Coffee has become a necessary drink for many individuals, some can't imagine going a day without their morning coffee. Hello Em co-owner Nghia Bui explains, "We are a coffee store that also promotes Vietnamese culture." The coffee place's mission is to introduce coffee beans from Vietnam to the local coffee lovers in Seattle.

Hello Em - Việt Coffee & Roastery in Seattle. Photo: Hello Em - Việt Coffee & Roastery

Yenvy Pham created the business alongside lifelong friend Nghia Bui, in what felt like a fateful match. Pham’s family opened Phở Bắc Sup Shop, Seattle’s original pho restaurant. Bui’s extended family works in Vietnam’s coffee industry. Together, Pham describes them as “yin and yang.”

Hello Em - Việt Coffee & Roastery extends a warm welcome

This coffee spot in Little Saigon roasts its own beans, which are sourced directly from Vietnamese farmers. The meal is delectable – and photogenic. There are pressed banh mi sandwiches with fried shallots, pork charcuterie, lemongrass sauce, and house-made pate, as well as a breakfast sandwich variant.

Not all coffee is created equal, or with equal enthusiasm. At Hello Em Việt Coffee & Roastery in Seattle’s Little Saigon neighborhood, customers regularly hear the sounds of music, beans roasting, espresso grinding, and the laughter of co-owner Yenvy Pham. "I feel like I'm always really wired," she said, laughing.

Torched egg creme coffee. Photo: Hello Em - Việt Coffee & Roastery

The Cà phê Sữa đá - Coffee and condensed milk are shaken together to make Vietnamese coffee. Due to the Robusta beans used and the volume of coffee grounds compared to other coffees, it is recognized for being quite strong. The Vietnamese egg coffee (cà phê trứng) is basically Vietnamese coffee with an egg crème on top, is one of their most popular drinks, added Nghia Bui.

According to Hello Em Team, Cà phê Sữa đá, Cà phê Trứng, along with "cloud mochi" - mochi balls loaded with fruit, whipped cream, and Oreos — is on the sweeter side, are among the most popular options made by the customers.

Banh mì. Photo: Hello Em - Việt Coffee & Roastery

A permanent info-mural on an adjacent wall provides information on the Vietnamese coffee industry, and colorful craft pieces and Vietnamese artwork can be found throughout the shop, where an explosion of red decorations is currently up for the lunar new year celebration, and a permanent info-mural on an adjacent wall provides information on the Vietnamese coffee industry.

Photo: Kono News

"I'd call it a modern Vietnamese classic,"

The decor was described as "a modern Vietnamese classic" by Hello Em Founder, Yenvy Pham to Daily Coffee News. "It's welcoming and pleasant, with a focus on detail that symbolizes Vietnamese culture." The sunkissed reflective window film that overlooks the coffee bar, the large mirror on top, and, of course, the shop roaster and beans for patrons to watch me roast."

Pham told Daily Coffee News that she is excited to be part of a new wave of entrepreneurs in the United States that are bringing new views on Vietnamese coffee culture, however, she said that trendiness was less of a motivator than a desire for high-quality Vietnamese coffee.

Breakfast set at Hello Em. Photo: Hello Em - Việt Coffee & Roastery

"Vietnam is the world's second-largest coffee producer."

Coffee is a strong cultural link, and Hello Em's design helps shoppers understand since people walk through the door greeted by a wall of historical facts, such as "Vietnam is the world's second-largest coffee producer". Pham and Bui traveled to Vietnam to meet the farmers who supply their beans, which are mostly robusta, the traditional Vietnamese bean of choice. The little business also roasts its own coffee to ensure that the flavor is perfect.

"It has a distinct flavor that you can taste. Pham compared it to wine. "As you drink more, you get a better sense of the sweet nuances and intricacies of a robusta bean, which is unlike any other arabica bean."

Vietnamese coffee also packs a stronger punch thanks to the robusta beans, which contain twice as much caffeine than arabica beans. Hello Em will expand into bagged whole-bean coffees for retail sales after it receives its next shipment of green coffee. Pham intends to expand her business by selling wholesale coffee to other cafes and restaurants.

Hello Em Việt Coffee & Roastery, is located at 1227 S Weller St. in Seattle, U.S.A.

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