Top food should eat in ho chi minh city năm 2024

As food tourism continues to boom, we’re only adding more and more destinations that are worth visiting just so we can eat some seriously good food. Unquestionably, Vietnam and more specifically, Ho Chi Minh City (also known as Saigon) should be at the top of everyone’s list. Vietnamese food is undeniably incredible with intense flavours and playful spices all while leaving you wanting more. The list of must-eat food in Ho Chi Minh City is extensive and honestly, could be even longer but this is a good start for anyone looking to get an authentic taste of one of the best cuisines in the world.

In this guide, we’ve included the must try foods in Ho Chi Minh City as well as essential information on planning your foodie trip to Vietnam.

What Food Is Ho Chi Minh City Known For?

As the most populated city in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City is arguably the most diverse, vibrant and full of options. Although you can find every traditional dish of the Vietnamese cuisine regardless of region in Ho Chi Minh City, it does not mean it’s original to Saigon. Many of the must-eat dishes while visiting Ho Chi Minh City are street foods. This is what kind of food is most popular, loved and eaten every day in Ho Chi Minh City. For such a bustling and active city that never stops moving, it only makes sense that the food it’s most known for is street food and these dishes that can be found on nearly every corner.

Quick List: 17 Must-Eat Foods in Ho Chi Minh City

• Hu Tieu – beef and shrimp noodle soup
• Bánh Xèo – stuffed savoury crepe
• Bo Nuong La Lot – stuffed lolot plant leaves
• Banh Trang Tron – rice paper salad
• Canh Bi – winter melon soup
• Xoi Nuoc Dua – sweetened sticky rice
• Banh Khoai Mi Nuong – cassava cake
• Fresh and Fried Fruit – rambutan and deep fried banana
• Oc Huong Rang Me – snails in tamarind sauce
• Com Tam – grilled pork and broken rice
• Bach Tuoc Nuong – grilled octopus
• Bánh Mì – baguette sandwich
• Chè Chuối – tapioca pudding
• Bò Né – steak and eggs
• Bánh Bèo – rice flour cakes
• Banh Cuon voi Cha Lua – rice rolls with pork
• Nghêu Chiên Giòn – fried razor clams

👍 Experience the best of the best dishes and book your street food tour of Ho Chi Minh City!


The Best Foods to Try in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Hu Tieu

The most common soup you’ll find in Ho Chi Minh City. Hủ tiếu is the”pho of the south” and distinct to Saigon cuisine. The noodle soup features an exceptionally flavoured broth from pork and seafood and is regularly eaten for breakfast.

Bánh Xèo

Despite it looking like an omelette, this crepe is made from rice flour and turmeric powder which gives it its golden color. It is then thinly poured onto a pan and crisped to perfection before being stuffed with vegetables or meat and served with a dipping sauce.

Bò Nướng Lá Lốt

Bo Nuong La Lot is the perfect two-bite snack that’s made from marinated ground beef. The meat is later wrapped in piper lolot leaves before it is thrown on a charcoal grill. Known as la lot in Vietnamese, this specific leaf is popular among the cuisine and provides a unique taste that’s herbal and peppery.

Banh Trang Tron

One of the most humble and surprisingly amazing street food finds in Ho Chi Minh City is this rice paper salad tossed with herbs and spices. It is commonly sold to children who are getting out of school or workers on the go. Bánh Tráng Trộn is a playground of textures, flavour profiles and is definitely the best thing you’ll ever eat out of a plastic bag.

Canh Bi

An uncomplicated soup that’s cooked by using just a handful of ingredients but still manages to pack a punch in rich flavor. Served with or without noodles, the key component of the soup is the winter melon which pairs delightfully in its seafood or pork bone broth.

Xoi Nuoc Dua

The ultimate treat which will satisfy any cravings for something sweet while wandering the streets of Saigon. Xoi Nuoc Dua is a dessert sticky rice which has been steamed, sweetened and then served in different variations of toppings, including vibrant colors.

Banh Khoai Mi Nuong

Also known as yuca, the cassava plant is a handy food staple if properly utilized and, in this case, made into a cake. Banh Khoai Mi Nuong cakes are slightly sweet, satisfying, chewy, and very fragrant. Not to mention – they’re a healthy dose of your daily fiber intake!

Fresh and Fried Fruit

While visiting one of the many food markets in Ho Chi Minh City, don’t skip on buying produce. There are many types of fruit and vegetables which you either can’t find elsewhere or taste 100x better in Vietnam. Pick up everything from juicy rambutan to fried banana!

