Ho Chi Minh City Food Guide: What To Eat In Saigon

If you’re a foodie & you want lớn visit Vietnam, Ho bỏ ra Minh (Saigon) is definitely the place to lớn go. Savory, sweet or vegan, Ho bỏ ra Minh cuisine really has it all for you!

Vietnamese Cuisine và Where to lớn Find Them

Food is, in fact, a pretty well-covered topic in our blogs so far; we’ve talked about Vietnam’s signature dishes likebanh xeoandbanh mi, lớn bizarredishes of insects in the thành phố of Ho chi Minh, as well as recommended good restaurants andfood streets around the city. Today, we would like to present an extensive các mục of must-try Vietnamese foods this diverse thành phố always has available for its residents and visitors. Let’s dive into it!

Noodles	Pho,Bun Bo Hue,Bo Kho,Bun Cha,Bun Thit Nuong,Tapioca Noodle (Banh Canh),Bun rieu
Rice, Sticky rice, & "Bánh"	Com Tam,Sticky Rice,Banh Cuon,Banh Beo,Banh Xeo, Banh Khot,Banh Mi
Street foods	Papaya Salad (Goi Du Du/Goi Kho Bo),Vietnamese Pizza (Banh Trang Nuong),Snails,Bo la lot,Grilled Banana,Desserts
Exotic foods	Black Chicken,Insects,Balut
Drinks	Coffee,Egg Coffee,Weasel Coffee,Sugarcane Juice,Bubble Tea,Beer

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Signature Dishes of Vietnamese Cuisine

Banh mi and pho are by no doubt two of Vietnam’s best culinary creations, & Ho đưa ra Minh city is really the best place khổng lồ eat them. Why? In Ho đưa ra Minh City, banh mi & pho are so diverse, so available, so appetizing & so affordable! These are lượt thích the staples for the locals, perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or just simply for a tasteful quick bite.

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Now, let’s be a bit clearer about the ‘diverse’ part we advertised. The basic version of banh ngươi is thin slices of pork sausage và some other kinds of cold cuts, plus paté, pork floss, pickles, cilantro, & cucumber, stuffed in small-sized baguettes. But in Ho chi Minh (Saigon), countless other kinds of banh mày are on the counter: banh mi phụ thân ca (fried fish patties), banh mày op la (sunny-side-up), banh mi xiu mai (meatballs và tomato sauce), banh mày ca moi (canned sardines), banh mày heo quay (roasted pork with crispy skin), và so on. Another thing that sets banh ngươi in Vietnam apart from banh mày made elsewhere is the special sauce made by family recipes of the owners.

Vietnamese signature Banh Mi

Similarly with pho, besides the basic version of noodles và rare beef in sophisticatedly made broth, the varieties of pho you can have in Saigon are surplus: various beef cuts - flank, crunchy flank, fatty brisket, tendon, and tripe, then intricate pho cuon (noodle rolls) or intriguing pho kho (pho without broth or with broth in a separate bowl).

Prices for all these tasty feats start from only US$ 1 for banh mi & US$ 2 for pho.

Enjoying beef noodle soup in Ho đưa ra Minh City

Lesser-known Vietnamese Treats

First of all, besides the famous pho, Vietnamese foods offer other styles of delectable noodle soup, all of which can be easily found in Ho đưa ra Minh, although their place of origin varies:

- Hu tieu: the real specialty of Saigon. Thin, clear noodles in aromatic pork broth, with surplus toppings including pork slices, shrimps, squid, & even pork liver (it’s default unless you ask not to lớn have it in your bowl), then some fresh herbs and bean sprouts. Hu tieu vendors in Saigon, along with hu tieu parlors, are mở cửa for business almost 24/7 because it is simply a never-dying demand lớn have a bowl of hu tieu.

A bowl of hu tieu with surplus toppings

- Bun boHue (Hue beef noodle soup): This dish is a creation of Hue people (hence the name), who live in central Vietnam và are well-known across the country for their culinary expertise. The noodles in bun bo Hue is different from the noodles in pho: they are rounder in shape & fuller in texture (pho noodles are thin). The broth is spicy and has an orange color, unlike the clear broth of pho. And beef in bun bo Hue is a well-done flank, along with Hue aromatic pork cold cuts. A feast of flavors in just one bowl definitely a must-try.

Bun Bo Hue

- Bun phụ vương ca Nha Trang (noodles/rice vermicelli with fried fish patty slices): Nha Trang is one of the best beach cities in Vietnam & is also home to the tasty dish of bun phụ thân ca. The broth is clear & tastes a bit lighter than pho broth (since the bone used to lớn cook broth is fishbone, as opposed lớn the beef bone of pho broth); fried fish patty (cha ca) is just a rough translation of an exclusive specialty of Vietnam’s coastal cities - you’ve got to lớn taste it lớn know it!

- Bun ca Mien Tay (fish noodle soup of the Southwest): Freshwater fish is made full use by the Mekong Delta people (in the southwest of Vietnam) in their own version of noodle soup - bun ca. Unlike Nha Trang, Southwest people love their fish simple - boiled. But they địa chỉ little details lượt thích more fresh herbs and fried onions khổng lồ enhance the rich flavor of their noodle soup. And perhaps the water of their region makes their broth very outstanding.

Second, the one dish that so many Vietnamese (especially students) hold dear isxoi (sticky rice). Sticky rice in different colors (the regular white, khổng lồ eye-catching purple, orange, green - from the natural màu sắc of the key ingredient, not some toxic coloring of course) served with pork floss, thin slices of pork cold cuts và fried shallot, plus a tasty savory sauce is perfect for your energy boost.

