Saigon Food Guide
Pho, banh mi, com tam, and beyond — the definitive guide to eating in Vietnam's street food capital
Saigon is the undisputed street food capital of the world — a city where eight million motorbikes weave between ten million street food stalls, where a life-changing bowl of pho costs less than a dollar, and where the best meals are served on plastic stools at sidewalk level. From the predawn pho vendors who have been perfecting their broth for generations to the late-night banh mi carts that fuel Bui Vien's party crowd, from the Chinese-Vietnamese fusion of Cholon to the refined modern Vietnamese cuisine of the city's top restaurants — Saigon offers one of the planet's most exciting, affordable, and delicious food experiences. This guide covers the essential dishes, the best areas to eat, the legendary stalls, and the tips you need to eat like a local.
8 Must-Try Saigon Foods
These are the dishes that define Saigon. You cannot leave the city without trying them.
Pho
Vietnam's most iconic dish — a fragrant, complex broth simmered for hours with star anise, cinnamon, and roasted ginger, poured over flat rice noodles and topped with thinly sliced beef (pho bo) or chicken (pho ga). Saigon-style pho differs from the Hanoi original: the broth is slightly sweeter, and it comes with a massive plate of fresh herbs, bean sprouts, lime, and chili that you add to taste. The best pho stalls open before dawn and close by mid-morning — when the broth runs out, the shop closes. A perfect bowl of pho is the kind of experience that ruins you for any version you eat elsewhere. Pho is eaten at any time of day in Saigon, but breakfast is traditional.
Banh Mi
The Vietnamese baguette sandwich — a perfect collision of French colonialism and Vietnamese ingenuity. A crusty, light baguette (lighter and crispier than the French original, made with rice flour blended into the wheat) is filled with pate, mayonnaise, various meats (grilled pork, cold cuts, or cha lua sausage), pickled daikon and carrot, cucumber, cilantro, and fresh chili. The result is crunchy, creamy, savory, tangy, fresh, and spicy all in one bite. Saigon claims the best banh mi in Vietnam, and the competition between vendors is fierce. Banh mi carts appear on virtually every street corner from early morning, and a great one costs less than a dollar.
Com Tam (Broken Rice)
Saigon's signature everyday meal — fragrant broken rice grains (originally the rejected fragments from rice milling, now a deliberate choice) topped with a thick, caramelized grilled pork chop (suon nuong), a fluffy steamed egg cake (cha trung), shredded pork skin (bi), and a fried egg. The dish is served with a small bowl of fish sauce dipping sauce, pickled vegetables, and sliced cucumber and tomato. Com tam is what Saigon workers eat for breakfast and lunch — fast, cheap, satisfying, and deeply flavorful. The best com tam stalls have a charcoal grill out front where pork chops are constantly sizzling, perfuming the entire street.
Bun Thit Nuong (Vermicelli with Grilled Pork)
A refreshing cold noodle dish that is perfect for Saigon's tropical heat. Thin rice vermicelli noodles are topped with charcoal-grilled pork slices, crispy spring rolls (cha gio), fresh herbs (mint, perilla, lettuce), crushed peanuts, and pickled vegetables. The entire bowl is dressed with nuoc cham — a sweet, sour, salty, and spicy fish sauce dressing that ties everything together. You mix all the layers before eating, creating a combination of textures and temperatures — cool noodles, warm grilled meat, crunchy spring rolls, fresh herbs. It is one of the most satisfying and well-balanced dishes in Vietnamese cuisine.
Goi Cuon (Fresh Spring Rolls)
Translucent rice paper rolls filled with shrimp, pork, rice vermicelli, lettuce, and herbs — served cold with a peanut dipping sauce (in the south) or fermented shrimp paste (in the north). Goi cuon are light, fresh, and healthy — the perfect starter or snack in Saigon's heat. The best versions have perfectly cooked shrimp, tender pork, and rice paper that is pliable without being sticky. They are assembled fresh to order at most restaurants and street stalls. Vegetarian versions with tofu and avocado are increasingly common. Watching a skilled vendor roll goi cuon with speed and precision is a small performance worth appreciating.
