[Reading level: B2 – Upper Intermediate]
At 5 a.m. on the weekend in the Netherlands, 27-year-old Matko Kmezic wakes up early to prepare phin filters, cups, condensed milk, ice, then pushes his mobile coffee cart to Oosterpark in Amsterdam.
He parks his three-wheel cart and puts up a sign reading “Viet Drip Cafe” with a menu of “purely Vietnamese” drinks such as iced milk coffee, bac xiu, salted coffee, and egg coffee. When there are about 5–7 people waiting, he starts letting each drop of Vietnamese robusta drip into the cup, adds milk, and serves. Customers pull up low plastic stools, sit around the cart, and enjoy.
Some people passing by are surprised and ask: “Why are you not Vietnamese but selling Vietnamese coffee?” Matko laughs: “Do you have to be Italian to make espresso or cappuccino?”
“Those questions used to make me really sad,” Matko said.
Matko Kmezic was born and raised in Zagreb, Croatia. He met his fiancée, a girl of Vietnamese origin, when both were 15. They live in Amsterdam, where he has been working as a physiotherapist for the past five years.
In 2018, at age 20, the couple fulfilled their dream of taking a gap year to live in Vietnam. Matko spent three months in Ho Chi Minh City and seven months in Hanoi to experience the culture and improve his Vietnamese.
“The trip completely changed my life,” Matko said. He didn’t want to live like a tourist but wanted to experience life like a local.
Three days after arriving in HCMC, Matko tried iced milk coffee for the first time. He called it a “flavor explosion” with strong robusta mixed with condensed milk. But beyond the taste, he was impressed by the sidewalk setting, where people sat on plastic stools, surrounded by chatter and the bustling flow of motorbikes.
“The sidewalk is where time slows down,” Matko described. He saw that Vietnamese people often sit on the sidewalk to relax, talk, and watch life pass by on the street. Even though it’s noisy, they still feel a sense of peace—very different from Europe, where people often rush to buy coffee to go.
“This philosophy changed the way I look at coffee and at life,” the Croatian young man said.
Returning to Europe, Matko suddenly found espresso or cappuccino “extremely bland.” He decided to make coffee with the phin he brought from Vietnam. “Mornings in Amsterdam are too quiet and dull. I think I was missing the warmth and energy that a cup of Vietnamese coffee brings,” he said.
In the summer of 2024, coffee brought Matko back to Vietnam. He was introduced to Ysim, a roaster in Buon Ma Thuot. Sharing the same passion, Ysim taught him the secrets and process of roasting coffee beans.
A few days later, while in Da Nang, Matko suddenly came up with a business plan: “export Vietnamese sidewalk coffee culture to the Netherlands.”
Returning to Amsterdam, he designed a logo, bought a cart, registered a business, and applied for permits. Three days after completing all procedures, the “Viet Drip” cart opened at Oosterpark.
At “Viet Drip,” Matko keeps the brewing method exactly as in Vietnam, using 100% robusta beans he roasts himself to preserve the authentic flavor. Sometimes he adjusts the sweetness upon request, but he always prioritizes originality.
“I always want to stay connected with Vietnam because I miss that country badly. The coffee cart is a way to bring a piece of Vietnam to me every day,” he said.
The first days were not easy. Amsterdam’s weather is unpredictable with rain and wind. He had to keep the cart outdoors, with no electricity, no shelter, so customers complained “drinking coffee is too much of a struggle.” He could only sell iced coffee in August and September. In winter, when it was cold, Matko couldn’t make hot drinks, so he had to pause business, worried that customers would forget him.
In spring 2025, “Viet Drip” reopened, and fortunately customers still lined up. But being too busy also caused problems. Many days he felt exhausted because he sold coffee in the morning and worked as a physiotherapist in the afternoon. Eventually, he decided to sell only on weekends.
The biggest challenge was customers’ perceptions. Many people expected an espresso and were surprised when he said he didn’t have one. Matko had to explain the difference of phin coffee. His favorite saying is: “Vietnamese coffee should be enjoyed slowly to savor the flavor and the moment.”
