How to Eat Your Way Through Saigon, Vietnam: the Best Ho Chi Minh City Food Guide

Welcome to the vibrant streets of Ho Chi Minh City, a place where the scents of fresh herbs, spices, and sizzling street food fill the air. Ready to take a gastronomic tour? Let’s dive into the best eats this bustling city has to offer, from classic Vietnamese dishes to contemporary culinary delights. We will share our 10 favorite Ho Chi Minh City Food Spots and specialties to try.

On our 3-week Vietnam Adventure we had 3 full days to eat our way through Ho Chi Minh City, otherwise still known as Saigon (so we will be using Saigon as well, since many shops, restaurants and attractions still use the old name of Ho Chi Minh City.)

We think that by the time you are finished reading this article, you will believe us when we say we had so many amazing Vietnamese dishes on our Ho Chi Minh City Food Tour. So let’s not wait any longer. We are very excited to share our 10 favorite dishes and places to eat in Saigon Vietnam with you!

Pho at Pho Viet Nam

Start your food journey with Vietnam’s most famous dish, Pho. At Pho Vietnam, or really, any local restaurant in the city, you’ll be served a steaming bowl of this aromatic noodle soup. Made from a rich broth, typically simmered with beef bones for hours, Pho is seasoned with ginger, onions, and spices like star anise and cinnamon.

Slurp up the silky rice noodles and tender slices of beef, and don’t forget to add a squeeze of lime, fresh herbs, and a dash of chili to customize your bowl. This dish is not just food; it’s a comforting experience.

Where to get some great Pho in Ho Chi Minh City:

• Pho Viet Nam ( 14 Phạm Hồng Thái, Phường Bến Thành, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam)
• Pho Le (146 Bàn Cờ vào 20m, Phường 3, Quận 3, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam)
• Pho Mien Ga Ky Dong (14/5Bis Đ. Kỳ Đồng, Phường 9, Quận 3, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh 700000, Vietnam)
• Pho Hoa Pasteur (260C Pasteur, Phường 8, Quận 3, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam)

Local Ho Chi Minh City Food: Banh Mi Op La

For a real taste of Saigon, grab a Banh Mi Op La, a local twist on the classic Vietnamese sandwich, ideal for breakfast or lunch.

Banh Mi is more than just a sandwich; it’s a fusion of French and Vietnamese culinary traditions, a silver lining from the colonial past of Vietnam. Originally, the French baguette was introduced to Vietnam in the late 19th century. The locals adapted these baguettes, making them lighter with a thinner crust to suit the local palate. After the French departure, Vietnamese vendors began stuffing these baguettes with a variety of local ingredients, leading to the birth of Banh Mi as we know it today.

The traditional Banh Mi is a testament to the art of balance in Vietnamese cuisine. It typically features a combination of savory ingredients such as pâté, mayonnaise, and various forms of pork (grilled, steamed, or processed), complemented by the crunch of pickled carrots and radish, fresh cilantro, slices of cucumber, and spicy chilies. These ingredients come together within the crispy yet airy baguette, offering a harmonious mix of textures and flavors—creamy, crunchy, tangy, spicy, and umami.

The Banh Mi Op La variant adds a delightful twist by incorporating fried eggs (‘Op La’ translates to sunny-side up eggs). This addition transforms the sandwich into a more hearty meal, making it particularly popular for breakfast or a fulfilling lunch. The rich, runny yolk of the eggs blends perfectly with the crisp vegetables and the seasoned meats, adding a creamy texture that contrasts exquisitely with the crunch of the baguette.

Eaten on the go, seated in tiny street-side stools, or as a quick café stop, Banh Mi Op La captures the essence of Saigon’s bustling energy. It’s a dish that reflects the city’s dynamic spirit and its ability to innovate while maintaining respect for tradition. Whether you grab one from a street vendor or a chic café, each bite of Banh Mi Op La promises a flavor-packed experience that’s uniquely Saigon.

With Banh Mi Op La the meat and egg is mostly served in a seperate pan, still sizzling hot. You can then fill your own baguette to your tasting. Of course you can also get a Banh Mi Op La allready filled on the go.

