The Drinking Culture of Vietnam

To celebrate the incredible drinking cultures of Asia, we dove deep into eight different countries to get to know a little more about what’s in their glasses and how it got there in the first place. Click here to see them all.

In the drinking culture of Vietnam, alcohol is usually paired with a joyous occasion. “Một, hai, ba, dzô” (“1, 2, 3, cheers!”) rings throughout the streets, accompanied by booming karaoke and whiffs of cigarette smoke.

“Drinking in Vietnam has always been social, but the meaning has shifted,” says Jessi Giang Pham, managing editor of the lifestyle site Saigoneer. “In the past, it was about gathering around a table with friends, colleagues or family, raising endless glasses of beer or rice wine and enjoying shared dishes. It was less about what you drank, more about who you were with,” 

For centuries, farmers have been distilling their own rice wine at home — a salve to ward off illness, a quick shot before a long day in the rice fields or a slow sipper after back-breaking labor with neighbors. And while Vietnam’s first alcohol is still consumed in villages throughout the country, there are a lot more ways to imbibe.

“Vietnamese drinking culture has rapidly evolved from traditional to modern. While street-side drinking remains part of daily life, many people now turn to cocktail bars that have a strong focus on design and storytelling,” says Natalya Wissink, founder and CEO of Secret Experiences. “What makes Vietnam’s bar scene so special right now is its embrace of local ingredients, new craft spirits and innovative pairings with contemporary Vietnamese cuisine. Molecular mixology and no-alcohol options are also on the rise.”

Whether it’s a pho cocktail, a gin and jackfruit tonic or a pulse-quickening Espresso Martini, imbibing has never been more popular in Vietnam…and its drinks have never been better.

Iconic Beverages That Define the Culture

Gin

“In recent years, gin has become very popular in Vietnam,” says Tien Tiep Phạm, owner & founder of Nê Cocktail Bar, Nê Boongke, and The Old Well Cocktail Bar. “People enjoy drinking it with tonic, and many bartenders use it to create cocktails because gin pairs beautifully with Vietnamese herbs and spices. It reflects the growing modern cocktail culture here.”

Beer

Like coffee and bread, the French introduced beer to Vietnam in the late 1800s. Mostly consumed by French soldiers sweating in the Southeast Asian humidity, it has evolved over the decades from a status symbol to a cheap, afternoon go-to. Each city or region has its own beer brand, like Beer Hanoi, Huda and Saigon Special, but now, the country’s craft beer scene is buzzing with brands like Heart of Darkness and 7 Bridges, broadening the lager-heavy beer scene.

Whisky

“Whisky is considered a premium spirit in Vietnam,” says Phạm. “People typically associate drinking whisky with status. Sharing a bottle of whisky is often seen as a way to show someone’s character and strengthen relationships, especially in business or high-profile social settings.”

Plus, the Homemade Thing

Rượu, or rice wine, is Vietnam’s OG alcohol, which has been fermented and distilled in homes and rural villages for centuries. “This is Vietnam’s traditional spirit,” Phạm says. “From a young age, we grow up knowing it as part of our culture. It’s more than just a drink — it represents community, hospitality and heritage, often shared at family gatherings and celebrations.”

Yearly Events That Are Around Drinking 

Tết Nguyên Đán: Known as Tết, this multi-day Lunar New Year celebration is the most important holiday in the Vietnamese calendar. “Tet is the biggest national event, when people go back to their hometown, visit families and friends, or go on vacation,” says Anh Lam, co-founder of STIR – Modern Classic Cocktail and SAVOR Cocktail Club. “People can be off from work for two weeks, and half the country closes.”

National Day: Commemorated on September 2nd, it’s also known as Vietnamese Independence Day, when the country celebrates its freedom from French colonization and rule.

New Year: A worldwide celebration to ring in, natch, the new year.

Life events: From a new house to a baby’s first birthday to a wedding, the Vietnamese gather with boxes of beer. “We love to celebrate,” says Lam, “When I was little, my grandpa infused and aged his own rice wine with his own recipe of herbs and spices. He only treats friends and family members to that on special occasions.”

Drinking Snacks

In Vietnam, drinking is rarely done without food, says Pham. “We call these drinking snacks “mồi nhậu“. They can be as simple as đậu phộng luộc (boiled peanuts), bánh tráng nướng (grilled rice paper cake dried) or mực khô/mực nướng (grilled squid), or đậu hũ chiên với mắm tôm (fried tofu with fermented shrimp paste),” she notes.

