Vietnamese Food Guide

Culinary Adventure in Vietnam

Vietnam is a paradise for food lovers. From aromatic pho, crispy banh mi, to strong coffee—every dish has a unique character. During my journey, I explored various eateries in Ho Chi Minh City and Sa Pa, trying dishes that tantalized the taste buds.

This guide summarizes my culinary experiences from my Discord journal drafts, with honest reviews and complete details.

Ho Chi Minh City

1. Gà Ta Ngon Số 1 — Vietnamese Chicken Rice

Location: Very close to M Home Saigon apartment (District 3). But there are many branches throughout the city.

Vietnamese chicken rice. It has similarities to Hainanese chicken rice that we usually eat BUT

• Rice: Somewhat similar to Hainanese rice
• Pickled mustard greens: Taste similar to kimchi
• Chicken: More bland, dominated by ginger flavor (I think the chicken could be made more tender)
• OMG Vegetable Salad: Given a huge bowl 🤣 And thought it wouldn’t be finished, turns out CLEARED WKWKWK DELICIOUS!! The leaves aren’t something familiar that we eat but not too “leafy” in taste, quite neutral and very fresh, not wilted. There’s cabbage, beans, and something like fried garlic but not quite because not too garlicky (?), then there are some leaves I don’t know and maybe shredded apple (?) don’t know what that is wkwkwk. And the dressing is fresh, light, with a hint of sweetness.
• The chicken is dipped in some kind of powder seasoning that I THINK uses coffee (?) then squeezed with lime WKWKW sounds random but somehow it just works with that bland chicken! The taste becomes salty and has coffee in it (?)
• There’s also fish sauce concoction as usual, typical Vietnamese
• There’s chili sauce but I didn’t try it

The funny thing is they don’t give dry tissues but cold wet wipes wkwkw.

Price: Ordered the package for 2-3 people gets 1/2 chicken + vegetable salad + 2 rice/congee = 207,000 VND

One of the staffs speak English guys 👍

Good deal buangett!! Viet so far so gooddd 🙆‍♀️

2. SEVEL ⭐🫶

Location: Various locations in HCMC (convenience store)

Minced Pork Porridge:

• Lots of meat too & price is 22,000 VND 😭
• Taste somewhat similar to Cendana’s nasi tim

Thai Tea Choux:

• DELICIOUS, only a little sweet.
• But indeed the tea flavor isn’t very strong.
• So far I feel Vietnamese food isn’t very sweet 👍
• Loved it so much bought again

Banh Mi Pork Floss:

• Also delicious.
• If you want to imagine the taste, it’s like Mako’s abon bread but with banh mi crust.
• Very good 15,000 VND

Banh Gio:

• Like pork bakcang but not using rice or glutinous rice (?)
• Soft texture similar to banana cake, the wet cake kind, tastes like arem-arem.
• The pork is awesome, there’s also quail egg.
• Price 18,000 VND and condition is HOT 👍
• They store it in a display case that also has a heater

3. Pho Quynh

Location: 323 Phạm Ngũ Lão, Phường Phạm Ngũ Lão, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh

If you’re at Huyen Sy Church or Little Hanoi cafe, can stop by here because it’s that close. The menu is very similaaar to Pho Ba Ba. I ordered pho tai chin (rare beef + brisket).

• Broth: Great broth, rich, and a bit sweet. If Pho Ba Ba doesn’t have any sweetness
• Add: Some kind of chili oil with shrimp and lots of lime—delicious
• Meat: Super soft
• Vegetables: As usual given a mountain of greens. Only the basil is good. The rest are bitter 🤣
• DON’T EAT THE SLICED CHILIES BECAUSE TURNS OUT THEY’RE HELLISH DOOMSDAY SPICY ‼️🌶️

• CHEAP PRICE, big portion, abundant meat 🌟🫶

Btw here no pork, no chicken ya. Beef onlyyy

4. Banh Mi Sau Minh

Location: 170 Võ Văn Tần, Phường 5, Quận 3, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh

• Local recommendation
• CHEAP PRICE 45,000 VND JUMBO PORTION. Pork yaaa 🫶
• Filling is various weh the meat and vegetables are ulalala.
• There’s something like paprika or chilli but not spicy

The only minus is it’s takeaway only, can’t dine in

5. Banh Mi Vietnam — Best Street Food (Airport)

Location: Tan Son Nhat International Airport T1 Departure, VietJet area

Hunting edition wandering around and finding something interesting and good price in the middle of the onslaught of menus >100,000 VND.

