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I LOVE LOVE this coffee spot! They have freshly baked pastries, spring rolls and bahn mis that are all so delicious! Everyone working here is so sweet and they make you feel so welcomed as soon as you walk through the doors. They're more than willing to make adjustments to your drinks or modify whatever you like. If you want it stronger or sweeter, just let them know. I've brought my family here, and we will usually grab a couple games to play while we wait. We've even spent over an hour just sitting here and we never felt rushed to leave. I've even seen people come in here to just read. Mornings are usually a lot busier but they are one of the only coffee spots in the area that stays open pretty late which I am so thankful for! Def a coffee shop to check out !
Vinam Cafe is a local Vietnamese coffee shop and cafe near SDSU, and has such a creative menu, everything feels unique and thoughtfully made. Their desserts are incredible, especially with homemade apricot and other fruit jams. The drinks are on the sweeter side, more dessert-like than traditional coffee, but still amazing. The food is also fantastic -- I'm vegetarian and they were kind enough to make me a tofu bánh mì, and the butter/spread on it was so delicious. You can really tell this is a family-run business, and the owner is super friendly. The interior is cute with a few tables, making it a nice spot to hang out or get some work done with WiFi. Parking is a bit tight, so I'd recommend street parking or a short walk from nearby spots. Overall, a really charming spot with creative drinks, tasty food, and a welcoming vibe.
Small cozy cafe, located on a very busy street and parking can be tricky. Was craving a bahn mi so I decided to stop by. There was no line when entering but it was still a bit of a wait. Ordered the BBQ chicken bahn mi. Portion size is very good. I want to say I loved the sandwich's taste but it was a 6/10, best part was the bread, it had a nice crunch. I'd consider giving it another try some other day.
Fresh baked goods daily, banh mi's & spring rolls, strong Vietnamese coffee....... Omg what more could you ask for????? I'm already looking forward to the matcha I'm getting tomorrow! The ladies here are so so soooo sweet and they really feel like they're my aunties. Such a cute cafe and I can see myself studying here once my semester starts. I love flan so I had to get their flan iced coffee. The Vietnamese coffee is sooooo strong! I love it. Coming here earlier definitely made my day 10x better.
My friend and I got the strawberry tea and matcha latte + a raisin roll. I'm normally not a fan of sweet drinks but the brûlée creamy top of the matcha hit. They made mine with oat milk as well. The barista was so sweet and I am a big fan of supporting Vietnamese-owned businesses! Very cozy, cute, and had parking at the side of the cafe.
I would honestly come back just for the hospitality. A lot of cafes could learn from Vinam Cafe on how to treat their guests. I was expecting a quick surface level grab and go interaction, but the service was beyond amazing from the second we walked in. Two ladies were working and immediately acknowledged us and said they would be right with us. We took a few minutes to look over the menu. They offer food items along with coffee, matcha, and tea drinks. Since it was around brunch time, a banh mi and a matcha sounded perfect. I was hoping for something unique with the matcha because their coffee menu had so many creative options. On the menu I only saw a regular matcha latte and coco matcha, so I asked if they had any other flavors. The super sweet employee mentioned two off menu drinks they can make, mango matcha and strawberry matcha. I went with the mango matcha. My husband ordered an iced Vietnamese coffee. I also added a cold cut banh mi to our order. There is a good amount of seating inside. They even have shelves with games like Uno, Scrabble, and Monopoly if you want to hang out with friends. Our drinks came out in about 5 minutes and the food around 10. The mango matcha was good, but it was a little hard to stir because the mango puree sits thick at the bottom. I wish they offered a stronger straw because the one provided was too flimsy to mix everything together. The matcha itself was not too sweet, which I appreciated. It was topped with a cream layer and a little sugar biscuit, which made it feel fun. The Vietnamese coffee was solid. Not too bitter and not overly sweet. No crazy wow factor, but sometimes you just want a good iced coffee. The cold cut banh mi needs work. It is $9 and the portion felt fair, but the ratios were off. One of my favorite parts of a banh mi is that sharp acidic pop from the pickled carrot and daikon, but there was barely any in mine. I also did not taste much mayo. Instead, the dominant flavor was a very strong, liver forward pate. I usually love a generous amount of pate, but this one tasted homemade and chunky, and leaned very bitter and heavy. It overpowered everything. I had to rely on the garlic sweet and slightly spicy sauce, which I think they use for their spring rolls, to balance it out. It helped but it also masked what could have been a fresher tasting sandwich. Overall, I would definitely come back for the drinks and the hospitality. The banh mi has room for improvement, but maybe I will try their spring rolls next.