Depending on which drinking house you’ve settled into, drinking snacks can be more indulgent, like nghêu hấp sả ớt (small clams sautéed with lemongrass and chili), pork intestines or even lẩu (hotpot) in the middle of the table. “Green mango with chili salt is another favorite — it’s refreshing and keeps the conversation going,” says Pham.

And when the bar shuts, the after-drinking snack is just as important. Vietnamese crave something comforting and hot to help sober them up. “Some of the most popular choices are cháo trắng (plain rice porridge), cháo lòng (rice porridge with pork offal), miến gà (rice vermicelli with chicken) or the classic phở,” says Pham. “And for those who want something more social, heading to a late-night snail stall (ăn ốc) is a very Vietnamese way to end the evening.”

Iconic Drinking Establishments

A trip to at least one historic watering hole is a must in Saigon. Wissink prefers the M Bar at the Majestic Hotel to the Saigon Saigon Rooftop Bar at the Caravelle Hotel. “The rooftop bar of the Majestic Hotel is one of the oldest bars in Saigon, which is located in a historic hotel, opened in 1925,” she says. “It was a hangout for the colonial elites in the ‘30s and the ’40s and a gathering place for journalists and diplomats during the Vietnam War.” 

For something more trendy, Hybrid Saigon is a favorite. “They focus on molecular mixology and have the whole lab behind the bar to craft their cocktails. All their signatures include unexpected combinations of local ingredients,” says Wissink. At The Trieu Institute, they craft innovative cocktails based on different kinds of Lady Trieu gin combined with local ingredients, as well as offer tasting sets of their gins. “This beautifully designed venue also has a great modern Vietnamese food selection and offers sets paired with cocktails,” she says.

North in Hanoi, Polite & Co claims to be the oldest operating bar in the city, and was transformed into a speakeasy-style spot in 2015. Its Asian cocktail combinations, including jackfruit and pandan, are go-tos. Wissink also loves Tadioto. “It’s an iconic gathering spot for artists, writers and musicians, opened by the famous writer and journalist Nguyen Qui Duc. Duc passed away in 2023, but Tadioto still continues operations and attracts the artsy crowd.” At the new Capella Hanoi, Track 61 is hidden inside their rooftop Hudson Rooms restaurant. “They created a whole interactive experience, starting with a game of finding the door to the speakeasy and ending with a special ‘check-out’ procedure. Great curated whiskey selection, complemented by a cocktail and snack menu,” says Wissink.

5 Rules For Drinking Like a Vietnamese Person

1. Never drink alone: “We always drink together,” says Liam Duong Quy, co-founder of Hybrid Nha Trang and Hybrid Saigon. Never start drinking before everyone else has raised a glass. “You’re basically not allowed to drink alone; people will make fun of you.”

2. Be prepared to sing: Drinking songs and funny phrases are commonplace once beers are cracked open. “Một, hai, ba, dzô” is one you’ll hear over and over again.

3. Respect your elders: When an older person invites you to drink, follow their lead.

4. Ice, ice baby: If you order beer, it will likely come with a bucket full of ice and tongs to keep your beer cold throughout the drinking session.

5. Drinking in public: Considered normal in Vietnam, you may see people imbibing on the beach, in parks or on sidewalks. “We love nhậu (drinking) everywhere!” says Duong Quy.

Cocktail Recipes

Vietnamese Espresso Martini

By Toan Nguyen of Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, Hoi An

• 50 ml. vodka
• 20 ml. Kahlua
• 5 ml. simple syrup
• 30 ml. Bon Café Vietnamese Robusta Blend espresso coffee

Add all the ingredients into a shaker and shake well. Pour into a Martini glass and garnish with three coffee beans.

Pho Cocktail

By Pham Tien Tep of Nê Cocktail Bar, Nê Boongke and The Old Well Cocktail Bar

• 60 ml. gin (Gordon’s or Tanqueray)
• 20 ml. Cointreau
• 30 ml. lime juice
• 20 ml. sugar syrup
• 3 cilantro leaves
• 4 pieces of cardamom
• 3 cinnamon sticks

Heat gin and Cointreau for 30 seconds. Put star anise, cardamom and cinnamon in three separate filters fitted on top of each other. Pour the alcohol mixture through the three filters while lighting the alcohol mixture on fire to bring out each spice’s flavor.

Combine the lime juice, sugar syrup and chopped coriander leaves with ice. Shake for 15 seconds. Mix all ingredients together in a small cup, garnish with lime wedges and chili slices on the rim.