The best restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City to book now

Ho Chi Minh City – still affectionately called Saigon by locals – embodies a sense of openness. Creativity flies here – whether in daily life or in the kitchen. Take pho, for example: unlike in its birthplace of Hanoi, where tradition dictates the recipe, in Ho Chi Minh City the famed noodle soup can be any blend of sweet, spicy and salty. Sometimes it even abandons the noodles entirely. 

The city’s defining qualities make it the ideal testing ground for new ideas, which is one reason its culinary scene has taken off in recent years. And while many new restaurants are inspired by global food trends, this is still Vietnam, so the best spots – at least for visitors – are infused with unmistakable local character. 

Pho Minh

There are more pho joints in Ho Chi Minh City than you can shake a fried dough stick at, but few can claim to have been in existence since 1945. What makes Pho Minh extra special is not that the broth stews for hours before being served to hungry regulars. It’s that it still serves noodle soup with pâté chaud, a meat-filled puff pastry first baked in the ovens of early 20th-century patisseries. Keep in mind that Pho Minh is only open for breakfast and is currently closed for renovations. It’s expected to open again in June 2025. 

63/6 Pasteur, Ben Nghe, Quan 1

Binh Tay Market

Chinatown’s rollicking market is a whirlwind of vibrant sights, sounds and smells. Tucked away behind the main courtyard, the food court delights the taste buds with emblematic local classics including bun thit nuong (grilled pork and noodle salad), banh canh cua (tapioca noodle soup with crab) and com tam (grilled pork on broken rice). Open throughout the day and catering to hearty meals or light afternoon snacks, you can even round out your feast with a fresh juice or coconut.

57A Thap Muoi, Phuong 2, Quan 6

Hu Tieu Hong Phat

Hong Phat is reputed to be Ho Chi Minh’s first restaurant to serve hu tieu Nam Vang, a noodle soup developed by the Chinese diaspora in Phnom Penh and later introduced to Ho Chi Minh City in the 1970s – specifically by Dang Thi Nguyet, who fled Cambodia’s capital during the war. The broth, meticulously crafted from bone marrow and dried seafood, is complemented by rice noodles that have a distinctly chewy texture and garnished with shrimp, offal, minced pork and quail egg, offering a symphony of flavours in every bite. 

Oc Oanh

It may feel like tiny District 4 exists only for foodies, particularly along Vinh Khanh Street, where nighttime beer bars are effortlessly transformed into casual restaurants. Fierce competition across this vibrant corner means that you can’t go wrong, but among these, Oc Oanh stands out. Here, the speciality is snails – available in dozens of variations – but this eatery also excels with an impressive array of prawns, oysters, clams, crab, mussels and, when in season, lobster. 

534 D. Vinh Khanh, Phuong 8, Quan 4

Tales by Chapter

Tales by Chapter is spearheaded by chef patron Quang Dung, the man behind Chapter, a fine dining restaurant in Hanoi. What makes Tales so special is its commitment to achieving zero-waste, plant-based cooking: they grow as many ingredients as possible in their farm in Vietnam’s Central Highlands to minimise their carbon footprint. Bear in mind that there’s no à la carte dining. Instead, the tasting menus offer around a dozen dishes, with optional drink pairings. 

Oryz Saigon

Oryz has quietly earned itself a reputation as one the city’s most talked about fine-dining restaurants. Led by Singaporean chef Chris Fong, Oryz crafts tasting menus inspired by Vietnam’s unique position at the crossroads between East and Southeast Asia. Since arriving, Fong has become a culinary adventurer, foraging regional specialities and secret recipes to create elegant, contemporary menus that showcase Vietnam’s vast culinary landscape.

Anan Saigon

Boasting the city’s first-ever Michelin Star, Peter Cuong Franklin’s Anan Saigon has established itself as a hotspot for discerning foodies. Franklin worked in kitchens in Chicago, Bangkok and Hong Kong before returning to his native Vietnam and opening Anan on one of the city’s traditional market streets. All the dishes here have local roots, but they’re probably unlike anything you’ve experienced before. The banh mi, for example, is bite-sized and topped with a miniature Vietnamese flag.