Now, people in Amsterdam have gradually become familiar with the Vietnamese coffee style—coming to the cart, sitting on low plastic stools, chatting, connecting, and sometimes learning a few Vietnamese words from the owner. He wants them to feel the peacefulness he once experienced on the sidewalks of Ho Chi Minh City.
Vietnamese international students often stop by and say “this tastes like home,” which makes him happy.
Coen Van der Meijs, 25, a Dutch customer, said he was surprised by the intensity and strong flavor of Vietnamese coffee. He has tried Vietnamese coffee about five times; his favorite is salted coffee, with a slightly salty taste that is strange and unique.
“I like most sitting on those plastic stools in the park—it feels like experiencing Vietnamese culture, just like when I visited six years ago,” Coen said.
Source: https://vnexpress.net/chang-trai-croatia-mang-ca-phe-via-he-viet-nam-den-chau-au-4959641.html
WORD BANK:
phin filter /fɪn ˈfɪl.tɚ/ (n): phin lọc cà phê
condensed milk /kənˌdenst ˈmɪlk/ (n): sữa đặc
cart /kɑːrt/ (n): xe đẩy
salted coffee /ˈsɑːl.tɪd ˈkɑː.fi/ (n): cà phê muối
drip into sth /drɪp ˈɪn.tuː/ (v): nhỏ giọt vào cái gì
low plastic stool /loʊ ˈplæs.tɪk stuːl/ (n): ghế nhựa thấp
Croatia /kroʊˈeɪ.ʃə/ (n): Croatia (nước Croatia)
fiancée /fiːˈɑːn.seɪ/ (n): vị hôn thê
physiotherapist /ˌfɪz.i.oʊˈθer.ə.pɪst/ [C1] (n): chuyên viên vật lý trị liệu
take a gap year /ɡæp jɪr/ (v): nghỉ một năm (trước khi học/đi làm)
sidewalk /ˈsaɪd.wɑːk/ (n): vỉa hè
bustling /ˈbʌs.lɪŋ/ (adj): nhộn nhịp
flow /floʊ/ (v): chảy, tuôn
pass by /pæs baɪ/ (v): đi ngang
rush /rʌʃ/ (v): vội vã, hấp tấp
philosophy /fɪˈlɑː.sə.fi/ [B2] (n): triết lí, triết học
bland /blænd/ (adj): nhạt nhẽo, không đậm đà
dull /dʌl/ (adj): buồn tẻ, nhạt nhòa
roaster /ˈroʊ.stɚ/ (n): máy rang cà phê/người rang cà phê
passion /ˈpæʃ.ən/ (n): đam mê
secret /ˈsiː.krət/ (n): bí quyết
come up with sth /kʌm ʌp wɪð/ (v): nghĩ ra cái gì
register a business /ˈredʒ.ə.stɚ ə ˈbɪz.nəs/ (v): đăng ký kinh doanh
procedure /prəˈsiː.dʒɚ/ (n): thủ tục
brewing method /ˈbruː.ɪŋ ˈmeθ.əd/ (n): phương pháp pha chế
authentic /ɑːˈθen.t̬ɪk/ [C1] (adj): chuẩn vị, nguyên bản
adjust sth /əˈdʒʌst/ [B2] (v): điều chỉnh
originality /əˌrɪdʒ.ɪˈnæl.ə.t̬i/ [C2] (n): tính độc đáo
badly /ˈbæd.li/ (adv): rất nhiều
unpredictable /ˌʌn.prɪˈdɪk.tə.bəl/ [C1] (adj): khó lường
shelter /ˈʃel.tɚ/ (n): nơi trú ẩn
struggle /ˈstrʌɡ.əl/ (v): vật lộn, chật vật
pause sth /pɑːz/ (v): tạm dừng
line up /laɪn ʌp/ (v): xếp hàng
perception /pɚˈsep.ʃən/ [B2] (n): nhận thức
savor sth /ˈseɪ.vɚ/ (v): thưởng thức, nếm cho kỹ
familiar with sth /fəˈmɪl.i.jɚ wɪð/ [B2] (adj): quen thuộc với cái gì
peacefulness /ˈpiːs.fəl.nəs/ (n): sự yên bình
intensity /ɪnˈten.sə.t̬i/ [C1] (n): cường độ, độ mạnh
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