Banh mi at the veeery end near gate teens or 20. It’s a small stall in front of Burger King & Popeyes. There are various menus and I chose banh mi thit khia (braised pork) price 50,000 VND DELICIOUS!

Portion is smaller than Banh Mi Sau Minh. Btw Sau Minh is the cold cut type of banh mi so the meats aren’t the hot freshly cooked type. This one at the airport is braised pork so it’s hot & seasoned. Depends on taste which one you prefer.

6. Mon Chay Thanh Dam — Vegetarian

Location: Small food court in front of gate 5

Cơm chiên với rau củ xiao (fried rice + stir fried veggies & tofu → vegetarian menu).

Price 78,000 VND.

7. GO! Mien Dong / Big C Supermarket (District 10)

• DURIAN CAKE HEAVEN + PORK CAKE + LAPCHIONG + CASHEW
• RTE (Ready to Eat) food super complete
• Can also buy seasonings (like fish sauce, instant seasonings)
• Some products show nutrition facts & ingredients (info displayed)

Available RTE Food:

• Wet spring rolls like at Pho Ba Ba but with pork
• Fried spring rolls (minimum buy 3 pieces)
• Chicken THIGH JUMBO SIZE like grilled but actually a bit bland (expected because of the large size)
• Some kind of “uduk” rice package but probably glutinous rice and not as seasoned as uduk rice. With lapchiong & pork pate
• Samcan rice package
• A la carte pork with bamboo shoots

So many and cheap-cheap. Chopsticks & spoons can take yourself in the eating area (free).

8. Stalls Around M Home Saigon (District 3)

Very friendly prices.

• Com tam (warteg style but pork 😀): Can point-point. Very good price, once got 2 portions big size rice + vegetables + chicken + woku-style squid + pork 160,000 VND
• Bun bo hue (similar to pho but with shrimp paste. I feel it’s like laksa without coconut milk)
• Bun thit nuong (rice vermicelli salad luuuuv)

9. Fruit Juice

Fruit juuuice yay buy on Grab Food there are many. Don’t forget no sugar (khong duong) no ice (khong da) ya!

Tiem Tra Co Ba:

• The unique one is “cherry” or cerise juice.
• Taste is somewhat like leaves WKWK but it’s okay just enjoy it

Nuoc Ep 100 Vi:

• A bit expensive compared to other places but nice packaging with proper plastic bottle and the plastic is cool has dividers + given extra ice.
• I ordered peach guava delicious

Besides Grab Food, there are many also on the roadside and at Ben Tanh Market / Cho Ben Tanh.

10. Ben Tanh Market / Cho Ben Tanh

There are many stalls and they’re very aggressive offering. Basically don’t feel pressured or uncomfortable, just choose slowly. Menu and prices are already posted by them so won’t get scammed.

That time I was at the stall near the entrance. Prices can be 50,000++

Available Menu:

• Banh xeo (pancake): Though flour, the center that’s a bit wet doesn’t feel too floury ew so it’s okay. Lots of meat
• Bun thit nuong
• Fried noodles
• Soursop juice

Sa Pa

1. Bánh Hạt Dẻ — Chestnut Cake

CHESTNUT CAKE!!!!!!!! a.k.a pia chestnut 🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷 (btw chestnut is one of the foods that’s characteristic of Sa Pa)

I can say this is THE BEST PIA I’VE EVER HAD 🥹 I honestly prefer this over all types of pia/bakpia in Indonesia BECAUSE IT’S NOT SWEET! Like really subtleeee. Filled with chestnut & mung bean mixture. The skin has flaky type and soft type. I like both 🫶

After wandering to various spots, I recommend these two places:

