Tranquil Books & Coffee (Nguyen Quang Bich)

Founded in 2015 by poet Nam Lu, Tranquil combines floor-to-ceiling bookshelves housing thousands of volumes with genuinely good Vietnamese specialty coffee. The location at 5 Nguyen Quang Bich in Hoan Kiem is the most intimate of the small chain''s several Hanoi outlets, favored by writers and academics seeking a quiet space away from the Old Quarter''s foot traffic. Both phin filter and espresso drinks are made with care, and the literary atmosphere encourages longer stays.