For travelers who are constantly in search of good food, a country or city is defined by the quality of what you can find in its streets. Vietnam is such a country, with its endless array of markets, stalls, and eateries serving up some of the best things I’ve ever eaten in my life. It’s my third favorite destination for food (the top two being Thailand and Malaysia)—somewhere I would happily keep returning to, devoid of any itinerary other than devouring everything in sight.
If you love coffee and you haven’t been to Vietnam, you seriously need to book that flight right now. But other than coffee, Vietnam has so much more to offer. There’s a misconception that Vietnamese cuisine is all veggies, which is totally not true. Their food can gratify anyone—meat lovers included—looking for something uncomplicated, fresh, and extremely delicious.
Below, I have listed down my favorite Vietnamese dishes as well as where to find them in Saigon. I haven’t been to the northern part of Vietnam, but this list will be continuously updated as I explore more of this charming country. An ngon nhé!
1 | Bánh Mì
You can’t go to Vietnam and not have the bánh mì, the French-Viet baguette sandwich that is simply too hard to replicate anywhere else. The Vietnamese have mastered the art of making bread, which I think is the element that makes or breaks this sandwich. A good one would have a crusty exterior but soft interior—it should be tasty enough to eat on its own. The baguette is then slathered with pâté and mayonnaise before being stuffed with various meats (grilled pork, pork floss, cold cuts, luncheon meats, patties, etc.), cucumber, carrots, radish, chili, and cilantro. Some versions would have more or less toppings than the abovementioned.
Where to Get It: Bánh Mì Huỳnh Hoa (also known as the “lesbian bánh mì”) and Bánh Mì Hong Hoa are two of the best places for bánh mì. The former is meat-heavy while the latter has more fresh veggies and aromatics. If you see a bunch of people queuing, then you’ve found these shops!
Tip: You can order from Bánh Mì Huỳnh Hoa via GrabFood!
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2 | Phở
In the running with bánh mì as Vietnam’s most popular dish, the phở is another must-not-miss when visiting the country. Made mainly with rice noodles and a chicken (phở ga) or beef (phở bo) soup with the corresponding meat, it can be accompanied by toppings like onions, Thai basil, and bean sprouts, to name a few. Eateries usually have Sriracha, hoisin sauce, garlic, and hot chili sauce for diners to season their bowls as they like. Although restaurants serve this all day, phở is actually a Vietnamese breakfast food. What better way to start the day than with a bowl of comfort, right?
Where to Get It: We loved Phở Quynh in the Phạm Ngũ Lão district—it’s a two-storey restaurant flocked by locals and tourists alike. Aside from the basic phở, they offer other meats like beef tendon, beef balls, rare beef, and brisket!
3 | Vietnamese Coffee
It’s a mortal sin to visit Vietnam and skip the coffee. Hell, even if you don’t really drink coffee, I would force you to try it! The quality of coffee in this country is so astounding—you can practically choose a café at random and you are sure to get a great cup of joe. Whether you like it dark and simple straight from the Vietnamese coffee drip (cà phê), iced (cà phê đá), or with condensed milk (cà phê sữa đá), be prepared to be satisfied and energized. Feeling adventurous? Try the egg coffee (cà phê trứng) which is made by beating egg yolks into the coffee until it becomes frothy, or the cà phê sữa chua which has yogurt. My favorite? The cà phê with coconut milk!
Where to Get It: Cong Caphe (many locations around Vietnam), Egg Coffee (Bui Vien), Hoàng Thị Café (District 1), and Trung Nguyên (many locations around Vietnam)
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Read also: Coffee Meets Art at Hoàng Thị Café.
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4 | Bò Lá Lốt
When I saw this dish featured in Somebody Feed Phil, I told myself I need to look for it in Saigon! The bò lá lốt—or thịt bò nướng lá lốt—is made of minced beef, seasoned with garlic and shallots, that is then wrapped in betel leaves before being charcoal-grilled. When eaten as is, it actually tastes a bit like burger, LOL. In the streets, eateries would serve it with rice paper, vermicelli, a variety of leaves and greens, and a dipping sauce. Every bite is so good! Bò lá lốt places typically open at night, but there are a few stalls selling this delicacy during the daytime at the Ben Thanh Street Food Market.
Where to Get It: I loved the ones from Hoang Yen and Ben Thanh Street Food Market.
