Short Guide to Eating in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City, or Saigon, as the locals still call the largest city in Southern Vietnam, for me, is like a playground for my stomach. It easily checks the list of my favorite foods.

Coffee, beef, bread, and more coffee. Saigon has got it all.

If those are your favorites too, then we’ve got a lot in common. So read on, dear comrade, for some of the must eats in Saigon!

Try Cơm Tấm

Cơm tấm restaurant’s signature dish is broken rice. That’s what Cơm Tấm means. Back then, broken grains of rice were what poor Vietnamese could afford.

It was what farmers ate, shared with friends and family, along with whatever proteins and vegetables they had.

Today, a Cơm tấm meal can be a lavish spread of delicious Vietnamese dishes, featuring a variety of seafood, meats, and fresh vegetables. All on one plate.

Or it could be as simple as grilled pork chops (Sườn Nướng) with egg and pork meatloaf (Chả Trứng Hấp) with shredded pork skin (Bi Heo).

Usually served with thin strips of pickled carrots and radish. And a drizzle of scallion oil to complete the meal.

It’s Vietnam’s take on Southeast Asia’s economy rice. Feeding the working class at an affordable price.

Depending on the location, a Cơm tấm plate costs between 40,000 VND and 90,000 VND, featuring grilled pork chop, egg pork meatloaf, shredded pork skin, and a fried egg.

Bánh Mì, Vietnam’s Iconic Sandwich

After nearly a century of French rule in Vietnam, the humble baguette remains one of the many influences integrated into Vietnamese cuisine.

And where there’s French bread in Saigon, there’s also paté. Combined with all types of pork cold cuts, shredded pork floss, sweet creamy mayonnaise, and seasoning sauces.

Topped with pickled carrots and radish, cucumbers, and cilantro. With slices of chopped chili for some heat on request.

There are many different types of Bánh Mì, ranging from grilled beef to crispy pork belly. Of course, you can find vegetarian Bánh Mì too.

And it’s so affordable. A small basic Bánh Mì with paté and cold cuts on the streets of Saigon costs around $1 USD.

If you’re a big eater, you can find Bánh Mì restaurants selling $4 cold cut stuffed sandwiches so big you wouldn’t have to eat for the entire day.

Be sure to put Bánh Mì in Ho Chi Minh City on your to eat list.

Wally Recommends

• Bánh mì Huynh Hoa (cold cuts)
• Bánh Mì Heo Quay Trần Đình Xu (roast pork)

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Pho Bo

I grew up eating Pho in NYC’s Vietnamese restaurants. Ironically, that’s where I fell in love with Pho. I’ve had Pho with beef all over HCMC.

I know it’s not fair to say this. But I prefer NYC Vietnamese Pho over Vietnam in general.

Until I tried this restaurant called Phở Hòa Pasteur, and my mind (and taste buds) were blown.

I ordered a big bowl, which cost 105,000 VND. The broth was filled with bold beefy flavors. With generous portions of brisket, tripe, tendons, flank steak, and some ground beef.

If you prefer chicken, you can order that instead.

I’m sure there are many amazing pho restaurants all over HCMC. Even fancy restaurants are doing imported wagyu pho with beef marrow and truffles. To me, that’s not Pho.

I recommend going for traditional Pho Bo here, especially if it’s your first trip to HCMC, Vietnam!

Wally Recommends

• Phở Hòa Pasteur

Bò Kho

I love eating beef. I live in Bangkok now, and you can’t find beef dishes as easily as you can in Saigon.

One of my favorite foods is stew. Especially when there’s slow cooked beef in it like Bò Kho. And yeah, throw in nice fresh crusty French bread to mop up the stew. To die for, I tell ya.

There’s also an option for rice or noodles, but I always go for the bread. And the prices are reasonable, usually around 100,000 VND for a good portion of Bò Kho.

There are many restaurants you can Google search for Bò Kho in HCMC. Most you can’t go wrong. I came across a restaurant where I think serves a decent bowl of delicious Bò Kho near a hotel I was staying in District 4.

Bò né

If you’re reading this, you’re probably saying, “Wally, you should eat a salad. And Greek yogurt.”

And you are absolutely right.

I’m also absolutely right about Bò né, too. Honestly, the portions aren’t huge. But it’s enough to fill you up and get you going through the day. I mean, check out the local Vietnamese population.

They don’t seem to have an obesity problem.

Anyway, back to Bò né. Strips of flank steak, heavily seasoned and cooked with a lot of heat, along with onions, fried egg, and a heap of paté. Of course, there’s a small loaf of French bread too.

I ain’t gonna lie. Bò né is a greasy meal. Really, really greasy.

Apparently, this is what locals eat for breakfast. Vietnam is my kind of country.

Bò né restaurants are everywhere in Ho Chi Minh City. You can’t go wrong if you see one with a lot of locals inside. A must try on your first visit to Vietnam!

Bò Né Bà Nũi is an easy restaurant to find and try this dish. It gets busy during breakfast and lunch. So expect a wait if you’re coming in as a group.

Vietnamese Coffee

Strong Vietnamese coffee to start the day, to me, is a privilege. The country is the second largest coffee exporter in the world. Vietnam is mostly known for robusta beans.

To me, it’s rocket fuel. I don’t take sugar with my coffee outside of Vietnam. In Vietnam, I make it an exception.

The Vietnamese take café culture to a whole different level. There’s even an entire building called the Café Apartment located on Nguyen Hue Walking Street.

You’ve probably come across it on TikTok for the many trendy cafés crammed inside a 9 story building.

My favorite way to take in Vietnamese coffee is slow drip. Then iced and mixed with sweetened condensed milk.

It’s like drinking rocket fuel with an extra tank of gasoline. But in a good way.