Tiệm Cà Phê Linh 1975: Rustic Saigon Cafe With Age-Old Decor

Tiệm Cà Phê Linh 1975 in Saigon

In increasingly modern and ever-evolving Saigon, vintage restaurants and cafes are a rare breed these days. 

However, visitors can still get a sense of old-school Saigon at Tiệm Cà Phê Linh 1975.

Possessing a rustic appearance and old-world decorations, this charming cafe is worth a visit.

Tiệm Cà Phê Linh 1975 is situated in a central location

Image credit: @quizxtran

Located on Trương Định Street and just a few minutes’ walk away from the iconic Bến Thành Market and New World Hotel in District 1, Tiệm Cà Phê Linh 1975 is highly accessible. 

Image adapted from: Phương Lê

Its 2-story facade, decked out with sun-bleached wood panels, makes it stand out from the maze of cement townhouses and glass skyscrapers surrounding it.

With a roomy balcony with a nearly 360-degree view over the streets, the cafe promises a breezy coffee sesh for visitors who want to sit back and watch the world go by. 

The balcony is filled with plants and flowers spilling over, forming a lush display that’s pleasant to the eyes. 

Overhanging the old-fashioned louvre doors is an azure wooden sign that reads, “Tiệm Cà Phê Linh Saigon 1975” in a charming classic Saigon typeface font.

Overall, this cafe is reminiscent of a Saigon coffee shop in the 70s.

Image credit: Phương Lê

If you want to let people know that you’re in Saigon without telling them you’re in Saigon, this is the place to be.

For this reason, you’ll see lines of young people queuing up for Insta-worthy photo ops here on any day of the week.

It looks straight out of a Vietnamese living room from a bygone era

Image credit: Tiệm cà phê Linh – Sài Gòn 1975

Stepping into the cafe, you’ll find a spacious venue steeped in an age-old vibe that can only be found in 20th-century movies. 

Adorned with wooden chairs and a vintage TV cabinet on which is an obsolete Zenith television, a Capodimonte lamp standing alongside a porcelain vase of flowers, and a rusted electric fan, this area looks straight out of a Vietnamese living room in the old days.

The broad use of earth-tone shades lends the space a time-worn touch, while turquoise and canary curtains that grace the low, caged windows give it a soothing aura.

Image credit: Phương Lê

There’s also a guitar for those who want to add a soundtrack to jazz up the room and a shelf full of books for readers. 

The coffee counter itself is also a beautiful spot to check in and take a walk down the memory lane. 

Image credit: Phương Lê

Designed like a local retail store in the old days, with goodies stored in jars and cigarette packs in latticed cases, this spot is a perfect ode to traditional retail booths in 20th-century Vietnam.

Image credit: @quizxtran

If you’re looking for a more airy space to nurse your drinks, move upstairs, where you’ll find the wooden balcony looking over the streets. 

Image credit: Tiệm cà phê Linh – Sài Gòn 1975

A limited selection of drinks at affordable prices

Image credit: Ánh Nguyệt

Tiệm Cà Phê Linh 1975 sells mainly coffee at affordable prices, ranging from VND40,000-VND60,000 (~USD1.77-USD2.65). 

At VND55,000 (~USD2.43), you can enjoy a glass of iced milk coffee or bạc xỉu, a Saigon specialty drink featuring a large portion of condensed milk with ice and just a small portion of coffee.

Those who don’t drink coffee can check out other cooling options such as lychee tea, lemonade, and blended yogurt. 

A historic and scenic space to drink coffee and catch up 

Home to a spacious, breezy seating area and unique decor, Tiệm Cà Phê Linh 1975 makes a great place to nurse a cup of coffee, munch sweet snacks, and have a conversation.

The next time you’re in town and looking for an enchanting place to visit, drop by the venue for a visually stunning coffee sesh.

Address: 1 Trương Định, Bến Thành Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City Opening hours: 6AM-11PM, Daily Telephone: 0931 912 657

Website

Also check out:

• Eddie’s: a 50s-style New York diner in Saigon with classic dishes
• Chung King Express: Dalat’s steaming ode to Wong Kar-wai’s masterpiece
• Vua Cua Bike sells takeaway crab bouquets from VND75,000
• Leha’s Home Cactus Garden Cafe: a plant-filled desert bistro 
• 10 Hong Kong restaurants in Saigon with retro décor & Cantonese food

Cover image adapted from: Ánh Nguyệt and Phương Lê

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