Vietnam Food Guide: 15 Must-Try Dishes That Define Local Culture

The noodle soups

1. Pho

Vietnam’s undisputed national dish. It features delicate flat rice noodles submerged in a crystal-clear, intensely aromatic broth that has been simmered for over 10 hours with beef marrow bones, charred ginger, star anise, cinnamon, and black cardamom.

Must-try:

• Pho Thin Bo Ho (19 Hang Voi, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi)
• Pho Le (415 Nguyen Trai, District 5)

Price: 50,000 – 90,000 VND ($2.00 – $3.60 USD) per bowl.

2. Bun Cha

An incredible explosion of smoky and savory flavors that famously blew President Obama’s mind. The genius of this dish lies in the charcoal-grilled pork patties resting in a warm, tangy, sweet-and-sour fish sauce broth.

Must-try: Bun Cha Huong Lien (24 Le Van Huu, Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi)

Price: 55,000 – 70,000 VND ($2.20 – $2.80 USD) per portion.

3. Bun Bo Hue

This is the royal crown jewel of Central Vietnamese cuisine. The broth is a spectacular creation, brilliantly infusing lemongrass and rich shrimp paste for a deep, complex flavor. Combined with thick, chewy noodles and tender beef shank, it is an unforgettable, full-bodied experience.

Must-try:

• Bun Bo Me Keo (20 Bach Dang, Hue City)
• Bun Bo Hue O Be (77 Nguyen Hue, Phu Nhuan Ward, Hue City)

Price: 40,000 – 60,000 VND ($1.60 – $2.40 USD) per bowl.

4. Hu Tieu Nam Vang

A glorious, decadent celebration of Saigon’s multicultural street scene. What makes it phenomenal is the intense pork-bone broth elevated by dried squid, poured over perfectly chewy tapioca noodles. Topped with rich roasted garlic oil, quail eggs, and fresh shrimp, every single bite is incredibly savory and satisfying.

Must-try: Hu Tieu Nhan Quan (122D Tran Dinh Xu, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City)

Price: 65,000 – 85,000 VND ($2.60 – $3.40 USD) per bowl.

5. Banh Da Cua

The legendary signature dish of the port city of Haiphong that offers a coastal northern triumph with a texture and color you cannot find anywhere else. The wide, flat, reddish-brown noodles have a fantastic bite, swimming in a wonderfully rich, velvet broth made from fresh freshwater crab roe.

Must-try: Banh Da Cua Ba Cu (179 Cau Dat, Ngo Quyen District, Haiphong)

Price: 45,000 – 60,000 VND ($1.80 – $2.40 USD) per bowl.

Banh Da Cua (specialties of Hai Phong)

Street food

6. Banh Mi

Globally recognized as quite MCF the greatest sandwich on earth, with iconic variations across Saigon, Hoi An, and Hanoi. It is a flawless architectural marvel of food: an ultra-crispy, feather-light baguette smeared with rich, savory pork liver pate and house mayonnaise, then packed with a vibrant, contrasting crunch of pickled daikon, cucumbers, and fresh cilantro.

Must-try:

• Hoi An Style: Banh Mi Phuong (2B Phan Chu Trinh, Hoi An)
• Saigon Style: Banh Mi Huynh Hoa (26 Le Thi Rieng, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City)

Price: 25,000 – 65,000 VND ($1.40 – $2.60 USD) per loaf.

7. Com Tam

The cultural emblem and absolute daily staple of Saigon. It uses fractured rice grains that absorb a phenomenal sweet-savory glaze from a giant, charcoal-grilled lemongrass pork chop. Combined with a fluffy egg meatloaf and sticky, caramelized chili fish sauce, it is a magnificent, smoky masterpiece.

Must-try: Com Tam Ba Ghien (84 Dang Van Ngu, Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City)

Price: 70,000 – 110,000 VND ($2.80 – $4.40 USD) per plate.

