When I was exhausted and almost giving up on Laos, My good friend @selfhelp4trolls told me that Laos will open its arms for me in the morning. He was right. For someone who can make a friend with a tree, there should be something that can connect me to the people around me. At the time, I wasn’t looking closely until the next morning, I went to the cafe.

There is this cafe that is apparently super recommended in Laos called Drip 1920s where they serve amazing drip coffee and is home to different coffee beans from all over the world in Laos, even specialty coffee from Laos and Thailand.

Bringing the 1920’s theme and its staff dressed as they were in Jazz age, this cafe atmosphere will also transform you to the 1920s and as if you’re entering a different era. Opens from 7 AM-6PM daily, this cafe is ready to serve you the best coffee there is. It is located in Anou Village, Chanthabouly District, Vientiane, Laos. The location is near the Anou Night Market which is the famous night market in Vientiane.

In the morning when I went to the cafe, I saw different coffee beans displayed on their coffee bar. With what I know, I started asking about Laos coffee because when I first tasted it in Thailand, the coffee was a mix, Indonesia/Thai/Laos. Now that I am in Laos PDR, I was extremely curious about its actual notes and flavor.

There I was, talking to the barista named King(it sounds like that but I am sure it’s not written like that. ), who was as fascinated with the coffee world as I am.

Laos, Thai, and Passion Fruit Coffee

We bonded over coffee and eventually offered me different coffee beans to try. The first one, we tried Laos coffee which was really smooth, mild and was earthy and creamy. The second one, I tried Thai coffee which was more citrusy and less creamy and smoother than Laos.

To be fair, it was my first time tasting actual Laos coffee and I was pleasantly surprised by its flavor. Then, the last coffee was that King made an espresso with passion fruit. There was another barista too and we were saying “tham keo” which is basically cheers in Laotian.

When I was conversing with King, I also shared what I know about coffee from the grinding process to names of roasting . From what I learned from her, coffee in Laos is roasted in Thailand then brought back to Laos. Even from what I heard from my Thai friend, almost everything in Laos is imported from Thailand which makes sense that prices are a bit higher on this side of the world. So hearing that, I wondered why they don’t do roasting in Laos since essentially, it’s not that difficult. I also told her that I have some of the cups and their grinders that are on display. She is very friendly and because of her, my stay became a little bit more pleasant and bonding over coffee, I was able to feel a little more welcomed and was excited to spend my days in Laos.

Now, every morning I would go to the cafe and she would always greet me and we’d talk about either coffee and all things Laos. The fun part about it all, the coffee is actually free as it is included in my accommodation cost. With the abundance of good coffee, I was trapped considering that in Thailand, I haven’t really gone to cafes that much nor sit down at a cafe and drink quality brewed coffee. In Laos, not only do I get one for free daily, I also get to chat with the barista, other staff who also taught me a thing or two about Laos despite our language barrier.

More Information About Drip 1920s

⏰ Opening hours :7.00-18.00 (open every day)
👩‍💻 Co-working Friendly

Roaming For Roast is my newest series about all-things-coffee experience. If you enjoy coffee and cafe experiences, don’t miss out on this series.

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