For many travellers, food is the main reason to visit Saigon. The city eats out for breakfast, lunch, dinner and the snacks in between, and some of the best meals cost less than a coffee back home.
This is the Saigon Hemstay food guide: the dishes we tell every guest to try, what to look for, and how to order. Almost everything here can be found within a short walk of our house in District 1.
Breakfast and noodle soups
Phở
Vietnam's famous rice-noodle soup with beef (phở bò) or chicken (phở gà). Saigon-style phở comes with a big plate of fresh herbs, bean sprouts, lime and chilli so you can season it yourself. Locals eat it for breakfast.
Hủ tiếu
A Southern noodle soup with Chinese-Cambodian roots, made with a clear, slightly sweet pork broth and toppings like shrimp, pork and quail eggs. Order it "khô" (dry) to get the broth on the side.
Bún bò Huế
A spicy, lemongrass-scented beef noodle soup from central Vietnam, with thick round noodles. Rich and fiery, it's perfect if phở feels too gentle.
Bánh canh cua
Thick, chewy tapioca noodles in a silky crab broth. Comforting and very Saigon.
Rice and noodle plates
Cơm tấm (broken rice)
Saigon's signature dish. Broken rice topped with a smoky grilled pork chop, often with shredded pork skin (bì), a steamed egg cake (chả) and a fried egg, all drizzled with sweet fish sauce. Look for the charcoal grill smoke on the street in the morning.
Bún thịt nướng
Cold rice vermicelli with grilled lemongrass pork, crispy spring rolls, herbs, pickles, peanuts and fish sauce. Mix everything together. It's a perfect meal for a hot afternoon.
Bún chả
Hanoi's grilled-pork-and-noodle dish has plenty of fans in Saigon too. Dip noodles and herbs into a bowl of sweet-sour broth with charred pork patties.
Street snacks
Bánh mì
The crispy Vietnamese baguette, filled with pâté, cold cuts, pickled carrot and daikon, cucumber, coriander and chilli. You'll find bánh mì carts on almost every corner near Saigon Hemstay. It's the ultimate cheap, fast breakfast.
Bánh xèo
A crispy, turmeric-yellow rice-flour pancake filled with shrimp, pork and bean sprouts. Wrap pieces in lettuce and herbs, then dip in fish sauce.
Gỏi cuốn (fresh spring rolls)
Shrimp, pork, herbs and noodles rolled in soft rice paper and served with a peanut-hoisin dip. Light, fresh and great in the heat.
Bánh tráng nướng
Sometimes called "Vietnamese pizza": rice paper grilled over charcoal with egg, spring onion, dried shrimp and sauces. A favourite evening snack with students.
Bột chiên
Cubes of rice cake fried crispy with egg and served with pickled papaya and a sour soy sauce. Addictive.
Ốc (snails and shellfish)
Saigon's favourite night-out food. Pick snails, clams and scallops from the display, then choose how they're cooked: with tamarind, garlic butter, coconut or salted egg. Best with cold beer and friends.
Sweets and drinks
Cà phê sữa đá
Strong Vietnamese coffee dripped through a phin filter over sweet condensed milk and ice. You'll want one every day. Try cà phê muối (salt coffee) and cà phê trứng (egg coffee) too.
Chè
Sweet soups and puddings made with beans, jellies, coconut milk and fruit, served hot or with crushed ice. Point at what looks good.
Sinh tố (fruit smoothies)
Fresh smoothies made from avocado, mango, soursop, durian or whatever is in season. Avocado with condensed milk is a local favourite.
How to eat street food in Saigon
Follow the locals. A stall that's busy with Vietnamese customers, especially office workers at lunch, is almost always a good sign. Many stalls do just one dish, so you only need to say how many bowls.
Prices: street dishes usually cost around 30,000–70,000 VND. The packaged wet wipes and the peanuts on the table often cost a few thousand dong extra, which is normal.
Useful words: "một" (one), "hai" (two), "không cay" (not spicy), "tính tiền" (the bill, please), and "ngon quá!" (so delicious!), which always gets a smile.
Stomach tips: drink bottled or filtered water, start with busy stalls and cooked dishes, and take it slow with chilli for the first couple of days.
Eating your way around Saigon is the best way to understand the city. Stay at Saigon Hemstay and you'll have bánh mì carts, phở shops and the Bùi Viện food stalls within a few minutes' walk. For specific places to eat, read our Saigon restaurant recommendations.
Stay at Saigon Hemstay
Saigon Hemstay is a boutique 4-bedroom townhouse in a quiet alley in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Every room has its own ensuite bathroom, air conditioning and a smart TV. Book a single room or all four. See the rooms or explore the neighbourhood.