The 102-Year-Old Sanctuary: To To Kbuor’s Journey from the Central Highlands to Hanoi
There is a quiet power in a name when it carries the weight of a mission.
In my latest conversation on Citizen FortyFour Vietnam, I sat down with ToTo Kbuor. He shared with me that in the ÊĐê language, his grandfather told him his name means “Seed.” It’s a destiny he shares with his older brother, Titi, and his younger sister, Tutu. They were all named to be seeds—catalysts intended to spread the culture and heritage of their village wherever the wind might carry them.
At 23 Chau Long Street, that metaphor becomes a literal, living reality.
*April 15, 2026 - I stopped by the cafe today to have coffee with my friend Michele
ToTo Cafe is housed in a building that has stood for exactly 102 years. Rooted directly into its ancient brick and mortar are trees that began as nothing more than seeds carried there by the wind decades ago. They found a home in the cracks of the structure, growing without human hands until the space became a “forest in the city.”
It’s the perfect sanctuary for a 25-year-old whose own journey followed a similar, wind-blown path.
To To walked away from a corporate startup career right after university to return to his roots. He spent his early days riding a bicycle through the rain, selling coffee that had been roasted by his mother in their village. He told me about the day his bike fell in the mud, spilling the coffee everywhere—a moment of tears and grit that eventually led him to this historic space.
Inside the cafe, there is no AC and no Wi-Fi. There is only the scent of fresh-ground Robusta from Dak Lak, artifacts from his village, and the shade of those wind-born trees. It is a space designed for “healing or chilling”—a place to sit down and let nature take care of you.
Editing this episode reminded me why I act as a conduit for these stories. To To isn’t just an artisan; he is a bridge between the wisdom of the ancestors and the pulse of modern Hanoi.
Join us for a slow coffee and a look at what happens when the wind and the will align.
*Additional music by Gene Burnett - https://www.geneburnett.com
file:///Users/admin/Downloads/[ENG]%20T%C3%94T%C3%94%20CAFE.pdf
https://vietnamnet.vn/doc-dao-quan-cafe-rung-cua-chang-trai-e-de-trong-long-ha-noi-2453470.html
https://www.facebook.com/totocafe.vn/
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