The few kids I’ve brought seem to love it too, so it might be a good starter dish if you are travelling with a family. The flavour and the hot & cold elements are both like the ying and the yang, there is a balance to everything, like both sides of a coin. Pizza: I can’t attest to its deliciousness as they don’t make a gluten-free version but friends rave about a Japanese pizza place called 4 Ps, and a New York Times feature has made them even more popular. The recipe is traditionally made from rice flour, corn starch, and tapioca starch. Diners can also opt for bun thit nuong cha gio, which comes with crunchy slices of cha gio (deep-fried eggrolls). Usually extremely busy during lunch hours for reasons above, so best to head there in the later afternoon. Given that it’s a personal preference, I am sending you to a restaurant that does both well. You can expect to pay no more than 40,000-50,000 VND for a tasty baguette filled with vegetables and pork (or a range of other meats, or none!). Relaxed Alternative: Live music, art, outdoor seating, casual food, usually on the grill, and skateboarding options, Saigon Outcast became a favourite Sunday afternoon activity for many of my friends. It’s more expensive than the usual street meal – 65,000 dong – but locals pay the same price. The beloved grandpa at the pho ga restaurant below, who ran over to my bowl repeatedly to ensure I added pickled garlic, lest I forget. Food & Drink The 10 Best Bánh Mì Spots in Ho Chi Minh City. fish sauce must be cooked in the right way with tomatoes, pineapples, water and chillies. About us. Unlike in Bangkok, where you usually have to ask if they will take you to where you want to go (and they often say no), I’ve never been refused a ride. Wish I could eat it. MAP. BANH CAN is served with fish sauce, fried small spring onions, grating mangos and small meat ball. the third points is the fish sauce. I am grateful for this incredibly helpful list here, along with so many other pieces of content on your site. Head on over to the Essential Gluten Free Guide to Vietnam, because there I list the safe foods, the unsafe foods (and their Vietnamese names) and more guidance. www.animus.com.vn. 110A Nguyen Du, District 1 Thanks for reading. Where: Bun Bo Hue Dong Ba The roe gave me the salt that was missing from the soy sauce, and made for an expensive (by street food prices, that is — approx $17) but delicious meal. There are a myriad of BTN places that I frequent and enjoy, but the one below is my favourite because the spring rolls remain the most satisfying. A greasy fave, bot chien involves rice flour cakes that are chopped into chunky squares and then fried in a large flat pan with whipped eggs and green onions. I love trying new street food but sometimes just winging it and pointing at something in vietnamese and hoping for the best doesn’t end the way you want. If it’s a one-stop shop, you know there’s nothing else. Basically what I’m saying is, on your wanderings around town if you see a form of hu tieu you should just try it because it’s rarely the same twice. +84 (8) 3912 5742. thank you for the gift of your wonderful blog! they are made from clay. Several options for visas exist. Thank you! So glad to hear it, as that was my goal in writing this post. Thanks! But for a wonderful place to watch the world go by, owned by a lovely lady with a great smile, head to Juicy. They do have other locations — be sure to just look them up. As your read through my Ho Chi Minh City Food Guide, you’ll discover that there is a lot more to Vietnamese food than just Pho and Banh Mi, and discover the complexity of flavours that can come from the use of fresh, simple ingredients. As a Vietnamese grows up in Saigon, I can confirm that your list is awesome and very necessary to anyone from other countries who wanna explore Vietnamese cuisine. My girlfriend and I are planning a 10-day trip to Vietnam and will spend a two full days in Saigon, so I’m looking for the best food and drink tour. Official government site allows you to, E-visa agencies will offer online application of VOA, then email it to you as a PDF and you can print and bring with you for airline officials and to use for your actual visa on arrival in Saigon. For example, the word for water in Bahasa Indonesia or Bahasa Malaysia is “air” — and obviously air in English is not food. In Tom’s words: In Vietnam, the period of time we’re currently living through, during which the world struggles to contain Covid-19, is known as mùa dịch: ‘pandemic season’. Banh canh noodles are Vietnam’s version of udon, a thicker noodle that can be made with either tapioca flour, rice flour, or a combination of the two. Best enjoyed with cold beers, oc refers to platters of Vietnamese shellfish that are prepared in varying methods. I love comments on my blog, and appreciate