Thank you for visiting our website! We are Jenny and Ed, owners of Cà Phê Sông (Cà Phê means “coffee” in Vietnamese and Sông means “river” in an homage to the beautiful Skagit River), in downtown Mount Vernon. We reside in Mount Vernon with our two-year-old daughter and ten-year-old border collie mix. When we’re not busy at the shop, we explore the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Cà Phê Sông was created to bring the vibrant flavors of Vietnamese cuisine to the diverse growing population in Skagit County.

From Jenny:
I was born the province of Kiên Giang in Vietnam but grew up in Southern California. Growing up, I didn’t appreciate the many meals my mother prepared for us. All we wanted were cheeseburgers, fries, and pizza. I moved further away from home for college and then graduate school. The further I moved the more I would think of those days as a kid when I would throw a tantrum because I didn’t want to eat com thit kho for what felt like the millionth time. I also started learning about my family’s history—generations in the rice farming industry.

Distance and time created a void that grew, a disconnection. Now, I would savor every drop of pho broth and admire the beauty of a well-prepared rice dish. When I was pregnant during the pandemic, all I craved was Vietnamese food. I would order food at all the local places, but I always wanted more. My husband would make the long drive to Seattle to get Vietnamese ingredients and the occasional bánh mì to quell a craving. Looking back, I don’t think I craved any Vietnamese food, I was craving my mother’s cooking.

I started Cà Phê Sông with my husband to bring our version of Vietnamese cuisine to the Mount Vernon community—I say “our version” because Vietnam is so rich in culture and history that it has influenced and been influenced by so many other cultures. Our version of Vietnamese culture is one that is rooted in community, patience, and understanding.