Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam is known for some of the best street food in the world.
But with thousands of street food vendors literally everywhere, where should you begin your Saigon street food adventure?
What should you eat?And exactly where should you try it?
Mud crawlers in coconut sauce – ridiculously delicious!! We ordered it again and again and again…
Welcome to the RecipeTin Eats Top 10 BEST Street Food in Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City!
Ho Chi Minh City is the hot, buzzing food capital of Vietnam.
Fresh, fast, cheap, and above all delicious, this is the food of the people.
Its also the foodwelove to eat in Vietnam and what keeps us coming back.
4 times in the last 12 months, to be exact!
So, where is a visitor to begin their Saigon street food adventure?
What should you eat?
And where should you try it?
Wevedone the research, interrogated localsandeaten our way around the cityover multiple trips.
Welcome to RecipeTin Eats Top 10 BEST Street Foods To Try In Saigon!
(And exactly where to try them!)
This is a riot of textures, colours and flavours in a bowl.Heres my recipefor the chicken version!
There are variations ofbun thit nuongtoppings, but grilled pork and spring rolls are the most popular and common.
Its also a cooled dish seriously refreshing in Ho Chi Minh Citys sweltering climate!
Broken rice refers to the cracked rice grains, which gives the rice a deliciously unique texture.
BEST PLACE TO HAVE IT:Com Tam Ba Ghien, Phuong 10 (Map)
3.
Vietnamese Spicy Beef Noodle Soup(Bun bo hue)
WHY ITS A MUST-TRY:Its Pho on steroids.
And its hard to find outside of Vietnam!
Bun bo hueis another of our favourite noodle dishes and is revered across Vietnam.
Its an area called Nguyen Thien Thuat apartments (Map).
One local affectionately dubbed it aStreet Food Ghetto, and now we do too because its easier to pronounce!
Its a local area and its pumping!!
THIS is what I love about traveling seeing the real local areas, getting away from the tourist traps!
But my favourite food to have here is snail.
But not your common garden variety snails!
They aresea snailsand they taste like mussels!
Sea Snails Top Pick!
Diners choose from piles of shellfish and water-dwelling snails of all shapes and sizes on display.
You wont see any tourists at our favourite Pho establishment… and thats just how we like it!
Nourishing and comforting yet light and balanced, its truly the perfect dish.
Mud crawlers in coconut sauce – ridiculously delicious!! We ordered it again and again and again…
No wonderphohas conquered to world and become synonymous with Vietnamese cuisine today!!
Bo La Lot Grilled Beef wrapped in Betel Leaves Top Pick!
Theyre served as snacks, inside bread rolls, or can also form a meal.
and go for another one straight away.
BEST PLACE TO HAVE IT:Co Lieng Restaurant, District 3 (Map)
7.
You havent eaten properly in Vietnam until you try this intensely crabby noodle soup.
And its virtually impossible to find good ones outside of Vietnam!
PRONUNCIATION:boon REE-YOO
THE PITCH:Bun rieuis a rice noodle crab soup thats very popular across Vietnam.
In Saigon, youll see more Bun Rieu street vendors than any other soup!
The orange broths flavour comes from pounded rice paddy crabs.
The soup is delicate, aromatic and a faintly tart from the tomato chunks that are added.
Most locals turn their noses up at these markets, deeming it to be touristy and overpriced.
But for visitors its a must, and its one of the main attractions in Saigon!
Youll see a variety of foods from soups to salads, seafood to crispy pancakes in the food area.
We tend to get snack size share plates here, and here are3 of my favourites
1.
Youll find numerous stalls throughout the markets selling both of these, and theyre all perfectly tasty.
Then everything is liberally doused with sweet nuoc cham.
Dig in with your spoon, making sure you get a bit of everything.
Crowded with locals, staff work furiously to keep up with demand.
WHY ITS A MUST-TRY:Youve never had soft shell crab this fresh, this delicious, this cheap.
Whatever you order, dont miss the live soft shell crab, fried to absolute crispy perfection!
94 Thuy specialises in crab and is a paradise for lovers of this tasty crustacean.
All kinds of crab dishes can be had here but a particular specialty is the soft shell crab.
Banh Mi Top pick!
From the French there is the baguette, mayonnaise, charcuterie/cold cuts, and pate.
The roast pork belly can be traced to Chinese origins.
Its the poster child for a true fusion food that succeeds in deliciousness like no other.
Its harder than you think to find really great Banh Mi in Saigon.
But we finally did!
You wont find Banh Mi Sau Le in any Top 10 lists or guide books.
Seriously, one of the happiest moments of my life, chowing this down.
We made multiple trips out to Banh Mi Sau Le every time we were in Saigon!
As a guide, visitors in Saigon usually stay in District 1.
A 20 minute taxi ride costs around A$3.
Taste of Saigon at home!
And that concludes the RecipeTin Eats Saigon Top 10 Street Foods List!
I hope you get a chance to visit one day.
Nagi x
Life of Dozer
Dozers little souvenir from Vietnam!