Ca Phe Sua Da (Vietnamese Iced Coffee)
Vietnam's gift to the coffee world — strong, dark-roasted robusta coffee brewed slowly through a small metal phin filter directly into a glass containing a generous layer of sweetened condensed milk. Once the drip is complete, the mixture is stirred vigorously and poured over a tall glass of ice. The result is intensely rich, sweet, and strong — a caffeinated dessert in liquid form. Ca phe sua da is not just a drink in Saigon, it is a way of life. Locals sit for hours in tiny cafes over a single glass, watching the world pass. The best versions use freshly roasted beans and real condensed milk, creating a drink that is simultaneously a coffee, a treat, and a meditation.
Banh Xeo (Vietnamese Crepes)
Large, crispy crepes made from rice flour batter tinted yellow with turmeric, filled with shrimp, pork, bean sprouts, and mung beans. The name "banh xeo" translates to "sizzling cake" — a reference to the loud sizzling sound the batter makes when it hits the hot pan. Southern-style banh xeo are much larger than their central Vietnamese cousins, often the size of a dinner plate. To eat, you tear off a piece, wrap it in rice paper or lettuce leaves with fresh herbs (mint, perilla, basil), and dip it in nuoc cham. The contrast between the crispy, buttery crepe and the cool, fresh herbs is magical. The best banh xeo stalls cook each one to order in a well-seasoned wok.
Che (Vietnamese Sweet Dessert Soup)
A catch-all term for Vietnamese sweet dessert soups, puddings, and drinks that come in dozens of varieties. Popular versions include che ba mau (three-color dessert with beans, jelly, and coconut milk over ice), che dau xanh (sweet mung bean soup), che chuoi (banana in coconut milk), and che thai (fruit cocktail with coconut milk). Che stalls typically display their offerings in large glass containers, and you can mix and match ingredients. The flavors are gentle — mildly sweet, often with coconut milk, and refreshing when served over ice. Che is the perfect ending to a Saigon meal, and vendors are found on virtually every street.
5 Best Food Areas
These neighborhoods and markets are Saigon's greatest food destinations.
Ben Thanh Area
District 1, around Ben Thanh MarketThe most convenient food hub for first-time visitors. The Ben Thanh night market (outside the main building, from 6 PM) is a street food festival every evening — grilled seafood, banh xeo, bun thit nuong, fresh fruit smoothies, and more. During the day, the food stalls inside the market serve excellent pho, banh mi, and com tam. The surrounding streets — Phan Boi Chau, Le Thanh Ton, and Thu Khoa Huan — are packed with local restaurants and food carts. Prices are slightly higher than deep local areas, but the variety and convenience are unbeatable.
District 1 Street Food Alleys
Alleys off Bui Vien and surrounding streetsThe narrow alleys (hem) branching off from the main streets of District 1 hide some of Saigon's best street food. Hem 15 and Hem 29 off Bui Vien have excellent local food at prices far lower than the main strip. The alleys near Nguyen Thiep Street serve outstanding banh mi and com tam. Le Thanh Ton's "Japanese Town" section has surprising Vietnamese gems tucked between the sushi restaurants. The trick is to follow the locals — look for stalls with the most plastic stools occupied, and that is where you should eat.
Cholon (District 5)
Saigon's Chinatown, west of central District 1Cholon offers a completely different food experience — Chinese-Vietnamese fusion dishes that exist nowhere else in Vietnam. The Binh Tay Market food court serves exceptional hu tieu (pork noodle soup), banh bao (steamed buns), and roast meats. Weekend dim sum at restaurants along Nguyen Trai Street is a local tradition. The herbal tea shops on Hai Thuong Lan Ong Street sell refreshing traditional drinks. Cholon is where Saigon's cheapest and most authentic food lives, serving a community that has been cooking here for over 300 years.
