(Last Updated on Apr 2, 2024)

If there is one and only one reason to go to Vietnam – it would be the VIETNAMESE FOOD! With a variety of dishes as you move from the north to the south, Vietnam is definitely a foodie’s paradise. You would have got an idea of how much we loved the food in Hanoi, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City in our other blogs with our detailed city itineraries. If you only want to know what the best foods of Vietnam are and where you can find them, you are at the right place! Without further ado, let’s begin!

Pho: No Vietnamese food journey is complete without Pho! Rice noodles served with beef (sometimes chicken), herbs and delicious broth, it can be had as breakfast, lunch or (and) dinner. We had many versions of Pho – the ones we liked most were differentiated by the depth of flavour in the broth. The best bowl of Pho we had was in Hanoi at Pho Gia Truyen at 49, Bat Dan. This place is forever crowded, so make sure you reach there early in the morning (before 8am). We had to try twice before we got a seat!

We also had some really good Pho at Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su.

We also had some really good Pho at Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su.

Bun Bo Nam Bo: Bun Bo Nam Bo is beef noodle salad. At first glance, it looks like a dry salad, but hidden below the delicious surface is an even yummier broth in the depths of the bowl. We had the one at 67 Hang Dieu – it was so delicious that we ordered an extra bowl and cleaned it up. The beef was tender and melt-in-the-mouth, the broth was delicious, and the herbs and noodles made it a nice round meal. We also tried one each of all the items on the menu (about 6 other items) – most of which were really good too. Highly recommend!

In HCMC, we had it at Bun Bo Nam Bo Ba Ba – it was really good, but once you have been to Hanoi, your standards are set really high! We also had a version of it at Vo Roof Garden in HCMC – we absolutely loved the ambiance, service and view from this restaurant – it is right next to the crazy building on Nguyen Hue Boulevard.

Banh Mi: Another iconic Vietnamese food, the Banh Mi is a baguette stuffed with meat, eggs, veggies or anything you like. While we had some amazing Banh Mis, we also had some really bad Banh Mi during our trip (one of which left me sweating and nauseous for half a day). Here are some options where you won’t go wrong with your Banh Mi:

Banh Mi 25, Han Ca, Hanoi: This is a café like setting serving up some tasty Banh Mi – try out the beef and cheese one.

Banh Mi Phuong, Hoi An: The one you will find in every travel blog and suggestion – it was good but not worth the hype. Time your visit before the day trip crowds reach Hoi An so that you don’t have to stand in a long line.

Madam Khanh – The Banh Mi Queen, Hoi An: Yes, you read that right! Of the two famous Banh Mi places in Hoi An, we liked this one better. This one ranks slightly above the one we had in Hanoi.

Banh Mi Hong Hoa, 54 Nguyễn Văn Tráng, HCMC: The best out of the three Banh Mi places we tried in HCMC. This is slightly away from the city centre, so you can always order on Grab.

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Xoi Xeo: Sticky rice with turmeric and a variety of toppings – we loved the ones with pork floss, chicken and fried shallots! This is a good option when you are on-the-go as it doesn’t have any broth or sauce (like most other dishes). We had some really good variety at Xoi Yen (35b Nguyen Huu Huan) in Hanoi. We also found a lady selling it on Hang Hom street in front of 44, Hang Hom. She sits in front of a shop early in the morning and sells out everything before it opens (be there before 8am). It was one of the simplest meals we had in the whole trip – turmeric rice topped with fried onions and pork floss – nothing fancy. We are not exaggerating when we say that it was one of the most satisfying comfort foods we had in the trip! Vietnamese food is really at a different level!

Egg Coffee: We had egg coffee at the famous Giang café on Nguyen Huu Huan (close to Xoi Yen). Now, we know there is a lot of debate around who serves the best egg coffee – without getting into that, we can assure you that the one served here is lip-smacking good! We ended up going here thrice in 2 days!

Bun Cha: It’s made of chargrilled pork balls served with spring rolls, vermicelli noodles and salad. The one of 74 Hang Quat, Hanoi is famous and that’s where we headed. It is more of a narrow alleyway than anything else, with people sitting all along both sides waiting for their bowl. It was good but we are not big fans of the extra char on the meat.

Mi Quang: A noodle dish with prawns, pork, quail eggs and rice crackers – this is simply a bowl of goodness! The best of this we had was at Mi Quang Ong Hai (6A, Truong Minh Luong, Hoi An). We were wandering about at night battered by heavy rain when we walked in here. The lady of the house was watching an Indian series dubbed in Vietnamese (Chanakya). She walked in and brought us piping hot bowls of Mi Quang and Cau Lau. It was tasty and homely and exactly what we needed!

Cau Lau: A noodle dish with pork, broth, crispy noodle squares and crackers. Try this out if you visit Mi Quang Ong Hai (6A, Truong Minh Luong, Hoi An). Rain + Cool Breeze + Hot bowl of Cau Lau = bliss!

Che: One thing that has been missed so far in the Vietnamese food is dessert! The most popular one is different forms of Che – it typically has jellies, fruits, beans, coconut cream or milk, tapioca and some syrups. Sadly, it didn’t float our boat as it felt like a watered-down version of a kheer/payasam.

There are other foods which we liked but did not feature above in detail like the Banh Xeo (pancakes), Com Ga (chicken rice), Vietnamese coffee (black coffee with condensed milk) and spring rolls – do check them out if you have time and space in your stomach.

You will find many other hole-in-the-wall places with people sitting out on the road on tiny stools with bowls in hand. Some of these may not go easy on your stomach – so check out reviews before you go and take a seat (we had a few bad experiences, hence the warning).

We have visited about 20 countries together and this was the most food-crazy yet! One big reason why we want to go back to Vietnam.

You can check out our other Vietnam blogs here to plan your perfect trip:

• Vietnam Voyage – Planning a perfect trip to Vietnam (with Itinerary)
• A Weekend in Hanoi – the capital of Vietnam
• Excursion to Ha Long Bay – beautiful and surreal limestone karsts out in the sea
• The Magical Town of Hoi An – a dreamy old town in central Vietnam
• Ho Chi Minh City – financial capital in South Vietnam
• Day Trips from Ho Chi Minh City – visits to the Cu Chi tunnels and Mekong Delta
• Getting around Vietnam – Travel and Where to Stay – tips on how to plan your travel
• Fantastic Vietnamese Food and Where to Find Them – the ultimate food blog!

Hope this helps you plan your trip better – do let us know in the comments below. If you like our blog, do share it on your social pages – the more the merrier! Don’t forget to subscribe and share your love in the comments.