Coffee and cocktails, but with Vietnamese twists.

This Shake & Savor workshop at Lacàph turns Vietnamese coffee culture into hands-on drink-making, with flavors that go beyond the usual coffee-and-cream routine. I especially like the mix of coffee heritage and modern bartending, taught by guides such as Hung and Tram, who make the process feel clear and friendly.

I also really enjoy that the class includes specific coffee ingredients and blends, not just generic recipes, so you leave with something you can actually remember and repeat at home. The only drawback to flag: it’s a cocktail workshop, so if you’re avoiding alcohol completely, you may want to ask in advance how the drinks are handled for your preferences.

Key things to know before you go

• Small group size (max 18): you get time to ask questions and actually make drinks, not just watch.
• Low caffeine by design: they pitch it as a coffee activity with only slight caffeine impact.
• Vietnam-specific flavor pairings: expect coffee cherry husks (cascara), coffee blossom honey, and Vietnamese-style combinations.
• Hands-on coaching in English: guides like Vi, Joey, and Tram are repeatedly praised for clear instruction.
• Signature drinks you’ll taste and talk about: Cà Phê Mít and Phở Fizz are part of the featured lineup.
• 90 minutes, mobile ticket: a short evening plan that doesn’t swallow your whole night.

Coffee-Driven Cocktails in Quận 1: What Makes This Workshop Different

If you want a fun night in Hồ Chí Minh City that doesn’t feel like a generic drinking tour, this one makes sense fast. The concept is simple: Vietnamese coffee traditions meet cocktail mixology, and you learn how coffee flavors can drive the whole drink, not just sit in the background.

What I like is that it’s not trying to be a “Western bar night” with Vietnamese decor. You’re working with Vietnamese coffee ideas and ingredients, then hearing how those flavors translate into drinks—spiced, sweet, and a little unexpected. One person summed up the vibe as both informative and genuinely enjoyable, and that matches what the format is designed to do: talk less, taste and build more.

And yes, it’s happening in Quận 1, close enough to other evening plans that this can slot in nicely. The meeting point is Lacàph Coffee Experiences Space, upstairs, at 220 Nguyễn Công Trứ in Phường Nguyễn Thái Bình, Quận 1.

The 90-Minute Flow: From Phin Coffee Ideas to Your Finished Drinks

The class runs about 1 hour 30 minutes, and that matters. You get enough time to learn the why behind Vietnamese coffee flavors, but not so much time that you lose energy before the tasting part.

Here’s the kind of flow you can expect, step by step:

First, you settle in at the upstairs Lacàph Coffee Experiences Space and get the core theme: coffee as the base, plus cocktail craft on top. The guides explain what you’re tasting and why certain Vietnamese coffee products work so well in mixed drinks. In reviews, people highlight patient explanations and the way instructors slow things down to make the process feel doable, even if you’ve never made cocktails before.

Next comes the coffee learning piece. Vietnamese coffee is its own world—brewing methods, coffee origins, and even the famous egg coffee culture get mentioned as part of the story you’re meant to absorb. More than one person mentions egg coffee specifically, including learning its origins and how it’s made. Even if you’re not chasing egg coffee at home, the takeaway is useful: it helps you understand why Vietnamese coffee can taste bold, creamy, or spiced depending on the approach.

Then you shift from coffee talk into drink-building mode. The workshop is structured around making and tasting coffee-themed cocktails. So instead of just sipping a premade drink, you follow the guide’s steps, assemble the flavor components, and taste the result as you go.

Finally, you wrap with a tasting and conversation moment—often when the questions come out. This is where the small group size helps. With a maximum of 18 people, the guide can keep track of who needs clarification and who wants to geek out for a minute longer.

Signature Drinks Worth Paying Attention To: Cà Phê Mít and Phở Fizz

The workshop’s strongest selling point is that the drink lineup is grounded in Vietnamese flavors, not random cocktail names. Two featured examples show the range of what you’ll be working with:

Cà Phê Mít is built around jackfruit and uses sampan rhum. That pairing is a good reminder that coffee in Vietnam often plays with fruit and sweetness in surprising ways. It also suggests this class isn’t afraid of bolder flavor combos—expect something more playful than just coffee bitterness.

Phở Fizz leans into savory-spiced energy. It includes dry gin and Cascara Tea. Cascara is made from coffee cherry husks, and that ingredient choice matters because it changes the aroma and flavor notes compared with using only roasted coffee. Instead of straight coffee taste, you get a tea-like lift that can brighten a cocktail.

Beyond those two, the class also spotlights specific Lacàph coffee products, such as Lacàph Phin Blend and Lacàph Cascara Tea. They also highlight Lacàph Raw Coffee Blossom Honey, which gives you a sweet flavor profile with a more complex character than typical table honey.

A quick practical note: some people come in thinking this is strictly coffee tasting. It is coffee-forward, but it’s also a cocktail workshop. You’ll want to taste like you’re learning a craft, not just sampling drinks.

The Guides Make It: Hung, Tram, Vi, and Joey on English-Friendly Teaching

This is one of those experiences where the instructor isn’t a side detail. It’s the core of the value.

