Find spring surprises at Vietnamese café Caphe by Hai Nam

Until now, going to a Vietnamese eatery in Budapest has meant sticking to traditional dishes, but recently we've been able to sample a youthful fusion of South-East Asia flavours at Caphe by Hai Nam, which opened in 2020.

Incoming chef, Luu Trongh Vinh, aka Vini, previously at Good Morning Vietnam and #Bi, has added a little Asian refinement to the brunch experience. Now traditional breakfast dishes such as Eggs Benedict are complemented by Vietnamese ham and accompanied by a homemade bao.


The real speciality, however, is the Hollandaise sauce that comes with it, which is extremely creamy but adds a little extra colour and freshness thanks to the turmeric and Sichuan pepper.

Breakfast also includes fried, pressed chicken leg with yellow curry with coconut milk and jasmine rice for lunch. For lighter flavours in the summer heat, try the salad of melon marinated in ponzu sauce. The special combination could be a real seasonal favourite, as the melon makes a great pairing with the citrus soy sauce.

Desserts are another treat. The American pancakes made with matcha hidden in the dough are quite light, the cardamom chocolate and fresh fruit used as filling make it most summery. You can dip these in a little Vietnamese condensed milk, handy for all such occasions.

There’s still bubbly for a hedonistic start to the day, and luckily the old favourites remain, the banh mì sandwiches, for example, plus all the usual coffees.