My brother and I came on a rainy day (President's Day, yay for being open!) and the ambiance was very relaxing. Soft music playing in the background and the owner was the only one working-- while her son was sleeping at one of the tables in the front. It reminded me of when I was young at my grandmas restaurant as well. We received a very warm welcome! I didn't think they'd have hot coffee, but she did offer it, so I guess they have it. Which is pretty awesome because most Vietnamese coffee shops only do iced. I love my iced drinks, even in cold weather, so that's what I got. I ordered the: $7.50, Iced Crème Brûlée Vietnamese Coffee. The coffee base wasn't too thick or robust. It was bold and strong, with the perfect amount of condensed milk. The crème brûlée cream on top was exactly like the name. It was a smooth custardy taste, slightly sweetened but not overwhelmingly. It paired beautifully with the Vietnamese coffee. And she torched the top (brûlée) to a perfect crisp (it crackled really nicely!!) The topping mixed all together afterwards was a great contrast to everything in the drink. The flavor was delicious-- I would highly recommend this drink. In addition, each drink is topped with a sliced baguette...to me it feels buttered and toasted but I could be wrong. It reminded me of when I was younger, my grandma made this for me in the morning a lot. The bread was beautifully crunchy, light, and fresh! I've been here only once before & at that time I ordered the $7.50, Purple Cloundfee Coffee (I thought this was a spelling mistake), it's their Ube Cold Foam on top of Vietnamese Coffee. My friends were all jealous of my drink and kept asking where I got it from. The ube flavor was prominent and it also paired well with the coffee. The top of this was also brûlée-d...it was an enjoyable surprise. My brother ordered the $7.49, Matcha Coco: this is their Iced Matcha Latte made with coconut milk as it's more full-bodied than if it were to be made with coconut water. The matcha was well combined in the drink & the drink was topped with a slightly sweetened cold foam. I'm unsure of this was also made with coconut milk or regular. The top of this foam was also lightlyyy brûlée - just sparsely and that is what made it so lush! My brother rated the drink a 8/10. 2 drinks were around $14! I have to be honest, it did take a while to make the drinks, I'm *assuming* she does the drip (phin drip can take around 6 min), right as we order it so it's not a pre-batched coffee place. I love the amount of care that goes into making the drinks, it was a holiday as well the day we went -- I hope there are other workers that help out when it gets busy though. I personally didn't mind the wait, but if you're looking for somewhere fast for coffee this might not be the spot for you. However, the flavors are very good and they have diverse options. Not just coffee and matcha, they have tea, smoothies, pastries, spring rolls, and even banh mi. So, if you don't go, you're missing out! (:
Cute little coffee shop. It was very busy on Sunday morning. I ordered the Coconut Latte and Egg Coffee. Owner was nice enough to offer me a pastry for the wait. It was very flavorful and good size. Other people were ordering banh mi's and spring rolls that looked good. I would come back to try the banh mi's next time.
