Chef Sam Tran’s top dining spots in Vietnam

Sam Tran, co-founder and head chef at the Michelin-starred restaurant Gia in Hanoi, is on a mission. Fond as she is of Vietnam’s colourful street food culture, she believes there’s more to her country’s culinary landscape than cheap, fast eats, and wants the rest of the world to know it, too.

Entirely self-taught, Tran cut her teeth in cafés and restaurants in Australia before opening Gia in 2020 . Launching a premium restaurant in a city with just a handful of successful fine dining establishments was daunting. But three years later, in 2023, Gia became one of only four restaurants in Vietnam to be bestowed a coveted Michelin star. 

Central to the restaurant’s winning concept is the innovation and elevation of traditional Vietnamese recipes and flavours. Here, from north to south, are seven of Tran’s favourite establishments in Vietnam that advocate a similar approach – all with exciting results.

1. Phin Bar by Refined, Hanoi  

This coffee shop, just one block away from Gia, was also born during Covid-19, so I’m familiar with the challenges the team faced in getting things up and running. Phin Bar stands out due to its signature phin (filter) coffee, made from high-quality Vietnamese robusta beans rather than arabica beans from elsewhere in the world. The traditional filter method brings out the best of locally grown beans to brew simply the best Vietnamese coffee out there – a definite must-try. 

2. Ngoam, Hanoi 

The team behind Ngoam had a simple goal: to provide funds for people in need. To support their efforts, they decided to open a burger joint. Ngoam began as an online business with regular pop-ups, but proved so popular that it is now a permanent and beloved fixture on Hanoi’s casual dining scene. The concept is inspiring but also really challenging to get right: burgers infused with the spirit of Hanoi’s signature dishes and an ever-changing menu that always delights and surprises.

3. Studios, Hanoi

Studios is the first restaurant in Hanoi to commit to the idea that food can be art. The menu is refreshingly playful, with a truly world-class chef, Phuc Nguyen, who has worked in a multitude of professional kitchens. He’s now channelling all that knowledge and experience into crafting dishes that showcase the creative, whimsical side of contemporary Vietnamese cuisine – including house-made egg noodles with dried seaworm, one of my (many) favourites.

4. Si Dining, Da Nang

I love Si Dining because it demonstrates that Vietnam can do contemporary international cuisine just as well as anywhere else. Situated near the Han River in Da Nang, Si Dining is essentially an Italian restaurant but with delicate yet discernible Vietnamese touches. Chef Alessio Rasom really understands the local cuisine, and the knowledge he’s acquired enables him to incorporate seasonal adaptations into the menu, which changes every day.

5. Mùa, Hoi An

If you’re in Hoi An, it’s essential to pay a visit to Mùa . Founded by Tru Lang, a chef who has cooked in prestigious kitchens around the world, Mùa serves ever-evolving tasting menus crafted around local, seasonal produce. The menu’s signatures, such as fresh rolls stuffed with herbs from the nearby garden and the mini dessert banh mi with peanut praline, are true delights. Sampling the sake, brewed with Vietnamese rice in collaboration with award-winning brewery Heiwa Shuzo, is an added highlight.

6. Little Bear, Ho Chi Minh City

Intimate Little Bear is the perfect gathering spot for good food with good friends. What really impresses me here is how the chef blends contemporary cooking with a diverse set of local ingredients, creating genuinely unique dishes: including cuttlefish with stracciatella cheese and shrimp tartare with mustard leaves. This place is also set apart by the team’s humble yet professional attitude; somehow they make every visit feel special.

7. The Pi, Ho Chi Minh City

You’ll find Chun Chun, The Pi’s founder and owner , behind the bar every day. She worked in research and development in bars for nine years, so had time to cultivate her own style. Instead of being some dark and obscure bar that exudes exclusivity, The Piis refreshingly bright, with a bold, blue-and-white colour scheme. It’s an inviting space where everyone feels like they belong – kind of like a contemporary version of the egalitarian bars and cafés that have existed in Vietnam for decades.