Vietnamese Coffee, Shaved Ice Cocktails and Bahn Mi in Pilsen

Your morning coffee ritual is a sacred one.

But even sacred rituals can use a little banh mi or coffee egg custard.

Because after schooling you on Vietnamese food at HaiSous, Thai and Danielle Dang are doing it again. This time, with all things caffeinated and delicious at Cà Phê Dá. It’s open now in Pilsen and looks like this.

Here, coffee is served at stainless steel tables or at the concrete bar in highball glasses. An individual filter sits on top and slowly drips strong brew into condensed milk. Give it a stir, enjoy and proceed to conquer things. That, or opt for something like a coffee egg custard or a coffee slushie. The conquering still applies.

It’s a counter-service affair that’s a stark contrast to the Vietnamese feasts happening next door. Within these exposed brick walls, life is a bit simpler. Banh mi topped with grilled beef, chicken, or roasted pork. Maybe an egg. Things like that.

And in the evening, a small menu of street food items like green mango and crispy chicken skins is welcomed to the fray as black-and-white films are projected on the wall and coffee takes a backseat to shaved ice cocktails and canned beer.

What coffee doesn’t know won’t hurt it.