20 Best Places to Eat in Vietnam: The Ultimate Culinary & Dining Guide

Vietnamese cuisine is celebrated worldwide for its incredible freshness, vibrant balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy notes, and light use of herbs and broths. From famous street food stalls on plastic stools in Hanoi to imperial banquets in Hue and oceanfront seafood feasts in Da Nang, eating in Vietnam is a sensory adventure.

Must-Try Traditional Dishes

Pho: Vietnam's iconic noodle soup consisting of slow-simmered beef or chicken bone broth, flat rice noodles, tender meat slices, and fresh herbs.
Banh Mi: A crispy French baguette filled with savory pate, grilled pork or cold cuts, pickled daikon and carrots, cucumber, cilantro, and chili.
Bun Cha: Hanoi specialty featuring charcoal-grilled pork patties and belly slices served in a warm dipping sauce with rice vermicelli and herbs.
Cao Lau: Hoi An’s exclusive noodle dish cooked with dark chewy noodles, sliced roast pork, crispy rice crackers, and fresh greens.
Banh Xeo: A crispy golden turmeric rice crepe packed with shrimp, pork, bean sprouts, wrapped in lettuce leaves, and dipped in fish sauce.

20 Best Places to Eat in Vietnam

1. Bun Cha Huong Lien (Bun Cha Obama)

Cuisine: Traditional Hanoi Street Food
Location: Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi
Must-Try Dish: Bun Cha Combo (Grilled Pork Vermicelli & Fried Seafood Roll)
About the Place: Made globally famous after Anthony Bourdain and President Barack Obama dined here, serving authentic, smoky charcoal-grilled pork vermicelli.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Bun Cha Huong Lien

2. Banh Mi Phuong

Cuisine: Vietnamese Street Sandwich
Location: Hoi An Ancient Town, Quang Nam
Must-Try Dish: Banh Mi Combination (Pork, Pate & Secret Sauce)
About the Place: Internationally acclaimed as one of the best sandwiches in the world, renowned for its crunchy bread, rich homemade pate, and savory herbs.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Banh Mi Phuong

3. Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su

Cuisine: Classic Northern Pho
Location: Old Quarter, Hanoi
Must-Try Dish: Pho Bo Tai Chin (Beef Tenderloin & Flank Noodle Soup)
About the Place: A Michelin Bib Gourmand recipient in central Hanoi, famous for serving rich, aromatic beef bone broth and fresh hand-cut rice noodles.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su

4. Cuc Gach Quan

Cuisine: Homestyle Countryside Vietnamese
Location: District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Must-Try Dish: Braised Pork Belly in Claypot & Fried Tofu with Lemongrass
About the Place: Housed inside a charming restored French colonial house, serving rustic homestyle recipes using fresh organic regional produce.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Cuc Gach Quan

5. Anan Saigon

Cuisine: Modern Michelin-Starred Vietnamese
Location: Chợ Cũ Market, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Must-Try Dish: One-Million-Dong Banh Mi & Caviar Pho
About the Place: Ho Chi Minh City's premier Michelin-starred restaurant, elevating street food flavors into world-class modern culinary art.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Anan Saigon

6. Cha Ca La Vong

Cuisine: Traditional Hanoi Heritage
Location: Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Must-Try Dish: Cha Ca (Turmeric Grilled Fish with Dill & Vermicelli)
About the Place: Operating for over a century, serving a single legendary dish: fresh fish seared at your table with turmeric, dill, and scallions.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Cha Ca La Vong

7. Banh Xeo 46A

Cuisine: Southern Crispy Crepes
Location: District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
Must-Try Dish: Large Crispy Banh Xeo with Shrimp and Pork
About the Place: Famous across Saigon for open-flame wok cooking of enormous, golden turmeric crepes wrapped in fresh mustard greens and herbs.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Banh Xeo 46A

8. Morning Glory Original

Cuisine: Central Vietnamese / Hoi An Heritage
Location: Hoi An Ancient Town, Quang Nam
Must-Try Dish: Cao Lau Noodles & White Rose Dumplings
About the Place: Helmed by famous local chef Ms. Vy, showcasing classic central street food favorites prepared in an open central kitchen.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Morning Glory Original

