Hi, I’m Phuoc, founder of SaigonVibes. I was born in the coastal city of Ba Ria Vung Tau Province, about 70 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh City, and I’ve studied and worked in Saigon. Over the past ten years, I’ve spent countless days exploring delicious food spots here with friends.
When I say “delicious,” I don’t necessarily mean local or cheap. To me, a good spot is one that specializes in just one dish, and that dish has to be consistently great, even after multiple visits. The ingredients should be high quality, carefully prepared, and true to the spirit of the dish, especially if it’s originally from another region and brought into Saigon.
I’ve been to pretty much every province in Vietnam. In major cities like Da Nang, Da Lat, Ha Noi, and Nha Trang, I’ve even lived for a while, so I have a solid base of experience to evaluate the dishes on this list. I also really love bún mọc (pork meatball noodle soup) and bánh cuốn (steamed rice rolls), so I can confidently say that the versions included here are the best in Saigon.
A small bún mọc spot tucked in the busy Bac Hai market area, right between District 10 and Tan Binh. I discovered it by chance during my student years when I lived nearby, and I’ve been coming here for the past ten years. All the meatballs and chả (vietnamese sausage) are homemade. A bowl comes with steamed chả, fried chả, fatty meat sausage, and tender ribs. The fatty meat sausage is especially good-almost every time I visit, I end up ordering an extra portion on the side.
The broth is naturally sweet and clean, without any harsh or MSG-heavy taste. You can ask for an extra spoon of southern-style minced pork fat if you like. The shop has just a few tables on the ground floor, while the upper floor is student housing, so you’ll see motorbikes going in and out all the time.
Compared to Bún mọc Thanh Mai in District 1, this place might have a slightly saltier broth, but the quality of the chả is on another level. And at only 45,000 VND per bowl, it’s a steal, especially considering Thanh Mai charges 80,000.
Bún mọc Bà Chiều
How to order: Mixed pork meatball noodle soup, extra fatty meat sausage, pork fat broth, blanched bean sprouts, and fresh Vietnamese balm (not blanched)
Address: 280 Bac Hai Street, Ward 6, Tan Binh District
Check out my blog ‘The 10 Best‘, for top rated Bun Moc restaurant in Ho Chi Minh city
Delicious, a bit pricey, and the chicken broth is amazing.
When I think of Phở Hương Bình, those are the three things that come to mind. They serve both beef and chicken Pho, but I always recommend the chicken. The broth is sweet and clean-no strange bone smell, no overpowering onion, and no off-putting seasoning. It’s made by simmering fresh local chickens, and the meat is always tender thigh. The place is spotless and has been around for over 70 years in Saigon. Most of the regulars are middle-aged locals and Viet Kieu (Vietnamese people who live overseas) who value quality over hype. The chicken they use is true local free-range with firm meat and flavorful bones, not the overly tough hens you find elsewhere.
Even though chicken pho is more famous in Hanoi and I’ve had it plenty of times up there, I still personally prefer Hương Bình for its consistent quality. It’s definitely on the pricier side but worth every penny. I almost always finish the broth.
How to order: Chicken pho, less noodles, blanched bean sprouts, no lime, no hoisin, and around four to five slices of chili
Address: 148 Vo Thi Sau Street, Ward 8, District 3
The 10 best Pho restaurants blog
I’ve tried at least 30 banh cuon spots, and this one is my favorite in Saigon. As someone obsessed with banh cuon, a good plate has to start with quality rice rolls. A portion here is around 40k and includes three rolls and two pieces of chả (Vietnamese sausage). The rice sheet is thin and perfectly chewy, and the filling strikes the right balance between lean and fatty pork, with plenty of wood ear mushrooms – so it’s never dry. The dipping sauce really shines when you add chopped chili. And the chả mỡ (fatty Vietnamese sausage) absolutely delicious, bite into it and the fat gently melts in your mouth. The fried shallots are homemade: crispy, dry, and free of that greasy smell you sometimes get elsewhere. It’s a small, family-run stall with no signage, hidden deep inside the market. Sometimes they close without notice, but when they’re open, it’s totally worth the hunt.
Downside: Very small spot, tucked away in Ban Co Market. Only regulars or hardcore foodies seem to know about it.
How to order: Mixed vietnamese sausages with spring rolls, extra chả mỡ (fatty sausage), extra fried shallots, and chili fish sauce.
Address: Ban Co Market, District 10
There are tons of snail spots in Saigon, but 63 restaurant is for people who really know their seafood. It’s on the pricier side, but worth it. Everything is fresh, large-sized, and high quality. No mixed bags or sketchy seafood here. If you need a ton of sauce to mask the taste, this isn’t the place. The cooking is simple: tamarind stir-fried, grilled with salt, sautéed with morning glory. But the wok skills are legit. Everything comes out smoky, fragrant, and packed with clean, natural flavor. The seafood is consistently fresh and well-prepped, from snails to mantis shrimp.
The only downside is that it’s a sidewalk spot, so it can get messy. Not ideal during the rainy season.
The only downside is that it’s a sidewalk spot, so it can get messy. Not ideal during the rainy season.
How to order: The crab curry with bread is their signature, but I recommend the grilled squid eggs with chili salt, mantis shrimp, and salted egg yolk snails.
Address: 63 Nguyen Truong To, district 4
This is the most famous cơm tấm spot in Saigon because… it’s expensive.
