Vietnam captivates visitors with its stunning natural beauty, from the limestone karsts of Ha Long Bay to the Mekong Delta's floating markets. This Southeast Asian nation seamlessly blends ancient temples, French colonial architecture, and dynamic modern cities with a rich culinary tradition that has gained worldwide acclaim.
Vietnamese cuisine is one of the world's most celebrated, renowned for its freshness, balance, and regional diversity. The cuisine uses minimal cooking fat, relying instead on fresh herbs, tangy lime, fermented fish sauce (nuoc mam), and slow-simmered broths. Regional differences are profound: Hanoi's cuisine is refined and subtly flavored; Hue's imperial cooking is complex and spicy; HCMC's southern cooking is sweeter and more diverse with Mekong Delta influences. Vietnam's street food culture is extraordinary - from $1 pho at dawn to seafood barbecues after midnight, eating is a way of life here.
Must-try dishes
Iconic dishes that define Vietnam.
Pho Bo (Beef Noodle Soup)
Vietnam's national dish: a deeply aromatic beef bone broth simmered for 12+ hours, served with flat rice noodles, thin beef slices, and fresh herbs. Hanoi-style is clean and subtle; HCMC-style is richer and served with bean sprouts.
Where to try: Pho Gia Truyen (Hanoi), Pho Hoa Pasteur (HCMC)
Price: $2-5
Bun Cha
Hanoi's beloved lunch dish of grilled pork patties and belly served in a sweet-sour fish sauce broth with vermicelli noodles, fresh herbs, and nem (fried rolls) on the side. Made internationally famous when Obama dined at Bun Cha Huong Lien with Anthony Bourdain.
Where to try: Bun Cha Huong Lien (Hanoi), any Old Quarter lunch stall
Price: $2-4
Cao Lau
Hoi An's most unique noodle dish that cannot be authentically replicated elsewhere - thick chewy noodles made with water from a specific ancient well, topped with char siu pork, crispy croutons, and local greens. A food geography lesson in one bowl.
Where to try: Thanh Cao Lau (Hoi An Market), Morning Glory (Hoi An)
Price: $3-5
Banh Mi
Vietnam's extraordinary French-Vietnamese sandwich in a light, crispy baguette filled with Vietnamese pate, cold cuts, pickled daikon and carrot, chili, cilantro, and mayonnaise. HCMC's Banh Mi Huynh Hoa and Hoi An's Banh Mi Phuong are legendary.
Where to try: Banh Mi Huynh Hoa (HCMC), Banh Mi Phuong (Hoi An)
Price: $1-2
Bun Bo Hue
Hue's ferociously spicy beef and pork lemongrass noodle soup that many Vietnamese prefer to pho for its depth and complexity. Thick round noodles in a deep reddish broth with pork knuckle, congealed blood, and lemongrass - assertive and addictive.
Where to try: Any Hue market breakfast stall, Dong Ba Market (Hue)
Price: $2-4
Goi Cuon (Fresh Spring Rolls)
Translucent rice paper rolls filled with shrimp, pork, vermicelli noodles, mint, and lettuce, served with hoisin-peanut dipping sauce. Light, fresh, and addictive - a perfect Vietnamese summer treat reflecting the cuisine's focus on freshness.
Where to try: Everywhere nationwide - markets, restaurants, street stalls
Price: $0.50-2 per roll
Top restaurants
Handpicked picks for the best dining experiences.
La Verticale
Elegant French colonial house serving innovative fusion cuisine. Chef Vincent Troncard creates artistic dishes blending French techniques with Vietnamese ingredients. Intimate atmosphere with wine cellar and tasting menus.
19 Ngo Van So, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, Vietnam
Quan An Ngon
Popular restaurant bringing street food vendors into French colonial villa courtyard. Extensive menu of Vietnamese classics, live cooking stations, and reasonable prices. Great introduction to Vietnamese cuisine.
18 Phan Boi Chau, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, Vietnam
Banh Mi 25
Iconic banh mi shop on Hanoi's Bat Dan street. Crispy baguettes stuffed with pate, meats, pickled vegetables, and cilantro. Always busy - get takeaway from window.
