Cong Ca Phe, a renowned Vietnamese coffee brand, has officially landed in Toronto after announcing its first outpost in the city. 

Founded in 2007, this world-famous brand is bringing a Vietnamese coffee experiences with vintage-inspired design that beautifully captures the essence of traditional Vietnamese culture.

Painted in their signature army green, each store design narrates a different story, with the inspiration of the Toronto location taken from a typical Vietnamese family home during the subsidy period.

Portraying the childhood memories of the founder, you'll be transported back to 1960s Hanoi with the use of vintage furniture, like arm chairs with floral cushions, cupboards, and old bookshelves.

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Each cup of coffee is handmade using a traditional Vietnamese brewing technique called Phin, with the slow-dripping process giving their coffee a stronger and bolder flavour.

Cong's menu is a blend of tradition and modernity, where you can find both espresso-based and Phin-brewed coffee, along with non-coffee specialty beverages. 

Coconut Coffee ($6.85) is one of their top sellers. Inspired by a local ice cream brand, this drink brings to mind a classic affogato, adding a handful of coffee extract to the icy coconut smoothies. Its subtle coconut and coffee flavour makes it a great try for coffee beginners.

My personal favourite was the Coconut Green Rice ($7.05), a creamy medley of coconut condensed milk smoothie and chewy rice cake bites made with pandan. The rich and contrasting texture brings together as a refreshing coconut-based dessert, with a hint of savoury aftertaste.

Hanoi Dracontomelon ($6.65) is made with dracontomelon fruit and its juice, muddled ginger and simple syrup as the base, and finished with soda water. This fizzy drink has a nice balance of sweet and tartness with a touch of elegance from the mellow ginger taste. 

Brown ($5.45) represents the classic Phin-brewed Vietnamese coffee. The use of condensed milk harks back to the days when there was no fridge in Vietnam. Its sweetness perfectly balances out the intensity of the robusta coffee, with a more aromatic coffee flavour when drinking it hot.

What sets this Brown Pho ($5.45) apart is the use of pho coffee beans. Made by infusing spices like cloves and star anise used in pho during the roasting process, it's no denying that this exclusive drink tastes exactly like the earthy beef broth. 

For those who are curious about the pho flavour, this White Pho ($5.85) is a milder version to the brown ones. The extra condensed milk and coconut cream give a creamier mouthfeel to the drink, accompanied with sweet fall flavours like cinnamon and maple syrup.

Cong Ca Phe is located at 424 Bloor St W.