We craved Vietnamese coffee today and decided on the new (to us) Vinam Cafe. There is a tiny parking lot (literally 3 spots), but street parking is available. We were greeted by the owner and made to feel very welcome. She was working by herself (taking orders and making drinks), but still made a point to provide the absolute best service. She even gave everyone in line and at the tables an eggroll. So amazingly sweet! The vibe was very cozy - entire families enjoying their food together. Her elementary-aged son was also there, being so friendly to our dog :) We ordered the Salted Cloundfee and the Purple Cloundfee. When we received our order the owner gave us specific instructions on how to drink them (straw into the coffee and drink, then pull it up and drink the foam top) , and that definitely enhanced our experience! There was a good amount of cream foam on top, which held up well and didn't immediately disintegrate into the coffee. The ube flavor in the Purple Cloundfee was one of the best we've tried. When the foam eventually mixed into the coffee it made the drink even better! Overall we liked our drinks very much. Fair warning: the drinks and food might take a while to come out since the owner is mainly working solo.
Calling all coffee and matcha lovers--this is the spot! We tried both the coffee and the matcha latte, and they were absolutely to die for. The mango matcha latte was a standout, topped with a delicious flavored cream that paired perfectly with their crispy baguette--such a unique and satisfying combination of flavors. The interior is simply decorated, with board games and plenty of comfortable seating, making it a great place to relax and hang out. We also ordered the meat croissants and bánh mì, both generously packed with flavorful fillings. 5+ stars--definitely coming back for more!
1 month ago
28 days ago
I've been to The Vinam Cafe on El Cajon Blvd a couple of times now, and it's quickly becoming one of my favorite spots. Since its located on El Cajon Blvd, parking can be a little tricky, but you can find street parking, and there's also a small lot, so far I have not had any issues with parking. The space itself is cozy and welcoming, with free WiFi, board games to play, and even books for kids, which makes it feel like a great hangout spot whether you're alone or with friends or family. The staff has been consistently friendly, and the girls working there were genuinely so sweet and welcoming both times I visited. On my second visit, I even met the owner and her adorable son, which just added to the warm, community feel of the place. Now the best part...the food and drinks. They have a huge selection of pastries, and everything I've tried has been delicious. On my first visit, I had a pastry with ham, cheese, and egg, and it was seriously amazing, the egg was perfectly runny, and it still held up well even after being warmed up. The second time, we tried the meat pie pastry (which reminded us of dumpling filling in the best way) and a jam and cream cheese danish, both were excellent. Their drinks are just as impressive. I've personally tried the Crème Brûlée Cloudfee and the Coconut Cloudfee, and both were incredible. A friend also had the Purple (Ube) Cloudfee and absolutely loved it. They also offer a variety of other drinks, pastries, and Banh Mi sandwiches, which I'm definitely planning to try next. Overall, this place has everything: great drinks, delicious pastries, a comfortable vibe, and genuinely kind people. This will definitely be my new go-to spot for Vietnamese coffee. read more
The workers are so sweet and kind. The coffee is strong and tasty. There are plenty of seats inside and a few tables outside. There are a few parking spots next to it. They're small so park wisely. When we go on the weekends, it is always packed. Normally a line with people ordering food and drinks. What I really like about this is that people come to get coffee and sit down to enjoy it. It's different than your typical grab and go and you can see the community that supports the business. Everything is brewed fresh so there is a wait when you order your drink. Plan accordingly. I think they could improve their system with brewing to cut down on the wait which is why I gave 4 stars. However, this has become my go to coffee spot on the weekend despite the wait because they are very consistent with their service and beverages. I need to try their food because the last time I went, almost every table had something to eat! read more
1 month ago