the feedback from many of you. There are a few Vietnamese translation cards on the internet that can be used for free; I am also building one myself since they are (per my Vietnamese friends) not completely accurate. I think my preference also stems from novelty; many of the soups I’ve tried in Montreal or New York were from Southern Vietnamese who fled during the diaspora, and thus brought with them a more Southern recipe. Tom from Vietnam Coracle has a thorough, three-part series about being in Vietnam during COVID-19, how the country has handled the pandemic, and his personal thoughts. The best Ho Chi Minh City dishes are well regarded as nutritious, savoury, and hearty delights that can be enjoyed at any time of the day. While there will likely be grey taxis waiting (of a different company), you can merely walk across the street or wave the dispatcher over, and request a VinaSun cab from the VinaSun dispatcher. You top it with spoonfuls of sweet fish sauce and chilli, letting the sweet and pungent liquid seep into every bit of your food. Com tam can be enjoyed any time of the day as it is relatively inexpensive, with street markets and roadside food stalls selling for about VND 20,000 per bowl. Of course, it is finished off by yogaesque stretching and cracking. You are eating gluten. In Vietnamese, the word for baby clams is “hen” — quite confusing at first, since I ordered it expecting a rice and chicken bowl, not even thinking that obviously hen would not be an actual hen. The taste might not be for everyone but it is worth a try at least once. Egg Coffee: I wrote a whole post about egg coffee (Ca phe trung), including how it originated in Hanoi and a recipe to try it at home. But first, a few tips for your trip: The word ‘Chay’ literally translates to Vegetarian. I can’t eat it, since it’s wheat, so I apologize for not being able to opine about the best one. I usually have to go through the whole “gluten-free/dairy free” thing when I eat out, but I’m also sensitive to MSG. Hi Rachel! You can download one here: http://www.celiactravel.com/images/uploads/cards/vietnamese-card.gif. As vegetarians, we sadly can’t sample most of the things on the list, but we did stop by the Che Chuoi place for dessert tonight and it was great. thank you so much!! For vegetarians who want a great food experience in Saigon, we really liked Com Chay Mani (which is just 100m away from the Che Chuoi stall). But it is usually full of locals, the wine is reasonably priced, and the location is central. They will call one for you and you can just wait a few minutes until it arrives. This dish is prepared by cutting a whole catfish into fillets before it’s braised in a thick gravy made with a combination of soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, shallots, garlic, and various spices and seasonings. Chairs are laid out side by side on three different floors, and the 70 minute treatment (220,000 Dong at time of writing) includes the foot massage (45 minutes) plus a 25 minute head-shoulder-back combo. Each bite can be dipped into a sweet fish sauce with as much chilli as you’d like to add. Essentially: between Truong Dinh and Huyen Trang Cong Chua. Thanks so much for this Jodi! Address：123 vo van tan ho chi minh, ho chi minh Business type：Manufacturer. Most of them derive from food. A basic bowl contains tai (beef slices), bo vien (beef meatballs) or nam (beef flank), but diners can also opt for more exotic ingredients such as gan (beef tendon), sach (thinly-sliced pig stomach), and ve don (flank with cartilage). I wonder if someone purposely reported it as closed to hurt their business? 80/68 Tran Quang Dieu Street, District 3 These ingredients have been in other dishes I’ve tasted, but for some reason, this soup from the former imperial capital of Vietnam manages to bring them together in magical ways. Since being back in North America, I’ve tested the Banh Xeo mixes using a Nima Sensor, which tests ppm of gluten – no gluten for the mixes I tried that say no wheat on them. (There was a lot of walking involved.) I had to use a translation card to do so, or have a Vietnamese friend translate. Thanks for making my time in Saigon extra pleasant! I’m disgustingly salivating at all the pictures and I’m almost to the point of taking a bite out of my monitor. Motorbikes stop by to grab a glass before handing it back and driving off; others pick up litres of the sweet (seriously: SWEET) tea for their families at home. thankyou. It was filling and I ended up with a slow cooked meat sauce, which was delicious. I wrote about banh khot (mini knots of fried rice cakes) with a recipe here, but am grouping them with banh xeo (larger sizzling rice crepes) since the restaurant serves both. Love it. We and our partners use cookies to better understand your needs, improve performance and provide you