In the feedback, you see the same themes again and again: guides explain patiently, keep things fun, and do it in strong English. People name specific instructors, including Hung, Tram, Vi, and Joey, and they credit these guides for making the session feel organized and welcoming.

Why that matters: coffee and cocktails both have their own vocabulary—brewing terms, flavor notes, ingredient functions. If the guide can translate those concepts clearly, you walk away understanding what you tasted. If not, you just get a good drink and a vague memory of what was in it.

Also, the coaching style helps people who aren’t “coffee hardcore.” One comment even mentions doing the class even without being a coffee drinker, which suggests the session is structured to work for different tastes, not just for people who already know how phin filters behave.

Price and Value: Is $29.68 Worth It?

At $29.68 per person, you’re not paying for a fancy restaurant experience. You’re paying for three things you can’t easily DIY on your first night in town:

• A guided intro to Vietnamese coffee flavors and culture
• Hands-on cocktail crafting (not just watching)
• A compact, fun group setting that doesn’t require planning

The workshop is about 90 minutes, and it’s capped at 18 people. That small-group cap is a quiet value booster. With a larger crowd, instructors can’t offer as much individualized help. Here, you’re more likely to get real questions answered—especially if you’re trying to understand the coffee components and not just the final drink.

Booking interest is also steady: the average booking window is about 20 days in advance. That’s often a hint that the most popular time slots fill first. If you want a calmer schedule, booking ahead usually helps.

And one more angle: they position the class as low caffeine. So if you’re sensitive to coffee, you’re not walking into a situation designed to keep you wired for hours. You get coffee culture without the heavy “coffee overload” worry.

Logistics That Affect Your Night (Without Making It Complicated)

Let’s keep this practical. The start and finish are the same: it begins at Lacàph Coffee Experiences Space upstairs, and the activity ends back at the meeting point.

You’ll get a mobile ticket, and confirmation happens at booking time. It’s also near public transportation, which makes it easier to combine with dinner plans rather than building your whole evening around the class.

The workshop also allows service animals, which is a useful detail for anyone who needs that support.

Who This Workshop Is For (and Who Might Skip It)

This class is a great fit if you want an evening activity that’s:

• Coffee-related but not boring
• Cocktail-themed without feeling like a loud bar night
• Taught in English with step-by-step explanation
• Short enough to keep your energy for the rest of your trip

It’s also a good choice if you’re celebrating something. The group size and the hands-on format make it feel more personal than a big show.

Who might consider skipping: if you’re strictly avoiding alcohol, you should check how the drinks are designed and what the options are for your situation. The experience is presented as coffee cocktails, so alcohol is part of the concept, even if the caffeine is low.

Tips to Get More Out of the Class

You don’t need to prepare like a home bartender, but a few choices can make the evening more satisfying:

• Arrive on time so you don’t miss the coffee explanation part. That’s where the flavor logic shows up.
• Ask about the coffee ingredients you see in the featured drinks—Cascara, coffee blossom honey, and the phin blend aren’t random. Knowing what they do will make your tasting experience click.
• Go with curiosity, not caffeine expectations. The activity is pitched as low caffeine, but it still uses coffee products, so if you’re extremely sensitive, take it slow.
• Use the small group advantage. If there’s something you don’t understand—brewing terms, flavor pairings, or why an ingredient changes the taste—this is when to ask.

And if you’re the type who likes to learn the story behind a drink, you’ll probably enjoy the way the session covers coffee culture topics like egg coffee origins and preparation style.

Should You Book Shake & Savor: Coffee Cocktails in Hồ Chí Minh City?

My take: book it if you want a short, structured, English-friendly evening that combines Vietnamese coffee culture with real drink-making. The $29.68 price feels fair for what you get: a small group (max 18), hands-on cocktail experience, and a strong teaching reputation.

Also, the ratings back up the experience. It carries a 5.0 average rating across 42 reviews, with 100% recommendation in the summary. That doesn’t mean every minute will be perfect, but it does mean the experience is consistently landing well.

Skip it only if you’re not interested in coffee flavor culture at all, or if alcohol in cocktails is a dealbreaker for you.

FAQ

How long is the Vietnamese coffee cocktails workshop?

It runs about 1 hour 30 minutes.

Where does the workshop start in Hồ Chí Minh City?

The meeting point is Lacàph Coffee Experiences Space (upstairs), 220 Nguyễn Công Trứ, Phường Nguyễn Thái Bình, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam.

What’s the group size for this class?

The workshop has a maximum of 18 travelers.

Are the guides able to explain things in English?

Yes. The guides are described as speaking excellent English.

What kinds of drinks or ingredients will I experience?

You’ll focus on coffee-based cocktails with Vietnamese ingredients and flavors, including Cà Phê Mít (jackfruit and sampan rhum) and Phở Fizz (dry gin and Cascara Tea), plus Lacàph products like Phin Blend, Cascara Tea, and Raw Coffee Blossom Honey. The session also covers coffee culture topics such as egg coffee.

Is the experience high-caffeine?

No, it’s pitched as low caffeine, with only slight caffeine impact.

What happens if I need to cancel?

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the experience starts. Canceling within 24 hours doesn’t get refunded.