrete walls look almost ordinary. But once you step inside and start climbing its staircases, or hop into the creaky old elevator, you’re transported into a vertical village of creativity.
Bustling yet cozy, urban yet intimate, each floor reveals a new surprise: cafés spilling onto balconies with stunning views, restaurants serving regional specialties, local designers showcasing their work, and studios where you can try your hand at art. All reflecting the energy and creativity of Saigon’s new generation.
This layered mix of old and new makes the Cafe Apartment one of the most unique experiences in Ho Chi Minh City, perfect for travelers who want more than typical sightseeing.
Eating in the Cafe Apartment: From Vietnam’s Regions to Global Fusion
Food is at the heart of Vietnamese culture, and the Cafe Apartment doesn’t disappoint. This is where Saigon’s rich culinary diversity comes to life, from traditional Vietnamese cuisine to modern fusion.
Madam Quyên Restaurant
Often described as the crown jewel of its floor, Madam Quyên is a family-run dining destination where recipes celebrate all three regions of Vietnam: north, central, and south. Diners can watch their food being prepared in the open kitchen, while the walls, decorated with handwritten messages from customers around the world, add a warm, international feel.
Dining here feels like being welcomed into a Vietnamese home, one that proudly shares its culinary heritage. For travelers, it’s a chance to savor Vietnam’s diversity in a single sitting, while also feeling part of a larger community.
Find Madam Quyên Restaurant on Google Maps.
21Grams
For those seeking lighter or plant-based options, 21Grams offers some of the best vegetarian food in the cafe apartment. Blending Vietnamese traditions with Asian fusion cuisine, their dishes are creative, flavorful, and nourishing. Whether you’re vegetarian or simply curious, this spot offers a lighter yet equally satisfying dining option.
And of course, no visit is complete without a drink in hand. From bubble tea shops to hidden cocktail bars, the cafe apartment satisfies every craving. It’s not just a food stop, it’s a flavorful journey layered across nine stories of taste and creativity.
Find 21Grams on Google Maps.
Café & Creative Corners
No visit to the Cafe Apartment would be complete without exploring its cafés. Among the many options, one stands out for its blend of aesthetic, atmosphere, and creativity: Gom x Nicotin Café & Workshop.
This space is a traveler’s dream. More than a coffee shop, it’s an artful blend of ceramic craftsmanship, thoughtful design, and cozy ambiance. Light-filled and beautifully designed, it feels worlds away from the bustle of downtown Ho Chi Minh City. Nearly all the furniture and flooring are made from repurposed wood, giving it a warm, natural touch. Despite the tobacco-inspired name, the café is calm and grounding, perfect for those seeking a break in their day.
Here, Nicotin takes care of the food and drinks, while Gom brings in pottery and art workshops. It’s not just a café, but a multifunctional creative space. Travelers can sip on coffee, play a board game, or pull out a laptop to get some work done.
Here, sipping coffee becomes an immersive experience: surrounded by handmade ceramics, each cup feels like it belongs to a larger narrative of Vietnamese craft and slow living. Many visitors linger not just for the drinks, but for the calm, creative energy that contrasts with the bustling street below.
This is the kind of spot where you order a salted coffee, sink into your chair, and watch the city pulse from a quiet distance, a reminder that even in the busiest corners of Ho Chi Minh City, there’s space to breathe.
Find Gom x Nicotin on Google Maps.
Shopping in the Cafe Apartment: Souvenirs with Meaning
The Cafe Apartment also houses several small boutiques and lifestyle shops. Unlike mass-market souvenirs, these shops offer locally designed goods, from clothing and accessories to crafts and homeware. It’s an opportunity to take home something unique, something that carries the spirit of Ho Chi Minh City’s creative community.
For travelers, shopping here feels more personal, more connected to the place than browsing in malls or tourist stalls. Instead of fast fashion chains, you’ll find curated boutiques and local labels brimming with individuality, think minimalist fashion pieces, handmade jewelry, vintage-inspired clothing, or quirky home decor.
Whether you’re hunting for a meaningful souvenir or a wardrobe update, the retail experience in the cafe apartment has a personal touch: you’re not just buying a product, you’re bringing home a piece of Ho Chi Minh City’s contemporary culture.
