Vietnam Food: A foodie guide by region

Vietnam is one of those places where you can plan your whole trip around delicious eats. Not only are the country’s many dishes a treat for your palate, eating local food is one of the best ways to get to know Vietnamese culture and people. Dedicated foodies who go beyond famous eats like phở and bánh mì will find each regional dish is a unique combination of local ingredients, preferences and influences. Here’s a quick guide to a gastronomic adventure around Vietnam.

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North

Subtle sophistication 

There’s a Vietnamese saying that translates to ‘eat Northern, dress Southern.’ Locals in the capital city of Hanoi have a knack for complex recipes that bring out flavours from farm-fresh ingredients. For example, a bowl of steaming bún thang (rice noodles in chicken stock) may take hours to prepare, but when it’s served, the subtle hints of shrimp paste and wood ear mushrooms in the clear broth feels light and effortless. 

Long traditions

Many Northern Vietnamese recipes date back hundreds of years. The food here is heavily influenced by age-old traditions and practices. Bánh chưng, a speciality steamed rice cake prepared on Lunar New Year, comes with its own legend. Inspired by what his land has to offer, a prince created a dish of mung bean and rice wrapped in dong leaves. This dish was so representative of the land that the king rewarded his son with the throne. Vietnamese families still gather every Tết (Lunar New Year) to make bánh chưng as a reminder of our roots. 

Street food heaven

Food from the North tends to have mild flavours and highlights the natural taste of ingredients, and served with lots of herbs and condiments. Don’t be intimidated by the options that come with your phở. Fresh chillies, limes, and vinegar garlic are all here to help. Before adding anything though, take a sip of the pure bone broth flavoured with star anise, cardamom, and cinnamon. It’s a way to show your respect to the cook, and appreciate the finesse of Northern Vietnamese cuisine. 

TRY IT:

Bún thang Thuận Lý, 33 Hàng Hòm, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hanoi
Phở bò Khôi Hói, 50 Hàng Vải, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hanoi 

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Central

Sauces and seafood 

If you’re a fan of spices, sauces, and dips, you’ll love the food of Central Vietnam. Any local here will tell you that the secret to amazing food lies in the dipping sauce. Sauces in Đà Nẵng, Hội An, and Nha Trang go way beyond your average nước mắm (fish sauce.) Supplied by a long coastline, Central Vietnamese cooks come up with many ways to preserve seafood. Fermented shrimp and fish paste are an essential part of any meal. It's common for each dish to be accompanied by its own dip, making something as simple as a local lunch look like a royal feast with lots of small dishes on the table. Just as well, because this region is home to Vietnam’s former imperial capital, Huế. 

Huế cuisine

Huế is famous for its imperial legacy as well as its spicy food. No trip to Huế is complete without sitting on a sidewalk, slurping up every last drop of the rich, red spicy broth of a bún bò Huế (Huế beef noodles.) From chili oil, chili flakes, to chili jam, Huế is a gem for travellers who love a fiery meal. Not a fan of spicy food? You can explore the wonderful world of Huế cuisine through its delicious dumplings. Huế is known for a variety of steamed dumplings in playful textures, topped with fresh shrimps or shrimp flakes. Of course, each one comes with its own dipping sauce.  

Secret ingredients

Regarded as some of the most creative in the country, cooks in Central Vietnam have unique ways of flavouring food. In a perfect bowl of mì Quảng (Quảng noodles), turmeric noodles are cut using a knife wiped with peanut oil. The noodles are submerged in just a few spoonfuls of broth, topped with fresh greens, pork or chicken, quail eggs, crushed peanuts, rice crackers and chili. Stopping at a random vendor in Hội An for an early-morning bowl of mì Quảng is a must-have experience. Great Central Vietnamese dishes are impossible to find elsewhere, so make every meal here count. 

