Vietnam is a dream destination for food lovers. From sizzling street-side snacks to fragrant noodle soups, the country’s cuisine is fresh, vibrant and full of regional variety. My husband and I love Vietnam and have spent months exploring the country, sampling local specialities and falling in love with the cuisine. In this post, we’ve rounded up twelve of the best Vietnamese dishes to try – plus the best spots to eat them.
Warning: The post will make you hungry!
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Phở
To begin this Vietnam food guide, we have to start with Phở, the country’s most iconic dish. This hearty and comforting bowl of goodness comprises of rice noodles, a flavourful broth, meat such as beef (bo) or chicken (gà), greens, and a selection of herbs. It is often served with a side order of Quẩy, a deep-fried dough stick.
It’s a great dish for first-time visitors because you can customize it to how you like it, adding garlic, chilli, vinegar or lime, or just having it as it’s served. Traditionally a breakfast dish, Phở is so irresistible it has become an ‘all day dish’, with people eating on almost every street corner throughout the day.
Phở Chiên Phồng
Was there a part of you that thought Phở might be too healthy? Well, say hello to Phở Chiên Phồng! This indulgent little dish from Hanoi is basically a broth-less, deep fried version of Phở. The noodles are not cut into the usual strips, but into squares and fried until they puff up into a light and crispy little cushion (I wish my cushions were deep-fried…). I’d not heard of this until I arrived in Vietnam, but I’m glad I did as you can’t have enough deep-fried food.
Where to try Phở Chiên Phồng
If you are in Hanoi and want to try this dish then head to the small island in the Trúc Bạch district. There are whole streets full of restaurants here specialising in Phở Chiên Phồng, including Phở cuốn Hương Mai and Phở Cuốn Chinh Thắng.
Bánh Xèo
Bánh Xèo, literally translated as “sizzling pancake”, are made from rice batter mixed with turmeric, which is poured into a small cast iron pan and fried until lovely and crisp. They are then filled with little shrimp, slithers of pork and juicy bean sprouts before being folded over. They are brought to you alongside a basket of herbs and salad (one of the best things about Vietnamese cuisine – so many healthy greens!), meat skewers (nem), rice paper, some vegetable slices, a tangy and sour fish sauce dip and some…scissors?
First, grab a piece of rice paper, add your vegetables and herbs and cut as big a slice of Bánh Xèo that you can fit in. Very carefully roll that bad boy up, dunk it in the sauce and enjoy. They are fun to eat and incredibly tasty. One of our favourite things to eat in Vietnam, I even made one on a cooking course!
Where to try Bánh Xèo
Bánh Xèo can be found throughout Vietnam, although it is mostly a central and southern speciality. If you are in Ho Chi Minh City and want to try then head to Bánh khọt Cô Ba Vũng Tàu. This slightly more ‘upmarket’ restaurant specialises in both Bánh Xèo and Bánh khọt, which are also delicious. Just be aware, the portions are really large here!
Bánh Mì
Probably just behind Phở in terms of global recognition, Bánh mì are some of the best sandwiches you will ever have. Although Bánh mì technically just means “bread”, these sandwiches typically consists of a crispy, airy baguette stuffed with all manner of delicious fillings. These vary from vendor to vendor, but typically include roast pork or cold cuts, paté, pickled vegetables like carrot and cucumber, coriander, and tasty sauces. Bánh mì are traditionally a breakfast food, but they can be found throughout the day and night.
Where to try Bánh mì
Bánh mì can be found everywhere in Vietnam, but some of the best places to try to them are in Hồ Chí Minh. One of my favourite spots there is Bánh Mì Huynh Hoa, which specialises in cold cut sandwiches. Here you will see shelves stacked high with slices of delicious meats, all waiting to be stuffed into a crispy baguette. These aren’t child-sized portions either. One will be generous enough for two people – or one greedy person. There is usually a pretty long queue here, but service is quick and the sandwich is so worth it.
Another great spot located just round the corner from Bánh Mì Huynh Hoa is Bánh Mì Hồng Hoa. I suggest opting for the roast pork option, which comes with succulent pork and crispy crackling for a satisfying crunch.
Bánh mì ốp la
If you’ve had your fill of Bánh mì sandwiches (is that even possible?), why not try Bánh mì ốp la, the deconstructed version? Crispy rolls come with a plate of sausage, pâté, meatballs (xíu mại) and a runny fried egg, all covered in a thick layer of tomato sauce. Just rip up the bread and dunk it into the yolky, meaty mess.
Where to try Bánh mì ốp la
One of the most famous places to try this dish is Bánh Mỳ Trâm in Hanoi. Here you can get the Bánh mì ốp la (pictured above) or a classic Bánh mì sandwich.
If you happen to be in Can Tho, I can wholeheartedly recommend Bánh bao – Xíu mại – Há cảo Viễn Hưng. This place is super local, meaning English isn’t widely spoken and you will definitely get stared at. But don’t let that bother you. Just ask for “one” and they will know what you want. Their Bánh mì ốp la is served in a sizzling hot pan, so be careful!
Bún Riêu
Now let’s move onto a comforting broth! Another of Vietnam’s deliciou dishes, Bún Riêu, can come in a few varieties such as with snails or fish. However, our favourite was Bún Riêu Cua. This variant has a tomato-based broth, with minced freshwater crab on top. Other ingredients are fried puffy tofu, fresh greens, and congealed pig blood cake(!)