Ốc Hương Rang Me

This dish will definitely surprise you if you don’t know what you’re ordering. Oc Huong Rang Me are small snails that are usually pan-fried or roasted, accompanied by a sweet and tangy tamarind-based sauce. If you’ve never tried snails before, this is the time to cross it off your bucket list.

Cơm Tấm

This is one of the top three staple dishes in Ho Chi Minh City and generally eaten for breakfast. It consists of a marinated grilled pork chop over cooked broken grains of rice with a side of optional eggs, pickled vegetables, and a dipping sauce. After a couple of days in Vietnam, you’ll understand why Com Tam is an ideal comfort food.

Bạch Tuộc Nướng

The specific relevant content for this request, if Saigon cuisine naturally consists of many seafood dishes, given its proximity to the coastline. Seafood isn’t typically prepared in any particularly fancy way and instead, focuses on the natural flavors. Bạch Tuộc Nướng (grilled octopus) and a side dish of grilled okra make an incredibly uncomplicated and good meal.

Alternatively, you’ll see that the Vietnamese also know that everything tastes good if it’s fried. Take these flawlessly crispy succulent razor clams (Nghêu Chiên Giòn) for example!

Bánh Mì

Even if you’ve had a banh mi before, it isn’t until you’ve visited Ho Chi Minh City that you understand what a real banh mi sandwich should taste like. A typical banh mi in Saigon is built from a perfectly crunchy yet soft baguette, spread with fatty pate, grilled meat and refreshing pickled veggies. It isn’t complex, but requires an experienced set of hands to be executed beautifully.

Chè Chuối

Chè Chuối is a wonderfully creamy and coconut milk-based dessert which features fresh bananas and the use of tapioca pearls. Like most desserts in Vietnamese cuisine, this pudding-like treat is not overly sweet but still hits the perfect level of satisfying a sweet tooth.

Bo Ne

Bo Ne is the product of cultural fusion, something you’ll see a lot of in Vietnam from the French colonial period. It’s a take on classic steak and eggs, but heightened with a dollop of rich pate and a baguette to soak up every last bit. This dish is probably the heaviest and richest meal you’ll find in Ho Chi Minh City.

Bánh Bèo

You’ll find steamed rice cakes dressed in different ways throughout Saigon. Bánh bèo also happen to come in various shapes, sizes and with accompanying side dishes. One of the best ways to enjoy prepared rice cakes is with a tangy fish sauce, ground mung bean and ground dried shrimp mixed with herbs.

Cha Lua with Banh Cuon

Cha lua is the most typical type of pork sausage you’ll find in Vietnam and is found as a protein in many different dishes. It’s prepared in numerous ways including steaming, deep frying and grilling. The pork roll is distinct for its smooth texture and the fact that it quite literally goes well with anything, including steamed rice rolls and fresh herbs with spices.

What Not to Eat in Ho Chi Minh City

If you consider yourself a true foodie, you may want to stick to truly authentic dishes of the place you are visiting. The one food item that’s not mentioned on this must-eat food list of Ho Chi Minh City is pho. Ironically, pho is probably the most commonly known Vietnamese dish. Although you will definitely find no shortage of incredible places to eat pho in Saigon, it’s not traditional to southern Vietnam. Pho originated in northern Vietnam and in the city of Hanoi. If your trip to Vietnam includes visiting Hanoi, then that is the place to indulge in pho from sunrise to nightfall.

🍲 In the mood for pho? Search for flights to Hanoi using Skyscanner and find the cheapest tickets based on dates.

Is It Safe to Eat Street Food in Ho Chi Minh City?

Food safety may be a concern and a hot topic for those visiting Vietnam for the first time. But to be candid, it’s difficult to provide an answer to the question of “is it safe?” because there are various factors in play. First, it heavily depends on the person who is eating. If you’re someone who has never eaten Vietnamese cuisine before or isn’t used to eating certain ingredients or tasting different flavours, your body may be surprised once you’re actually eating in Vietnam. For people who would consider their diet at home to be diverse and a little experienced, there’s little reason to believe that you won’t be able to handle eating street food in Ho Chi Minh City.

Furthermore, try to have some perspective on the experience of actually eating food outdoors. After living in NYC, we can confirm that food safety standards of street food can be loose anywhere. So, think of eating street food in Ho Chi Minh City to be as safe as grabbing a hot dog from a cart in NYC. The point is, the risk you’re about to take from eating street food can be the same back home as it is in Saigon.

🍤 For travellers who want to be safe rather than sorry, book a food tour! Visit only the best of the best with an experienced local guide.