TRY IT: 

O Lé Dumplings, 104/17/9 Kim Long, Huế 
Mì Quảng Bà Vị, 166 Lê Đình Dương, Hải Châu District, Đà Nẵng 

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South 

Humble beginnings 

Just like the people here, Southern Vietnamese cuisine is open to many influences. Locals in Hồ Chí Minh City bring their own cooking styles from many different parts of Vietnam, creating a culinary hub in the city. Southern dishes are often humble and casual. Unlike some lunch-only eats in the North, most food stalls in Southern Vietnam open all day. The popular cơm tấm (broken rice) is a fantastic breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Made from fractured rice grains that couldn’t be sold, this once-modest dish is now a southern specialty. Served with grilled pork chops and slices of Vietnamese meatloaf, cơm tấm is topped with a generous spoonful of green onions and sweetened fish sauce. In fact if there’s one taste that characterises the cuisine of Southern Vietnam, it’s sweetness.  

The sweet South 

Vietnamese in the South are big on sweetness. A pinch of sugar or a dash of coconut milk makes everything taste better here. Cá kho tộ (claypot fish) gets its distinctive dark colour from caramelised sugar. Seasoned with fish sauce and pepper, the sweet and savory concoction complements the natural taste of the fish, making cá kho tộ burst with flavour. This dish is a great representative of Southern food, and specifically the Mekong Delta. It has sweetness, bold flavours, and features freshwater fish from the Mekong River. 

Dining in the Delta 

The verdant Mekong Delta region is all about green vegetables, freshwater fish, and abundant tropical fruits. You’re sure to eat well here. The nutrient-rich soil is so fertile that when cultivated by hardworking Vietnamese farmers, it yields beautiful produce and some of the sweetest fruits in the country. After a day of paddling along small canals surrounded by mangrove trees, a plate of freshly picked dragon fruit, mangosteen, or longan with honey tea is a signature Mekong Delta snack. Dining in the South is a very laid-back experience. Recipes are simple and people are welcoming. Vegetable hotpot on a straw mat in the backyard is a great way to get to know the locals. You’ll find they are just as sweet as the fruit they grow. 

TRY IT: 

Cơm tấm Nguyễn Phi Khanh, 113 Nguyễn Phi Khanh, District 1, HCMC
Fresh fruits at Cái Bè Floating Market, Mekong Delta 

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Eating like a local in HCMC - Vietnam Food

If you only have one day in Ho Chi Minh City, spend the day eating. Vietnam's most dynamic city is filled to the brim with good food. People from all over Vietnam come to Ho Chi Minh City to work, bringing with them recipes from their hometowns that over time make up the metropolis’ exciting culinary scene. Here's our insider guide to three dishes you don't want to miss.

Vietnamese food: All delicious dishes to try in Vietnam

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Broken rice equals a wholesome breakfast

Ask anyone in Ho Chi Minh City and they will tell you the go-to breakfast here is cơm tấm (broken rice). Cơm tấm is one of the few dishes that originated in Ho Chi Minh City. In the old days, these special broken rice grains were not fit for sale, so farmers would save and eat them. In fact, the tấm rice grains are so symbolic of humble beauty and grace that in the Vietnamese version of Cinderella, she was named Tấm whereas the evil stepsister was called Cám, after a different kind of rice byproduct.

Cơm tấm has all the right stuff to kickstart your day: honey-glazed barbecued pork chops, sunny-side-up eggs, spring onions, and pickled papaya on a bed of rice. Of course, these days you can have cơm tấm for any meal. Everyone in Ho Chi Minh City has his or her favourite cơm tấm spot, but don’t be afraid to try out the one closest to you. It will likely be just as good. Pour a generous amount of sweet fish sauce on top of everything on your plate, and dig in.

TRY IT: Cơm tấm Ba Ghiền, 84 Đặng Văn Ngữ Str., Phú Nhuận District, HCMC

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Snails, skewers, and seafood   

The area of District 4 is known for its many sidewalk BBQ seafood and snail joints. The small street of Vĩnh Khánh (District 4, Ho Chi Minh City) comes to life just after dark. Around 6pm, it transforms into a bustling neighbourhood, filled with diners gathering for a beer over some snails and seafood skewers, weekdays and weekends alike. For foodies who want to immerse in the lively atmosphere of Ho Chi Minh City, head to the restaurants along Nhiêu Lộc – Thị Nghè Canal (bờ kè area), a branch of the Saigon River that runs through the city.