Where to get some great Banh Mi sandwiches in Ho Chi Minh City:

• Banh Mi HuynH Hoa (26 Đ. Lê Thị Riêng, Phường Phạm Ngũ Lão, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam)
• Banh Mi Hoa Ma (53 Đ. Cao Thắng, Phường 3, Quận 3, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam)
• Banh Mi Trang Thi (151 Trương Định, Phường 9, Quận 3, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam)
• Banh Mi Bay Ho (19 Huỳnh Khương Ninh, Đa Kao, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam)

A Saigon Food Classic: Com Tam (Broken Rice)

Next up, Com Tam, a beloved Saigon staple. This dish features fractured rice grains that couldn’t be sold at premium prices but found their glory in this delightful meal. Served with grilled pork (or other meats), fried egg, and finely shredded pork skin over broken rice, it’s drizzled with a savory-sweet fish sauce. Com Tam is a testament to the ingenuity of Vietnamese cooking, turning less desired ingredients into a dish sought after by everyone.

As you can imagine, the Com Tam tastes the exact same as normal rice. However, the texture is difference because of the smaller grains.

Where to get some great Com Tam in Ho Chi Minh City:

• Com Tam Tran Quy Cap (260 Võ Văn Tần, Phường 5, Quận 3, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam)
• Com Tam Cali (48 Đ. Nguyễn Huệ, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh 700000, Vietnam)

Bitter Melon Soup, a Love of Hate Ho Chi Minh City Food

Dare to try something unique? Bitter Melon Soup might challenge your palate but win your heart. This healthy broth sees bitter melon slices stuffed with ground meat and bathed in a clear, savory soup. It’s a traditional remedy believed to cool down the body and offer numerous health benefits.

Want to know if we liked this soup? Check out our Ho Chi Minh City Food Tour Video on our Youtube channel.

Where to get the Bitter Melon Soup in Ho Chi Minh City:

• Com Tam Cali (48 Đ. Nguyễn Huệ, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh 700000, Vietnam)
• Get the Bitter Melon Soup at plenty of other restaurants in town.

Refresh with Kumquat Juice and Soursop Juice

We have a confession to make. We were addicted to all the fresh fruit juices in Vietnam. In every restaurant they offered the best juices ever! We drank so many, every day. It really was amazing. Favorites were fresh lime juice and passion fruit or pineapple juice. But we also discovered some new flavors that quickly became our new top choices.

Quench your thirst with kumquat juice, a popular local beverage known for its perfect balance of tart and sweet flavors. Taste it and you will fall in love instantly. We sure did.

Or, go tropical with soursop juice, creamy and custard-like, offering a refreshing respite from Ho Chi Minh City’s heat. To us it tasted like a little sour version of a pear. Really amazing and a new flavor to us.

Where to get some of these amazing juices in Ho Chi Minh City:

• Com Tam Cali – Kumquat Juice
• Pho Viet Nam – Soursop Juice
• Juicetin (multiple locations in the city)
• Note: you can get amazing juices all over Vietnam, so just check the menu

A Must on your Ho Chi Minh City Food Tour: Vietnamese Coffee

No visit to Vietnam would be complete without sipping on its world-renowned coffee. Known for its strong, robust flavor, Vietnamese coffee is typically served with sweet condensed milk, creating a rich, creamy concoction that will energize your day.

The traditional method involves a small metal drip filter (phin), which sits on top of a cup. Coarse-ground coffee is added to the phin, then hot water is poured over it, slowly dripping through to produce a strong, flavorful brew. This method, although slower than modern espresso machines, is cherished for the rich, deliberate savoring of the coffee-making and drinking process.

Our favorite coffee in Ho Chi Minh City:

Cà Phê Sữa Đá (Iced Coffee with Condensed Milk): Perhaps the most famous version internationally, this drink is a staple in Vietnam’s coffee scene. It combines the intense Vietnamese coffee dripped over a fair amount of sweetened condensed milk, stirred and then poured over ice. The result is a caramel-like, tantalizing beverage that perfectly balances the bitterness of the coffee with the sweetness of the milk.

Location: Cheese Coffee Pasteur Street (Multiple Locations in the city)
Such a great spot to enjoy some of their great flavors. Cheese Coffee has multiple shops in Ho Chi Minh City, but the one we pinned has such a beautiful interior worth checking out.

Cà Phê Dừa (Coconut Coffee): A more modern and increasingly popular variant, coconut coffee blends rich coffee with sweet coconut cream or coconut milk, served over ice. This version is particularly refreshing and can feel more like a dessert than a traditional coffee.

Location: Katinat Nguyen Hue Street (Multiple Locations in the city)

In Vietnam, coffee is as much about community and connection as it is about the caffeine. Coffee shops and street-side vendors are places of social interaction, where people come to chat, conduct business, or relax after a day’s work. The slow drip of the coffee provides a backdrop to a way of life that values taking time out to appreciate simple pleasures.