Yep, super pricey and always sparks debate. But it’s always full. The menu is simple, nothing too fancy. Their grilled pork chop is the star and gets the most compliments. For most customers, this is the best cơm tấm they’ve had in Saigon. Everything on the plate is on point. The pork chop is two to three times thicker than elsewhere, perfectly marinated, juicy, and not dry. The rice is soft and fragrant, the fish sauce is well-balanced and tastes a bit different from other places. The Chinese sausage is 9/10—fragrant, sweet, soft.
Downside: Very crowded, and big pork chops take longer to grill, so waiting 30–40 minutes is normal. Also, triple the usual price.
How to order: Cơm tấm with grilled pork chop and shredded pork skin, iced tea.
Address: 74 Nguyen Van Cu street, district 1
This dish is a classic street snack for generations of Saigon students—cheap, filling, and popular after school. But at Đức Hoa, it’s different. This bột chiên (Vietnamese fried rice flour cak3) is for the “wealthy crowd” because it’s expensive, even more than a bowl of Pho. A portion ranges from 45k to 60k with beef. The rice flour pieces are thick and firm, fried until golden. Then they crack an egg on top and fry both sides until crispy. Served with shredded papaya, pickled veggies, preserved radish, and tons of green onion (which is the soul of the dish). Done in Chinese style. A lot of people say it’s overpriced, but it’s always packed and has been open for over 50 years.
Downside: Gets messy when crowded, since it’s in an old apartment building
How to order: Bột chiên with 2 eggs, lots of scallions, soy sauce and chili
Address: Ngo Gia Tu apartment building, district 10
A well-known cooling dessert spot in District 6. Only offers takeaway and is mainly known by locals in the area. People from other districts might not know about it. This chè isn’t traditional Vietnamese, it’s a Chinese-style blend of cooling ingredients like basil seeds, seaweed, coconut jelly, dried longan, water chestnut, palm fruit, etc. It’s been open for 40 years, and I’ve been eating here for 7 years with the exact same flavor. Still 30k for a big portion, enough to fill you up.
Downside: Far from the center. Best to order via Grab.
Address: 200 Lê Quang Sung, Ward 2, District 6
People in Saigon really love mixed dishes with at least three or four different ingredients. Think of gỏi (salads), bánh tráng trộn (rice paper mix), or tré trộn (fermented pork mix). That’s why this papaya salad is loved by everyone, from older uncles and aunties to high school students. Here’s a little scene you might witness if you stop by to grab a plate:
It’s 4 PM. Auntie Sau’s dried beef papaya salad cart starts getting busy.
“Auntie, two to-go please, with extra sauce and chili”
“Three for us sitting in the park, Auntie”
“Hurry, Auntie! It’s about to rain. Add more prawn crackers for me”
The sound of people shouting their orders fills the street. Motorbikes pull over quickly so drivers can get their salad before the rain hits. Others place their orders, then walk across to Le Van Tam Park to find a shady spot. Some grab a cup of fruit juice and wait for their salad to be brought over.
A first-time customer looks confused and asks where to sit. Auntie Sau looks up and smiles.
“Sit wherever you like, sweetheart. Just head to the park. Someone will bring it over to you in a bit.”
Auntie Sau’s cart is parked on Hai Ba Trung Street, directly across from Le Van Tam Park. If you want to eat on the spot, just cross the street. Small mats are available so you can sit and enjoy your salad picnic-style. Each plate includes thick strands of green papaya, soaked in ice water and kept chilled until served so they stay crisp. On top, there’s black dried beef simmered in soy sauce, a sweet soy-based dressing with secret spices, crispy prawn crackers from the Mekong Delta, and roasted peanuts. Unlike Thai-style papaya salad, which leans sour and spicy, this version is sweet and savory-a very southern Vietnamese flavor profile.
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How to order: One plate of papaya salad with extra chili paste
Address: Le Van Tam park, district 3
This is not the usual bánh mì with meat like Huynh Hoa (the most famous banh mi in Saigon) or Phuong in Da Nang. This one is a snack from the Mekong Delta, originally made by reusing leftover bread. Over time, people started using fresh bread, slicing it thickly to make “bánh mì tôm chiên” fried bread with shrimp as a popular snack in the western provinces. Locals dip the bread in batter, top it with a few shrimp, add some shredded sweet potato, then deep-fry it until crispy.
It sounds simple, but very few places in Saigon sell this. What makes it special is the balance of seasoning: pepper, salt, and marinated shallots. You do not even need chili sauce.
Downside: The shop often closes randomly, hard to find
Address 62 Le Hong Phong Street, Ward 2, District 5
Chicken rice is a familiar dish in central Vietnam (like Nha Trang, Phu Yen, Đa Nang, Quang Nam). But in Saigon, it’s usually done Chinese-style. This place serves real Singapore-style chicken rice. A portion costs 50–70k if you go for the whole leg. The chicken is juicy, not dry. The soy sauce isn’t too salty. Personally, I love Hainanese chicken rice and often eat it at hawker stalls in Singapore. This is the only spot in Saigon that gets about 80–90% close to the original. Most other shops that say “Singapore chicken rice” change the flavor to suit locals, so I don’t rate them highly. This one has seating, is located in a one-way street in District 4, and is really popular with office workers at lunchtime.
If you’re specifically craving Singapore chicken rice, I highly recommend this one.
Downside: Small shop, crowded at lunch, sometimes inconsistent quality since the owner is also the cook
How to order: Soy sauce chicken (breast), add 1 egg, 1 braised tofu, 1 pair of soy chicken feet.