While snails may sound foreign to some, they are one of the city’s most famous specialties. Snail restaurants lay out fresh catches of the day in baskets or trays for you to choose from. They can go up to twenty different kinds. From stir-fried with butter and garlic, grilled with sea salt and chilli, to stewed in coconut milk, each way of cooking snails pairs perfectly with each type of snail. Sweet snails, cockles, and razor clams are some local favourites. Overwhelmed by these selections? Simply ask what the other diners are eating and they will be happy to help you. 

TRY IT: Ốc Vũ, 37 Vĩnh Khánh Str., District 4, HCMC

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The many faces of hủ tiếu  

Because of its culturally diverse population, countless versions of a single dish are a common theme in the local food scene. Few dishes are as representative of this city as hủ tiếu. It has multiple origins (Chinese, Cambodian, and Vietnamese), and has seen many changes and adaptations, yet it's embraced by Vietnamese everywhere. You can easily find a hearty bowl of hủ tiếu Nam Vang (Phnom Penh rice noodles) with thin strings of rice noodles submerged in boiling hot bone broth, topped with shrimp, pork, quail eggs, and fried garlic on small carts all over the city.

An alternative you don’t want to miss is hủ tiếu Sa Đéc, originated from the former Sa Đéc province in the Mekong Delta. This flavourful noodle dish comes with a special sweet sauce, a taste signature to the Delta region. As you bite into the rice noodle strings, you will notice the difference in their chewy texture. A plate of mung bean sprout and lettuce adds a cheerful crunch to every bite.

TRY IT: Hủ tiếu Ba Hoàng, 56 Võ Văn Tần Str., District 3, HCMC

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A bánh mì like no other 

You can find bánh mì anywhere in Vietnam, but each region puts its own twist on the classic sandwich. In Ho Chi Minh City, a typical bánh mì comes with char siu pork, homemade paté, soft butter, pickled papaya, and hot chili peppers. Some cooks make their own special sauce that magically ties everything together.

Bánh mì Huỳnh Hoa is a firm favourite among locals. Known for their generous fillings and spectacular flavours, the small shop always has a line of dedicated diners waiting in front, no matter what time of day. Each one sets you back 42,000 VNĐ, and is almost twice as big as your average bánh mì. But size is not the only thing that sets Huỳnh Hoa apart. Every wonderful bite contains equal measures of all the fantastic tastes and textures. In the words of the Huỳnh Hoa's owner: “This is no ordinary bánh mì!” 

TRY IT: Bánh mì Huỳnh Hoa, 26 Lê Thị Riêng Str., District 1, HCMC 

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Summertime spring rolls  

For Vietnamese who grew up in Ho Chi Minh City, gỏi cuốn (fresh spring rolls) are the food of childhood. Many of us would have these spring rolls on the sidewalks as an after-school snack. You can easily get a taste of this wrap at street food vendors around the city. Pull up a plastic stool, order a plate of gỏi cuốn, and see for yourself what makes this simple dish so special. 

Freshness is at the heart of gỏi cuốn. Green lettuce and herbs are wrapped around rice noodles, steamed pork, and a single prawn. The simplicity highlights each ingredient's pure flavours. However, the difference between a great gỏi cuốn and a mediocre one lies in its dipping sauce. The thick fermented sauce can be an acquired taste, but give it a try and you will see where gỏi cuốn gets its boldness. After hours of exploring the city, some gỏi cuốn and iced tea is perfect for a break. Not to mention, these beautiful rolls will definitely spice up your Instagram feed. 

TRY IT: Gỏi cuốn Minh, 84/33 Bùi Viện Str., District 1, HCMC