“Saigon is a city where the lights never go out,” says Thanh Vuong Vo, head chef of Coco Dining, a newly-minted One MICHELIN Star restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City from The MICHELIN Guide Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh and Da Nang 2025. “It’s vibrant, modern and always moving. There’s an energy here that keeps you inspired – a constant hustle that makes you want to do more, create more.”
This creative dynamism is precisely what drew Vuong to Ho Chi Minh City — still known to locals as Saigon. Born in Mui Ne, a coastal strip on the border between central and southern Vietnam and associated with beach holidays and fresh seafood, he moved to Ho Chi Minh City in 2009 to pursue his “culinary dreams.”
For Vuong, Ho Chi Minh City was the perfect training ground; a place where a rich local culinary tradition is open to influence from global recipes and ideas. He spent the 2010s taking culinary classes, working in restaurants and perfecting his craft. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the industry froze. When Vuong joined Coco Dining in 2021, the world was just beginning to wake up again, but Vietnam’s borders remained closed and Ho Chi Minh City’s reputation as a burgeoning global city came under question.
“After the pandemic, everything in F&B felt uncertain – but to me, that pause was also a rare chance to slow down and look deeper,” he reflects. “In the early days, I was obsessed with technique. Our first four seasonal menus were rooted in fermentation, curing, aging – disciplines that require time, patience and precision. I loved that process. It gave me structure. It helped me understand ingredients on a molecular level. But something was missing.”
For answers, Vuong decided to return to his roots. Now with the right experience and the right team, he realized that he had the expertise to combine the flavors of his childhood with the skills that he developed as an adult. “That was a turning point for me. It reminded me that Vietnamese cuisine isn’t something I need to modernize – it’s something I need to honor, evolve and speak through.
“Now, I feel more grounded than ever. I’m not just creating dishes. I’m telling my story – and I’m proud it’s in Vietnamese.”
Vietnamese has two words for “home.” Nha means “house” — the place where one lives. Que means “hometown” — the place where one is from. While Vuong’s new menu at Coco Dining proudly reflects his que, after more than a decade in Ho Chi Minh City, he has fully embraced his nha. Here are the places that, for him, make the city so special.
For a morning slurp: Pho Minh
“If I have time in the morning, I go to Pho Minh. It’s tucked away in an alley but has been around since the 1940s. The broth is light but layered – you can tell it’s made with care. It reminds me why simple dishes, when done well, don’t need anything fancy.”Ho Chi Minh City is pho paradise, and breakfast is when you should eat it. Pho Minh serves Vietnam’s iconic dish with a pate chaud, a meat-filled puff pastry that you can only find in the city’s most traditional noodle soup establishments.
63/6 Pasteur, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.
For a homely meal: Cục Gạch Quán
“I love meals that feel like home… I often go with friends and family to share food and stories.”As in many Asian countries, rice is so much more than just a staple – instead of asking if someone has eaten yet, the Vietnamese ask if someone has eaten rice yet. Accompanying the holy grain is always a myriad of meat, fish, tofu and vegetable dishes, and the best meals balance sweet, salty and sour flavors. While there are countless rice restaurants across the city, one of Vuong’s favorite spots is Cục Gạch Quán.
10 Dang Tat, Tan Dinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.
For the best food experience: District 11
“District 11 has a unique blend of central, southern, and Chinese Vietnamese influences.”Part of Ho Chi Minh City’s gigantic Chinatown, District 11 is a sweeping cluster of neighborhoods that stretch across Districts 5, 6, 8, 10 and 11. Sino-Vietnamese food is found across the area, especially in and around the community’s center point: Cho Binh Tay.
57A Thap Muoi Street, Ward 2, District 6, Ho Chi Minh City.
For unwinding and recharging: Dai Nam Racetrack and Park Hyatt Saigon
“Once a month, I unwind with my friends by racing go-karts at Dai Nam racetrack. It’s thrilling and the perfect way to relieve stress after the kitchen rush. I’m also drawn to design – the kind that’s quiet but intentional, like a good dish. When I want to reset, I visit Park Hyatt Saigon. The space is elegant but grounded, and every detail feels considered. It reminds me that hospitality isn’t just about service – it’s about how a place makes you feel.”Dai Nam, in the north of Ho Chi Minh City, is perfect for go-kart racing — a high-speed way to blow off steam. Meanwhile, Park Hyatt Saigon, a MICHELIN Hotel with an elegant colonial-style facade that blends seamlessly into Lam Son Square, offers a slower pace. It’s long been the city’s top stay and a reminder that great hospitality is about how a place makes you feel.
- Dai Nam Racetrack: 75a QL13, Hiep An, Thu Dau Mot, Binh Duong, Ho Chi Minh City.
- Park Hyatt Saigon: 2 Lam Son Square, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.
For a late-night bite: Ốc Oanh and District 4
“Late at night, I’ll sometimes head to Ốc Oanh. It’s loud, a little chaotic and full of energy – just like Saigon. The snails are always fresh, the sauces are punchy, and everything goes perfectly with a cold beer.”Vinh Khanh is District 4’s celebrated food street, with rowdy streetside restaurants serving snails and seafood late into the night. Oc Oanh is a sure favorite, but stiff competition means it’s difficult to go wrong in this part of town.
534 Vinh Khanh Street, Ward 8, District 4, Ho Chi Minh City.
For Ho Chi Minh City’s classic broken rice: Cơm Tấm Ba Ghiền
“Cơm Tấm Ba Ghiền is my go-to. It’s all about that grilled pork chop — smoky, juicy and just the right amount of char. The rice is fluffy, the pickles are sharp and it hits the spot every time. No shortcuts, just good technique.”This broken rice restaurant has been a Ho Chi Minh City favorite since the 1990s. While the pork chop is the most popular option with the softer, fragmented grains, Cơm Tấm Ba Ghiền also serves chicken, which means you have a reason to visit at least twice.
84 Dang Van Ngu, Ward 10, Phu Nhuan District , Ho Chi Minh City.
For a place to socialize with friends: Elgin (and Coco Dining of course)
“If I want a drink and something thoughtful to eat, I’ll go to Elgin. It’s calm, and the food is refined without trying too hard. Otherwise, of course, I end up at Coco Dining – not just because I work there, but because the team and the energy always feel like home.”Both Elgin and Coco Dining hug the border between District 1 and District 3, Ho Chi Minh City’s colonial core. Here, there are broad leafy boulevards, pleasant pockets of green space – and one of the best restaurant and bar scenes in the country.
- Elgin: 27 Mac Dinh Chi Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.
- Coco Dining: 143 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, Vo Thi Sau Ward, District 3 , Ho Chi Minh City.