Bui Vien Area
District 1, Pham Ngu Lao / Bui Vien Walking StreetSaigon's backpacker district is also a surprisingly good food zone. While the main Bui Vien strip is dominated by bars and tourist restaurants, the side streets and alleys hide excellent local food at budget prices. The late-night pho stalls that open after midnight cater to the bar crowd with steaming bowls of noodle soup — perfect for post-party recovery. During the day, the restaurants along Pham Ngu Lao serve cheap set meals and Vietnamese classics. The fresh beer (bia hoi) stalls sell the cheapest beer in Saigon alongside snacks like grilled squid and spring rolls.
District 3 Local Spots
District 3, especially Nguyen Thien Thuat and Nguyen Dinh Chieu streetsDistrict 3 is where Saigon locals eat when they want the best food at the best prices. This residential district has hundreds of family-run restaurants, street stalls, and food carts that have been operating for generations. The com tam shops here are legendary. The pho stalls open at 5 AM and sell out by 9 AM. The banh mi carts use recipes passed down through families. No English menus, no tourist prices, no pretension — just exceptional Vietnamese food served the way it was meant to be eaten.
Legendary Street Food Stalls
Decades-old stalls and restaurants that have achieved near-mythical status among Saigon food lovers. These are the places locals queue for.
Banh Mi Huynh Hoa
Est. Since 198526 Le Thi Rieng, District 1
Widely regarded as the best banh mi in Saigon — and therefore the best in the world. This no-frills takeaway stall has been perfecting its recipe for almost four decades. The queue often stretches down the block, but it moves quickly. The banh mi is loaded with an obscene amount of pate, cold cuts, cha lua sausage, pickled vegetables, and chili. Each sandwich weighs nearly half a kilogram. The bread is custom-baked, and everything is assembled with assembly-line precision. At 47,000₫, it is the most expensive banh mi in Saigon — and worth every dong.
Pho Hoa Pasteur
Est. Since 1968260C Pasteur, District 3
One of the most famous pho restaurants in Saigon, operating from the same location for over 50 years. The broth is rich, clear, and deeply flavored — the result of simmering beef bones with star anise and cinnamon for hours. The beef slices are tender and generous. The herb plate is overflowing. The restaurant is always packed with locals, which is the best endorsement any Vietnamese restaurant can have. The pace is fast — sit down, order, eat, leave — this is not a place for lingering.
Com Tam Ba Ghien
Est. Family recipe84 Dang Van Ngu, Phu Nhuan District
A legendary broken rice stall that has achieved near-mythical status among Saigon food lovers. The charcoal-grilled pork chops are thick, juicy, and caramelized to perfection. The broken rice is fragrant and perfectly cooked. The accompanying sides — cha trung (egg cake), bi (pork skin), and pickled vegetables — are all made in-house. Ba Ghien opens early and the queue starts forming immediately. The experience is no-frills: plastic tables, fluorescent lights, and some of the best com tam you will ever eat.
Banh Xeo 46A
Est. Decades-old46A Dinh Cong Trang, District 1
A tiny, perpetually packed restaurant specializing exclusively in banh xeo (Vietnamese crepes) and goi cuon (fresh spring rolls). The banh xeo here are enormous — golden, crispy, and stuffed with shrimp, pork, and bean sprouts. Each one is cooked to order in a well-seasoned wok, and the sizzling sound fills the narrow restaurant. The rice paper, herb plate, and nuoc cham for wrapping are replenished constantly. The fresh spring rolls are equally excellent. Arrive outside of peak lunch hours or be prepared to wait.
Fine Dining Picks
For a special evening, these restaurants showcase the best of modern Vietnamese cuisine.
The Deck Saigon
38 Nguyen U Di, Thao Dien, District 2
A stunning waterfront restaurant perched on the banks of the Saigon River in Thao Dien. The open-air deck provides panoramic river views and cooling breezes — a rare luxury in Saigon. The menu fuses Vietnamese ingredients with international techniques: crispy soft-shell crab with green mango, slow-cooked pork belly with caramelized fish sauce, and creative cocktails using local fruits and herbs. The setting is the star — dining on the river at sunset with the city lights beginning to twinkle is a quintessential Saigon luxury experience.
