Donkey Coffee Roastery’s barista-owner Nguyễn Hoàng Giang’s five-year-long stint in Shanghai with a graphic design agency was supposed to propel his career to an international stage.
Yet instead, he found himself drawn to the city’s then-fast-growing coffee scene.
“The first thing that attracted me to the world of coffee was coffee equipment… especially the siphon pots!” Giang explained.
Most baristas actively try to hide their love for brewing equipment, but Giang has no intention of doing so. To him, they are tools of beauty that help baristas create a delicious cup of coffee.
With help from his previous expertise, Giang instinctively took to arms for a new challenge — creating a specialty coffee joint in a quiet Hanoian riverside neighborhood.
An unlikely spot for Red River’s hidden cafe–roastery
For almost nine months, Giang’s 20m2 roastery-cafe has become a caffeine club of sorts for savvy millennials of the fast-growing capital city.
Yet the roastery’s location at alley 139 Chương Dương Độ sets Donkey Coffee Roastery up for both modern and historical glory.
Neighbor to Sơn Hải Temple, a site where the Vietnamese Lý Dynasty fought against the threat of a Mongol invasion in 1258, the Red River basin (Bờ Sông Hồng) is also a hotspot for trekking enthusiasts who venture down into the vegetation during the dry season for nature-centric activities.
Despite being just a mere 400 meters from the Old Quarter, the tree-speckled neighborhood is sheltered from the city’s often incessant traffic noise. The Red River’s tourist wharf is also a stone’s throw away.
“Tourists often visit surrounding villages for cultural activities such as ceramics and weaving,” Giang explained, emphasizing how several cultural aspects of the area left a deep impression on him during his search for a suitable venue.
A concept that combines the founder’s multiple passions
Without a doubt, entering Donkey Coffee Roastery space is a trip into the psyche of the barista–founder himself.
Foldable camping chairs meet portable gas stoves, a vinyl original of “Louis”, Louis Armstrong, Mercury Records, 1966, and two industrial coffee roasters that churn out small batches of roast on a daily basis.
“Currently, we roast about five different origins of local and foreign coffee every month,” Giang informed.
The space tries, at every juncture, to utilize recycled material — compressed wood chip boards are the main interior design element which gels everything together with a grand mission of promoting reduced consumption.
Even though vintage items are a key component of creating the vibe at Donkey Coffee Roastery, Giang reaffirms that every single item should have a unique, tangible purpose.
“I try my best to avoid purely decorative elements,” he insisted.
Overall, it’s a minimalist yet functional space at the same time, with enough eye candy to keep a coffee chill-out session visually enjoyable.
Coffee consistency and affordability is key to a faithful customer base
“Try this natural Geisha from Lao as a V60 pour over,” Giang said, stoking my curiosity.
Undeniably, there’s something charming about enjoying a near 90-point fruity cup of what I’d consider a “regional novelty origin” while sitting on bright orange abandoned classroom chairs with round metal stools as makeshift tables.
With most drink items priced at less than VND50,000, Giang believes that the cafe’s humble location is also key to affordability, and that making specialty coffee accessible to a wider audience is a necessary step for forwarding the craft and growing the community.
And, despite stocking more than fifty types of green coffee, only twenty or so have made the cut since Donkey Coffee Roastery’s opening in March this year — variety and quality go hand in hand.
Hanoi’s specialty scene has grown exponentially, but widespread acceptance still awaits
Ultimately, Giang has his sights not just on the immediate future of his roasting career, but also on long term goals for Hanoi’s specialty coffee scene at large.
“For me, the mission of people in the coffee industry isn’t just brewing great coffee, but also the work of spreading its appreciation to more folks,” Giang contemplates.
“A vibrant coffee scene means it’ll only become more popular!” Giang exclaimed, as “sipped” his favorite “beverage” — cupping yesterday’s fresh roast for fresher ideas.
