Located at 3 rue Sainte-Foy in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, Convos spans 35 square meters with an outdoor seating area where customers can sit along the sidewalk, view the streets, and enjoy sunlight filtering through mature tree canopies. The shop operates from 9am to 6pm on weekdays and 10am to 6pm on weekends.

Despite launching in 2025, Convos gradually established a regular clientele, with French patrons accounting for about 60 percent of customers. Vietnamese coffee offerings have received strong acceptance and enthusiasm from the guests.

The coffee shop was established and managed by Dau Anh Tuan (born 1998, originating from Nghe An) and Vu Tra My (born 1997, originating from Hanoi). They explained that Convos serves as a shortened form of "conversations," implying gatherings and discussions. The founding team envisioned the venue as a space where people share joys and sorrows with family and friends.

The name also evokes a sound similar to "con voi" (elephant) in Vietnamese, leading the owners to adopt an elephant image as their brand symbol.

Initially, the founding team focused on coffee varieties popular in France to facilitate market entry. Shortly after opening, the shop suffered a power outage, bringing all commercial espresso machines to a halt. Unable to brew with machinery while orders accumulated, Tuan and My remembered the phin filter, a familiar brewing tool among Vietnamese people.

The phin filter requires neither electricity nor complex machinery. A small metallic filter sits atop a cup, containing a perforated plate and press board; ground coffee is added, compacted moderately, and poured over with hot water. Water gradually percolates through the coffee bed, extracting aroma and flavor before dark brown drops trickle steadily into the cup.

Tuan then contacted nearby Vietnamese restaurants and cafes to borrow phin filters. Local business owners rendered immediate assistance. Borrowed phin filters arrived at the shop, substituting for electrical machines. The following morning, patrons stepped into Convos and observed a brewing method completely distinct from familiar Parisian standards.

The owners initially regarded this as a temporary fix for a single problematic day. However, customer curiosity produced unexpected outcomes. Many patrons watched the traditional Vietnamese phin brewing with fascination, inquired about the filter device, and offered positive flavor feedback.

At that moment, Tuan realized the modest phin filter could generate genuine interest among local customers. "The shop was packed that day, and everyone responded enthusiastically to traditional Vietnamese brewing. From that point, we developed the idea to put Vietnamese coffee permanently on our menu," Tuan recalled.

Convos currently uses Robusta coffee beans grown in Vietnam. Prepared through phin filtration, these beans yield a bold taste, distinct aroma, and lingering finish that differ from coffee profiles local patrons typically encounter.

"A customer trying a new drink might begin out of curiosity, but retaining them requires consistent, high-quality flavor. Gradually, Vietnamese coffee flavors turned into our bestselling items," Tra My said.

Satisfied international customers

The owners said that, in the early days, every customer who happened to walk into the shop was like an “expert” helping them improve the menu and giving them motivation to experiment.

They still remember a Swiss tourist who visited the shop on four consecutive mornings during a one-week trip to France. Each morning, she ordered a different item, offered candid feedback, chatted with the owners and encouraged them.

On one occasion, a pancake had not been made according to the recipe and did not turn out as expected, but the customer still finished it.

“She said the pancake might not have met the standard, but it was still the result of the whole team’s effort, and she wanted to appreciate that,” Tuan recalled.

Customers at Convos can work, draw, knit, write music, chat with friends or spend time with family. Because the owners want the coffee shop to be a place for intimate conversations, they have introduced a rather unusual rule: customers can use laptops in the shop on weekdays, but laptop use is limited on Saturdays and Sundays.

Subtle touches of Vietnam can be found throughout the shop. A large-format book on Vietnamese history sits on a bookshelf and has caught the attention of many visitors, who often ask about it.

Linh Trang - Hoang Dao Duc Anh