The variations in Vietnamese coffee preparation showcase the creativity and adaptability of Vietnam’s culinary traditions, adapting to different palates while maintaining the essence of what makes Vietnamese coffee unique. Whether you prefer it sweet and creamy or bold and straightforward, Vietnamese coffee offers something for every taste, enveloping drinkers in its rich aromas and flavors.

A Feast at Taste of Saigon

For a more curated dining experience, Taste of Saigon offers a tasting menu that showcases the best of local ingredients and culinary creativity. Enjoy a journey through textures and flavors crafted by skilled chefs in an elegant setting.

From special salades, through curries and spring rolls with a really awesome local dessert. Their menu has all you will want to try to eat the real Saigon flavors. You can eat a-la-carte or ask for a tasting menu with six to seven different dishes, like we did. Really awesome. And don’t forget to order an amazing fresh fruit juice while you are there.

Where to find the restaurant:

• A Taste of Saigon (42/6B Tôn Thất Thiệp, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh 700000, Vietnam)

Elevated Ho Chi Minh City Food: Mit Rooftop Bar

As the sun sets, head to Mit Rooftop Bar. This trendy spot offers not only stunning city views but also an array of exquisite bites like innovative spring rolls filled with unexpected combinations like shrimp and mango or barbecued pork. It’s the perfect place to unwind and eat or snack in style.

We visited this rooftop bar on our first night after arriving in Ho Chi Minh City. We did not need a full meal but wanted to get some awesome snacks before heading to bed after a long day of traveling.

Where to find this awesome rooftop bar:

• Mit Rooftop Bistro (35 Đ. Đồng Khởi, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh 700000, Vietnam)

Mit Rooftop bar was just around the corner from our hotel along the river. See below for the link to our hotel.

Monkey Gallery Dessert Bar

Indulge your sweet tooth at Monkey Gallery Dessert Bar, a haven for dessert lovers in the heart of Saigon. From exquisite pastries to decadent cakes, this chic dessert bar offers a tantalizing array of gourmet treats crafted with precision and passion.

Fun Fact: Monkey Gallery Dessert Bar is known for its innovative approach to dessert-making, blending traditional techniques with modern flavors to create culinary masterpieces that delight the senses.

Sink your teeth into a creamy cheesecake, adorned with fresh berries and delicate chocolate shavings, or sample the signature dessert—a heavenly fusion of Vietnamese flavors and international influences. With each bite, you’ll experience a symphony of flavors and textures that elevate dessert to an art form.

As you sip on artisanal coffee or fragrant tea, take in the stylish ambiance of the dessert bar, adorned with whimsical décor and vibrant artwork. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply satisfying your cravings, Monkey Gallery Dessert Bar promises a sweet escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Tip: You might want to make a reservation just to be sure. We were lucky but that was because we were early. The rest of the night they were fully booked.

We chose the Matcha dessert combined with the deconstructed Tiramisu drink. Both were stunning. We wish we could go back for more. We highly recommend you to try and book a table. You will love it. Prices are high for Vietnamese standards, but the quality is superb. And since food is very cheap in Vietnam, the prices at this dessert restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City were still super afordable. So no worries for breaking your budget.

Where to find this awesome dessert restaurant:

• Monkey Gallery Dessert Bar (91 Mạc Thị Bưởi, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh 700000, Vietnam)
• Make a reservation by clicking on this link.

Ben Nghe Street Food Market in Saigon

For a real taste of local flavors, stroll through the Ben Nghe Street Food Market. This bustling spot offers everything from steaming bowls of noodles to fresh seafood, cooked right in front of you. It’s a vibrant foodie paradise where you can sample a variety of dishes at humble prices.

It was awesome to have such a huge pick of iconic dishes and modern variations. Tim also enjoyed all of the vegetarian en vegan options they offer in this food market. We have to say it is very focused on tourism, so don’t expect the local vibe but more of a fun and party-like atmosphere with live music and more.

Where to find this great and vibrant food market:

• Ben Nghe Street Food Market (134 Đ. Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam)

Every dish in Ho Chi Minh City tells a story, one of culture, tradition, and innovation. Whether you’re savoring a bowl of Pho under neon lights or enjoying a sophisticated dessert, the flavors of this city are sure to leave a lasting impression. So, dig in, explore, and let your taste buds lead the way on this unforgettable culinary adventure!

Check our our full Ho Chi Minh City Food Video on Youtube:

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