Where to Buy Vietnamese Coffee in Switzerland

Short answer: the easiest way to buy Vietnamese coffee in Switzerland is online from a Swiss shop, so it arrives in a few days with no customs to deal with. PHIN, in Winterthur, sells three single-origin Vietnamese coffees and the phin filter, delivered anywhere in Switzerland by Swiss Post or collected in Winterthur by arrangement. Asian grocery shops in the larger cities stock mass-market Vietnamese brands, and a handful of Vietnamese cafés will let you taste it first.

This guide is written by PHIN, so we are listed first. We have tried to be fair to everyone else on it.

The options at a glance

1. Buy online from a Swiss shop

PHIN, Winterthur

We sell three single-origin coffees, each from a named region: Hanoi Haze (100% Arabica from Lai Châu, floral and light), Da Lat Dawn (60% Robusta, 40% Arabica from Cầu Đất near Đà Lạt, cocoa and toasted grain) and Saigon Drip (100% Robusta from Buôn Ma Thuột, the strongest of the three). Each comes as whole beans or in four grinds, in 200 g, 500 g and 1 kg, from CHF 9.50 for 200 g of Saigon Drip.

We also sell the PHINOI phin filter (CHF 20.00) and a gift set with the filter and 100 g of each coffee (CHF 43.00).

Delivery: Swiss Post, 2–3 working days standard or 1–2 by express, free on orders over CHF 60 (CHF 6.90 below that). Pick-up: you can collect your order at Tösstalstrasse 227, 8405 Winterthur, by arrangement. Email gruezi@phinkafi.ch after ordering.

Royal Pacific Coffee, Winterthur

Royal Pacific Coffee imports established Vietnamese coffee brands, sells them through its own online shop and runs a café in Winterthur. If you are looking for a specific Vietnamese brand you already know, rather than single-origin coffee, it is worth a look.

2. Asian grocery shops

Asian grocery shops in Zürich, Bern, Basel, Geneva, Lausanne and other cities often stock mass-market Vietnamese brands. These are usually pre-ground for the phin, sometimes instant, and some are roasted with butter or flavourings. Check the label for ingredients and the roast or best-before date, and expect the bean origin to be described simply as "Vietnam".

3. Ordering from abroad

Shops in the EU and in Vietnam offer more brands, but a parcel from outside Switzerland can bring import VAT and a handling fee from Swiss Post or the courier, and it takes longer. Check whether the shop ships to Switzerland at all before you order.

4. Where to drink it first

A cup in a café is the cheapest way to find out whether you like it. In Zürich, Co Chin Chin (Gasometerstrasse 7) serves hot and iced Vietnamese coffee. In Winterthur, Royal Pacific Coffee runs a café. Elsewhere, Vietnamese restaurants are the place to ask for cà phê sữa đá, the iced coffee with condensed milk. Opening hours change, so check before you go.

Vietnamese coffee by city

Zürich

Delivery from Winterthur takes 1–2 working days by express, 2–3 standard. Co Chin Chin for a cup, Asian grocery shops for mass-market brands.

Winterthur

Home to PHIN (pick-up at Tösstalstrasse 227 by arrangement) and to Royal Pacific Coffee's café.

Bern and Basel

The same Swiss Post delivery times apply, and both cities have Asian grocery shops that carry Vietnamese brands.

Geneva, Lausanne and the rest of Romandie

We deliver anywhere in Switzerland, and our shop is also in French. For a first taste, ask at a Vietnamese restaurant for cà phê sữa đá.

What to look for when you buy

• The Robusta share. Robusta has roughly twice the caffeine of Arabica. 100% Robusta is strong and made for condensed milk; 100% Arabica is lighter. More on caffeine.
• A named origin. "Vietnam" tells you little. A region such as Buôn Ma Thuột, Cầu Đất or Lai Châu tells you much more. Vietnam's coffee regions.
• The roast date. Coffee is best within 12 months of roasting, and soon after opening.
• The grind. A phin needs medium-fine coffee. If you own a grinder or a bean-to-cup machine, buy whole beans.
• The ingredients. Some Vietnamese coffee is roasted with butter, sugar or flavourings. That is a style, not a fault, but it should be on the label.

Questions