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$$ | District 1 |
The centerpiece of this stylish, immensely popular Japanese-owned restaurant is not a sushi bar but a brick oven, and the focus here is Japanese-Italian fusion, targeted at the Vietnamese palate but equally loved by out-of-towners. You can opt for classic creations such as prosciutto margarita or something a little more experimental, like flower pizza (with edible blooms such as pumpkin, leek, and daylily), teriyaki chicken with seaweed or salmon miso cream. Italian-style appetizers and pasta dishes are also available, as is a cheese platter featuring handmade cheeses from the 4Ps' cheese factory near Dalat. Customers who can't get a seat will stand by the bar just for a slice of the mouthwatering pizza. Reservations should be made days in advance—yes, it's that popular. This restaurant is the original, with a growing number of locations in some of Vietnam's biggest cities.
8/15 Le Thanh Ton, Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Known For
- Japanese fusion pizza
- Homemade cheese
- Popular with locals
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$$ | District 1 |
Classy surroundings, attentive staff, and amazing cocktails are good reasons to come here, but it's the mouthwatering pan-Asian food that's the highlight, regularly winning over meat lovers who have reluctantly accompanied their vegetarian partners and friends. The menu is full of health-conscious options, and the food is as visually appealing as it is delicious. Unlike traditional vegetarian places in Vietnam, Hum uses garlic and onion and serves alcohol.
2 Thi Sach, Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Known For
- Stylish decor
- Cocktails (try the cucumber ginger martini)
- Vegetarian food
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$$ | District 1 |
Industrial chic meets art house tucked away in a colonial villa at this well-loved café. The food is reliably good, offering a range of contemporary café fusion fare including salads, sandwiches, cold cut platters, and Western favorites. Beautifully plated Vietnamese dishes include a very tasty caramelized pork and herb number and a solid broken rice with grilled pork. There is a second, larger restaurant with a bright upstairs retail space at 19 Le Thanh Ton.
151/1 Dong Khoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Known For
- Balcony views of the Opera House
- Vietnamese-style broken rice
- Red velvet cake
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$$ | District 1 |
With a thriving indoor kitchen garden in the center of the restaurant, Secret House evokes the feeling of olden days Vietnamese countryside living; the home-style menu is short for a Vietnamese place, but every dish is reliably delicious with surprising attention to presentation. Schedule a visit early in your trip so you can return to try all the delicious dishes you couldn't fit in first time around. Food is ordered Vietnam-style, to be placed in the middle and shared. Do try to find room for the chao tom (pork and prawn grilled on sugarcane sticks).
55/1 Le Thi Hong Gam, Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Known For
- Home-cooked Vietnamese fare
- Shared dishes
- Indoor garden (sometimes with chickens)
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$$ | District 2 |
World-class tea, cakes, pastries, and Australian café-style comfort food is served among antiques, objets d'art, and other treasures collected by globe-trotting chef and hotelier David Campbell. It's a very exotic feeling to be sitting on a vintage couch surrounded by beautiful things, using the free Wi-Fi and sipping top-quality TWG teas. High tea, brunch, or lunch can be served inside the antiques shop, on the terrace, or in the elaborate gazebo outside. The menu offers various baked goods, sandwiches, pies, and dishes such as lasagna and quiche. It's a great place to try Australian favorites such as lamingtons (chocolate cake with coconut), coconut ice, and sausage rolls, as well as European favorites like arancini balls.
3 Tran Ngoc Dien, Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Known For
- High tea
- Dining among antiques
- Café-style food
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and public holidays. No dinner
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$ | District 1 |
Midway between the Reunification Palace and Notre Dame cathedral, overlooking the tall trees of April 30 Park, this is a great place to linger in exotic surroundings, whether for a meal or just a smoothie or coffee. The flavors are Mediterranean and Middle Eastern, the staff is attentive, and the location is prime. The appeal of Au Parc, in a restored colonial-era shopfront, is further enhanced by the children's playroom upstairs, which is supervised by a nanny on weekends from 11 am to 4 pm while brunch is served.
