top of page

Must-Try Food in Ho Chi Minh City

Unfortunately, the Saigonese, the manner we call humans who stay in Ho Chi Minh City, or Saigon, isn't always residing in a city that has a pleasing weather like Da Lat, or having mountains and sea like Quy Nhon. Nevertheless, in Saigon, you could find a variety of scrumptious ingredients that come from everywhere in Vietnam. All together making Saigon food an attractive point to any visitors who come to the land.

Either you are searching out activities in Saigon or the fine eating places in Ho Chi Minh City, why not making your very own a Saigon food tour? So, what will we have within the Saigon meals menu? Let’s find out our must try food in Ho Chi Minh city.


1. Phở (or Pho)

Of path Pho have to be on top of the Saigon meals menu. The maximum famous traditional Vietnamese food. A bowl of Pho has the pho-noodle, the soup cooked with beef bones, steak, fatty brisket, flank, tripe, tendon, meatballs (or bò viên), cilantro, and onion. You can have the selection to positioned all of the toppings or the ones which you like. To me I commonly have everything. And human beings positioned greater special herbs when they eat to enhance the taste.

Pho is made in another way among the North and South of Vietnam. There are also some other versions of Pho together with Gia Lai dry Pho, Lang Son sour Pho, etc. but the authentic one is continually the quality!

Where to find Pho in Saigon?

  • Phở Lệ – 303 Võ Văn Tần Street, Ward 2, Dist.3

  • Phở Hùng – 241-243 Nguyễn Trãi Street, Nguyễn Cư Trinh Ward, Dist.1

  • Phở khô Gia Lai – 4/C4 Thái Thị Nhạn Street, Tân Bình District

  • Phở Hoà – 206C Pasteur Street, Ward 8, Dist.3.

  • Phở chua Lạng Sơn – 242/one zero one Nguyễn Thiện Thuật Street, Ward 3, Dist.3

  • Phở Dậu – within the alley 288 Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa Street, Ward 8, Dist.3. This is a North-style Phở

Price range: $3 – $4 (VND 60,000 – 85,000)


2. Cơm Tấm (or Com Tam, or Broken Rice)

Cơm Tấm is one of the great Saigon meals. A simplified signature dish of the land Saigon. So the word Cơm consult with Rice, and the phrase Tấm consult with the Broken, or the fragmented grains as it surely is.

The maximum basic dish of Cơm Tấm is served with the damaged rice, a thin grilled red meat chop, slices of cucumber and tomato, maybe pickles (a few Vietnamese eating places positioned this), and candy fish sauce. However, a full model of Cơm Tấm is not that boring. You may have lots of picks to placed extra things on such as Vietnamese meatloaf, pig pores and skin, opla (fried egg), Chinese sausage, etc.

Furthermore, Cơm Tấm also has numerous distinct version like broken rice with beef rib, or chicken. Additionally, there's Cơm Tấm Long Xuyên (Long Xuyen Broken Rice) with beef, boiled egg, pig skin are chopped and mixed up to apply with damaged rice, and fish sauce.

Where to find Cơm Tấm in Saigon?

  • Cơm Tấm Ba Ghiền – eighty four Đặng Văn Ngữ Street, Ward 10, Phú Nhuận District

  • Cơm Tấm Hùng – Alley 194 Võ Văn Tần Street, Ward 5, Dist.3

  • Cơm Tấm Cali – 32 Nguyễn Trãi Street, Bến Nghé Ward, Dist.1. This is a Vietnamese restaurant with a chain. You may additionally easily find an address nearby by ‘Google’ the name

  • Cơm Tấm Cây Điệp Long Xuyên – 39C Cao Thắng Street, Ward 2, Dist.3

Price range: $2 – $3 (VND 40,000 – 60,000)


3. Bánh Mì (or Banh Mi, or Vietnamese Sandwich)

Do I want to explain or say greater about Banh Mi, the maximum well-known Vietnamese road food? There are loads of information about Banh Mi that might be searched easily, but if you are nonetheless curious about it, I determined an excellent Banh Mi’s history at this article.

I’m not a chef so don’t ask me how to make a Banh Mi (perhaps I can look for it and proportion later), however I can describe it a bit bit. To elaborate, the bread (Banh Mi) could be split in 1/2 lengthwise, then upload a swipe of Vietnamese mayonnaise and Vietnamese selfmade pâté, installed slices of roasted pork, slices of Vietnamese red meat sausage, beef floss, slices of chili, cilantro and mint leaves, pickled cucumber, pickled carrots and daikon radish, and soya sauce at the end. Finally you have got the famous and scrumptious Banh Mi Vietnam.

Moreover, there are many sorts of Banh Mi may be discovered. Some ordinary ones are: Banh Mi with Vietnamese Pork Sausage (Bánh Mì Chả), Banh Mi with Fried Egg (Bánh Mì Ốp La), Banh Mi with Shredded Pork, Pork Skin, and Fish Sauce (Bánh Mì Bì), Banh Mi with Pork Meatballs (Bánh Mì Xíu Mại), Banh Mi with Chicken (Bánh Mì Gà), or Banh Mi with Vegetable (Bánh Mì Chay), etc.