with personalised content and advertisements. I prefer Ganesh’s palak paneer to that of BaBas, but BaBa’s dopiaza and vindaloo dishes were superior. So happy I wondered here. Where: Dong Hoa Xuan I’m also planning to translate a Gluten-Free card like I did for my Greece post with the names of the local Vietnamese foods. Bún chả (bun cha) 10. Saigon is most definitely a magical place for your tastebuds. I usually bring people here if it is their first visit to Saigon, convincing them that the words “fermented” and “fish” don’t need to be a bad thing when grouped together. Gluten-free Pasta: If you are celiac like me, there is a gluten-free option for pasta, provided you’ve tired of rice noodles. I consider this a “basics” because to me living in Asia includes availing myself of the reasonably priced and relaxing foot massages around the region. Where: 241 Vo Van Tan Street, District 3 For those wanting to stay closer to ‘home’ you can head to the corner of Mac Dinh Chi and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai for a com tam place (just past the KFC) that opens from 10am-2pm. I try to go once a week or once every few weeks, especially since I enjoy long walks around Saigon. Vietnamese Food: 25 Must-Eat Dishes in Saigon (and Where To Try Them) 1. Where to Start... 1st Time in Ho Chi Minh City - What to Do, Cao Dai Temple & Cu Chi Tunnels (private), Mekong Delta with Vietnamese Cooking Class, Tan Son Nhat International Airport (HCMC). I know that you are in a much different state currently since when you wrote this post. :) too wordy but i really appreciated your collection and want to contribute. Non-Vietnamese and International Food Hi, Got sent your link by the ‘The Global Couple’. If you ensure you keep at least 70,000 Dong (the cost of the plan as of June 2014) on your phone, you will be able to auto-renew once the month is up. Bun Rieu Cua has been our favourite so far, but just FYI we found this lady in a slightly different spot to where you described – she’s now on the corner of Nyugen Du and Pasteur. Where: The com suon joint directly across the street from the entrance to the water puppets show on Nguyen Thi Minh Khi, not far from the park’s entrance. Great list by the way – I’m eating my way through it! Note that if you do this, you will need to bring a passport sized photo of you as well as your stamping fee for your visa, which differs depending on how many entries you have / how long you are staying. With 1.500 of delivery restaurants in Da Nang, Ha Noi Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An and Nha Trang we are one of the biggest food delivery platforms in Vietnam. Oh, how I wish I lived in Saigon – you certainly seem spoilt for choice! Where: Bloom Saigon The stall below is actually run by one gentleman — sometimes aided by his son — and his bowls of desserts, so you can pick and choose different options, including taro with coconut milk (che khoi mon). Hanoi was where the soup originated and while I love Saigon dishes, I do prefer the northern broth. See Saigoneer’s piece on street cocktail bars for a few suggestions. Looking at the menu I saw the familiar hu tieu (see below), but did not know what banh tam bi was. To activate the plan (this worked up until June 2014, but of course might change): Text the words DK MIU to the number 999. For many the words “fermented fish broth” isn’t what they want to hear. Bloom Saigon (formerly May Restaurant) is tucked at the end of a tiny alleyway near the canal’s edge, not far from my recommended Pho place on Hoang Sa. Gorgeous mouth-watering photography and informative descriptions. 18bis Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, District 1, Where: Pho Le (no photo) I’ll usually grab some street soup nearby and then take the elevator to the top floor of the building, with choice of indoor and outdoor seating. The toppings cover a wide territory, and may include boneless pork, pork ribs, pork offal, shrimp, squid, wonton dumplings, fried garlic, fried shallot, and/or scallion.

You'll find good food around every corner in Ho Chi Minh City, where the culinary scene serves as a reflection of the capital city's ever-evolving cosmopolitan landscape. District 1 Available almost everywhere in Ho Chi Minh City, banh mi is a quintessential Vietnamese dish that you should never miss out on. +84 (8) 3827 4252. Eat your way through the food scene of Ho Chi Minh City. Map of Great Food in Saigon Quick and tasty, you can also choose from a variety of meat fillings for your banh mi, including heo quay (roasted pork belly), cha ca (fried fish with turmeric and dill), cha lua (boiled sausages), xiu mai (meatballs), thit ga (boiled chicken), trung op la (fried egg), thit nuong (grilled pork loin), and xa xiu (Chinese barbecued pork). Thank you so much for this incredible post! Excellent post! Hi