Ho Chi Minh City eating guide

An independent selection of the best eateries from fine dining to street food in Ho Chi Minh City, from Rusty Compass. No paid endorsements.

Ho Chi Minh City
eating guide

Introduction

| 17 Jul 2019
Last updated 17 Jul 2019

Saigon is Vietnam’s culinary capital. It offers diners quality and range that make it one of the best places to eat in South East Asia. It's home to the best of Vietnam's delicious regional cuisines - the south, the north and the centre - a vibrant street food scene, and some amazing international dining. Barely a week passes without a new opening. Many of the new arrivals are very good. There's also a superb collection of dining establishments that have been operating for years. A fabulous food experience awaits. The coffee and cafe scene are special too. Many of the city's best eateries are now located in District 2, the main expat enclave. If time permits, spend a night or two out there. Welcome to our independent guide to the best dining in Saigon.

 

This independent and handpicked guide to Saigon's best eating was last updated in July 2019. We've tried every place on this list - most of them several times. No money changes hands for a listing. We try and keep things up to date - sometimes the changes get ahead of us. Eat well in Saigon!

Breakfast in Saigon - our picks

Where are the best places to grab breakfast in Saigon? This is our handpicked collection of the best Saigon breakfasts from... Read more

Tandoor Restaurant, Saigon

Tandoor is one of Saigon's longest standing Indian restaurants. It's a popular and consistent downtown eatery. Read more
Tandoor Restaurant, Saigon
39A - 39B Ngo Duc Ke street, Ben Nghe ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
+84 28 39304839

Coffee - the best of Saigon's cafes

Saigon's cafe scene is blossoming. Not only is the coffee world-class, the city is home to some very cool cafe spaces - many of... Read more

District 2 - a guide to eating in Saigon's expat enclave

Some of Saigon’s best restaurants and cafes are now located across the Saigon River in District 2 - aka. D2 or Thao Dien.  What... Read more

Ben Thanh Market food stalls

If you want an overview of Vietnamese cuisine - especially soups - Ben Thanh Market’s food stalls are a great place to go. It’s... Read more
Ben Thanh Market food stalls
Ben Thanh Market, Le Loi St, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Cuc Gach Quan, Saigon

Cuc Gach Quan quickly soared to the top of Saigon's Vietnamese cuisine scene after a visit by Brad and Angelina in 2010. It's... Read more
Cuc Gach Quan, Saigon
10 Dang Tat, Ward Tan Dinh, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
+(84.8) 38 48 01 44

The Deck, Saigon

A perfect riverside escape from the intensity of downtown Saigon for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Late afternoon cocktails as the... Read more

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The Deck, Saigon
38 Nguyen U Di, Dist. 2, Ho Chi Minh City

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Pho Hoa Pasteur, Saigon

Pho Hoa Pasteur is a Saigon institution - one of the city’s oldest and most popular pho noodlesestablishments. There’s nothing... Read more
Pho Hoa Pasteur, Saigon
260C Pasteur Street | Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City
+84-8-3829-7943

Biker Shield Bistro, Saigon

Saigon’s cool cafe scene is pumping and the motorcycle obsessives behind Biker Shield Bistro have raised the bar - a classic... Read more

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Biker Shield Bistro, Saigon
158/10 Nguyen Cong Tru St, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

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Mekong Merchant, Saigon

Probably the oldest surviving expat cafe in Saigon’s D2 - Mekong Merchant predates the current cafe boom by at least a decade -... Read more

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Mekong Merchant, Saigon
23 Thao Dien St, An Phu, District 2, Saigon

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Nhu Lan Restaurant, Saigon

This legendary eatery has been serving the people of Saigon since pre-Communist days. The menu’s as extensive as ever. Nhu Lan... Read more
Nhu Lan Restaurant, Saigon
64-68 Ham Nghi St. Ho Chi Minh City

Nguyen Trung Truc Street eateries

A busy collection of local eateries that spill out onto the street and into nearby vacant lots just behind Ben Thanh Market.... Read more
Nguyen Trung Truc Street eateries
Nguyen Trung Truc St, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Banh Xeo 46A, Saigon