I LOVE LOVE this coffee spot! They have freshly baked pastries, spring rolls and bahn mis that are all so delicious! Everyone working here is so sweet and they make you feel so welcomed as soon as you walk through the doors. They're more than willing to make adjustments to your drinks or modify whatever you like. If you want it stronger or sweeter, just let them know. I've brought my family here, and we will usually grab a couple games to play while we wait. We've even spent over an hour just sitting here and we never felt rushed to leave. I've even seen people come in here to just read. Mornings are usually a lot busier but they are one of the only coffee spots in the area that stays open pretty late which I am so thankful for! Def a coffee shop to check out ! read more
Vinam Cafe is a local Vietnamese coffee shop and cafe near SDSU, and has such a creative menu, everything feels unique and thoughtfully made. Their desserts are incredible, especially with homemade apricot and other fruit jams. The drinks are on the sweeter side, more dessert-like than traditional coffee, but still amazing. The food is also fantastic -- I'm vegetarian and they were kind enough to make me a tofu bánh mì, and the butter/spread on it was so delicious. You can really tell this is a family-run business, and the owner is super friendly. The interior is cute with a few tables, making it a nice spot to hang out or get some work done with WiFi. Parking is a bit tight, so I'd recommend street parking or a short walk from nearby spots. Overall, a really charming spot with creative drinks, tasty food, and a welcoming vibe. read more
Small cozy cafe, located on a very busy street and parking can be tricky. Was craving a bahn mi so I decided to stop by. There was no line when entering but it was still a bit of a wait. Ordered the BBQ chicken bahn mi. Portion size is very good. I want to say I loved the sandwich's taste but it was a 6/10, best part was the bread, it had a nice crunch. I'd consider giving it another try some other day. read more
1 month ago
Fresh baked goods daily, banh mi's & spring rolls, strong Vietnamese coffee....... Omg what more could you ask for????? I'm already looking forward to the matcha I'm getting tomorrow! The ladies here are so so soooo sweet and they really feel like they're my aunties. Such a cute cafe and I can see myself studying here once my semester starts. I love flan so I had to get their flan iced coffee. The Vietnamese coffee is sooooo strong! I love it. Coming here earlier definitely made my day 10x better. read more
4 months ago
My friend and I got the strawberry tea and matcha latte + a raisin roll. I'm normally not a fan of sweet drinks but the brûlée creamy top of the matcha hit. They made mine with oat milk as well. The barista was so sweet and I am a big fan of supporting Vietnamese-owned businesses! Very cozy, cute, and had parking at the side of the cafe. read more
I would honestly come back just for the hospitality. A lot of cafes could learn from Vinam Cafe on how to treat their guests. I was expecting a quick surface level grab and go interaction, but the service was beyond amazing from the second we walked in. Two ladies were working and immediately acknowledged us and said they would be right with us. We took a few minutes to look over the menu. They offer food items along with coffee, matcha, and tea drinks. Since it was around brunch time, a banh mi and a matcha sounded perfect. I was hoping for something unique with the matcha because their coffee menu had so many creative options. On the menu I only saw a regular matcha latte and coco matcha, so I asked if they had any other flavors. The super sweet employee mentioned two off menu drinks they can make, mango matcha and strawberry matcha. I went with the mango matcha. My husband ordered an iced Vietnamese coffee. I also added a cold cut banh mi to our order. There is a good amount of seating inside. They even have shelves with games like Uno, Scrabble, and Monopoly if you want to hang out with friends. Our drinks came out in about 5 minutes and the food around 10. The mango matcha was good, but it was a little hard to stir because the mango puree sits thick at the bottom. I wish they offered a stronger straw because the one provided was too flimsy to mix everything together. The matcha itself was not too sweet, which I appreciated. It was topped with a cream layer and a little sugar biscuit, which made it feel fun. The Vietnamese coffee was solid. Not too bitter and not overly sweet. No crazy wow factor, but sometimes you just want a good iced coffee. The cold cut banh mi needs work. It is $9 and the portion felt fair, but the ratios were off. One of my favorite parts of a banh mi is that sharp acidic pop from the pickled carrot and daikon, but there was barely any in mine. I also did not taste much mayo. Instead, the dominant flavor was a very strong, liver forward pate. I usually love a generous amount of pate, but this one tasted homemade and chunky, and leaned very bitter and heavy. It overpowered everything. I had to rely on the garlic sweet and slightly spicy sauce, which I think they use for their spring rolls, to balance it out. It helped but it also masked what could have been a fresher tasting sandwich. Overall, I would definitely come back for the drinks and the hospitality. The banh mi has room for improvement, but maybe I will try their spring rolls next. read more