23 Han Thuyen, Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Known For
- Mediterranean cuisine
- Great location
- Kids playroom on the top floor
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$$ | District 1 |
Slap-bang in the heart of the backpacker district, this gem of an Indian restaurant serves a great selection of curries, tandoori, tikka, vegetarian dishes, breads, and Southern Indian specialties. It's an unassuming, clean, and friendly little place, but if you don't feel like venturing out, they deliver throughout Ho Chi Minh City.
274 Bui Vien, Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Known For
- High-quality Indian food
- Efficient service
- Generous side dishes
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$$ | District 3 |
A no-frills, family-run institution, Banh Xeo 46A is the go-to place for one of southern Vietnam's most cherished culinary creations: banh xeo (literally, "sizzling crepe")—a crispy pancake made with rice flour, coconut milk, and a smidgen of turmeric, and filled with bean sprouts, onion, shrimp, and pork. Break off a piece and wrap it up in a giant mustard leaf along with a handful of herbs and greens, and dunk it in a fish sauce-based dip laced with chilies. The menu has been expanded to include other Vietnamese dishes but the banh xeo is still the star. There's a room with air-conditioning, but sitting outside and watching the food being made is more fun.
46A Dinh Cong Trang, off Hai Ba Trung, Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Known For
- Banh xeo
- Appearing on international television shows
- Street-style dining
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
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$$ | District 1 |
Down a small street near Ben Thanh Market, this cute little eatery serves cheap and cheerful Vietnamese food at its finest. The staff are friendly, the food is tasty, and there's a range of interesting and refreshing drinks and desserts. If you're into snails, its sister restaurant at 136/9 Le Thanh Ton is where to go.
165/50 Nguyen Thai Binh, Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Known For
- Cheap and cheerful home-cooked Vietnamese food
- Hidden entrance
- Refreshing drinks
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$$ | District 1 |
Serving traditional Vietnamese dishes with an emphasis on healthy, environmentally friendly eating, Cuc Gach has succeeded in carving out its own niche in the city's dining scene. Set in an old French home that has received a modern makeover and is furnished with repurposed colonial-era furniture—including a wooden bed that's been converted into a dining table—this is Vietnamese with a green and design-y edge. Reservations are recommended but not essential.
10 Dang Tat, Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Known For
- Stylish decor
- Traditional Vietnamese cooking
- Very extensive menu
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$$ | District 2 |
Non-sports fans are fully justified in hanging out in Dtwo Sportspub just for the awesome pub grub, including classic burgers, fish-and-chips, Cornish pasties, and beef stew. There's also distinctly non-pubby grub, such as a cheese board, salads, and eggs Benedict. The TV screens broadcasting sports aren't too loud, so the non-sporty types can focus on the food, or a game of pool out back.
55–57 Thao Dien, Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Known For
- British pub grub
- Sports broadcast on many screens
- Selection of beers
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$$ | District 3 |
Just a few doors from the War Remnants Museum, this vegetarian restaurant is a calm oasis that starts to restore flagging spirits from the first step past the pond and lush greenery into the stylish interior. The fresh and healthy pan-Asian menu and the vibe are similar to Hum Lounge in District 1, but with a focus that's more on food than cocktails. Try the square spring rolls, the visually appealing rainbow salad with sesame dressing, and the wild vegetable soup.
32 Vo Van Tan, Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Known For
- Vegetarian food
- Inviting design
- Proximity to a popular tourist sight
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$$ | District 1 |
Huong Lai serves traditional Southern Vietnamese home cooking with a very high feel-good factor—all the staffers are orphans and disadvantaged young people, given a helping hand by the philanthropic Japanese owner, who calls his enterprise a training restaurant. The interior is delightfully rustic, the service is friendly, the English language skills excellent, the food is authentic, and over the course of more than a decade, Huong Lai has launched more than 60 young people into careers in the five-star hospitality sector.
