Strength, Patience, and Connection: A Vietnamese phin coffee morning with SEA Effect

SEA Effect
Dec 14, 2025
2 min read

Last Saturday, our SEA Effect community gathered once again - this time around a shared curiosity for Vietnamese phin coffee and the stories it carries.

What started as a coffee meetup quickly turned into a lively, thoughtful morning filled with conversation, laughter, and connection. We welcomed a warm mix of new friends with Southeast Asian heritage - including Malaysian, Cambodian and Vietnamese roots - alongside Aussie friends who joined with curiosity and openness. As always, the table was diverse, friendly, and full of energy.

A mini showcase with a deeper story

One of the highlights of the morning was a mini showcase and tasting of Vietnamese bean coffee, demonstrated through the traditional phin brewing method. As the coffee slowly dripped, we shared the story behind it - how Vietnamese coffee came to be, why robusta beans dominate, and how the phin reflects something deeper about Vietnamese culture: strength, patience, and resourcefulness.

Vietnam is now the world’s second-largest coffee exporter and the largest producer of robusta beans, yet the way coffee is consumed in Vietnam remains deeply personal and social. Coffee is rarely rushed. It’s a moment to sit, to talk, to observe, and to connect. Bringing this ritual into our meetup created space not just to taste coffee, but to experience a culture.

Coffee as a bridge

What stood out most wasn’t just the flavour, but what the coffee enabled. Conversations flowed easily about heritage, migration stories, daily life in Australia, and connections back to Southeast Asia. For some, the phin coffee sparked nostalgia. For others, it was a first introduction. For everyone, it became a shared experience that lowered barriers and opened dialogue.

This is exactly why SEA Effect exists. Cultural moments like this: simple, accessible, and human, become powerful bridges between people, backgrounds, and perspectives.

Gratitude and growing community

We’re grateful to Henry for the beautiful phin coffee demonstration, Café O-mai for hosting us so warmly, and Duncan Lu. Coffee for gifting our lucky members. Small gestures like these help turn gatherings into memorable experiences.

Most of all, we’re grateful to everyone who showed up, bringing their stories, curiosity, and openness. With each meetup, SEA Effect continues to grow not just in numbers, but in depth.

As we head into a short season break, more gatherings, ideas, and shared moments are already taking shape. We look forward to continuing this journey: one cup, one conversation, and one connection at a time.