Vietnamese coffee is trending in New York; but for people who have spent a significant amount of time in Vietnam, some of the more recent ‘Vietnamese café’ concepts aren’t cutting it.
Linh Nguyen has been waiting for the right moment to start her own business, and it seems the time is now. In the coming months, she will be opening Kinhfolk, a new Vietnamese coffee concept, at 710 Metropolitan Ave.
What Now NY connected with Nguyen, founder and operator of Kinhfolk, to learn more about the new coffee spot.
Kinhfolk will use the traditional Phin brewing method. The coffee shop will offer a Vietnamese iced coffee drink called cà phê sữa đá as well as espresso-based drinks.
“Our goal is to bring the accessibility of true authentic Vietnamese coffee using robusta beans while incorporating new or old, whether it’s coffee techniques, brewing methods or aesthetics,” said Nguyen. “We want to build a community, a place, and a brand, where everyone feels like they belong and can relate to.”
Nguyen hails from a background in events marketing and hospitality. After a short stint working a corporate job, she felt a calling to start her own business– one that not only fulfilled her professional ambitions, but allowed her to share her story and a part of Vietnamese culture with people all across New York.
“Because of the underrepresentation of Vietnamese in New York, I believe that it is very important to stay authentic with our drinks so, I’m thrilled to highlight the true flavors of Vietnamese coffee using robusta beans with recipes and ingredients that truly align with our culture and mission instead of using “Vietnamese coffee” as a buzz trendy commodity.”
Kinhfolk will be located within Umbrella Factory, a converted luxury condominium building in Williamsburg. Located at 710 Metropolitan Ave, the building was at one point, as the name suggests, an umbrella factory. The commercial portion of the building is still under construction, and Kinhfolk will be renovating their space from the ground up once the dust has settled on Umbrella Factory.
Once completed, Kinhfolk will have enough seating to accommodate 20 guests.
“After seeing Vietnamese coffee embraced by the community on my trip to Seattle back in 2021, that was when I knew New York needed a true representation of Vietnamese coffee and beans,” said Nguyen, “In Hanoi (where I was born and raised), coffee is such an integral part of our culture; it’s part of our way of life and it brings the community together. That’s what I want to bring to Brooklyn.”
While no opening date has been confirmed at this time, Nguyen and her team are aiming to get Kinhfolk before the end of 2024.