4 months ago
My brother and I came on a rainy day (President's Day, yay for being open!) and the ambiance was very relaxing. Soft music playing in the background and the owner was the only one working-- while her son was sleeping at one of the tables in the front. It reminded me of when I was young at my grandmas restaurant as well. We received a very warm welcome! I didn't think they'd have hot coffee, but she did offer it, so I guess they have it. Which is pretty awesome because most Vietnamese coffee shops only do iced. I love my iced drinks, even in cold weather, so that's what I got. I ordered the: $7.50, Iced Crème Brûlée Vietnamese Coffee. The coffee base wasn't too thick or robust. It was bold and strong, with the perfect amount of condensed milk. The crème brûlée cream on top was exactly like the name. It was a smooth custardy taste, slightly sweetened but not overwhelmingly. It paired beautifully with the Vietnamese coffee. And she torched the top (brûlée) to a perfect crisp (it crackled really nicely!!) The topping mixed all together afterwards was a great contrast to everything in the drink. The flavor was delicious-- I would highly recommend this drink. In addition, each drink is topped with a sliced baguette...to me it feels buttered and toasted but I could be wrong. It reminded me of when I was younger, my grandma made this for me in the morning a lot. The bread was beautifully crunchy, light, and fresh! I've been here only once before & at that time I ordered the $7.50, Purple Cloundfee Coffee (I thought this was a spelling mistake), it's their Ube Cold Foam on top of Vietnamese Coffee. My friends were all jealous of my drink and kept asking where I got it from. The ube flavor was prominent and it also paired well with the coffee. The top of this was also brûlée-d...it was an enjoyable surprise. My brother ordered the $7.49, Matcha Coco: this is their Iced Matcha Latte made with coconut milk as it's more full-bodied than if it were to be made with coconut water. The matcha was well combined in the drink & the drink was topped with a slightly sweetened cold foam. I'm unsure of this was also made with coconut milk or regular. The top of this foam was also lightlyyy brûlée - just sparsely and that is what made it so lush! My brother rated the drink a 8/10. 2 drinks were around $14! I have to be honest, it did take a while to make the drinks, I'm *assuming* she does the drip (phin drip can take around 6 min), right as we order it so it's not a pre-batched coffee place. I love the amount of care that goes into making the drinks, it was a holiday as well the day we went -- I hope there are other workers that help out when it gets busy though. I personally didn't mind the wait, but if you're looking for somewhere fast for coffee this might not be the spot for you. However, the flavors are very good and they have diverse options. Not just coffee and matcha, they have tea, smoothies, pastries, spring rolls, and even banh mi. So, if you don't go, you're missing out! (: read more
Cute little coffee shop. It was very busy on Sunday morning. I ordered the Coconut Latte and Egg Coffee. Owner was nice enough to offer me a pastry for the wait. It was very flavorful and good size. Other people were ordering banh mi's and spring rolls that looked good. I would come back to try the banh mi's next time. read more
5 months ago
We craved Vietnamese coffee today and decided on the new (to us) Vinam Cafe. There is a tiny parking lot (literally 3 spots), but street parking is available. We were greeted by the owner and made to feel very welcome. She was working by herself (taking orders and making drinks), but still made a point to provide the absolute best service. She even gave everyone in line and at the tables an eggroll. So amazingly sweet! The vibe was very cozy - entire families enjoying their food together. Her elementary-aged son was also there, being so friendly to our dog :) We ordered the Salted Cloundfee and the Purple Cloundfee. When we received our order the owner gave us specific instructions on how to drink them (straw into the coffee and drink, then pull it up and drink the foam top) , and that definitely enhanced our experience! There was a good amount of cream foam on top, which held up well and didn't immediately disintegrate into the coffee. The ube flavor in the Purple Cloundfee was one of the best we've tried. When the foam eventually mixed into the coffee it made the drink even better! Overall we liked our drinks very much. Fair warning: the drinks and food might take a while to come out since the owner is mainly working solo. read more