9. Quan An Ngon

Cuisine: Regional Street Food Market
Location: Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Must-Try Dish: Fresh Spring Rolls (Goi Cuon) & Hue Beef Noodle Soup
About the Place: Gathers street food vendors from all three regions of Vietnam under one garden courtyard, ideal for sampling regional dishes.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Quan An Ngon

10. Quan San Ho

Cuisine: Coastal Seafood
Location: My Khe Beach, Da Nang
Must-Try Dish: Steamed Garlic Tamarind Crab & Grilled Oysters
About the Place: A premier oceanfront seafood restaurant in Da Nang where guests choose live catches straight from saltwater tanks.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Quan San Ho

11. Bun Bo Hue Quan Cam

Cuisine: Spicy Imperial Noodle Soup
Location: Hue City
Must-Try Dish: Bun Bo Hue (Spicy Beef & Lemongrass Vermicelli Soup)
About the Place: A local institution in Hue serving bold, lemongrass-infused beef broth loaded with tender shank meat and chili oil.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Bun Bo Hue Quan Cam

12. Banh Mi Huynh Hoa

Cuisine: Saigon Street Food
Location: District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Must-Try Dish: Supreme Cold Cut Banh Mi
About the Place: Famous across Ho Chi Minh City for serving the most generously stuffed baguettes in town, packed with layers of premium meats.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Banh Mi Huynh Hoa

13. Giang Cafe (Egg Coffee)

Cuisine: Historic Coffee House
Location: Old Quarter, Hanoi
Must-Try Dish: Traditional Ca Phe Trung (Egg Coffee)
About the Place: The historic birthplace of Hanoi egg coffee, invented in the 1940s by whipping egg yolks with condensed milk over dark robusta coffee.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Giang Cafe

14. Pho Hoa Pasteur

Cuisine: Southern Style Pho
Location: District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
Must-Try Dish: Special Beef Combination Pho with Fried Dough Sticks
About the Place: Serving authentic Southern-style Pho for decades, characterized by sweeter broth, abundant fresh herbs, bean sprouts, and hoisin sauce.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Pho Hoa Pasteur

15. Madam Khanh - The Banh Mi Queen

Cuisine: Street Food Sandwich
Location: Hoi An Ancient Town, Quang Nam
Must-Try Dish: Mixed Pork & Roasted Chicken Banh Mi
About the Place: Beloved legendary stall where "The Queen" has been crafting savory, perfectly balanced baguettes for over 50 years.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Madam Khanh

16. Com Ga Ba Buoi

Cuisine: Central Chicken Rice
Location: Hoi An Ancient Town
Must-Try Dish: Hoi An Chicken Rice (Com Ga)
About the Place: Famous since the 1950s for serving turmeric-infused rice cooked in chicken broth, topped with shredded poached chicken and herbs.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Com Ga Ba Buoi

17. Ngon Villa Hanoi

Cuisine: High-End Regional Tasting Menu
Location: Ba Dinh District, Hanoi
Must-Try Dish: All-You-Can-Eat Fine Regional Tasting Menu
About the Place: Set inside a restored 1911 French mansion, offering unlimited tasting portions of classic street dishes from all across Vietnam.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Ngon Villa Hanoi

18. Oc Dao

Cuisine: Saigon Snail & Shellfish Street Food
Location: District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Must-Try Dish: Sea Snails in Salted Egg Sauce & Grilled Scallops
About the Place: A bustling local favorite specializing in dozens of variety snail (Oc) and shellfish dishes cooked in garlic butter or chili salt.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Oc Dao

19. Ancient Hue Garden Houses

Cuisine: Imperial Hue Fine Dining
Location: Hue City
Must-Try Dish: Royal 5-Course Banquet (Banh Beo, Banh Ram It)
About the Place: Set in authentic restored royal garden houses, serving exquisite multi-course royal court dishes artfully carved into peacock shapes.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Ancient Hue Garden Houses

20. Tam Vi

Cuisine: Michelin-Starred Northern Homestyle
Location: Dong Da District, Hanoi
Must-Try Dish: Braised Fish, Mustard Green Soup & Boiled Pork
About the Place: Michelin-starred traditional teahouse serving authentic, heartwarming Northern Vietnamese home-cooked meals in a vintage setting.
Explore More: Read our full guide to Tam Vi

Featured Image

Authentic Vietnamese Pho Noodle Soup