The Unique Experience: Creative Workshop in Ho Chi Minh City
What truly sets the Cafe Apartment apart is how it encourages you not just to consume, but to create. In addition to pottery workshops at Gom x Nicotin, you’ll also find one of Ho Chi Minh City’s most unique experiences: perfume-making workshop with NOTE – The Scent Lab.
On the second floor, tucked inside Gom Sai Gon x Nicotin, you’ll find NOTE – The Scent Lab workshop, a space that invites you to slow down and create. Unlike anywhere else in the city, NOTE offers a workshop where you can craft your own perfume. Guided by experts, you’ll learn to distinguish different scent notes and layer them into a fragrance that captures your story, your trip, and your Vietnam experience.
Right on the same floor, NOTE has also opened the newest perfume store, dedicated to showcasing its fragrances in a contemporary, boutique-style setting, complementing the creative energy of the workshop. Together, they make the Cafe Apartment an itinerary-worthy stop for travelers seeking both cultural discovery and a truly personal experience in Saigon.
Find NOTE – The Scent Lab Nguyen Hue Store on Google Maps.
It’s more than a bottle of perfume, it’s a personalized souvenir from Vietnam, something intimate and lasting. A fragrance creation with NOTE makes your Ho Chi Minh City trip go beyond sightseeing, it becomes an opportunity to connect with creativity and culture on a deeper level.
Here’s what makes it special:
- Bottle Vietnam: Instead of bringing home a typical souvenir, you literally bottle the essence of your journey. Perhaps a “sen” note reminds you of an evening in Ho Chi Minh City, or a touch of amber evokes the buzz of Hoi An Ancient Town. Every drop is a memory.
- Custom perfume gift from Vietnam: For couples, friends, or solo travelers, creating a custom perfume becomes more than a fun activity, it’s a meaningful keepsake. Each bottle carries the emotional weight of your travel moments, a gift that lingers long after your trip ends.
- The workshop vibe: The setting itself makes the workshop unforgettable. Within the cafe apartment’s dynamic energy, NOTE’s space feels like a creative oasis: welcoming, inspiring, and intimate. It’s where the noise of the city softens into inspiration, and you leave not just with a product, but with a story in a bottle.
Learn more about perfume workshop experience at NOTE: NOTE – The Scent Lab: A must-visit destination in Ho Chi Minh City.
Why the Cafe Apartment Belongs in Your Travel Itinerary
The beauty of the Cafe Apartment is that it’s not just one thing. It’s a mini-itinerary all by itself, making it a perfect addition to any travel plan.
- Start your day with a coffee at Gom x Nicotin, enjoying the relaxing atmosphere and maybe even joining a morning pottery workshop.
- Enjoy lunch at Madam Quyên for a culinary journey through Vietnam, or head to 21Grams for vegetarian Asian fusion.
- Spend the afternoon browsing boutiques, collecting meaningful souvenirs.
- Finish your day with a creative workshop, blending your own perfume at NOTE – The Scent Lab.
In just a few hours, you’ll have explored food, culture, shopping, creativity, and relaxation, all within one building and its nearby creative hubs. It’s efficient, memorable, and perfectly designed for travelers who want to make the most of their time.
An Unique Experience Worth Discovering
Ho Chi Minh City is full of energy, history, and hidden gems. But if you’re looking for a destination that combines it all – the food, the coffee culture, the creativity, and the community – the Cafe Apartment should be at the top of your list. For travelers, the cafe apartment is the kind of place you can wander into for an hour but stay for half a day. And for everyone, it’s a reminder that Ho Chi Minh City thrives in its contrasts, always buzzing, always evolving, always surprising.
More than just a building, it’s a unique experience that offers travelers a chance to dive into local life, make memories, and even create something of their own. So next time you’re in Ho Chi Minh City, step into the Cafe Apartment. Explore, indulge, create, and leave with something that’s uniquely yours.
(FAQ) Planning Your Visit to the Cafe Apartment
Very interesting information! Thank you!
There’s a perfume-making workshop at The Cafe Apartment, 42 Nguyen Hue. Do you know which floor it’s on?