A coffee flight. | James Tran Em Coffee House will serve traditional Vietnamese phin coffee and other creative drinks Coffee is an integral part of daily life in Vietnamese culture, offered at street stalls, on restaurant menus, and in dedicated cafes where folks sip and socialize for hours. Em Coffee House, which opens Monday, November 18, aims to convey that cherished ritual to a local audience. Located in the Mesa Town Center complex in Mira Mesa, the new cafe was conceived by Nick Truong, who also runs multiple San Diego outposts of bubble tea chain Ding Tea. Born in Vietnam and raised in the U.S., Truong and his wife Li, who frequent cafes together during their trips back to Vietnam, have named their cafe after a term of endearment in Vietnamese. James Tran Inside the cafe. James Tran Using coffee and espresso beans sourced from Vietnam exclusively, the Em Coffee menu includes classic beverages like cà phê sữa đá, or Vietnamese iced coffee, and bạc xỉu, which has a higher proportion of milk. But the coffee, brewed in a phin filter, will also be the basis for creations like the Trufflemisu topped with a ladyfinger and white chocolate truffle cream, the CocoUbe made with coconut ube cream and toasted coconut, and the Tropical Tonic that mixes espresso, tonic water, and fresh fruit. It will also offer matcha and milk tea drinks as well as flights featuring smaller tasters of signature concoctions. Pastries and other desserts, like mochi waffles, will also be served. James Tran Cream-topped drinks. James Tran Fruit creations. Truong, who is already planning to open a second Em Coffee House that will be part of Zion Market’s redevelopment project in Kearny Mesa, tells Eater that he is looking to expand the cafe to other areas in San Diego including UTC, Fashion Valley, and Mission Valley. James Tran A dripping phin filter. James Tran Drinks and pastries.