Getting Around Ho Chi Minh City

Guided Tour

To check off everything on the must-eat food list of Ho Chi Minh City in the most efficient way possible, book a food tour. Guided tours are the perfect solution for anyone who isn’t interested in self-guiding their way around the city. A big reason why food tours are so valuable is that you essentially don’t have to worry about anything. Logistics, language barriers, directions, and figuring out which spots to try and how to get there are all taken care of when you book a guided tour.

🍜 Make your must-eat food tour of Ho Chi Minh City a little more interesting with this private motorbike street food tour!

Walking

If your visit is a few days to one week long, the best way to get around from one must-eat food spot in Ho Chi Minh City to the next is on foot. Ho Chi Minh City is the type of place where you’re constantly immersed in its character – there are foods, colors, smells, and noises in every direction at all times. By not taking advantage of being directly on the grounds of where all the action takes place, you’re bound to miss out on opportunities to find the best street food. So, grab a pocket fan and put on some sneakers because finding the top must-eat dishes in Ho Chi Minh City is the ultimate walking food tour.

🚶🏻‍♀️Crossing the street in Ho Chi Minh City is an art form. The first couple of times you do it, you are going to be scared sh*tless. But, as with everything, practice makes perfect. The key to crossing the chaotic streets in Saigon is confidence and strong eye contact with the oncoming drivers (cars and mainly scooters). 🛵 If you wait for scooters to willingly stop for you to cross the street, you will never get anywhere. Furthermore, if you hesitate or stop in the middle, you are most likely to get hit by a scooter. Still hesitant? Seize the opportunity of closely following a local who is crossing the street at the same time as you. Strength in numbers!

Taxi

When attempting to cover as much ground as possible, the second best way to travel around Ho Chi Minh City (for food) is by taxi. Taxis are everywhere in the city, which means you don’t have to ever wait long for a ride. Other than the near instant service, taxis in Ho Chi Minh City are really cheap. Taxis are not seen as a luxury but instead, a necessity for transportation. For an affordable €1 – €2 ride, you can save yourself a few steps and quickly get from one food stall to the next.

Tips for Using a Taxi in Ho Chi Minh City

• The best place to find a taxi is in front of a hotel. The bigger or nicer the hotel, the better. This means the taxis will be from reputable companies and you’re more likely to avoid any scams.
• Grab is the equivalent of Uber in Vietnam. You can hail a Grab taxi from the mobile app and pay online if you don’t feel like dealing with finding a taxi in person.
• Try to look for Mai Linh Taxi and Vinasun taxi brands on the side of cars. These are the most well-rated and favored taxi companies for tourists in Ho Chi Minh City.
• Have cash on you if you’re riding with a traditional taxi.

⚠️ Although you may see scooters and bicycles all over the city, do not rent one unless you are an experienced rider. Just because you have experience with riding a bicycle or scooter in your own city, doesn’t necessarily mean you will succeed in Saigon. Particularly if you are visiting Vietnam for the first time, riding a rental scooter can be really dangerous and should not be your first choice of transportation during your must-eat food tour of Ho Chi Minh City.

How to Reach Ho Chi Minh City From the Airport

Before you get to enjoy Ho Chi Minh City’s “must eat” bites, you must first think about flying into Vietnam and getting into the city centre. The city’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport is very centrally located in comparison to other major cities. Although the physical distances throughout the metropolis are short, the commutes can be long due to congestion in the streets and a lot of traffic. To get from the international airport to District 1 in Ho Chi Minh City, expect a 30 – 45 minute drive.

Hotel Shuttle

For people who are visiting Vietnam for the first time, there are two recommended ways to get from the airport to the city. First, attempt to arrange a pickup by the hotel you are staying in. This will depend on if your accommodation offers this service, but if you find a hotel which does include an airport shuttle, it’s a reason alone to book that specific hotel. Unquestionably, this is the least stressful method of getting to Ho Chi Minh City from the airport without having to figure much out for yourself.

Private Transfer

Booking a taxi or private transfer ahead of time will alleviate the worry about having to find an ad hoc ride at the airport. There are many services available such as GetTransfer, Kiwitaxi or even Booking.com that allows you to schedule a pickup from the airport ahead of time. This accomplishes two major things for peace of mind – creating a convenient online reservation and clear upfront pricing.

Finding a Taxi at the Airport

Finding a taxi once you’re about to exit the airport is undoubtedly the cheapest option. However, you must be able to recognize what is a fair deal and when you are overpaying. Unless you consider yourself a seasoned traveler or are with someone who is or speaks Vietnamese, hailing a taxi at the airport doesn’t guarantee the best experience. Traveling by taxi throughout Ho Chi Minh City is another story but when it comes to picking up tourists at the airport, it’s not uncommon to get taken advantage of as a foreigner.