4 days ago
The lady at the front is so sweet! Drinks are delicious. Got salted coffee and peach tea this time but my fave is the coconut cloud coffee! read more
2 months ago
Calling all coffee and matcha lovers--this is the spot! We tried both the coffee and the matcha latte, and they were absolutely to die for. The mango matcha latte was a standout, topped with a delicious flavored cream that paired perfectly with their crispy baguette--such a unique and satisfying combination of flavors. The interior is simply decorated, with board games and plenty of comfortable seating, making it a great place to relax and hang out. We also ordered the meat croissants and bánh mì, both generously packed with flavorful fillings. 5+ stars--definitely coming back for more! read more
Sweetest owner and son duo!!! Crème brûlée cloundfee was superr strong but so addicting! Matcha latte was fine; not the sweetest and felt a bit overpowered by the milk Obsessed with the sugar cookie and foam dip. It was pleasant with the coffee! Can't wait to come back read more
As I entered this coffee shop I was immediately greeted by the barista/owner. She was such a nice person and provided excellent customer service. I ordered the Egg Coffee and it did not disappoint. Coffee was strong and delicious with egg topping and a biscoff cookie on top. For food I ordered a meat pie with sausage and mushroom filling. The outside was flaky and baked perfectly. Last, I ordered the bbq pork banh mi and it delivered. This sandwich was filled with meat and the bread was awesome. Disclaimer, that the owner cooks everything by hand which makes this more special. Very cute coffee shop with seating inside and outside. Definitely recommend this place and I will be back. read more
The Creme Brulee Coffee was very delicious and the owner was pretty chill. She was very apologetic as she was late to open the store, but it was cool cool. The meat pie was good and omg the coffee again was good. Now I have two places on my list to go to now and depending on where I am, I might go to whatever is closer lol. The bread on top of the coffee was delicious and compliment the brulee on top. read more
I've been meaning to try this place and I'm happy I was able to! We got the matcha latte and creme brûlée coffee. The matcha latte had just the right amount of matcha. Not too sweet either which I prefer. The creme brûlée coffee had a very rich, deep flavor topped with a sweet, creamy top which helps to cut the bitterness of the coffee. It will definitely leave you feeling very caffeinated. Both drinks were topped with their homemade butter bread cracker. We also got a meat pastry called patê sô. Very flavorful and super delicious! It was a cute little shop and the service was exceptional. The worker helped give us some recommendations on which drinks were most popular. I'd like to come back to try their other drinks :) read more
15 days ago
The costumer service was amazing!! We were welcomed so warmly, felt like I was talking with a family member, overall such a great environment. Everything is made fresh and tastes absolutely amazing!! The drinks look so good, unfortunately I didn't get one this time but I'll definitely be coming back. Come support this small family owned business! read more
4 days ago
Service was amazing they are really nice and the pastries were really good. The lady's working were super nice a read more
I remember the College Sub Shop that preceded The Vinam Cafe back in 2016! They are still the same in terms of serving banh mi and are still family owned. There is an upgraded menu that includes bakery items and trending coffees! The staff are welcoming and gave me suggestions on which coffee to order and mentioned the popular drinks. My order for was the cold cut for $9 and includes Vietnamese deli meats like pork loaf and ham. The bread they use is almost softer, but still crunchy on the outside, which I really liked! It was a delicious sandwich, paired with my Salted Cloud Coffee. I'd highly recommend their coffee if your default sweetness is on the lower level. My only setback would be the wait time, as I did wait quite a bit for my order to come out. From other reviews, it does seem like it could be an issue if you are short on time. read more
