Revisiting Ho Chi Minh
It was just a few months ago that I was in Vietnam with the family. It was our first time in Vietnam, hearing the non-stop honking from the scooters, the smell of grilled bun cha on the streets, the shouting from hawkers trying to sell banh mis from the back of their bikes. Ho Chi Minh is a city that once you visit, it really stays with you.
On my recent visit back, I set out to try as many traditional Vietnamese dishes as I could, some with the help of locals, some with the help of a tour guide, and most on my own. On this blog, I hope to introduce new parts of Vietnamese cuisine to you or perhaps introduce a great location for a well-known dish.
Check Places to Stay in Ho Chi Minh (Expedia) | See Food Tour Prices (GetYourGuide)
Hủ Tiếu
Hủ tiếu is a beloved noodle soup in Ho Chi Minh. Originally brought to Vietnam by Chinese immigrants, the dish, known for its clear, flavorful pork-based broth and toppings such as pork, shrimp, and squid, has become a staple for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Where to go: Hủ Tiếu Mỳ Chú Sè Ký, Hủ Tiếu Mì Cật
Rating: Good soup and noodle option, but relatively plain flavour profile compared to other broth & noodle combinations in Vietnam. 6/10.
Bún Riêu
One time in Dalat, I sat with a group of locals at a food court. They wanted to practice their English, so I asked them what their favorite breakfasts were. Bún riêu was mentioned a lot. This tangy, sweet, noodle soup features pork bone broth, crab paste, tofu, and proteins such as pork, shrimp and is topped with fresh herbs.
Where to go: Bún Riêu Tóp Mỡ Cổ Truyền Hà Nội, Bún Riêu cua ốc Phan Rang
Rating: Absolutely elite noodle soup. 9/10.
Cà Phê (Sữa Đa, Trung)
If you’re a stranger to caffeine, be wary of the coffee in Vietnam. I drink 2 cups of coffee every day back at home, but the coffee here, no matter where I get it: will always be categories above a normal cup of joe at home. It’s delicious and incredibly strong.
Ca phe sua da is the typical Vietnamese iced coffee, brewed in a phin filter and combined with condensed milk. Ca phe trung is the version with egg yolk and sugar whipped into it, yielding an incredibly rich-tasting coffee.
Where to go: Make Room Cafe, Auvery Cafe, Kai Coffee (24 hours), Highlands
Rating: Must-drink every morning. Sua da: 9/10. Trung: 8/10.
Chuối Nếp Nướng
A beloved food stall snack of locals, chuối nếp nướng is grilled sticky rice mixed with banana and topped with coconut milk and sesame seeds. The banana is grilled over charcoal and then topped with coconut milk upon ordering. It’s savoury but not very sweet and a little salty. It’s a great appetizer or dessert. I couldn’t have just one the first time I tried it and doubled back to grab another.
Where to go: Chuối nếp nướng Võ Văn Tần, Chuối Nếp Nướng
Rating: Pretty addicting. Much less sweet than it looks but has a nice hint of sweet coconut banana. 8/10.
Kem Bơ
While traditionally a Dalat specialty, the benefit of being in HCM is that you can have a lot of the food highlights from Vietnam in one city. Kem bo is blended avocado & condensed milk mixed with coconut ice cream (typically served as a separate scoop). It’s usually topped with coconut flakes and/or crushed peanuts, but the best ones are topped with durian as well (sua rieng).
Where to go: Kem Bơ Sầu Riêng Dầm – Đà Lạt, Kem Bơ Hồ Thị Kỷ T&N (AQUỲNH)
Rating: Ice cream and durian lovers, beware, this combination is probably the best ice cream I’ve ever had. 10/10.
Nước Mía
Sugarcane juice stalls can be found everywhere in Ho Chi Minh. Walk down one block and you’ve likely passed by 3 sugarcane juice stalls, and a few restaurants that stock it as well.
Nước mía is made by pressing fresh sugarcane stalks (in abundance in Vietnam) and extracting the sugar water within it, served over ice with a squeeze of kumquat juice.
Where to go: Literally any street stall or restaurant – if you’re worried about hygiene, ask for less ice. These should always be priced around 15k VND or less.
Rating: There’s little that can rival the feeling of drinking an ice-cold sugarcane juice on a hot day. 10/10.
Xiên Que
A staple of any street food market in Ho Chi Minh will be the skewers (xiên que). Grilled lemongrass pork, chicken wings, beef wrapped in betel leaves, shrimp, even a whole squid, all of these can be found on a hungry walk after a night out in markets like Ho Thi Ky Food Street.
Make sure your stomach is well acclimatized to Vietnamese food before trying skewers in public markets, though, as the hygiene is typically the most suspect.
Where to go: Ho Thi Ky Food Street
Rating: 7/10
Bánh Bao (Đặc Biệt, Hoàng Kim)
Steamed buns filled with fillings like pork, quail egg, Chinese sausage, mushrooms, and even custard. These line the streets next to the banh mi stores, sold at small stalls, mostly to locals driving by on scooters hoping to grab a quick meal.