Where to Stay in Ho Chi Minh City

Best Luxury on a Budget Hotel

Orchids Saigon Hotel

Best District 1 Location

Leiden Homestay&Cafe

Best Trendy Hotel

Triple E Hotel Fine Art Museum

Best Rooftop Pool

Au Lac Charner Hotel

Best Affordable Boutique Hotel

Little Saigon Boutique Hotel

🔧 Discover our best travel tools to take advantage of while planning your trip to Ho Chi Minh City. Check out recommendations on eSIM cards, travel insurance, accommodation and cheap flights!

Final Thoughts on Must Eat Foods in Ho Chi Minh City

• Don’t be afraid of trying street food because these dishes are often the pinnacle of Vietnamese cuisine. If you are only eating in sit-down restaurants while visiting Ho Chi Minh City, you’re not doing the cuisine any justice or allowing yourself an authentic experience.
• Still feeling hesitant about the unknown that comes with eating street food? Do the sensible thing and protect yourself from unforeseen incidents with travel insurance.
• If you have limited time and space in your belly, do not eat pho. Choose to eat original dishes that Saigon is more known for.
• Aside from walking, taxis are the easiest way to get across the city from one food spot to the next. Taxi rides are very affordable in Vietnam and not seen as a luxury method of transportation.
• Book a food tour with a local guide. This is the easiest and most efficient way to have a full-blown street food experience in Ho Chi Minh City without any worry.
• Start your trip to Ho Chi Minh City on the right foot and don’t get scammed by a taxi at the airport. Use a reputable taxi company, the Grab app or book a private transfer.

Ho Chi Minh City Food Tour Resources

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Where to eat in Ho Chi Minh city HCMC?

Location: Unit 28 No 6 Cach Mang Thang Tam Street Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City 70000 Vietnam With food so good that you have to do a scavenger hunt to find the restaurant, the Secret Garden is, without doubt, one of the best restaurants in HCMC.

How many Vietnamese restaurants are in Ho Chi Minh city?

This Vietnamese food guide of 25 restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City is a big improvement from our previous version of ten. I’m proud of it but to be honest, we’re only just beginning to scratch the surface of all the tasty things Ho Chi Minh City has to offer. There is so much good food in Saigon that two trips isn’t enough to do it justice.

What are the best restaurants in Saigon?

Run by world-renowned chef Peter Cuong Franklin, the Anan Saigon is also one of the best restaurants in Saigon. Anan means “eat eat”, which is something you won’t be able to stop doing when you’re there. Anan, Ho Chi Minh city is a multi award winning restaurant was included in the prestigious Asia’s best 50 restaurants of 2022 list.

Is Ho Chi Minh city a good place to eat Vietnamese?

Photo by Lucas Hoang on Unsplash Vietnamese dishes in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) stand out, not only because they’re delicious but also because of the variety - just like the people who live here. Therefore, the culinary experience in Ho Chi Minh City is nothing short of a buffet, as you can find all the best Vietnamese dishes here.

What food is famous in Ho Chi Minh?

Ho Chi Minh City Street Food.

Snails. Source: Internet ... .

Banh mi. Next to pho, banh mi is perhaps the best-known Vietnamese dish. ... .

Com Tam. Com Tam is perhaps the most essential Saigonese dish, a city staple found on nearly every street. ... .

Hu tieu. Source: Internet ... .

Ho Thi Ky Street. ... .

Alley 76 Hai Ba Trung. ... .

Bui Vien. ... .

Quince Saigon..

What are the top 5 foods in Vietnam?

Best Food in Vietnam: 14 Famous Dishes to Try.

Pho. The comforting noodle soup of pho is known around the world as one of the best Vietnamese dishes. ... .

Banh mi. Another Vietnamese staple enjoyed around the world, banh mi is the country's famous sandwich. ... .

Goi cuon. ... .

Banh xeo. ... .

Mi quang. ... .

Cha ca. ... .

Cao lau. ... .

Bo kho..

What is the national dish of Saigon?

Phở is the quintessential Vietnamese dish, the word phở referring to the type of noodle used in the recipe. Flat rice noodles dance around with medium-rare slivers of beef or boiled chicken in a hearty beef stock.

What is special in Ho Chi Minh?

Top things to do in Ho Chi Minh City.

See the top landmarks. Walk down Đồng Khởi street to acquaint yourself with the Notre Dame Cathedral, the city's Central Post Office, and the Saigon Opera House. ... .

Shop small boutiques. ... .

Explore the Chinese Quarter. ... .

Hop on a motorcycle. ... .

Eat street food..