Noir. Dining in the Dark
178/180D Hai Ba Trung, District 1
One of Saigon's most unique dining experiences — a multi-course meal served in complete darkness by visually impaired staff. With sight removed, your other senses heighten dramatically, and flavors, textures, and aromas become more vivid. The menu is revealed only after the meal. The concept supports employment for visually impaired people in Vietnam. It is a thought-provoking, humbling, and surprisingly delicious experience. Book in advance and be prepared to step outside your comfort zone.
Anan Saigon
89 Ton That Dam, District 1
Chef Peter Cuong Franklin's acclaimed restaurant that reimagines Vietnamese street food with fine-dining technique. Located above a bustling street market, Anan serves elevated versions of pho, banh mi, and com tam — deconstructed, refined, but still recognizably Vietnamese. The pho French onion soup and the A5 wagyu pho are signature dishes. The rooftop bar offers spectacular views. Anan has appeared on Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list and represents the vanguard of modern Vietnamese cuisine.
Eating Tips
Follow the Plastic Stools
The most reliable food indicator in Saigon is the number of plastic stools occupied at a street stall. If a vendor has a crowd of locals sitting on tiny plastic chairs, the food is good. If the stall is empty while the one next door has a queue, trust the locals. The best street food in Vietnam is found at the ugliest, most unassuming stalls — the ones with no signage, no menu, and nothing but a charcoal grill and fifty years of perfected technique.
Eat Early for the Best Food
Vietnamese food culture runs on early schedules. The best pho stalls open at 5-6 AM and sell out by 9-10 AM. Com tam shops are busiest at breakfast (6-8 AM) and lunch (11 AM-1 PM). Banh mi carts often sell out by mid-morning. If you arrive at a popular stall and they tell you "het roi" (finished), it means they have sold out — a sign of quality, not failure. Adjust your schedule to eat early and you will eat the best food.
Use Grab Food for Discovery
The Grab Food app is a gold mine for finding local restaurants and street food stalls that do not appear on tourist guides. Browse by area, check ratings (anything above 4.5 with hundreds of reviews is excellent), and order delivery or use the app as a map to find the stall yourself. Many of Saigon's best food places have no website, no English name, and no tourist reviews — Grab Food is often the only way to discover them.
Water and Ice Safety
Tap water in Saigon is not safe to drink — use bottled or filtered water. However, ice in restaurants and street stalls is generally safe. Commercial ice (cylindrical with a hole in the center) is made from purified water and is used everywhere. If the ice is in uniform cylindrical pieces, it is factory-made and safe. Crushed or irregular ice at very basic stalls might be a different story — use judgment. Carrying a refillable water bottle and buying large water jugs (10,000₫ for 1.5L) saves money.
Tipping Is Not Expected
Tipping is not part of traditional Vietnamese culture. At street food stalls, no tip is expected or necessary. At mid-range restaurants, rounding up the bill is appreciated but not required. At upscale restaurants, a 5-10% tip for good service is welcomed. Some fine-dining restaurants add a service charge (usually 5%) to the bill. In all cases, tipping is far less expected than in Western countries, so do not feel obligated.
Learn Key Food Phrases
A few Vietnamese words will dramatically improve your food experience. "Ngon" (delicious) and a thumbs up make vendors beam. "Khong cay" means not spicy. "It duong" means less sugar (useful for drinks). "Mang di" means takeaway. "Bao nhieu?" means how much. "Mot cai nua" means one more. Even badly pronounced Vietnamese shows respect and effort, and locals universally respond with warmth and enthusiasm when tourists try to speak their language.
Hungry for More?
Combine your food exploration with the best of Saigon. Our itineraries include the top food stops alongside historic walks, neighborhood guides, and day trips.
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