The filling possibilities are numerous, and the results are tremendously satisfying. In some cases, the baos are so big that they’re as large as your face. I tried the 6-egg & pork-stuffed bao at Banh Bao Tho Phat. I’d recommend coming on an empty stomach.
Where to go: BÁNH BAO THỌ PHÁT
Rating: 8/10
Bánh Mì
The Saigon sandwich. Saigon-style bánh mì. Bánh mì Saigon. Banh mi. The iconic sandwich has made its way far beyond the land of the ascending dragon. Naturally, this is a must-eat when you’re in Ho Chi Minh. Try the pate and the ones with grilled pork. Eggs are also a solid option for breakfast.
Where to go: Grandma Lu’s, Banh Mi Kim Dung, pretty much any street stall
Rating: Always a solid choice. Affordable, delicious. 9/10.
Michelin-Rated Phở
Pho is likely the dish you’ve tried outside of Vietnam in your home country, most likely the first foray into exploring this incredibly vibrant cuisine. In my opinion, even the most basic pho can be ranked near the top of many food lists (A-Tier is the floor ranking).
Rarely will you be in a city with as many Michelin-rated (or recommended) pho restaurants as in Ho Chi Minh. I loved every place in the Where to go section below.
Where to go: Phở Minh, Pho Le, Phở Phượng, Phở Việt Nam, Phở Miến gà Kỳ Đồng
Rating: Pho in the morning with a glass of ice-cold sugarcane juice is a core memory of mine. 10/10.
Xôi (Gà, Xiu Mai)
Xôi, or Vietnamese sticky rice, is a staple dish in Ho Chi Minh City, enjoyed both savory and sweet, often topped with ingredients like shredded chicken, pâté, or mung bean, reflecting the city’s rich street food culture.
I got to try this as part of the KissTours Food Tour, an excellent introduction to Vietnamese cuisine in Ho Chi Minh. I was able to custom-tailor my tour as it was a private tour, but the group one is always very highly recommended.
Where to go: Ngoc Chau Banh Mi Restaurant, anywhere that the KissTours Food Tour recommends
Rating: 8/10.
Bún Mắm
Bún mắm is an aromatic noodle soup made with a fermented fish-based broth and served with pork, shrimp, and fresh herbs. My KissTour guide brought me to Chung cư Nguyễn Thiện Thuật complex, one of the oldest apartment complexes in Ho Chi Minh City. It also houses one of the most vibrant food markets I’ve seen, all located on the ground floor of these apartments.
The dish itself has its roots in the Mekong Delta, where it evolved as a way to utilize the region’s abundant fish and seafood.
Where to go: Bún Mắm Phượng – Nguyễn Thiện Thuật, anywhere that the KissTours Food Tour recommends
Rating: Sour soup haters beware, it’s very tangy. 7/10.
Chè Bưởi
Mung bean and pomelo rind, never thought those two combined would make a great dessert, but here we are. Combine those with coconut milk and some rock sugar, or palm sugar, and you’ve got an incredibly addicting dessert to have on a hot summer night (or morning and lunch and whenever you can make an excuse to grab one). Typically under 20k VND, it’s a bargain, too.
Where to go: Chè Bưởi & Tàu hủ đá Ngô Quyền, anywhere that the KissTours Food Tour recommends
Rating: Look at my silly face in that photo. I love this dessert, clearly. 10/10.
Cơm Cháy Kho Quẹt
Cơm cháy kho quẹt features a crispy rice cracker served with kho quẹt, a dipping sauce made from caramelized fish sauce, pork, and shrimp. The result is a crunchy and umami-packed combination that can be had for just about 30k-40k VND. I’ll admit that my curiosity for this dish overpowered the actual outcome, but it’s a good snack on occasion.
Where to go: Cơm Cháy Kho Quẹt – Thức
Rating: 6.5/10.
Cao Lau
Typically a Hoi An speciality dish, Ho Chi Minh offers some great Cao Lau options, given the breadth of Vietnamese cuisine available. Chewy rice noodles, savoury pork, crispy deep-fried goodness, fresh herbs, and a fragrant pork & seafood broth.
We ventured to Cô Ba Ân – Cao lầu Hội An, slightly off the beaten path of District 1, through a relatively suspect alleyway, and had one of the best cao laus we’ve ever had, and for only 40k VND a bowl.
Where to go: Cô Ba Ân – Cao lầu Hội An
Rating: 10/10.
General Recommendations
- Ho Thi Ky Food Street is a great night market to try many of the items on this list
- Go with on a food tour, I’d recommend KissTour, meet fellow foodie travellers and ask the local guide a lot of questions
- Make use of Grab bikes to easily go from place to place
- Bring cash!
Check Places to Stay in Ho Chi Minh (Expedia) | See Food Tour Prices (GetYourGuide)
Thanks for Reading!
My name is Alex Lau, and I’m a travel blogger and photographer. I’ve worked in the digital marketing business for 7+ years before I decided to uproot and explore this little blue marble we find ourselves on, meeting new people, telling their stories, and discovering new places.
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