Food in VietNam: Top 10 must Must-Eat Dishes in Saigon

1. Pho

What list of Vietnamese cuisine would be started without pho?  This simple staple consisting of a salty broth, fresh rice noodles, a sprinkling of herbs, and chicken or beef, features predominately in the local diet -- and understandably so. It’s cheap, tasty, and widely available at all hours.

Pho has shown its position not only in Vietnamese cuisine but also in world cuisine. Pho can be seen everywhere from street stalls to high-end restaurants. Some is served with chicken and some with beef.  Each type of meat entails a variety of sub-dishes, from beef tenderloin to beef brisket, chicken wing to chicken thigh. Fresh herbs, clear stock, and soft noodles are 3 important factors to making an outstanding Pho.

Give it a test to our favorite local store: Pho Hung, 15A8 Le Thanh Ton, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, HCMC. Price: 50,000 VND – 66,000 VND (from $2.5 USD)

2. Banh Mi

Take a walk anywhere in Saigon and you will eventually run into someone selling banh mi. Tasty, filling,

It isn’t banh mi unless it’s on a baguette. The type of baguette will range from each region and baguettes that originate in Saigon are generally lighter yet crustier in texture. Fillings consist of butter, soy sauce, pickled daikon sprouts and carrots, cucumber, and coriander. Chilies are optional if you want to spice things up. The meat options are aplenty and a slew of them are listed here: cha ca (fried fish with turmeric and dill), cha Lua (steamed pork roll), Heo quay (roasted pork belly), pho mai (laughing cow cheese), pate (pate), Xiu mai (meatballs), Thit ga (boiled chicken), Thit nuong (grilled pork loin), Trung op la (fried egg), and Xa xiu (Chinese barbecued pork)

Local insight: Banh mi is usually sold for about VND 10,000 – 15,000 depending on your choice of filling.

3. Com tam – Broken rice

This simple meal is one of the most popular dishes from South Vietnam at any time of the day, but particularly in the morning. It is usually served grilled marinated pork chops, plus a mixture of thinly shredded pork and pork skin over broken rice. On top of the meat, there are several customary ingredients such as finely sliced cucumber, tomato, and pickled vegetables, along with prawn paste cake also known as steamed pork and egg custard or pork meatloaf with egg, fried egg, and grilled prawns.

As a dry dish, it would normally be served with a small bowl of fish sauces on the side.

Cơm Tam Moc, 82 Nguyen Du, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1. Price: 25.000 VND - 69.000 VND (from $1.5 USD) 

and most importantly quick to prepare, these sandwiches are perfect for fast-paced Saigon life.

4. Banh Xeo - Sizzling cake

Banh Xeo is a giant savory pancake that literally translates to sizzling cake because of the noise they make when they are being cooked. A good sizzling cake is a crispy crepe bulging with pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts, plus the garnish of fresh herbs that are characteristic of most authentic Vietnamese dishes.

To enjoy one like a local, cut it into manageable slices, roll it up in rice paper or lettuce leaves and dunk it in whatever special sauce the chef has mixed up for you.

Banh Xeo 46A, 46A Dinh Cong Trang, Tan Dinh Ward, District 1, HCMC.  Price: 15,000 VND – 55,000 VND (from $1 USD)

5. Banh Cuon - Steamed Rice Cake

Taste the French influence in this famous and delicious recipe made of wheat, egg, and dairy products. Vietnamese especially from the North, take pride in their steamed crepe made from rice flour and water. Ground pork, wood-ear, onion, and seasoning are stuffed inside this savory meal. Most of the chefs make it right at the entrance door using the steaming method.  Banh Cuon is served with a mixture of fish sauce including sugar and lime.

Banh Cuon Hai Nam, 11 Cao Thang, Ward 2, District 3, HCMC.  Price: 40,000 VND – 88,000 VND (from $2 USD) 

6. Cha Gio – Fried Spring Rolls

Vietnam’s bite-sized crunchy spring rolls might not enjoy the same popularity as their healthier fresh equivalent, but they deserve a special mention.

The crispy shell with a soft veggie and meat filling dunked in a tangy sauce gets the gastronomic juices flowing before the main course. In the north, these parcels go by the name Nem ran while southerners call them Cha Gio. They are most commonly stuffed with minced pork and diced vegetables, though some places use crab, tofu, or even mashed jicama or taro root.

Our recommendation location for this very Vietnamese dish is Quán Nem, located at 15E Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, HCMC. Opening hours: 7:30 AM – 11:00 PM. Price Range: 100,000 VND – 330,000 VND (from $3 USD)  

7. Bun Bo Hue

If you are a soup lover then you will be pleased to learn that Bun Bo Hue is another classic Vietnamese dish. Whether North, South, or Central, "Bun" also creates unique and specific dishes in each region. However, in Hue, they like “bun” rather than another one because of the style of “bun Hue”. Hue style not only is the elegant, sophisticated, precise dishes but also feel the spirit of the processor. Coming to Hue, either morning or afternoon, walking along the small streets, people can find easily “bun bo Hue”. This thick slippery rice noodle can be found countrywide.

Grasp some “Hue” flavor at Bun Bo Ganh, 110 Ly Chinh Thang, Ward 8, District 3, HCMC. Price: 36,000 VND – 66,000 VND (from $2 USD)

8. Bun Cha

Bun Cha is one of the oldest favorites of Northern Vietnam cuisine. This dish is the top choice of Vietnamese lunchtime food. Grilled chopped meat or normal grilled meat on the charcoal stove is prepared with rice noodles and herbs. all together is dipped in syrup-thick fish sauce. Outside Hanoi, across all regions of Vietnam, there is a familiar dish called Bun Thit Nuong which alternatively served.

You will not miss the chance to explore the dish that Mr. President Obama chooses on his first night in Vietnam.

Bun Cha Hanoi 26, 8A/9C2 Thai Van Lung, District , HCMC. Price: 30,000 - 44,000 VND ( from $1.5 USD)

9. Goi Cuon (Spring Roll)

Salad roll ranks among Vietnam’s most famous foods and is very agreeable to the taste. Each translucent spring roll packed with greens, coriander, and various combinations of minced pork, shrimp, or crab. In some places, they’re served with a bowl of lettuce and/or mint. A southern variation has barbecued strips of pork wrapped up with a green banana and star fruit, and then dunked in a rich peanut sauce – every bit as tasty as it sounds.

Wrap and Roll, 62 Hai Bà Trưng, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, HCMC. Price: 40.000 VND - 165.000 VND (from $2 USD) 

10. Xoi – Sticky Rice

“Xoi”, or “glutinous rice”, “sticky rice” in English, can be found in many South East Asia food stalls or luxurious local restaurants. In Vietnam, Sticky rice is a commonly popular breakfast item and gives you a boost of added energy.

The glutinous rice comes with any number of mix-ins (from slithers of chicken, or pork to fried or preserved eggs), but almost always with a scattering of dried shallots on top. The most common combination is included chicken meat, sausage, and scallion oil.

You can find this wonderful dish on several vendors around Ho Chi Minh City or try it at

Xoi Ga Bui Thi Xuan: 11 Bui Thi Xuan, Pham Ngu Lao Ward, District 1, HCMC. Price: 25,000 VND – 55,000 VND (from $2.5 USD)