Tiệm nhà Mông Sapa / Mông House Shop (08 Xuan Vien / phone: 0914812655):

• Location in an area with pagoda-like decorations
• I bought 3x because I was so addicted 🤣
• Here it’s really freshly made fried so still hot.
• It’s the flaky type and the seller lady is friendly always gives tester wkwkw.
• Price 10,000 VND per piece

Yen Nhi Co So Ban (023 Pan Xi Pang / phone: 0976528843):

• Location from Hotel de La Coupole go straight (down toward Mimosa Hotel or Sapa Church) later it’s near a turn on the left side of the road.
• Here the chestnut cake type is the soft one.
• They reheat it in the oven so delicious especially in cold weather.
• I bought 10 at once for supplies in Hanoi 🥹🫶
• Price 10,000 VND per piece too.

Tips: If someone recommends buying at the night market because it’s only 5,000 VND per piece, NO NO!!! It is cheaper but not good. The skin is a bit hard, the filling isn’t felt and not freshly made. The ones at the night market are colorful, some purple, green. The taste is the same. But meh all of them. I think they probably take from the same producer then resell.

2. BBQ at Night Market

This is also characteristic of Sa Pa. Very many scattered everywhere, from restaurants to night market. I personally recommend at the night market, specifically at Am Thuc He Pho (enter from the alley in front of Vietcom Bank, basically it’s on the right side and the SECOND BBQ STALL YA, not the first).

Why this one?

• Menu is very complete starting from 10,000 VND per piece
• The taste of the marinade seasoning is right
• The taste of the dipping sauce is also very good though a bit spicy

I tried the stall next to it (first stall from the front) the menu isn’t as complete though the place is very crowded, the dipping sauce also less balanced (too much nutmeg), and when I wanted to order rice the price was 40,000 VND?? So didn’t order rice. Just ordered baked sweet potato at Am Thuc He Pho, 15,000 VND wkwkwk.

Btw the sweet potato isn’t very sweet, the texture is dense rather hard (not like Cilembu sweet potato that’s soft, wet, buttery), but somehow it goes well with the savory smoky BBQ. Sweet potato + dipping sauce = BEST COMBO 🌟

I tried BBQ at the restaurant in front of Hotel de La Coupole or Sa Pa Station but I think overall Am Thuc He Pho is still better because at this restaurant the seasoning is a bit bland, the dipping sauce is good actually and not spicy but the taste is more mantep Am Thuc He Pho, and the service is super duper slow.

3. Coffee Recommendations

1. Cong Ca Phe:

• Has many branches all around Vietnam.
• I tried the one in Sa Pa.
• The specialty is COCONUT 🌟
• Recommend coconut coffee (with condensed milk if you want hot. But if you want iced, they only have the blended one) & COCONUT COCOA 🫶
• The coffee isn’t very sweet even with condensed milk.
• Can taste the coconut.
• Oh my coconut cocoa is ulalaaa.
• They only have iced blend, no hot.
• Turns out drinking iced at 6°C is also nice 😀
• Price isn’t very cheap, cafe prices.

2. Highlands Coffee:

• Has even more branches, even at the airport.
• Like Kopken or similar in Indonesia.
• I tried the one in Hanoi near the bus office.
• Ordered latte, cappuccino and iced coffee with almond + fresh milk.
• The iced coffee HONESTLY VERY GOOD but the coffee effect hehehehehe quite destructive for the body 🙏
• Price also not very cheap, standard

3. LangBiang Cafe:

• Specialty is EGG COFFEE.
• Found this actually randomly after eating near Ngoc Son Temple Hanoi, turns out VERY GOOD!
• Ordered egg coffee (hot) & iced banana coffee.
• The egg coffee doesn’t have egg taste but very creamy.
• Has sweetness but blends well with the bitter coffee.
• The banana coffee… ULALAAA they use real bananas, can feel the chunks.
• Oh so delicious want more 😭
• Staff also good at English.
• Price is hipster cafe prices, not cheap.
• Btw if looking for egg coffee there’s Cafe Giang but I didn’t have time to go there because quite far from the apartment.

