Best Cuisine In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam & Where
Ho Chi Minh City is a haven for those looking for great Vietnamese food. But it’s not only local flavours that you can enjoy here: the city is home to all types of cuisine with a particular focus on French, Indian, seafood and more. It’s easy to find good places to eat here if you’re following a vegetarian or vegan diet and it’s nothing short of an adventure if you’re a fan of street food.
Vietnamese dishes in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) stand out, not only because they’re delicious but also because of the variety – just like the people who live here. Therefore, the culinary experience in Ho Chi Minh City is nothing short of a buffet, as you can find all the best Vietnamese dishes here.
1. Com tam
Who doesn’t love Com tam—Vietnamese broken rice with grilled pork chop, shredded pork skins, and steamed egg meatloaf? Ho Chi Minh City people eat Com tam ALL THE TIME, proudly.
It doesn’t matter whether it’s a rushed breakfast, or a dinner in a Vietnamese restaurant, you can always have Com tam.
The secret of a delicious plate of Com tam, according to some local people, is not the beautifully grilled pork cutlet or the “cha trung” – Vietnamese steamed egg meatloaf, but it is the hot tasty rice, combined with the special sweet fish sauce and lots of chopped scallion oil.
You can try this at:
Com tam Nguyen Van Cu
Address: 74 Nguyen Van Cu Street, Nguyen Cu Trinh Ward, District 1
Open hours: 07:30–15:30
Price: ~110,000 VND ($4.8)
2. Banh mi
Banh mi—a Vietnamese baguette stuffed with meat and veggie—is the most popular street food in Vietnam. You can find Banh mi stalls on every street in Ho Chi Minh City.
A basic Banh mi may include mayo, pâté, Vietnamese ham, jambon, pickles, cucumber, spring onion, cilantro, chili, and soy sauce.
However, that’s not the only combination for Banh mi. In Ho Chi Minh City, you can also enjoy Banh mi with grilled pork, fish cakes, sardines in tomato sauce, roasted pork, etc. Vietnamese creativity for Banh mi has no limits!
You can try this at:
Banh mi Huynh Hoa
Address: 26 Le Thi Rieng, Pham Ngu Lao Ward, District 1)
Open hours: 13:30–23:00
Price: 58,000 VND ($2.56)
3. Banh mi chao
Banh mi chao—Banh mi served over a hot pan—is another famous version of Banh mi. While Banh mi itself is famous for its convenience and can be carried everywhere, Banh mi chao needs to be enjoyed on the spot.
The reason why this variation exists is that many Vietnamese people like to dip the bread in the sauce, or they want to enjoy Banh mi with something hot. People often eat Banh mi with a pan of toppings including sunny-side eggs, Vietnamese ham, meatball, pâté, mayo, and tomato sauce.
You can try this at:
Chao Restaurant
Address: 31 Tran Quang Dieu, Ward 14, District 3
Open hours: 10:00–22:00
4. Pho – Vietnamese rice noodle soup with beef broth
Without a doubt, Pho is one of the extremely popular Vietnamese dishes, not only in Vietnam but also around the world.
Pho in HCMC is a combination of tradition and modernity, of traditional Northern taste and Southern taste. Unlike traditional pho, Pho in HCMC has a richer taste and is served with more herbs.
Don’t forget to order a poached egg with soup when slurping a bowl of Pho!
You can try this at:
Pho Hoa Pasteur
Address: 260C Pasteur, Ward 8, District 3
Open hours: 05:00 – 23:30
5. Hu Tieu – Southern rice noodle soup
Hu Tieu is one of the Vietnamese dishes that originates from Chinese and Cambodian cuisine, then adjusted to suit the taste of Vietnamese people.
In a bowl of Hu Tieu, we have rice noodles, a rich broth made from pork bones and radish. It’s often served with sliced pork, shrimp, pork ribs, minced pork, quail eggs, and bean sprouts.
Another very popular version of this dish is Hu tieu kho, aka. “dry” Hu tieu. Instead of having rice noodles and soup in one bowl, you’ll have two separate bowls, and the rice noodles will be mixed with the chef’s secret sauce. This is a must-try version of Hu tieu!
