“Street food, I believe, is the salvation of the human race,” said the late Anthony Bourdain, a celebrity chef and travel documentarian who had a strong affinity for Vietnam (and hyperbole). Does that make Ho Chi Minh City one of humanity’s great saviours?
Despite a flourishing fine dining scene, street food still dominates Vietnam’s biggest city. It’s cliched to say that there are an uncountable number of eateries in a place, but in Ho Chi Minh City this is actually true. There is no way of knowing how many tens of thousands of street stalls and shophouse restaurants there are in this chaotic megacity of 24 districts and 10 million inhabitants.
So with just two days to sample the street food, where to even start? Perhaps in District 1, the (comparably) peaceful eye of the urban storm. Here you’ll find broad boulevards, tropical parks and plenty of sites, museums and activities to keep you busy between meals. Find your base at The Myst Dong Khoi, a modern high-rise design hotel, or nearby Park Hyatt Saigon, an opulent colonial-style retreat in the centre of town. From here, with the Saigon River to the east, street food and family-owned eateries fan out to the west.
Address book:
- The Myst Hong Khoi: 6-10 Ho Huan Nghiep, Ben Nghe, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
- Park Hyatt Saigon: 2 Cong Truong Lam Son, Ben Nghe, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Day 1: District 1
Morning
Forgo the buffet and head out to break the fast like a local with a steaming bowl of pho at Pho Minh, a MICHELIN Guide 2024 Bib Gourmand restaurant that’s tucked down an alley just a few streets away from The Myst and Park Hyatt. The classic lettering gives away the establishment’s history, which has existed in some form or another for almost 80 years. Choose between various beef cuts depending on the day, but remember to also order a pâté chaud on the side. This pâté-filled pastry is only available in classic Saigonese noodle soup joints and it’s a little-known specialty of the city. Pho Minh is only open for breakfast and it closes for the day when they run out (usually around 10 AM but sometimes earlier) so get there as early as you can.
Lunch
This neighbourhood just to the north is packed with things to see and do, including the Museum of Ho Chi Minh City, Nguyen Hue Walking Street, Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral and Saigon Post Office.Once you’ve worked up an appetite, head to Xôi Gà Number One near Ben Thanh Market. ‘Xoi’ is sticky rich in Vietnamese, and this little eatery offers two versions: sticky rice with chicken and sticky rice with sweet corn. Start with the former and finish off with the latter as a sweet treat. Then walk off the meal with a stroll around the market before settling into one of the nearby cafes for a ca phe sua da (Vietnamese iced coffee with condensed milk). If you have a penchant for art and heritage architecture, consider ambling a few streets south to visit the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Art before dinner.
Dinner
Not strictly street food, but nearby Bếp Mẹ ỉn (Le Thanh Ton Street), a MICHELIN Guide 2024 Bib Gourmand hole-in-the-wall eatery, nevertheless serves up an array of Saigonese street dishes at pocket-friendly prices. The signature here is banh xeo, a deep-fried pancake with shrimp, pork and beansprouts. Order with any number of other dishes, including stir-fried morning glory, stewed chicken and fragrant white rice.Address book:
- Pho Minh: 63/6 Pasteur, Ben Nghe, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
- Xoi Ga Number One: 15 Nguyen Trung Truc, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
- Bep Me In (Le Thanh Ton): 136 Le Thanh Ton, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Day 2: District 3
Morning
Today you can venture a little further and head into District 3, ideally by taxi if staying in District 1. Yesterday you tried beef pho, so today you can sample the white meat alternative: chicken pho. Phở Miến Gà Kỳ Đồng serves the dish from early in the morning until late in the evening, but for something a little different you can also switch out the pho noodles for glass noodles (mien), egg noodles (mi), vermicelli rice noodles (bun), clear rice noodles (hu tieu) or forgo the carbs and opt for chicken salad (goi ga) instead. This is one of the few street food joints in Vietnam that offers the full pantheon of major Vietnamese noodle types.
Now you’re in the heart of District 3, you can meander along the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe Canal or visit the pretty-in-pink Tan Dinh Church and nearby Le Van Tam Park.
Still not full? Why not take a 10-minute ride for a second breakfast with a true Saigonese meal that will surely fill your tummy (and soul)? Head to Cơm Tấm Ba Ghiền, the only com tam eatery and a 2024 Bib Gourmand establishment, known for its steamed broken rice topped with a chunky pork chop marinated in a secret sauce and perfectly grilled over charcoal, along with pickled radish and sweet and sour fish sauce.
Lunch
Across on the other side of District 3 is Cô Liêng, a cosy shophouse eatery that’s been around since 1995 and offers a break from slurping up noodle soup. The main draw here is the various types of rolls, chief among them minced beef wrapped in betel leaves (bo la lot). You can also tuck into grilled pork, deep-fried spring rolls and, for something a little different, boiled pig ear.Dinner
District 3 is arguably Ho Chi Minh City’s trendiest neighbourhood. Get lost in the tight alleyways encircling Cô Liêng and keep your eyes peeled for a hip coffee shop or juice bar. When ready for dinner, head to Hồng Phát (District 3) which specialises in Hu Tieu Nam Vang, a noodle dish that has its origins in China, evolved in Cambodia and then made its way to Vietnam during the turbulent 1970s. Hu tieu (clear rice noodles with minced pork, tiger prawns and other goodies) is the speciality of this family-owned eatery, which began as a tiny street kitchen but is now a smart shophouse restaurant. If you’re all noodled out, there’s a hearty selection of tasty fried rice dishes. Hồng Phát also serves side plates of pâté chaud, the same pastry from yesterday’s breakfast, so if you missed it then this restaurant gives you a second chance to try it.Address book:
- Pho Mien Ga Ky Dong: 14/5 Bis Ky Dong, Ward 9, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
- Co Lieng: 321 Vo Van Tan, Ward 5, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
- Hong Phat: 391 Vo Van Tan, Ward 5, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
Illustration image: © Mervin Lee/ MICHELIN Guide Vietnam