25 Hang Ca, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, Vietnam
Bun Cha Dac Kim
Anthony Bourdain's favorite bun cha before the Obama visit. Charcoal-grilled pork, fish sauce broth, herbs, and rice noodles. Smoky and delicious.
1 Hang Manh, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, Vietnam
The Note Coffee
Instagram-famous cafe covered wall-to-wall with customer notes and messages. Good Vietnamese coffee, cozy atmosphere, and unique decor. Prime people-watching spot in Old Quarter.
28 Luong Van Can, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, Vietnam
Noir Dining in the Dark
Unique sensory dining experience in complete darkness served by visually impaired staff. Multi-course surprise menu heightens taste, smell, and touch. Proceeds support Saigon Children's Charity.
178 Hai Ba Trung, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Nha Hang Ngon
Saigon version of Quan An Ngon with similar concept - street food in villa setting. Huge menu, garden seating, and consistently good quality. Always busy with locals and tourists.
160 Pasteur, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Banh Mi Huynh Hoa
Saigon's most famous banh mi with massive portions of meats and pate. Long queues but worth the wait. Get there early before they sell out.
26 Le Thi Rieng, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Restaurants by cuisine
Browse picks grouped by cuisine type.
Street Food
Bun Cha Dac Kim
Banh Xeo Muoi Xiem
Banh Mi Phuong
Xoi Yen
Nem Nuong Thanh Van
Banh Canh Cua 87
Banh Khot Co Ba Vung Tau
Bun Thang Ba Duc
Bo La Lot Street Vendors
Goi Cuon Tuyet Hoa
Vietnamese
Nha Hang Ngon
Morning Glory Restaurant
Banh Xeo 46A
Bun Cha Ta
Banh Cuon Gia Truyen
Bun Cha Huong Lien
Com Tam Moc
Bun Rieu Cua Co Lien
Streets Restaurant Cafe
Maison de Tet Decor
Cafe
The Note Coffee
Cafe Giang
The Workshop
Cong Caphe
Loading T Cafe
Cafe Chain
Phuc Long Coffee & Tea
Highland Coffee
Vietnamese (Hue specialty)
Bun Bo Hue Dong Ba
Banh Beo Ba Cu
Vietnamese Noodles
Pho Gia Truyen
Pho Le
Vietnamese Sandwiches
Banh Mi 25
Banh Mi Huynh Hoa
Book Cafe
Tranquil Books & Coffee
Cafe Restaurant
Hanoi Social Club
Chocolate Cafe
Maison Marou
Concept Store Cafe
L'Usine
Contemporary Vietnamese
Nu Eatery
Desserts
Che 4 Mua
French-Vietnamese
The Refinery
French-Vietnamese Fusion
La Verticale
Imperial Vietnamese
Ancient Hue
Indian
Ganesh Indian Restaurant
International
Noir Dining in the Dark
Japanese-Vietnamese Fusion
Yoshinoya Restaurant
Modern Vietnamese
Anan Saigon
Street Food (Seafood)
Oc Dao Duy Tu
Tea House
Reaching Out Tea House
Vietnamese (Central)
Mi Quang 1A
Vietnamese (Hoi An specialty)
Com Ga Hoi An
Vietnamese Fine Dining
Home Hanoi Restaurant
Vietnamese Heritage
Madame Hien
Vietnamese Street Food
Quan An Ngon
Vietnamese-Cambodian
Hu Tieu Nam Vang
Street food
Local flavours at affordable prices.
Banh Mi stalls
Vietnam's ubiquitous breakfast and snack sandwiches sold from mobile carts and small shops across every city and town. The best combine house-made pate, Vietnamese cold cuts, and freshly pickled vegetables in light French-style baguettes.
Find it at: Everywhere - look for tricycle vendors from 6-10am
Com Tam (Broken Rice)
HCMC's most popular street lunch: cracked rice grains topped with chargrilled pork chop, shredded pork skin, steamed egg meatloaf, and pickled vegetables with fish sauce. Sold from street-side stalls and local restaurants throughout southern Vietnam.
