Just before Tet I drove past this tucked away cafe and immediately had to afford a second glance. There was something clearly out of place. Past the non-affronting sign and down the alleyway for parking stood a quaint looking house that served as the shelter for Up Cafe. But in true form to its name, it was standing on end, the roof firmly rooted in the foundation and the foundation stretching up towards the sky. Passing by on a motorbike, the casual glance I gave it certainly heightened the illusion.
A few days later I brought the whole family to see what other treasures might be within this creative upside down world.
True to form the interiors throw you off your feet with the paintings and lighting fixtures topsy turvy and for good measure there's even a dining room table and piano on the ceiling (perfect for entertaining guests when the Earth reaches zero gravity).
All in all the design is clever and adds to the always fantastic cafe scene in Saigon and in Vietnam overall.
As for the coffee, the price is reasonable for the standard set and though it's by no means an award-winning cup it's not too much of a sacrifice for the clever interiors. I'd recommend dropping by (no pun intended) at least once for a look.
Even their logo is pretty stylish:
You can visit them on Facebook (here)
or in person here:
Up Cafe
269 Nguyễn Trọng Tuyển
P.10, Q.Phú Nhuận