8. Pho Cuon

Instead of a hot soup, tender garlic-fried beef and crisp lettuce are tightly rolled inside smooth, silky sheets of fresh rice noodles. Dipped into a vibrant garlic-chili sauce, it is clean, light, and wonderfully aromatic.

Must-try:

• Pho cuon Huong Mai (25 Ngu Xa, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi)
• Pho cuon Hung Ben (118 Tran Vu, Truc Bach, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi)
• Pho cuon Chinh Thang ( 7 Mac Dinh Chi, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi)

Price: 60,000 – 80,000 VND ($2.40 – $3.20 USD) per platter of 10 rolls.

9. Banh Xeo

Famous across the Mekong Delta and Central Provinces, this dramatic, golden-crisp crepe delivers a phenomenal crunch with every bite. Infused with aromatic turmeric and coconut milk, the batter is fried to a beautiful crisp and stuffed with juicy shrimp and pork belly.

Must-try: Banh Xeo Muoi Xiem (204 Nguyen Trai, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City)

Price: 30,000 – 60,000 ($1.20 – $2.40 USD) VND per crepe.

10. Goi Cuon

A healthy, vibrant classic born in Saigon and Southern Vietnam that acts as the ultimate guilt-free street snack. Translucent, delicate rice paper tightly wraps around beautiful pink prawns, pork belly, and fresh chives. Dunked into a rich, velvety, slow-cooked peanut sauce, it is a flawless balance of fresh and savory notes.

Must-try: Goi Cuon Hem 359 (359 Le Van Sy, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City)

Price: 8,000 – 12,000 VND ($0.32 – $0.48 USD) per individual roll.

Local specialties

11. Cha Ca La Vong

A centennial culinary heritage belonging strictly to Hanoi that offers a legendary, theatrical dining experience. Eaten over rice noodles with a drop of bold fermented shrimp paste, it is an extraordinary flavor explosion.

Must-try: Cha Ca La Vong Original (14 Cha Ca, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi)

Price: 180,000 – 220,000 VND ($7.20 – $8.80 USD) per person.

12. Cao Lau

A deeply historic specialty exclusive to Hoi An in Quang Nam Province. The thick, smoky noodles have a spectacular, unique texture because they are prepared using ash water from a secret ancient local well. Topped with five-spice pork and super crunchy rice-cracker croutons, it is a bite of living old-world history.

Must-try: Cao Lau Thanh (26 Thai Phien, Hoi An)

Price: 35,000 – 50,000 VND ($1.40 – $2.00 USD) per bowl.

13. Banh Trang Tron

The undisputed, wildly addictive king of contemporary Saigon street culture. Strips of dry rice paper are violently tossed with savory chili oil, sour green mango, quail eggs, jerky, and tangy calamansi juice.

Must-try:

• Banh trang tron Chu Vien (38 Nguyen Thuong Hien, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City)
• Banh trang tron Sai Gon Kim Ngan ( 86 Da Tuong, District 8, Ho Chi Minh City)

Price: 25,000 – 40,000 VND ($1.00 – $1.60 USD) per bag.

14. Nem Chua Ran

The beloved youth snack culture of Hanoi’s old quarter. These little logs of fermented pork and shredded pork skin are rolled in panko crumbs and fried to a magnificent golden crunch.

Must-try: Ngo Tam Thuong (Tam Thuong Alley, Hang Bong Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi)

Price: 6,000 – 8,000 VND ($0.24 – $0.32 USD) per piece.

---

The legendary drinks

15. Egg Coffee

A traditional specialty coffee that is an absolute must-try and a proud symbol of Vietnamese culinary ingenuity. It features a velvety, whipped egg yolk custard that sits like a rich liquid tiramisu over intense, dark Robusta espresso

Must-try: Cafe Giang (39 Nguyen Huu Huan, Hoan Kiem District)

Price: 30,000 – 45,000 VND ($1.20 – $1.80 USD) per glass.

Hopefully, these suggestions will help you create the perfect journey to explore Vietnam, discovering its vibrant culture, incredible food, beautiful landscapes, and unforgettable experiences along the way.

Frequently Asked Questions