A Trung Nguyên Legend Cafe Looks To Open in Portland

Artful coffee drinks from Trung Nguyên Legend. — Trung Nguyên Legend shows off in artful way. Photo credit: Trung Nguyên Legend

According to paperwork filed with ORSOS, along with Portland city permits filed, it appears that a Trung Nguyên Legend Cafe is planning to open on SE Powell Blvd and SE 84th Avenue. Trung Nguyên is a major name in Vietnamese coffee, and along with their manufacturing and retail efforts, their cafes are some of the most popular in Vietnam. “Trung Nguyen Legend” is the company’s “premium brand in coffee.”

Trung Nguyên Legend, Really? And Some Background

My initial research indicated that a coffee shop is opening up at 8435 SE Powell Blvd: “Billiard hall to coffee shop; addition of backroom area at north end of building and covered patio at south end; build out existing floor space for seating and service areas.” Subsequent research indicated that BH Coffee was the name of said coffee shop, but that was premature information. Subsequent ORSOS filings state the following: “Doing business as Trung Nguyen Legend, serving coffee, breakfast.” This location was once home to Vietnamese restaurant Pho Le II; they failed to renew their paperwork in 2021.

In an article from September 2023, Eater LA published that “Popular Vietnamese coffee shop Trung Nguyên Legend Cafe is opening its first U.S. store in Westminster at 9039 Bolsa Avenue on Thursday, September 21.” A Trung Nguyên E-Coffee (“E” for “energy”) opened in Santa Ana, CA in November of last year. So, expansion is happening here on the west coast.

They’ve been operating in Vietnam since 1996—almost 30 years. According to this map, they operate 106 Legend locations out of 660 Trung Nguyên properties, mostly in Vietnam; however it may be closer to 1,000 coffee shops. Trung Nguyên also exports product to over 60 countries. The grow Robusta, Arabica, and Excelsa coffee beans.

First Location in Portland and Some Things To Expect

From what I can tell, this would be the first location in Portland, if not all of Oregon. The building they are looking to occupy is 1,800 square feet. It was purchased by the current owner in August 2021 (the failure to renew date for Pho Le II was June 2021).

Trung Nguyên Legend Cafe offers phin coffee and espresso; egg coffee, almond white coffee, and a variety of creams you can add (e.g., sea salt, ginger, banana), too. You’ll even find civet coffee there! And they have flavored iced teas (e.g., Peach Orange Lemongrass), matcha (including matcha foam). As for food, at other Legend cafes it looks like they offer banh mi and some noodle dishes. And if this Portland location is like the one in LA, there may be drinks specific to Portland’s Powell Blvd location.

At this point in time it is unclear when their projected opening is. I will reach out and see what I can find out.

Trung Nguyên Legend Cafe [projected opening TBD]
8435 SE Powell Blvd, Portland
trungnguyenlegend.us | Instagram