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Gathering branches, laying bricks, and building a roof.
Thao and Hung met in their early days at university, both studying Business Administration and sharing a love for simplicity. After graduating, instead of staying in the city, they moved to Hoi An to open a homestay and run an Airbnb business. Their lives were peaceful until the COVID-19 pandemic struck, forcing them to close everything and return to their hometown in Bao Loc – the beginning of a new and challenging chapter.
Initially, finding a suitable location to open a coffee shop in a small city like Bao Loc wasn't easy. The rented spaces weren't ideal, and building our own meant there wasn't enough land. It wasn't until six months later, after much persuasion, that Hung's parents finally agreed to lend them a plot of land behind their house, which was originally just a wild, overgrown field, nestled deep in a small alley. "Back then, my parents thought we were crazy, opening a shop in an alley – who would come?" Thao laughed, recalling the experience.
Den is located deep in a small slope, but it still attracts a certain number of visitors.
After acquiring the land, the couple began brainstorming ideas for building a cafe. Bao Loc had been hotter for over 10 years, and prefabricated houses (houses with steel structures) were everywhere; wooden houses were only scattered in the corners of the small city at that time. Thus, the idea of a rustic wooden house with plenty of greenery was sparked by a simple vision: a place where they felt comfortable and hoped others would feel the same way.
The cafe is designed based on the concept of a wooden house covered in greenery.
They started building the cafe with only a little money saved from their previous jobs. Without professional blueprints or an architect, they only sketched with rough pencil lines, like a child's drawing. "The cafe doesn't have a main carpenter; it's just me, my husband, and a friend who used to be a volunteer and knows a little about carpentry," Thảo said. Almost everything was done by the three of them themselves, starting with planting and growing trees to green the empty plot of land, then buying wood, building the frame, and making tables and chairs. Only the foundation and the restroom were built by hired workers.
For a year and a half, with scratched hands and sleepless nights worrying about money and energy, there were times they thought about giving up, but they only had one path: to continue. Despite struggling financially, they received support and encouragement from friends and family – something Thao and Hung consider the most precious gift in their journey to create this space. "While we were running the cafe, it was also the 10th anniversary of our relationship and marriage, so this cafe marks a significant milestone that we cherish," Thao shared.
The entire wooden frame of the building was designed and constructed by the owner himself, and the trees were also planted by him.
Growing up alongside a garden named Black.
Opened just before the Lunar New Year in 2023, the cafe started off with unexpected success. Despite its less-than-ideal location, it attracted a large number of customers. Perhaps it was due to its novelty – a wooden house nestled in a garden in a small city accustomed to prefabricated buildings – but it could also be because of the rustic, authentic, and heartfelt atmosphere that the owner infused into this place.
The menu started simply, with only filter coffee because they didn't have enough money to buy a coffee machine. Later, they added espresso, cold brew, fruit tea, cocoa from Dak Lak, homemade jams, etc. The two best-selling items remain the lychee rose tea and the iced coffee with salted cream, a subtly sweet drink that every customer wants to try. The shop prioritizes using natural ingredients such as unroasted coffee beans sourced from Voi Do company in Duc Trong, cocoa from an organic farm in Dak Lak, and homemade jams.
Thảo said that she and Hùng didn't study coffee and had no professional barista experience. "We just tasted and adjusted based on our feel. Luckily, a younger sibling helped advise us on the menu before the grand opening."
The menu offers a diverse selection of drinks made with natural ingredients such as Duc Trong coffee and Dak Lak cocoa...
The cafe doesn't aim for a specific style; it depends on the individual feelings of each visitor. On sunny days, Den can be a cozy wooden house, a stone-paved courtyard where you can chat under the trees. On gloomy, rainy days, it's quiet here, you can clearly hear the rain falling, with soft music and warm yellow lighting, becoming a peaceful workspace or simply a place to slow down and breathe.
Thao's husband, Hung, practically takes care of every nook and cranny of the shop. From the electrical and plumbing systems, tables and chairs, plants, to small details like the wooden shelves and the pothos bushes, he personally repairs and maintains everything. Perhaps that's why, after more than two years, Den still maintains its initial neatness, even though the materials have aged over time, the plants are becoming greener and healthier.
At Den, the trees are meticulously cared for by Mr. Hung, the owner, and are always lush and green.
Since then, the cafe has become more well-known, and its clientele has grown increasingly diverse. On weekdays, it mainly attracts young people, while on weekends it's frequented by families and tourists. Because this area isn't a popular tourist destination like Da Lat, there are fewer foreign tourists; occasionally, young people backpacking between Saigon and Da Lat stop by.
Preserve peace amidst change.
After a while, Thao gave birth and could no longer directly work at the counter. New challenges arose: training staff, maintaining drink quality, and ensuring a great customer experience. "There was a time when I heard customers complain that the drinks weren't as good as before, and it made me want to cry. But we continued to adjust, learn, and correct our mistakes."
The cafe's space is also constantly being renovated: there's a long break each year for maintenance. But no matter how it changes, "Black" still retains its rustic charm, the first and last thing they want to preserve.
The cafe's space is frequently renovated, but its rustic charm remains intact.
Under the shade of the trees, guests sit and chat, read books, or simply admire the sunlight filtering through the leaves. Small markets held in the courtyard, with handcrafted wooden items, home-grown vegetables, fresh produce, fermented rice cakes, and more, create a warm and friendly atmosphere.
Occasionally, some artists choose this place to film music videos, like the song "The Season That Hasn't Faded Yet" by singer Giang Thuy Linh. But for Thao and Hung, the greatest happiness is seeing guests return a second or third time and say that this place makes them feel peaceful.
The wooden house, filled with the warm aroma of coffee amidst lush greenery, has become a favorite stop for many travelers on backpacking trips to Da Lat.
And what about the name "Black"? They chose it when they were broke and exhausted, during days when everything seemed impossible to complete. "It's not fancy, it just reflects the journey we've been through and the emotions that still linger to this day. Black is also Hung's nickname, so we decided to choose this name as a mark for our private space," Thao said.