Where to try Bún Riêu
A nice place to try this dish is Bún Riêu NHA in Hồ Chí Minh. Clean, comfortable and spacious with some nice wall paintings, Bún Riêu NHA serve up tasty bowls of Bún Riêu Cua amongst a few other dishes. You can also pay on card which is always a nice surprise.
Bún Bò Nam Bộ / Bún Bò Xào
From a dish with great crunch and texture, look no further than Bún Bò Nam Bộ. This light and flavourful meal is composed of grilled strips of beef marinated in lemongrass, garlic, and oyster sauce served on a bed of lettuce and herbs, rice noodles, beansprouts, and a generous heap of crushed peanuts. Mix it all together with a spicy nước chấm dressing for the full effect.
Where to try Bún Bò Nam Bộ
Try this excellent dish while in Hanoi at Bún Bò Nam Bộ Bách Phương. This simple eatery only has a few dishes on the menu, but every one is a banger! I love their wonton soup, dry noodles with pork and of course, their Bún Bò Nam Bộ.
Bún Chả
One of my all-time favourites – Bún chả, an irresistible northern Vietnamese dish which originated in Hanoi. It gained international recognition when the late, great Anthony Bourdain took then-President Barack Obama to a restaurant in Hanoi. The whole meal consists of grilled pork strips and pork patties, served in a bowl filled with a delicious sweet and sour fish sauce ‘broth’.
It also comes with a side of cold rice noodles, a hearty bowl of lettuce and herbs such as Thai basil, coriander and fish mint (watch out for that one! My husband couldn’t stand the taste). Do as the locals do and add the noodles and herbs to the broth to make a noodle soup.
Ốc
Snails are hugely popular in Vietnam, and not because of French colonialism. You will often see groups of friends sitting around tables, having beers, munching down bowl after bowl of these molluscs and enjoying the evening.
Most snail restaurants will offer a wide variety to choose from, such as periwinkle (Ốc Mõ) and Babylonia areolata (Ốc Hương). They are usually stir fried, grilled, or steamed, and served in mouthwatering sauces like chilli and lemongrass sauces or salted egg. You can also enjoy them in noodle dishes and porridge.
Where to try Ốc
One of my favourite places to have tried snails in Vietnam is Huong Lan Seafood in Hanoi. Located in the less touristy area east of the old quarter, Huong Lan has a great selection of fresh seafood on offer. You can get a number of snail dishes here, but the ones in chilli sauce are especially delicious. This lively and popular restaurant is also popular for whole crabs, razor clams and scallops.
Chả Cá Lã Vọng
Chả Cá Lã Vọng is another Hanoi speciality and was recently ranked among the best seafood dishes in the world according to TasteAtlas. The main ingredient is fish (usually catfish, cod or snakehead) spiced with turmeric, garlic and galangal. It is served at your table in a sizzling hot pan, amongst spring onions and dill (which I was surprised to find in Asian food).
The pan is placed on a burner so it keeps cooking, giving the fish a nice crispy finish. Sides include vermicelli noodles, peanuts, chilli, more herbs and spring onions and either fish sauce or fermented shrimp paste.
Bánh Cuốn
Light, delicate and fun to watch being prepared, Bánh Cuốn is made from sheets of steamed rice batter filled with pork, jicama, and mushrooms.
The batter is first spread out like a crêpe onto a stretched-out cloth, placed above boiling water. It is then covered with a large lid to steam the ingredients. The cook then uses a chopstick to carefully lift the delicate and slippery sheets, adds the fillings, rolls them up and sprinkles them with crispy shallots. It is usually served with Chả lụa (a type of pork sausage that has a slight cinnamon taste) and a fish sauce dip.
Vietnamese coffee
OK, it’s not technically food, but no trip to Vietnam would be complete without sampling some coffee. Especially as one of the best things about this country is the café culture. Some of the most popular varieties are:
- Cà Phê Đen: strong black coffee
- Cà Phê Sữa: with condensed milk
- Cà Phê Sữa Đá: iced
I love Vietnamese coffee so much I’ve dedicated a whole blog post to the six types you must try while you’re in Vietnam. Check out Your Ultimate Guide to Vietnamese Coffee: 6 Unique Drinks to Try
So that’s it, folks! Eleven absolutely delicious dishes – and one moreish drink – that you have to try when you are in Vietnam. If you have any other favourite dishes or restaurants that I haven’t mentioned, please share them in the comments below.
Ready to plan your trip? Check out my blog posts all about Vietnam to get you started, with dedicated travel guides to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City – and much more!
Ciao for now
Izzie, the Curious Sparrow
Oh how I love Pho….I’d love to try the real thing in Vietnam one day!
It’s so good, especially as you can customise it to make it as spicy as you like. Thanks for reading!
This post made me hungry! Vietnamese food is so good, I want to go back and try more.
Same! I am really missing Vietnamese food right now. Thanks for checking out the post 🙂
You’re making me miss Vietnam. I loved the food, way more than I thought I would. Especially as a vegetarian. I enjoyed the Bun Cha most, it was so good. Also love how most food comes with a little plate of herbs I’ve never heard of but we’re all so good
Agreed! The food in Vietnam is so tasty and fresh and I love how much the Vietnamese use vegetables and herbs to add flavour. Were you able to find many vegetarian alternatives to traditional Vietnamese dishes?