Kim Lê grew up in Vietnam and eventually became a coffee quality grader after visiting a relative's coffee farm there in 2015, then exported Vietnamese green beans to Japan until Covid hit. She and her husband Duc Nguyen run Lê Phin, which opened on East 10th Street on February 2, 2022, and she has judged at the Vietnam Barista Competition in Hanoi.
A raised window nook with floor cushions sits at the front behind sheer curtains, facing the walk-up buildings across the street. The single room has white-painted brick and a slatted wood counter.
