Why 7 Kafe Bakes In-House
A cafe can take the easy path: order pastries from a large bakery, higher margins, no need to invest in a kitchen. But from day one, 7 Kafe at 180/79 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh chose the opposite — bake on-site, batch by batch, every day.
The reason is simple: house-baked is fresher, quality-controlled, and most importantly — pastries should match the drinks. A great matcha latte paired with a house-made matcha canele is a completely different experience than the same matcha with a frozen-imported pastry.
Currently the menu features two pastry lines: French canele and Belgian waffles. Both have a clear reason to be on the menu.
French Canele — 3 Flavors at 35,000 VND
Canele (pronounced ca-ne-leh) is a small traditional pastry from the Bordeaux region of France, dating back to the 18th century. Its signature feature: a hard caramelized crust outside, soft custard inside — a textural contrast few pastries achieve.
7 Kafe offers 3 canele flavors:
Vanilla canele — the traditional French version with real vanilla, gentle aroma, balanced sweetness. The “standard” to compare 7 Kafe’s canele against canele you’ve had in France or premium Saigon bakeries.
Matcha canele — Asian-French fusion. Japanese matcha powder in the custard creates a mild umami and beautiful green color. Pairs naturally with matcha latte or green tea — flavors resonate.
Houjicha canele — the most unusual flavor of the three. Houjicha (roasted Japanese green tea) gives a warm caramel aroma that pairs surprisingly well with the custard. Best with houjicha latte or strong coffee.
How to Spot a Real Canele
- The crust must be deep brown, almost burnt but not bitter. Pale color = not enough caramelization.
- The interior should have uneven air pockets, soft and silky, not dry or hard.
- Mild aroma, not overpowering with industrial vanilla.
- A clear two-layer bite: crisp then soft, not blending together.
7 Kafe bakes canele daily, no long storage. Selling out by end of day is normal.
Belgian-Style Waffle — 40,000 VND, 4 Sauce Options
7 Kafe’s waffle is the Liège (Belgian) style: hand-mixed dough, fermented before baking, crispy outside, soft inside. Different from industrial waffles in that the dough isn’t pre-mixed, and each waffle is baked when ordered — never pre-baked for reheating.
4 sauces to choose from:
- Caramel sauce — salty-sweet balance, for those avoiding overly sweet
- Strawberry sauce — fresh berries blended, slight acidity balances the waffle’s sweetness
- Condensed milk — traditional Ong Tho, deeply sweet, Vietnamese style
- Powdered sugar — light dusting on top, the simplest
Suggested combos: waffle with caramel + ca phe sua da for breakfast, or strawberry waffle + matcha latte for the afternoon. Fresh pastry, hand-brewed drinks — that’s how 7 Kafe wants to be remembered.
Behind the Scenes — The 7 Kafe Bake
Every morning, the 7 Kafe kitchen prepares the dough the night before, resting it in the fridge (canele requires 24-48 hours of resting for deep flavor). The next morning, they bake gradually based on expected customer count. End of day, leftover pastries are eaten by staff or gifted to regulars — never sold past 24 hours.
This means you might arrive at midday and find some canele flavors sold out. That’s normal. Recommendation: call ahead if you want a specific flavor.
Bulk Orders for Events
7 Kafe takes bulk canele orders for:
- Corporate gifts, colleague gifts
- Company events, birthdays
- Tea parties, baby showers
- Booking for gatherings at the cafe
Contact 24-48 hours in advance for kitchen preparation. Canele is best within 24 hours of baking, so don’t order too far ahead.
House-made pastries are one reason 7 Kafe wants to be remembered not just as a cafe, but as a real address for those who love hand-crafted flavors. Each canele, each waffle here has a story and a pair of hands behind it.
Visit 7 Kafe at 180/79 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh. Open 7am-10pm daily. Combo pastry + drink is recommended — pastries are best with the right cup of coffee or matcha.
Read more: What is matcha latte — the perfect companion to matcha canele, or Vietnamese iced coffee for the caramel waffle morning combo.
