Saigondan Coffee

The London Family Journey

Coffee Dan's to Coffee Ron's to Saigondan's

Coffee Dan’s Speakeasy (Early 1900s – Mid 20th Century)
The story begins in San Francisco with Coffee Dan’s, a speakeasy that thrived during Prohibition. It wasn’t actually a coffee shop—instead, it was a hidden underground bar, serving bootleg liquor disguised in coffee cups to avoid detection. The entrance was iconic, featuring a 15-foot slide, ensuring that only those “in the know” could enter. Over time, Coffee Dan’s became one of the most famous speakeasies in the world, later transitioning into a legitimate business, but still carrying its mystique and rebellious reputation.

Ron London Re-opens Coffee Dan’s as Coffee Ron’s (1960s – 1970s)
 Decades later, Ron London (Dan’s father) saw an opportunity at the closed Coffee Dan’s business premises. In an ironic twist, Ron re-opened the same location and renamed it “Coffee Ron’s”—but kept the speakeasy spirit alive.
To save money, Ron modified the existing Coffee Dan’s signage, changing just one word—from “Dan’s” to “Ron’s. ”What happened inside? Ron continued the tradition of illegally serving liquor from 2 AM to 6 AM—but, just like in the old days, it was all served in coffee cups to dodge the law.
Coffee Ron’s was an underground hotspot, a hidden after-hours bar where people could keep drinking long after legal closing time. Notably Coffee Ron's became quite infamous too!

Coffee Ron’s Becomes a legal Restaurant (1970s – 1980s)
Eventually, Ron shut down the speakeasy, but didn’t let the Coffee Ron’s name die.
He moved the business a few blocks away, reopening Coffee Ron’s as a legitimate restaurant. This time, the focus was on food and drinks, with a special highlight on one of San Francisco’s favorite cocktails—Irish Coffee. Now, instead of sneaking liquor into coffee cups, Coffee Ron’s was legally serving Irish Coffee, keeping the tradition alive—but above board this time.

Dan London & Linda London Introduce Espresso (1980's - 1990's)

As the restaurant evolved, Dan London and his sister, Linda, recognized a growing trend-the emerging espresso movement. They began serving espresso drinks at Coffee Ron’s, bringing a new layer of sophistication to the business. This was long before Starbucks made espresso mainstream in America, making Coffee Ron’s an early pioneer in the second wave of specialty coffee in San Francisco.
During this time, Dan developed a deep love for coffee and hospitality, learning how a great cup of coffee connects people and builds relationships.

Dan’s Pivot to the Casino Industry (1987 – Present)
While deeply involved in the coffee and restaurant business, Dan eventually transitioned to the casino marketing industry in 1987. Over the next four decades, he became a top executive in casino marketing and player development, working for major Las Vegas mega resorts and California casino's. His expertise in customer relationships, branding, and high-end Asian hospitality became his signature skill set—one that would later shape Saigondan Coffee Supply.

The Birth of SAIGONDAN (Present)
Despite decades in the casino world, Dan’s passion for coffee never faded.
Through his business travels across Asia, he fell in love with Asian culture and especially Vietnamese coffee culture—the strong flavors, the slow-drip brewing traditions, and the dedication of local farmers. He realized that Vietnamese coffee was vastly underrepresented in the specialty coffee market, and SAIGONDAN was born. The irony? After starting with Coffee Dan’s, then Coffee Ron’s, Dan had unknowingly come full circle—now bringing his own name into the coffee business with SAIGONDAN.
SAIGONDAN is not just a brand—it’s a continuation of a legacy, blending San Francisco’s historic coffee culture, Las Vegas VIP marketing with Vietnam’s deep-rooted coffee traditions.

A Full-Circle Story
Started as Coffee Dan’s—a speakeasy hiding liquor in coffee cups. Became Coffee Ron’s—a speakeasy doing the same thing decades later. Turned into a legal licensed bar restaurant known for Irish Coffee.
Evolved into a specialty espresso café under Dan & Linda. Dan left coffee, built a career in casinos, traveling extensively for business throughout Asia then returned to coffee with SAIGONDAN. Now, SAIGONDAN is bridging cultures—bringing authentic Vietnamese coffee to the world.

It’s a story of heritage, irony, reinvention, and passion—one that proves coffee was always in Dan's destiny.

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With a rich history of traversing Asia's dynamic landscapes, Dan London's business journeys have been instrumental in laying the foundation for SAIGONDAN. His voyages not only honed his expertise but also reignited his passion for coffee-a journey that traces back to his family's coffee roots in San Francisco. Today SAIGONDAN stands out as more than a mere coffee supplier; It embodies Dan's enduring romance with Vietnamese coffee culture. Inspired by the enchanting coffee farms of Vietnam's Central Highlands region, Dan's vision is to share the joy with the world. Each cup of SAIGONDAN coffee is a sip of that dream, a Experience of the exquisite charm and rich heritage of Vietnamese coffee.

Saigon, Hanoi, Buôn Ma Thuột, Đà Lạt,

During his exciting voyages, Dan fell in love with the bustling business environment of Saigon, the rich coffee culture of Hanoi, the coffee capital of Buôn Ma Thuột and the breathtaking beauty of Đà Lạt, known as the Paris of Indochina. Dan was Captivated by Da Lat's lush landscapes and dedication of the local coffee farmers, Dan felt an instant connection to the region and its specialty Arabica and Robusta coffee. Dan's journey from America to Vietnam and founding Saigondan Coffee Supply was a great serendipitous fusion of two worlds.

As a result of his profound experiences, Dan decided to combine his extensive history in business, relationship building, marketing, and his deep-rooted love for coffee to create Saigondan Coffee Supply. His return to the coffee industry is a testament to his unwavering passion and his ability to integrate decades of knowledge from the corporate casino marketing world into the world of specialty coffee.

Joyous Da Lat

Nestled in the highlands of Vietnam, Da Lat has earned its nickname as “The small Paris" due to its romantic charm and french influences. It is in this enchanting region that our coffee beans are cultivated. Da Lat's temperate climate and high altitude create the perfect conditions for growing specialty coffee with unique flavors and profiles. With each sip of locally brewed coffee Dan discovered the unique flavors and complexities that could only be made in the heart of Vietnams coffee country. Inspired by the terroir of Da Lat and the warmth of its people, he embarked on a mission to share his joyous discovery with the world!

Why choose us?

Thanks to the Vietnamese climate and volcanic soil, Vietnam is the world's #2 largest coffee producer only second to Brazil and #1 producer of robusta coffee beans.

Our arabica and robusta cherries are hand-picked at peak ripeness, producing sweet & flavorful coffee.

We offer specialty blends carefully crafted to embody the diverse tastes and traditions of Vietnamese coffee that capture the essence of Vietnam.

Our Joyful signature coffee collection, each with their unique characteristics is a flavor journey that respects both tradition and innovation. Experience Vietnam!