Perhaps Saigon's best known eatery for getting a Vietnamese pancake - known as banh xeo. Read more
Banh Xeo 46A, Saigon
46A Dinh Cong Trang St, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City

Quan Bui downtown, Saigon

Quan Bui downtown is one of a handful of locations in Saigon's District 1 where you can enjoy authentic Vietnamese cuisine in a... Read more
Quan Bui downtown, Saigon
17A Ngo Van Nam St, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

The Racha Room, Saigon

The Racha Room's formula - modern Thai cuisine and quality cocktails - has been a hit since it opened its doors in 2014. The... Read more

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The Racha Room, Saigon
12 - 14 Mac Thi Buoi St, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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Saigon's Japanese quarter

Saigon’s Japanese expatriate community is huge - so much so that a series of alleys downtown have been colonised by Japanese... Read more
Saigon's Japanese quarter
The alleys bordered by Le Thanh Ton and Thai Van Lung

Pho Ha, Saigon

This little late night-night pho spot is a bit of a Saigon institution. Before the arrival of Bitexco tower across the road,... Read more
Pho Ha, Saigon
31 Hai Trieu St, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City - opposite Bitexco Tower

The Old Compass Cafe, Saigon

The Old Compass Cafe and Bar is a little sanctuary of local flavours and wine in Saigon's chaotic centre. It’s a great place for... Read more

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The Old Compass Cafe, Saigon
3rd Floor 63/11 Pasteur St, District 1 Ho Chi Minh City - down the alley right by Liberty Citypoint Hotel
+84 28 38232969

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Maison Marou, Saigon

If you're in Saigon and in need of a fix of quality chocolate, head down to Maison Marou - a cafe showcasing the fine Vietnamese... Read more
Maison Marou, Saigon
167 Calmette Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
+84 8 7300 5010

Pho Minh Pasteur, Saigon

Pho Minh is one of Saigon’s oldest pho joints, and one of the best morning doses of the southern beef variety - right downtown.... Read more

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Pho Minh Pasteur, Saigon
63/6 Pasteur St - in the alley next to Liberty Citypoint Hotel

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Plastic waste - Saigon restaurants taking action to reduce plastic waste

A list of recommended restaurants and cafes in Saigon taking action to reduce the amount of plastic waste they produce. If you... Read more

Takashimaya department store Saigon - eating options

The massive Takashimaya Japanese department store in the heart of Saigon offers a plethora of eating options for travellers... Read more
Takashimaya department store Saigon - eating options
Saigon Centre, Cnr Le Loi and Pasteur St, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Vegetarian Saigon - our pick of Saigon's best vegetarian eateries

If you're looking for vegetarian restaurants in Saigon, you're in luck. There's a growing collection of options around town.... Read more

Vinh Khanh - local seafood strip Saigon

Buzzing street of local seafood in District 4 - close by District 1. Snails are the specialty and you’ll be amazed by the... Read more

Octo Tapas, Saigon

Octo Tapas Restobar opened in early 2018 and well over a year later, it’s still buzzing. Octo's carved out a space for quality... Read more
Octo Tapas, Saigon
Upstairs, 75 Ho Tung Mau, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City - near Bitexco Financial Centre

Quince Saigon

Quince landed in Saigon to great acclaim in 2017 and continues to please the city's fickle foodie folk. The fare from the... Read more

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Quince Saigon
37bis Ky Con, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

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Anan Saigon

Anan's a busy little eatery in Saigon's downtown old market area serving up a contemporary spin on Vietnamese flavours. It's a... Read more

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Anan Saigon
89 Ton That Dam, Ben Nghe, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

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Vietnam House by Luke Nguyen

Australian celebrity chef and restaurateur Luke Nguyen has opened his first restaurant in the land of his birth - bang in the... Read more

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Vietnam House by Luke Nguyen
93-95-97 Dong Khoi Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

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