Vietnamese violet sticky rice - xuyên la cam

Third of all, another noodle dish but this time with no broth at all: Bun thit nuong - a bowl of flavors from rice vermicelli, grilled marinated pork slices, fried spring rolls, crushed peanuts, fresh herbs, cucumber, and the star is definitely sweet-and-sour fish sauce with carrot pickles in it! A no-brainer for breakfast among the locals!

Bun thit nuong

Street Foods That Make Ho chi Minh People Proud

It would not be complete talking about Vietnamese foods without talking about street foods! Ho chi Minh thành phố is packed with street food vendors serving palatable quick bites for everyone. Below are a few outstanding names.

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- Goi cuon (summer rolls): energy-filled rolls of rice vermicelli, boiled pork slices, shrimps, lettuce và other fresh herbs khổng lồ be dipped in special sauce (rich and thick) topped with pickles và crushed peanuts. US$1 for 2 to 3 filling rolls that can keep you going...for the next street eat!

Goi cuon (summer rolls)

- Banh trang tron(mixed rice paper): Rice paper (banh trang) is a super common hàng hóa of Vietnam, used very often in every house kitchen; it is used to lớn roll the famous spring rolls (cha gio) & summer rolls (goi cuon), but has also become the soul of a much-loved street eat - banh trang tron. In this dish, rice paper is thin small pieces mixed with different types of flavorful sauce, topped with quail eggs and shredded mango (unripe). A very light snack và interesting taste.

- Banh trang nuong (Vietnamese pizza - not the pizza you think): Rice paper again plays a key role, although the type used for banh trang nuong is much thicker. For this dish, a round piece of thick rice paper is grilled with surplus toppings - quail eggs, minced pork (already cooked), dried shrimps (small shrimps), và when the eggs are cooked, mayonnaise, chili sauce, & ketchup are added on top. Try this fascinating concoction once if you come to lớn Ho chi Minh.

Banh trang nuong

- Vietnamese shellfish/sea snails (oc): Blessed with a rich system of channels and rivers, the southern land of Vietnam enjoys a wide variety of snails and shellfish. These natural ingredients are converted into amazing dishes by the ultimate creativity of Vietnam’s southern cooks. Seasoning is the key to lớn shellfish and sea snails dishes in Ho bỏ ra Minh City; cooks use tamarind sauce, butter, cheese, onion, và sautée or grill the shellfish khổng lồ make a special dish.

Check out more Vietnamese street foods.

Vietnamese shellfish dishes - colorful and tasty

Irresistible Sweets và Desserts

- Che is no doubt the first lister when it comes to lớn Vietnamese sweets & desserts. Different kinds of bean & topping create different kinds of che, but most commonly, we have đậy from mung beans (green beans), black beans, or red beans, and toppings are typically made from tapioca starch. Beans are cooked in water until soft, but before that, they are soaked in water for hours to yield the best softness when cooked. The water after being boiled with beans has a pleasant taste and aroma but bland, so sugar is added to complete a beautiful dessert. You can điện thoại tư vấn this Vietnamese bean soup or sweet soup, which is not a heavy dish at all.

- Vietnamese ice cream: We have quite unique flavors of ice cream: durian ice cream, banana ice cream, longan ice cream, and coconut ice cream - all very tropical fruits. While you can easily find durian & coconut ice cream by some local brands in Ho bỏ ra Minh’s supermarkets and convenience stores, it may be a bit more difficult to find a Vietnamese ice cream shop. Su Van hanh Street in District 10 can be a good start if you fancy sampling Vietnamese ice cream.

Sam bo luong (energy cocktail) and Che

- Sam boluong (energy cocktail): a lot of toppings in this concoction: Chinese dried apples, lotus seeds, ginkgo nuts, dried logans, and dried seaweeds. This dish is of Chinese origin; all of its components are healthy và easy khổng lồ eat, so sam bo luong is a dessert that can be enjoyed by both the young and old.

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- rau xanh caudua (coconut jelly): Coconut jelly has two layers: the clear bottom layer from coconut juice và the white top layer from coconut milk. A very Vietnamese jelly, lovely to taste!

Che is a signature dessert of Vietnam

Incredibly Varied Vegan Menus

We don’t know about other countries, but we think vegan dishes in Vietnamand in Ho bỏ ra Minh city are incredibly diverse và delectable. Making full use of all the Vietnamese vegetables and handling them with skillful techniques, Ho đưa ra Minh vegan cooks can create a vegan copy of any favorite dish of the meat-eaters: from noodle soups like pho, bun bo Hue, bun rieu, to lớn all the regular main courses starring pork and beef, to spring rolls and summer rolls. Vegetables used to lớn ‘cosplay’ meat include mushrooms, seitan (wheat gluten), tempeh (soy product, similar khổng lồ tofu), daikon, star anise, cardamom, among others; and the typical seasoning is soy sauce (since the fish sauce is not vegetarian, obviously).

Vegan restaurants are often situated near Buddhist monasteries and pagodas. Check out this danh mục of vegetarian restaurants in Ho bỏ ra Minh for more details!

The variety of Ho bỏ ra Minh City’s vegan dishes

Summary of What lớn eat in Ho chi Minh (Saigon)

These mouthwatering Vietnamese foods we mentioned (from banh mi và pho to lớn central delicacies and southern desserts) are super available & affordable in Ho đưa ra Minh (or Saigon, as locals gọi them). If you plan to lớn visit this beautiful Southeast Asian country, definitely kiểm tra out Ho chi Minh thành phố for all the pleasing khổng lồ the eyes và the taste buds!