Cafeography
Huế · Imperial Citadel

Cafés in Imperial Citadel

Inside the walls: Cà Phê Muối's second branch on Đặng Thái Thân, tea rooms on Nguyễn Thiện Thuật and garden tables.

Photo: Vietnam Tri Duong Photographer, Pexels License

Huế's Citadel (Kinh Thành) is a city inside walls nearly 10 km around, pierced by ten main gates. Gia Long began it in 1805 and it was finished under Minh Mạng in 1832; within it lies the walled Imperial City, and inside that the Purple Forbidden City, once reserved for the imperial family.1

Around the palace walls are streets of houses, lakes and cafés, and since July 2025 most of the old wards here have been part of Phú Xuân ward.2 Cafés inside the Citadel lean toward gardens and tea: two tea houses on Nguyễn Thiện Thuật, outdoor tables at Olab Farm and Afternoon Coffee, and the salt-coffee branch on Đặng Thái Thân.

Local tip: Pair the weekend night street on Lê Huân, 19:00–23:00 on Fridays and Saturdays, with a last drink at son.studio at 115 Lê Huân, open until 22:30.

At a glance

142Cafés listed
15With opening hours
06:00Earliest opening
22:30Latest closing
  • Opens earliest: Rodo Cafe, from 06:00 (Daily 06:00–22:00).
  • Closes latest: Bee Coffee, until 22:30 (Daily 06:00–22:30).
  • Most listed streets: Nguyễn Trãi (9), Đường Thạch Hãn (9), Đinh Tiên Hoàng (7).
  • Most common features: wi-fi (12%), open late (8%), outdoor seating (3%).

Nothing matches those filters here. See all cafés in Huế.

Coffee chains in Imperial Citadel

The Flag Tower and Tịnh Tâm lake

The Flag Tower (Kỳ Đài) stands at the center of the Citadel's front wall; it was built in 1807 on a three-tier base about 17.5 m high, and the present 37 m concrete flagpole dates from 1948.1 Unlike Beijing's Forbidden City, which faces true south, the Citadel faces south-east toward the Perfume River.1

Tịnh Tâm lake was reworked in 1822 and named in 1838 under Minh Mạng, and white lotus grows on it.3 Under the Nguyễn, palace maids gathered the dew from its lotus leaves for the king's tea, which was served in a different teapot each season.4

Đặng Thái Thân and the salt-coffee branch

The founders of Cà Phê Muối created salt coffee in 2010 at their first shop on Nguyễn Lương Bằng; their branch at 142 Đặng Thái Thân has more room and the same coffee.5 It opens daily 06:30–22:00 and has Wi-Fi. Afternoon Coffee - Beautiful Old Coffeehouse, at 44 on the same street, has outdoor tables and keeps 07:00–22:00.

CODO Coffee at 12 Ngô Đức Kế and Đa:mê space at 15 Hàn Thuyên both serve 07:00–22:00, and BY..cafe at 52 Tôn Thất Thiệp opens at 07:30. Han Cafe, at 280 Đinh Tiên Hoàng, keeps the same 07:00–22:00 day.

Tea houses and garden cafés

Di Nhiên Trà Thất, a tea house at 3 Nguyễn Thiện Thuật, is air-conditioned and open 09:00–21:00; Hiên trà Nhị Độ Mai is down kiệt 26 off the same street and serves 07:30–22:00. Tea has court credentials here: in December 2025 an international tea festival in the Imperial City staged a reenactment of royal tea service, Ngự trà Hoàng cung.6

On Tuệ Tĩnh, Café Gin's Garden at 78 closes at 20:00, earlier than most cafés here, while Fika Kafe at number 1 runs 06:30–22:30. Olab Farm at 9A Ngô Thời Nhậm has outdoor seating and Wi-Fi, and Café Bonsai is at 30 Đinh Tiên Hoàng.

Night street, tickets and early hours

On Friday and Saturday evenings since April 2022, Lê Huân and 23 Tháng 8, along the south and west sides of the Imperial City, have become a night street from 19:00 to 23:00, with craft stalls, court performances and Huế food but no alcohol.7 son.studio at 115 Lê Huân serves until 22:30.

Since the start of 2026, an adult ticket for the Imperial City plus the tombs of Minh Mạng, Tự Đức and Khải Định costs 530,000₫, and one for every site 600,000₫, valid for five days.8 Two cafés here open early: Bee Coffee at 137 Mai Thúc Loan at 06:00, and Lico Tea at 01 Nguyễn Trãi, which never closes.

Sources

  1. Imperial City of Huế, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
  2. Nghị quyết 1675/NQ-UBTVQH15 về việc sắp xếp các đơn vị hành chính cấp xã của thành phố Huế năm 2025, LuatVietnam, accessed October 2026
  3. Hồ Tịnh Tâm, Wikipedia (Vietnamese), accessed October 2026
  4. Lotus cuisine: food for the soul (27 September 2016), Viet Nam News, accessed October 2026
  5. Vietnam coffee deep dive (prices verified August 2026), Vietnam Spot, accessed October 2026
  6. Trải nghiệm Liên hoan Trà quốc tế tại Đại nội Huế (11 December 2025), Báo Văn Hóa, accessed October 2026
  7. Phố đêm Hoàng thành Huế hút khách trong ngày đầu hoạt động (23 April 2022), Báo Văn Hóa, accessed October 2026
  8. Mở rộng đối tượng miễn, giảm phí tham quan di tích Huế từ năm 2026 (27 December 2025), Báo Văn Hóa, accessed October 2026
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In Imperial Citadel, also browse: Wi-Fi Open by 6am Open late

FAQ

Imperial Citadel cafés: questions

Where is the salt coffee café inside the Huế Citadel?

At 142 Đặng Thái Thân, the branch of Cà Phê Muối, whose founders created salt coffee in 2010 at their first shop on Nguyễn Lương Bằng. The Citadel branch has more room and serves the same coffee, daily 06:30–22:00. Afternoon Coffee, at 44 on the same street, has outdoor tables.

Where can you drink tea inside the Huế Citadel?

Di Nhiên Trà Thất at 3 Nguyễn Thiện Thuật is an air-conditioned tea house open 09:00–21:00, and Hiên trà Nhị Độ Mai, in kiệt 26 off the same street, serves 07:30–22:00. Under the Nguyễn, palace maids gathered dew from the lotus leaves of Tịnh Tâm lake, inside the walls, for the king's tea.

How much is a combined ticket for the Huế Imperial City in 2026?

Since the start of 2026, a combined adult ticket for the Imperial City and the tombs of Minh Mạng, Tự Đức and Khải Định costs 530,000₫, and a ticket covering every site costs 600,000₫. Both are valid for five days from purchase.

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