5 | Bun Cha Gio
I love how most Vietnamese dishes are made with an equal mix of meat and vegetables, and the bun cha gio is another perfect example of it. A bowl of this is made of vermicelli noodles, shredded carrots, sliced cucumbers, bean sprouts, peanuts, cilantro, and basil—then finally topped with cha gio, or fried pork spring rolls. Served with the ever-addictive nước chấm dipping sauce, it is one of the Vietnamese food you would want to eat again and again.
Where to Get It: We had an amazing bowl of bun cha gio at the Ben Thanh Street Food Market!
6 | Con Nghêu Hấp
Here’s what I learned from a local guide in Saigon: you have to go to a quán ốc, an eatery specializing in snails and seafood. While I wasn’t able to try the snails, I did have the best clams of my life: the con nghêu hấp, clams cooked in a lemongrass and ginger broth. OMG. It’s perfect in all ways; the fragrance of the broth, the flavors of the sea … everything is so pronounced yet not overpowering, just enough to keep you reaching out for another piece and dipping it into the nước chấm. Or in my case, enough to make me finish an entire pot of it, LOL!
Where to Get It: I loved Ôc Phát in District 4.
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Read also: Exploring Saigon Nightlife Like a Local.
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7 | Cơm Tam Sườn Nướng
You may wonder what’s so special with the cơm tam sườn nướng—grilled pork chops with broken rice—but trying one in Saigon, from a random food cart in Bui Vien, made it one of my favorites really fast. It’s all in the marinade: I don’t know what they put into the pork, I just know it’s incredibly delicious! It’s perfect as a lunch or dinner meal, or as a recovery food after a long night of partying in Saigon. Whatever reason you want to eat grilled pork chops for, just make sure you try one in Vietnam.
Where to Get It: Bui Vien district. Pull up a plastic stool, shut up, and just eat.
8 | Thit Kho To
If you love pork, you will surely love the Vietnamese caramelized pork, thit ko to. Chunks of the belly part are used for this dish—they are slowly braised in fish sauce and caramel syrup, resulting in a salty-sweet flavor. Due to the slow cooking process, the fatty pork is really tender, and the sauce ends up being slightly thick and sticky. It’s best paired with steamed white rice!
9 | Bo Kho
Eaten all over Vietnam, the bo kho is a stew made with beef shanks, carrots, potatoes, and a thick soup flavored by star anise, sugar, garlic, ketchup, and lemongrass. It kind of reminded me of caldereta, except that bo kho has that extra kick from Thai basil and coriander. If served with noodles, it’s called phở bo kho, but locals also like to eat it with freshly made French bread (bánh mì bo kho). I would eat it with steamed white rice, haha!
Where to Get It: I recommend Phở Quynh for all things with noodles and soups.
10 | Càng Ghe
Crab is widely enjoyed in Vietnam—in spring rolls, as a soup base, or as is—and the familiar version cooked with chili and garlic can be found in quán ốcs as well. The càng ghe, or crab claw, is definitely the tasty part of the crustacean, and if you’re a seafood lover you need to try this from one of the eateries! Make it as spicy as you want by adding more chilies, and pair it with an ice cold beer.
Where to Get It: Ôc Phát in District 4.
11 | Bò Bía Ngọt
If you see those ladies riding a bike with a big box labelled “bò bía”, stop by and ask for a bò bía ngot—the Vietnamese sweet spring roll. It’s a lumpia roll filled with shredded coconut, sugar crisp, condensed milk, peanuts, and sesame seeds. I loved how incredibly simple it is—yet the different textures and the sweetness play around inside the mouth. After having veggies, soups, and meats all day, it’s the perfect snack while strolling down the city.
12 | Bánh Xeo
For something light yet delicious, look for a bánh xeo—also known as the Vietnamese crepe. Filled with pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts, the traditional version is served with lettuce and dipping sauce. How to eat it? Cut the crepe into small squares, wrap each one with the lettuce, roll it up smaller if you wish, then dip it into the nước chấm. Simple? Yes. Tasty? YASSS.
Where to Get It: Again, Ben Thanh Street Food Market (there’s so much food here that it deserves a separate blog feature)! The stall Bánh Xèo Em Ơi makes traditional and playful renditions, like the beef bulgogi bánh xeo.
13 | Cải Ngọt Xào Tỏi
Vietnamese cuisine shines with its simplicity, and the cải ngọt xào tỏi is another testament to it. This dish, a common side dish in eateries, is simply bok choy stir-fried with lots of garlic (yes, please!), a bit of fish sauce, and sugar. It’s straightforward, fresh, vibrant, and utterly delicious.
Do you love Vietnamese food? What is your favorite Vietnamese dish?
Check also: Exploring Saigon Nightlife Like a Local
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