38 Ly Tu Trong, Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Known For
- Vietnamese cuisine
- Helping disadvantaged youth
- Excellent service
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$$ | District 3 |
Catering to the young switched-on set, ID Café is popular with digital nomads, bloggers, locals, expats, and tourists alike. They come for its groovy interior design, high-speed Internet, coffee, and very tasty food, including several vegetarian options.
61B Tu Xuong, Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Known For
- Digital nomad hangout
- Cheerful food menu
- Coffee
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$$ | District 1 |
La Fiesta, run by the effusive American-Vietnamese couple Scott and Duc, will satisfy all your Tex-Mex cravings, whether it's for tacos, chili con carne, enchiladas, sangria, or margaritas. This place is popular with locals, expats, and tourists for its big portions, big taste, strong drinks, and great service all at reasonable prices. Vegetarian and vegan options are available. There's also a second location in the expat neighborhood in District 7.
128 Ly Tu Trong, Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Known For
- Tex-Mex
- Friendly service
- Great cocktails
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$$ | District 1 |
This is a bright and clean vegan restaurant catering to local Buddhists, who are full-time or part-time vegetarians—some just forsake meat twice a month, on the full and half moon. An extensive range of fresh and delicious Vietnamese vegan dishes features on the menu, many using mock meat made from tofu, lentils, or beans (meaning there's actually no beef in a dish labeled, for instance, beef with pepper sauce). Not only is the menu in English, it also includes pictures, and the prepared dishes are as colorful as they appear on the menu.
38 Huynh Khuong Ninh, Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Known For
- Local-style vegan food
- Mock meat dishes
- English menu
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$$ | District 2 |
Serving northern European food with some local twists in a converted villa with lush gardens, Mad House is the work of two Danish chefs; "mad" is the Danish word for food. For the hungry, the mains, steaks, and burgers will satisfy; for the not-so-peckish there's an interesting selection of breakfast dishes and snacks. There's a playroom for kids, some pet rabbits under a tree in the front garden, and a cute little kids' menu.
6/1/2 Nguyen U Di, Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Known For
- Northern European cuisine
- Excellent selection of burgers
- Leafy garden setting
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$$ | District 1 |
Serving what is described as "redesigned" Vietnamese cuisine with a focus on fresh ingredients, the sleek and artsy Propaganda does nontraditional takes on traditional dishes, especially fresh spring rolls. You can avoid menu confusion by choosing the 510,000d or 580,000d discovery menu of four courses, three glasses of wine, and organic green tea. Midway between the Reunification Palace and the Notre Dame Cathedral, Propaganda is the perfect spot to recharge during a long hot day of sightseeing, while admiring some (you guessed it) wartime propaganda art.
21 Han Thuyen, Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Known For
- Vietnamese food with a twist
- Propaganda art murals
- Fresh ingredients
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$$ | District 1 |
For those craving a taste of the USA, Scott’s Kitchen serves big portions of soul-satisfying, home-cooked comfort food. There are more than 20 variations of mac-and-cheese alone on the menu including fun additions like Korean-style fried chicken, tuna melt, and BBQ pork. While the menu is unabashedly not aimed at the calorie-counting crowd, there are salads (but with ranch and blue cheese dressings) and the Nashville Hot Chicken can be made with tofu.
128 Ly Tu Trong, Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Known For
- Comfort food with a twist
- Good value portions
- Big, bold flavors
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$$ | District 2 |
Serving a mishmash of international, Tex-Mex, and Vietnamese fare, Snap is an open-air family-oriented café-restaurant set in a large thatched hut overlooking a children's playground. Popular with the local expat community, Snap caters to non-families with its quieter library section tucked away on one side beside a manicured tropical garden. The restaurant tries hard to please all comers, with burger nights, quiz nights, live music, and an extensive menu. The staff is friendly, especially to kids. Snap is located in a complex with boutiques and other dining options, so leave some time to wander.
32 Tran Ngoc Dien, Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Known For
- Kids playground out back
- Wide selection of cuisines available
- Live music on Saturday night