As home to the Temple of Literature, it’s no wonder that Hanoi has such a rich literary culture, diversified through bookstores, libraries, and, of course, book cafés.

Tranquil Books & Coffee

This book café is exactly what it says on the tin: a tranquil retreat where you can enjoy both books and coffee. Not just straight black coffee, either, but Vietnamese varieties (banana coffee, salted cream, etc.), loads of other drinks (both alcoholic and non), cookies, and a decent menu of meals like quesadillas, roasted chicken, curry, and more.

This is actually only one of several Tranquil Books & Coffee locations. This particular spot has open piano nights on the regular, and the shelves are filled with books in both Vietnamese and English.

Address: 5 P. Nguyễn Quang Bích, Phố cổ Hà Nội, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam
Opening hours:‍
- Monday to Sunday: 8AM - 10PM

Bookworm Hanoi

The Bookworm Hanoi is one we’ve covered before on our Book Lover’s Guide to Hanoi. It’s a long-running bookstore with a wide selection of new, used, and rare reads. Its collection is almost entirely in English, including local titles translated into English, but it also has a few titles in Vietnamese and European languages like French and German.

The store has two stories, with the first featuring a café for visitors to relax with a cup of coffee or tea. There’s also a decent selection of souvenirs for those who want to bring a memento home with them.

Address: 44 P. Phạm Hồng Thái, Ba Đình, Hà Nội 10000, Vietnam
Opening hours:
- Monday to Sunday: 9AM - 7PM

The Wiselands Coffee

For an abundance of indoor greenery and enough wood panelling to feel like a forest, there’s no better choice than the Wiselands Coffee. This book café chain has several locations in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and each is replete with high-quality book collections, attractive spaces, and light menus.

In Hanoi, the Hạ Hồi branch especially almost feels like a fantasy come to life, the arrangement of the plants works seamlessly with the layout to create an interior both welcoming and stylish without going overboard.

Address: 17 Xóm Hà Hồi, Cửa Nam, Hà Nội, Vietnam
Opening hours:
- Monday to Sunday: 7AM - 11PM

Oleoleo Coffee Books & Cats (Cat coffee)

As you might guess from the name, this particular book café has some well-behaved resident cats sitting in stairwells and lounging on chairs. There are 10 in total, including a hairless cat breed that can often be found sporting a cute little vest.

The book collection is in Vietnamese, and the decor has a very homey, well-lived-in vibe, with patterned tablecloths and a staircase with quotes hand-painted on the steps. The menu has a range of simple but delicious drinks and pastries, like jasmine milk tea, coconut coffee, and strawberry smoothies.

Address: 63 P. Trúc Bạch, Ba Đình, Hà Nội, Vietnam
Opening hours:
- Monday to Sunday: 8:30AM - 10:30PM

‍East West Books Library Café

Though not ostentatious, the high ceiling and indoor balcony give East West Books Library Café a sense of glam and grace that’s pleasing to the eye. This café is owned by Dong Tay Culture Company, which started as a small shop selling books and newspapers and has blossomed into something much more.

The book collection is entirely Vietnamese, and focuses on the humanities and other cultural niches making it an excellent choice for local students in need of resources. In that way, it feels more like a library than a typical café, albeit a very posh library!

Address: CT1 N11A, N11A P. Trần Quý Kiên, Cầu Giấy, Hà Nội, Vietnam
Opening hours:‍
- Monday to Sunday: 7AM - 10PM

Bluebirds' Nest

Bluebirds' Nest is a multi-level book café tucked into an alley. It has two friendly resident cats, and the ground floor is split into two sections: one with Western-style tables, and the other on an elevated wooden platform with traditional short tables. The shelves contain both Vietnamese and English titles, mostly English.

The atmosphere is relaxed enough for leisurely reading, but quiet enough for study or work. The decor contributes to a more casual, laissez-faire attitude, with guitars hung on a brick wall and a rooftop garden with plenty of plant life.

Address: 27 Đặng Dung Ngõ 27, P. Đặng Dung/20 Ng. Yên Thành, đối diện, Ba Đình, Hà Nội, Vietnam
Opening hours:‍
- Monday to Sunday: 8AM - 10:30PM

ST Coffee BOOK

Right across from Wiselands Coffee is ST Coffee BOOK. Don’t believe the AI summaries telling you this offers some sort of street stall experience; this is a proper book café with a healthy collection of Vietnamese nonfiction titles on topics like history and politics. Reviewers praise the quiet atmosphere, saying it’s great for either working or reading.

The decor is straight-laced, lending the space to a more studious atmosphere. The drinks are also very reasonably priced for the area, so it’s the perfect place to stop if you want to read while on a budget.

Address: 24 P. Quang Trung, Trần Hưng Đạo, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội Hà Nội, Cửa Nam, Hà Nội 100000, Vietnam
Opening hours:‍
- Monday to Friday: 8AM - 9PM
- Saturday and Sunday: Closed

Biblio Book Cafe (in Thanh Xuân)

This spot is part of a book café chain, and is one of the biggest book cafés in Hanoi. It has a little bit of everything: places to read, a lending library, coffee, instant ramen, stationery, puzzles, and more. It offers both Western- and Eastern-style seating with plenty of natural wood paneling. Meanwhile, the book selection is extremely varied in genre and topics, though entirely in Vietnamese.

With as spacious as this place is, it is also used as a site for workshops and can be rented out for private events.

Address: 79 P. Ngụy Như Kon Tum, Làng sinh viên Hacinco, Thanh Xuân, Hà Nội, Vietnam
Opening hours:‍
- Monday to Sunday: 7AM - 10:30PM

Thanh Ninh Bookstore Café

Thanh Ninh Bookstore & Café is a small, quiet bookstore-café in the heart of one of Hanoi’s original urban districts. It greets customers with a delicate, Spanish-style awning over its entryway and a floor-to-ceiling glass storefront that welcomes in plenty of natural light. Visitors are free to browse or buy from the shelves, which hold a broad collection of Vietnamese titles.

The café has three floors in total, with the third floor being a rooftop terrace that offers lovely, peaceful views on a sunny day. The menu offers a variety of drinks, including a strong brew of coffee and a crème brûlée tea with a lightly burnt froth on top.

Address: 88 Nguyễn Du, phường Cửa Nam Hà Nội, Cửa Nam, Hà Nội 100000, Vietnam
Opening hours:‍
- Monday to Sunday: 8:30AM - 6:30PM