2 months ago
People were friendly, but man the amount of ice they give you... Place has potential but getting 80% ice in your drink is wild to me. I may come back to give them a shot because the coffee was pretty good just disappointed, maybe asking for light ice will help idk. PS: The parking is very small so if you can't park I recommend you park on the street lol read more
1 month ago
Great service and delicious sandwiches and coffee! It is very relaxing and cute inside. Lots of pastries you can choose from as well. I got the chicken banh mi and it was sooo good and spicy. read more
3 months ago
VieNam Cafe Today hubby took me and my bff to VNC he drove us there in his FSD Tesla X. It was his third time being there this week! Now I know why! This place is amazing! So unexpected and untraditional. "Oh are we going to the Pho restaurant?" bff asked. "No, it's across the street," replied hubbs. The owner was very happy to see us and happily greeted every customer who entered with genuine enthusiasm. Well hubby definitely nailed this one. "Go sit down," my husband instructed us, as he confidently walked up to the counter, already knowing what to order. The food was so different than anything I've ever had and so was the coffee! We had the patachoix pastry delicate buttery French pastry stuffed with a melt in your mouth mushroom and pork mixture. Omg to die for. Then came the egg coffees! Something completely unexpected and super scrumptious. This you have to try it for yourself. Trust me on this one. Order the egg coffee. Please don't take my word for it. Go check out VN Cafe for yourself! It's easy to do because they are open every day of the week. Go in morning because the coffee is strong. read more
I'm addicted to this place. The Vietnamese coffee, the matcha, the spring rolls, and the pastries is all so delicious. The matcha is high quality with a smooth finish. The coffee is not acidic and have that perfect balance of strong, but smooth. The spring rolls is fat filled with delicious garnishes and meat. The pastries is soft, perfectly flaky, and delicious filling. The flan is so creamy and delicious!! Customer service is amazing!! They are so nice and very welcoming!! It's nice coming here and they remember you. The place is decorated with various phin that they brought from Vietnam. It's so cute. The place is clean and there's a couple parking on the side or the front if you got lucky. Sometimes we park across the street. This place is so amazing and I'm so glad that I finally found a good coffee shop closer to home. read more
This is a small Vietnamese cafe that just opened up three months ago. They have really great tasting coffees and pastries. The banh mi that are served are on freshly baked french breads. The owner was just by herself but was super nice and very outgoing with the many customers that stopped by. The inside has nice seatings as well. Definitely worth the check out and support of this mom and pop shop! read more
Made another attempt to stop by today, second time's the charm! Vinam Cafe is a newcomer for SD's Vietnamese coffee scene. They offer creative layered concoctions and bakery items/pastries. The place is super clean, bright, and modern. I can imagine a lot of people studying here or just hanging out and catching up with friends. I ordered the Creme Brulee Cloundfee (aka egg coffee). It was sweet and creamy. I also tried the Matcha Coco Latte, which was unique and refreshing, especially for a warm day. Both drinks were very good taste-wise; however, they didn't do much for me caffeine-wise... I like my coffee/tea strong. Presentation is IG-worthy and the staff was super friendly. Parking's a little tricky on El Cajon Blvd. It took me a few minutes to find a spot on the street. But I'm happy to see SD's Viet coffee scene growing. read more
Very pleasantly surprised. We went late in the day and it seemed a bit slow inside. Only a few people inside. The coffee. Wow! My husband got the 3 layer coffee and I got the coconut one. Both were very delicious. Coconut flavor wasn't overpowering and not too sweet. The toasted coconut and Oreo cookie on top was a nice touch. Service was friendly. One person behind the counter but she was moving pretty fast. The 3 layer coffee (coffee, milk, condensed milk) also had great flavor. Kinda bummed it's so far from us but we'll be back. And we'll be sure to order some food too. read more
3 months ago