4. Menytrii:

• Really randomly tried this while walking looking for food in Hanoi.
• Ordered hot cappuccino I think.
• Good and cheap only 20,000 VND!
• Had time to chat with the person who turned out to be the owner and he told me his parents have a 5-hectare coffee plantation.
• Very friendly he’s like excited because someone bought 🥹

Basically if you go to Vietnam musttt try coffee especially coconut and egg variants! But if you like classic coffee also very allowed emang pada dasarnya enak-enak.

4. Eatery Near Mimosa Hotel

Local restaurant beside Mimosa Hotel.

• Go-to for quick breakfast, cheap (~40,000 VND per portion), good, comfort food.
• Menu for breakfast is like warteg point-point (RICE JUMBO PORTION can be for 2-3 people but locals eat one portion alone 🥹👍)
• Pork pho, fried rice, fried noodles (using pho rice noodles)
• Very local vibe, no tourist spotted
• Soul food.
• Really relies on the taste of fresh ingredients.
• Pork pho uses thinly sliced roasted pork oh delicious.
• Fried noodles also good but for MSG worshipers will say it’s bland 👊
• Outside provided something like bitter tea free but cups are limited

5. Phở Con Sủi Ông Hà

Pho con sui is characteristic of Sa Pa influenced by Chinese culture because Sa Pa location is already very close to China.

Basically called “dry pho” because the broth isn’t as much as regular pho, texture is quite thick like lomie but gradually becomes liquid when cold. The broth is red because it uses chili but not spicy at all. Savory taste from pork broth, a little sweet, a liiiittle sour, great especially in cold weather 🥹

If you want to add freshness, can add garlic pickles.

At this restaurant they only sell one menu. Price 60,000 VND.

6. Misc — Nice to Try

This is the miscellaneous edition just for fun in the sense of nice to try, but not mandatory. More like informing that these foods exist lho that can be tried if you want.

Banh trang nuong: Vietnamese pizza.

But I kinda forget the taste wkwk as I remember it’s good. More like chasiu I think huaa forget, later if I remember I’ll update. Bought at the night market at the first BBQ stall! (refer to BBQ review above)

Hot dessert like bubur sumsum etc. but different:

• This one is mostly beans, no sumsum
• The broth is a little sweet and also uses young coconut
• Price 25,000 VND
• Buy at night market too at Tuan Che stall
• The seller uses ear mic 🤣

Fried rice bought near Mimosa Hotel. Big portion.

Fried pork spring rolls bought near Mimosa Hotel.

Milk and Drinks

FAMI Nuts/Beans Milk:

Tried 3 variants just for fun:

• Red bean
• Green soy (very low sugar)
• Green soy (no sugar)

Delicious. Feels like drinking real bean milk because the ingredients aren’t complicated. Yesterday bought at Xuân Trường Supermarket (Sa Pa) but should be available everywhere. Very cheap price too only 6,000 VND per piece.

Vinamilk:

• Famous cow’s milk brand too + has many products

Milk Buying Tips: ‼️ If buying small carton milk, check whether can buy individually or must buy 1 pack (contains 4 cartons for example). Just read on the shelf whether the price is per piece (vi) or per pack (hop). Can also ask the staff if unsure.

General Culinary Tips in Vietnam

1. Prices: Many eateries with affordable prices (20k-50k VND), but there are also pricey ones especially in tourist areas
2. Language: Don’t be afraid to use Google Translate or gestures—most sellers are friendly
3. Bargaining: At night markets and souvenir shops, don’t be afraid to bargain politely
4. Dietary: Pork is very commonly used. If you don’t eat pork, make sure to ask “không heo?”
5. Spicy: Vietnamese chili can be very spicy! If you can’t handle spicy, say “không cay” (not spicy)
6. Water: Usually given free at local restaurants
7. Tissues: Many places use wet wipes, rarely dry tissues

Enjoy Vietnamese cuisine! 🍜🥖☕🇻🇳

For useful Vietnamese vocabulary when ordering food, see Vietnamese Phrases for Travelers.