Find it at: Com tam restaurants throughout HCMC, particularly District 3 and Binh Thanh
Banh Xeo (Sizzling Crepe)
Large yellow rice flour and coconut milk crepe stuffed with shrimp, pork, and bean sprouts, cooked in a sizzling hot wok. Torn into pieces and wrapped in lettuce with herbs before dipping in fish sauce. A sensory experience.
Find it at: Banh Xeo 46A (HCMC), many street stalls in Hue and the south
Che (Sweet Dessert Soup)
Vietnam's diverse dessert category encompasses dozens of sweet soups, drinks, and puddings made with beans, jellies, coconut milk, pandan, and taro. Sold from plastic-stool dessert shops and carts everywhere from late afternoon onwards.
Find it at: Che Cung Dinh (Hue), dessert stalls in all Vietnamese cities
Banh Cuon (Steamed Rice Rolls)
Delicate sheets of steamed rice batter filled with minced pork and wood ear mushrooms, served with crispy fried shallots, Vietnamese ham, and a side of nuoc cham dipping sauce. A traditional Hanoi breakfast sold from dawn stalls.
Find it at: Morning markets and breakfast stalls in Hanoi and North Vietnam
Food markets
Where locals shop and graze.
Ben Thanh Market
Ho Chi Minh City's most famous market has an excellent food hall with dozens of vendors cooking Vietnamese dishes to order. The surrounding night market from 6pm adds more options at slightly inflated tourist prices.
Hours: 6AM-10PM, night market until midnight
Cho Dong Xuan (Night Market Area)
Hanoi's Old Quarter weekend night market (Fri-Sun) closes the streets to traffic and fills them with food vendors selling bun cha, fried tofu, fresh fruit, and BBQ skewers. Go hungry and eat your way through the market stalls.
Hours: Friday-Sunday 6PM-11:30PM
Hoi An Central Market
The freshest seafood market in Hoi An where fishermen unload morning catches onto ice-piled tables. The market restaurant section upstairs serves whichever fish you choose, grilled or fried to order at locally priced restaurants.
Hours: 5AM-7PM daily
Bac Ha Sunday Market
Extraordinary highland market in Lao Cai Province where Flower H'mong ethnic minority communities sell unique highland food products including wild honey, local spirits, dried herbs, and livestock. A once-weekly food and culture experience.
Hours: Sunday only, 7AM-2PM
Dining etiquette & tips
Navigate the local food scene confidently.
Eating at plastic-stool street stalls is how most Vietnamese eat lunch - authentic, cheap ($1-3), and often delicious
The best street food stalls are busy ones with high turnover and lots of Vietnamese customers
Pho shops typically open 5-9am and run out - don't look for pho at dinner time in traditional spots
Learn to say 'khong cay' (not spicy) in central and southern Vietnamese restaurants if you prefer milder food
Vietnamese menus often have an English section - point to what other tables are eating if unsure
Shared family-style ordering is the Vietnamese norm - order more dishes than people and share everything
Ask for 'nuoc cham' (the fish sauce dipping sauce) if it's not automatically provided - it transforms most dishes
- Vegetarian
- Vegetarian options widely available - look for 'chay' (Buddhist vegetarian) restaurants particularly near pagodas. Order 'an chay' for vegetarian. Many dishes can be made without meat on request.
- Vegan
- Vegan options exist at chay restaurants but fish sauce is ubiquitous - communicate clearly. HCMC and Hoi An have dedicated vegan restaurants.
- Halal
- Halal options limited outside major cities. HCMC has halal restaurants in District 1 and District 8 serving the Muslim community.
- Gluten free
- Much Vietnamese food is naturally gluten-free (rice-based). Soy sauce contains gluten - specify no soy sauce (khong nuoc tuong). Pho, most spring rolls, and rice dishes are safe.
Food budget guide
What to expect at different price points.
| Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | $3-8/meal | Street food stalls, com binh dan (workers' rice restaurants), banh mi |
| Mid-range | $10-25/meal | Tourist-area restaurants, casual dining, local seafood |
| Upscale | $40-150+/meal | Fine dining, hotel restaurants, tasting menus |