Came visiting from OC and didn't expect to find such good banh mi here in SD! Owned by the sweetest woman, but please remember to be patient as she's running it mostly, if not all herself. The wait is so worth it and she truly deserves all the patronage and support My friends and i got the creme brule/egg coffee, strawberry tea, pork banh mi and cold cut banh mi -- the filling was plentiful, made fresh, and the drinks were so refreshing with nice presentation. read more
It took two attempts for me to make a successful visit to The Vinam Cafe which still has signage from the previous business that was a submarine shop in the College neighborhood near SDSU. There were some dedicated parking spaces to the west of the building. The inside of the suite had close to ten small tables for seating. They open fairly late in the morning at 10:00 but also have an evening closing time of 8:00. On my first try, I arrived not long before it was scheduled to close for the night. To my surprise, there was no one on duty when I walked in. All of the lights were on, and the door was unlocked. The 'open' sign mounted on a side window was turned on too. I called out loud several times to see if someone in the back kitchen could hear me but to no avail. I waited until 8 pm to see if a staff member was going to return, however no one did so I departed. My return visit was on a recent afternoon when there was only one set of customers seated. I explained to the lady staffing the counter that the place was without any workers during regular operating hours. She seemed surprised but not overly concerned about my incident. I hope as a new business they take this lack of staffing issue seriously, otherwise trouble will brew if it recurs. On to the food/drink... there were two laminated menu sheets at the counter with one featuring four types of banh mi sandwiches and other listing three kinds of spring rolls. Another sheet displayed 16 different submarine sandwiches which were likely offerings from the past shop that this kitchen decided to continue. A last sheet had the beverages which were made up of coffee, tea, latte, and smoothies. I only wanted a snack so my choice was the Shrimp Spring Rolls. They came as an order of three for $9. The size of the rolls was decent, but they tasted blander than elsewhere. Because of that, the peanut sauce provided on the side was needed more than usual for dipping. The service was pleasant, but I couldn't overlook the fact that The Vinam Cafe seemed lax with their staffing and security. read more
10 months ago
Located in a former sub sandwich shop is this local hidden gem. I love it here! It's going to be my new go to spot for Vietnamese coffee and their matcha was very good! It was just the right amount of sweetness for me. One of the owners really sold me on it when she said that she spent a lot of time finding the perfect matcha to concoct her drinks. They even have fresh bread made in house for their Bahn Mis which I have yet to try. I'm excited to taste the freshness of the bread. Their pastries are amazing too! I tried the guava one and it was buttery and flaky and not too sweet. They know what they are doing! Will be coming back multiple times. I'm so happy to have them in my neighborhood. read more
2 months ago
I'm a huge fan of Vietnamese coffee, so when I saw that this place was nearby I had to make a quick stop! Their parking situation isn't the best, however there is plenty of street parking available. Aside from that, I got their Vietnamese flan coffee and it did not disappoint! The flan was the perfect texture, the coffee was nice and strong, and their pricing wasn't bad at all. I paid about $8 after taxes, and the service was quick. The lady who took my order was very kind, and attentive which I appreciate! While I didn't stay long, I think that this cafe would be a great place to study too, since it was pretty quiet and had a good amount of seating available. Definitely coming again, thank you! read more
I really enjoy the creme brulee coffee. The coffee was smooth and strong. If you need something strong and not overly sweet, you should try their Vietnamese coffee. The creme brulee foam was delicious. They also have a great selection of pastries and Vietnamese sandwiches. I highly recommend it here. There's street parking but if it's full, there's 5 parking spaces on the left side of the coffee shop. I parked a bit further and didn't mind the walk. read more
2 months ago
1 month ago
Great drinks and amazing energy. The owners are super sweet and welcoming. I'll definitely be back soon. read more
16 days ago
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The Vinam Cafe - coffee - Updated June 2026
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