Where to discover Banh Mi Saigon?

Anywhere you see you may see a cart or a kiosk with the phrase ‘Bánh Mì’ on the road, or in any Saigon food market. Of direction, it’s the well-known Vietnamese road food!

Or if you are close by some Banh Mi below, you should have a strive:

  • Bánh Mì Huỳnh Hoa – 26 Lê Thị Riêng Street, Phạm Ngũ Lão Ward, Dist.1. Banh Mi Huynh Hoa can be the maximum expensive in comparison to different Banh Mi. However, it’s truly a should strive one. When coming to the avenue, you may a protracted line of human beings waiting to buy Banh Mi Huynh Hoa.

  • Bánh Mì Chảo Hoà Mã – 53 Cao Thắng Street, Dist. 3

  • Bánh Mì Chả Bò (Banh Mi with Beef Sausage) – 187 Hai Bà Trưng Street, Ward 6, Dist.3

  • Bánh Mì Thịt Nướng – alley 37 Nguyễn Trãi Street, Dist.1

  • Bánh Mì Tư Ấu – 174 Nguyễn Thiện Thuật Street, Ward 3, Dist.3

Price range: <$1 – $2 ( VND 15,000 – 40,000)

4. Bún Bò Huế (or Bun Bo Hue)

Some people say that Bun Bo Hue isn't always delicious at its birthplace, however at Saigon. And I totally agree with that. I went to several Vietnamese restaurants in Canada, and in a few Asian countries however I cannot locate a better Bun Bo Hue than in Saigon, even in Hue, wherein it comes from.

Bun Bo Hue is unique with its soup, which makes its specific and distinction to different Vietnamese foods. Typically, a bowl of Bun Bo Hue carries the Bun Bo Hue noodles, Hue-style pork sausage, blocks of red meat blood, beef hocks, components of pork brisket, and beef shank. To boost the flavor, herbs which includes mint, bean sprouts, basil, jalapeno, and lime are commonly introduced in.

To me Bun Bo Hue is a hidden gem of Vietnamese cuisine. There are loads of Bun Bo Hue restaurants in Saigon with their special elements which make their Bun Bo Hue different. Among those, there are some unique Bun Bo Hue eating places in Saigon that I love to head to.

Where to discover Bun Bo Hue in Saigon?

  • Bún Bò Huế Nam Giao – 248 Bùi Viện Street, Phạm Ngũ Lão Ward, Dist.1

  • Bún Bò Huế Yến Hương Giang – 325 Võ Văn Tần Street, Ward 5, Dist.3

  • Bún Bò Huế Đông Ba – 110A Nguyễn Du Street, Dist.1

  • Bún Bò Gánh – 110 Lý Chính Thắng Street, Dist.3

  • Bún Bò Huế No.62 – 62 Nguyễn Thiện Thuật Street, Ward three, Dist.3

Price range: $2 – $3 (VND 50,000 – 80,000)

5. Bánh Cuốn and Bánh Ướt (or Vietnamese Steamed Rice Rolls)

I will take the tone out and speak to Banh Cuon, and Banh Uot in English. This is my favorite dish in the Saigon meals menu, especially Banh Cuon. The cause is simple, it’s rapid to eat. It’s not as rapid as fast food, you still have to sit down and look forward to the dish to be served. Because I don’t like consuming hot soup in a hot weather, and sometimes when I’m in a rush so Banh Cuon, and Banh Uot are the higher choices.

Banh Cuon is like an evolved version of Banh Uot. Typically they are all crafted from rice flour. And with Banh Cuon we are able to have all thinly chopped pork, wooden ear mushroom, and dried shrimp in the rolls. With a few Vietnamese restaurants, they upload chopped white radish, or egg, and some Chinese eating places positioned the whole shrimp inside the rolls. Moreover, some Vietnamese restaurant sells Banh Uot with bird giblet.

A dish of Banh Cuon, or Banh Uot can be served with crisp shrimp pastry, Vietnamese pork sausage, and sweet fish sauce. Furthermore, as any Vietnamese food, Banh Cuon, and Banh Uot are eaten with herbs and vegetables which include fried onion, bean sprouts, chopped salad.

Where to discover Banh Cuon, and Banh Uot in Saigon?

  • Bánh Cuốn Hải Nam – 11A Cao Thắng Street, Ward 2, Dist.3

  • Quán Bánh Cuốn Song Mộc – alley 107 Vườn Chuối Street, Dist.3

  • Bánh Cuốn Thiên Hương – 3 Tháng 2 Street, Ward 11, Dist.10

  • Quán Ý Thiên – 274 Bà Hạt Street, Ward 9, Dist.10

  • Bánh Ướt Lòng Gà – alley 126 Nguyễn Cư Trinh Street, Dist.1. This is the one sells Banh Uot with chook giblet.

Price range: $1.5 – $three (VND 40,000 – 80,000)

To wrap things up

These are must try food in Ho Chi Minh city for you to feast on. I think that through this list, you will find great food to satisfy your appetite. Bon Appétit!

bottom of page