The 100 Roofs cafe is definitely something else!
We must have walked past this odd-looking place half a dozen times before curiosity got the better of us.
We weren’t sure if 100 Roof Cafe was an actual bar or a coffee café or another type of café we hadn’t come across before. With things like a “Cookies and cream rum milkshake” on the menu it had to be a bar, but it just didn’t look like one.
From the outside it almost looks like the entrance to one of those vintage carnival horror rides. With jagged edges and creepy mismatched decor, luring you in with morbid curiosity.
It turned out to be anything but!
When you order a drink and find yourself in a labyrinth
I ordered a Da Lat specialty called artichoke tea, curious to find out what it was about.
Leon took his chances with the cookies and cream rum milkshake (shudder). He swears it was drinkable, and I tried enough to know not to order one (I’m not much of a rum drinker).
Drinks ordered, we took our designated seats and waited. It wasn’t long before we got the green light to head down the stairs.
We had no idea what to expect but the lady behind the counter was very eager for us to get down there.
Our first glimpse into this oddity was down a tight staircase, leading into a dark abyss. The whole things shouted ‘creepy dark forest vibe’, and it did not inspire any enthusiasm for me.
Leon however, was chomping at the bit to get down there and no doubt scare the living lights out of me. LOL
We took a few sips, assessed that the drinks were in fact tasty and set off for the dark abyss with mixed feelings.
Down the rabbit hole we go
The first landing had the same dark forest feel as the staircase. The room had some extra creepy additions of faces and creatures coming out of the walls. The lights had a lot to do with the ambiance, but again, we weren’t sure what the aim was.
Curiously, there were some chairs and tables down there too but not a whole lot of room to move. I wasn’t expecting the seating options, which made the place even more strange.
At this point it felt like I had stepped into a scene at Spookers (It’s a haunted attraction back home). I couldn’t help but feel like something nasty was about to either jump or crawl out of the hole I was heading towards.
Still apprehensive, I squirmed through said hole. Relieved that nothing was there to scare the life out of me.
I was laughing though, because I’m 5’4” trying to imagine 6’2” Leon contorting himself through the space. It was hilarious.
What greeted us on the other side is somewhat hard to describe and make a vlog about but we’ll try.
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When the hole becomes a maze
We found ourselves in an elaborate labyrinth of nooks, crannies, doorways, staircases and dead ends. Some were dimly lit, others pitch black! We also found headaches, shin aches and finger aches thanks to all the dark explorations. LOL!
At one point Leon and I lost each other in the labyrinth. While I could hear the traffic outside, I couldn’t for the life of me pick up on where Leon was.
I managed to find my way back to the front desk without knowing how. It didn’t take long for a new lady with a spectacular smile to ask if I’d seen the garden terrace.
Back? In there?
There’s a garden terrace, in there?? I wasn’t sure what to make of that question. But before I knew it, I was back in the dark abyss looking for the garden terrace. I was not looking forward to this as I had no idea how long it would take to find my way back out again.
I did manage to find a couple of the spots overlooking the street and city. I guessed it was from the second and third floors and they had fantastic views over the city.
But, I had a garden terrace and husband to find, there was no time to admire the view.
Found Leon! Now where’s the front door again?
Five minutes later I collided with a large body in the dark. Before I could scream and run the other way, my husband assured me it was him.
The first question out of his mouth was, “have you seen the garden terrace?”.
I relayed my experience to a highly amused Leon who showed me the way to the garden terrace, laughing all way.
Once we reached the top, I could see what the fuss was about. If I thought the view from the second and third floors were great, it certainly had nothing on what I was looking at now.
It was worth finding!
An almost 360-degree view from the top one of the highest points of the city, and what a view! Complete with a scene of its own and some interesting characters.
We could see almost every peak and valley of Da Lat and it was postcard perfect. Low lying clouds kissing the tops of the highest peaks while a soft rain covered everything else in a sparkling glow. It almost felt like another world.
The lady with the spectacular smiled joined us while we were admiring view. Turns out she is the original owner’s daughter and had some interesting history tit bits to share with us.
How did the 100 Roofs Cafe start?
The 100 Roof Cafe was the brainchild of well-known Da Lat architect, Lu Truc Phuong. It was his dream to create something distinct. Something everyone will want to see when they visit Da Lat.
In 1989 construction started on a narrow four storey building on Phan Bội Châu street, called 100 Roof Cafe. Today it has a bit of a legendary status in Da Lat and Lu Truc Phuong’s daughter now proudly continues the legacy.
Each level is different to the last with new additions constantly switches things up. It’s almost like you’re playing the never-ending version of hide and seek.
The rooftop garden terrace is currently under construction. We’re uber curious to see what they do with the space. Whatever it is, it’s going to be unique, that’s for sure!
At night the cafe turns into a lively bar. Its patrons roam the labyrinth in search of their perfect seat (which there are plenty of).
We can only imagine what the place looks like at night, but we would definitely go back to experience it all again.
Even though, my first impression wasn’t that great, it did turn into a fun experience and a barrel of laughs.
100 Roofs Cafe is a must visit in Da Lat
When you find yourself in Da Lat, we can highly recommend the 100 Roof Cafe for a fun and unique experience, day or night.
If we could give you one tip it would be to use your phone as a torch. It will come in handy for those pitch-black spots. The ones where you’re not sure if it’s a staircase leading up or down or a nook and cranny you can’t fit into. LOL
Whatever you do, don’t forget to have fun, that was the intent with this unique venue.
Leon and Tash Vlog
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