You can try this at:
Hu tieu Ca Can
Address: 110 Hung Vuong Street, Ward 9, District 5
Open hours: 06:00 – 23:55
Price: 37,000-75,000 VND ($1.63-3.31)
6. Banh xeo – Vietnamese pancake stuffed with meat
Banh xeo, aka. Vietnamese pancake is one of the most popular Vietnamese dishes from the Mekong Delta area. The name “Banh xeo” originates from the way it is made. When the chef pours the batter into the pan, it will sizzle, and the word “sizzle” in Vietnamese is “xèo”.
Banh xeo batter is made from rice flour, coconut milk and a little turmeric powder. The filling of Banh xeo usually is sliced pork belly, shrimp, bean sprouts, and jicama.
Despite being fried with a lot of oil, Banh xeo is not so greasy, because it is very thin, crispy, and is served with a lot of herbs.
You can try this at:
Banh xeo 46A
Address: 46 Dinh Cong Trang, Tan Dinh Ward, District 1
Open hours: 10:00 – 13:00 and 16:00 – 21:00
Price: 100,000-200,000 VND ($4.42-8.84)
7. Bun bo Hue – Hue style spicy beef noodle soup
“Bun” aka. rice vermicelli is a type of fresh Vietnamese rice noodle. It is often served with different types of broth, and Bun bo Hue is one of the most famous vermicelli dishes.
Originating from Hue, Bun bo Hue soup is full of Hue’s flavor. The broth is rich, spicy, and fragrant with lemongrass and chili. The savory taste of the broth comes from shrimp paste and beef bones. This dish is usually served with sliced beef brisket, beef shank, and pork leg.
Don’t forget to order beef marrow, it’ll enhance the taste of the broth but not everyone knows that!
You can try this at:
Bun bo Ganh
Address: 110 Ly Chinh Thang, Ward 8, District 3 (here)
Open hours: 06:00 – 21:00
Price: 60,000-70,000 ($2.65-3.09)
8. Oc – Seafood dishes in general
In Ho Chi Minh City, you will often be invited by Vietnamese people to “an oc” (literally “eat snails”). However, this just means eating seafood in general, they’re edible mollusks or seafood.
At “Oc” restaurants, there are a hundred ways to cook, like to grill, stir-fry, steam, boil, etc. Seafood in HCMC is transferred every day from the nearest seas, so its freshness is always guaranteed.
The best way to enjoy seafood dishes is to bring a Vietnamese friend along, they would know what type of seafood is good and the best way to have it cooked.
You can try this at:
Ut Ca Mau Restaurant
Address: 215 Dien Bien Phu, Ward 6, District 3
Open hours: 10:00 – 23:00
Price: 90,000-200,000 VND ($3.98-8.84)
9. Banh uot, Banh cuon – Steamed rice pancake stuffed with minced pork
Banh cuon and Banh uot are some of Vietnamese best-known dishes for breakfast. Made with rice flour and tapioca flour, Banh uot is just like wet rice noodles, but a bit more chewy and thinner. Banh cuon is similar to Banh uot, but is rolled with minced pork and stir-fried wood ear mushroom inside.
Usually, Banh cuon and Banh uot are served with sweet and sour fish sauce, crispy fried shallot, and Vietnamese ham. Banh cuon and Banh uot are freshly made every time you order, so the dish is always warm and delicious.
Here’s a tip: Try ordering “banh cuon trung”, with an egg mixed with the batter!
You can try this at:
Banh cuon Thien Huong
Address: 179A 3/2 Street, Ward 11, District 10
Open hours: 06:00-21:30
Price: 24,000-64,000 VND ($1.04-2.83)
10. Banh trang tron – Mixed rice paper
Banh trang tron, or “Mixed rice paper”, is a popular tasty treat of HCMC’s street food. You can find this dish almost everywhere, from the streets, markets, to supermarkets, cafes, even restaurants.
The recipe is quite simple, just chopped rice paper mixed with shrimp salt, chilli oil, green mango, Vietnamese coriander, quail eggs, and dried beef, chicken, and squid.
You can try this at:
Banh trang tron Chu Vien
Address: 38 Nguyen Thuong Hien, Ward 5, District 3
Open hours: 11:30 – 19:00
Price: 25,000-40,000 VND ($1.10-1.77)