from Vietnam! Where: Au Parc Cafe By far one of the best posts I’ve read on Vietnamese street food. I have asked around about this before eating cha lua and other sausages, and have been told that they do not use gluten for thickening / consistency in sausages here. Due to its very subtle flavour, you can dip it in a mix of freshly ground chilli and hoisin-based dipping sauce topped with crushed peanuts. thanks for the information, keep it up!! Dozens of higher end sushi joints cram a narrow network of criss-crossing alleyways, illuminated by the romantic glow of hanging lanterns strung from building to building. www.auparcsaigon.com. Oh my goodness! I’ve also never had to tell a cab driver to turn on his or her meter — it’s automatic. Hi Megan, I don’t have specific tips, though there are two posts about Tet specifically if you look through the archives. +84 (8) 3834 4486. 23 Han Thuyen Street, District 1 Other options include the Chill Sky Bar (much more dressy — no running shoes or flip flops), or the Cobalt Bar atop the newer Pullman Hotel. As with many of the meals in Hanoi that were taken to Saigon, what is normally a breakfast or early lunch food up north is an all-day treat in Saigon. Drinks and Smoothies The first was recommended by Tom of Vietnam Coracle (his blog is in the blog section below), and remains my favourite, as close as I’ve found to the great phos I tried in Hanoi. Then come back here and use the map to stuff your face with street food in Saigon. It’s so detailed, and clearly not only about food but about all of Saigon. It was AMAZING!! Airlines will customarily look for the actual visa in your passport instead. Thanks again. I’ve got a hu tieu lady in every District. Lovely setup with back terrace and funky decor. Most Popular Hoan Ba Dinh District Hotels, The Mist Dance Show with Private Transfer, Lady Hau Dinner Cruise on the Saigon River. Asking for intersections of two streets was the easiest way to get to where I needed to go, or picking bigger landmarks like churches or hotels or famous skyscrapers (e.g Bitxeco tower) that are nearby. So it’s no surprise that this tiny tea joint at the intersection of two main arteries is always hopping. Of course, we had no idea what to order or how to order it, but we just got the same thing as the people before us ordered and it was very tasty. We made a friend at our table from Malaysia which made the rxperience even more fun. 151 Dong Khoi Street, District 1 I have found that researching what is safe and not safe helps the most in being able to make that decision for yourself. You’ve got your carbs, your meat, your vegetables, and it comes topped with lightly steamed bean sprouts, chopped basil, and fried curls of shallots. 3 Nguyen Van Trang, District 1, Lunch 11:30am-2pm Cebu, Philippines. However, both are great and have lovely owners and helpful waiters and waitresses. Thanks for letting me know Paul! If you want to experience the real taste of Ho Chi Minh City, we strongly recommend trying out all the different street food around. When I landed in Saigon, I had my notes compiled with info on what to eat and where, and I found your post :D. I love the site and the content. Or the bo la lot vendor who discovered my love of starfruit and made sure to have extra on hand when I returned. Barbara and Vu run small group street food tours in Ho Chi Minh City, tours that delve into the culture, history and food … Wednesdays were banh xeo days, Tuesdays were all about oc, snails, and Thursdays were earmarked for pho. It’s an easy walk from the Banh Cuon Tay Ho restaurant above — think of it as your dessert. Phở (pho) 4. Calling all the foodies out there, find & book the top-rated and best-reviewed food tours on Tripadvisor today. In contrast, sometimes we piled in a clown car of 7 people into a van cab, with no extra charges levied by any of the drivers. Alternatively, you can enjoy hu tieu with shrimp, squid, or fish if you’re not a fan of pork. Ban xeo is a savoury pancake that’s made of rice flour, coconut milk, and turmeric, stuffed with ingredients such as pork slices, shrimps, sliced onions, bean sprouts, and button mushrooms. www.saigonoutcast.com. […] Chinese-Cambodian brought the dish from Cambodia (hence the Phnom Penh style,) and Vietnamese borrowed it and made their own Viet versions. (From https://www.uyenluu.com/hot-cold-ying-yang/): The two main philosophy of Vietnamese food is the balance of flavour – between hot, sour, sweet, salty and umani and also the balance of hot and cold foods – not the temperature of food but of the hot and cold elements and energy of foods. All sitting and enjoying a meal on the Street food ll just have to hackle when it comes to alley. Whipped cream t get to Saigon but this one on Mac Dinh Chi remains fave... 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