Food Tour Ho Chi Minh City - Top 10+ Best Dishes

Food tour Ho Chi Minh City is always one of the attractive tourist activities when visiting this city. A walking food tour in Ho Chi Minh City offers a unique opportunity to explore the city’s diverse flavors and uncover hidden culinary gems.

The vibrant street food culture of Saigon comes alive in bustling markets, busy alleyways, and sidewalk stalls, where locals and visitors alike gather to indulge in their favorite dishes. Embarking on tour Ho Chi Minh City allows travelers to navigate the city’s culinary maze with expert guidance, sampling an array of dishes and learning about their cultural significance along the way. If you are a first-time traveler to Saigon, or if you have friends from afar visiting for the first time, this article will suggest some worthy dining spots for a complete day of food tour in Saigon.

Morning food tour Ho Chi Minh City – Breakfast delights

Kickstart your day with a Vietnam food tour Saigon experience dedicated to exploring the city’s breakfast delights. From savory pho noodle soup to fragrant banh mi sandwiches, breakfast in Saigon is a feast for the senses. Let’s start the Saigon taste tours with super delicious and famous breakfast dishes in Saigon!

Banh mi

When mentioning Saigon’s street food, it’s impossible not to mention Saigon Banh Mi. Banh mi with meat is not only famous within Vietnam but also appears on the world map with the title of “one of the best street foods in the world.”

Originating from the French Baguette, introduced to Vietnam in the 1950s, especially renowned in Saigon, the crispy-crusted, soft, and fragrant inside baguettes are filled with various ingredients such as meat, fish, sausages, Chinese sausages, cold cuts, and vegetables. In Saigon, there used to be famous carts selling especially fragrant buttered banh mi. Later, Saigon banh mi had many different variations, including banh mi que, salt and chili grilled banh mi, pan-fried banh mi, banh mi with stewed innards, “bo ne” beef banh mi, and beef stew banh mi. In general, banh mi is a versatile food that can be combined with many different types of ingredients, each dish creating its distinctive flavor.

 

Price: 10,000 VND – 40,000 VND

Reference addresses:

• Grilled meat banh mi: Alley 37 Nguyen Trai, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
• Huynh Hoa Banh Mi: 26 Le Thi Rieng, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
• Bay Ho Banh Mi: 19 Huynh Khuong Ninh, Da Kao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
• 179 Banh Mi: 179 Xom Chieu, District 4, Ho Chi Minh City

Sticky Rice Saigon

Sticky rice is considered a traditional, common breakfast dish in Vietnam, both convenient and filling enough to start a new day. Saigon sticky rice is divided into 2 main types: savory and sweet, each with its own characteristic flavor. Savory sticky rice is often served with roasted chicken, quail eggs, Chinese sausage, barbecued pork, shredded pork, etc. Sweet sticky rice is cooked from glutinous rice, with added ingredients such as sugar, sesame salt, pandan leaves, black beans, mung beans, etc.

Price: 10,000 VND – 70,000 VND

Reference addresses:

• Common sticky rice: 101 Van Kiep, Ward 3, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City
• Ba Chieu Market Chicken Sticky Rice: 318/1 Bui Huu Nghia, Ward 1, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City
• Huong’s Phu Xuan Bridge Sticky Rice: 40 Huynh Tan Phat, Nha Be District, Ho Chi Minh City
• Mrs. Lan’s Chicken Sticky Rice: 14B Ky Dong, Ward 9, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City

Crab Noodle Soup

Crab Noodle Soup is a traditional Vietnamese dish, extremely popular, known by people of all ages from the elderly to children. As the name suggests, the main ingredient of crab noodle soup is crab paste made from finely minced crabmeat, mixed with eggs and cooked into crab paste, or crab cake. The common dipping sauce for crab noodle soup is shrimp paste, which enhances the rich flavor of the broth and accompanying vegetables.

Price: 30,000 VND – 70,000 VND

Reference addresses:

• Street-side crab noodle soup: 4 Phan Boi Chau, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
• Crab and snail noodle soup: 287/66 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Ward 5, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
• Alley crab noodle soup: 96/1/5F Phan Dinh Phung, Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City
• No. 7 crab noodle soup: 183 Hau Giang, Ward 5, District 6, Ho Chi Minh City

>> Explore more: Top 15 Best Places to visit in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam

Lunch food tour Ho Chi Minh City – Lunchtime Feasts

As the sun reaches its peak, it’s time to indulge in a lunchtime feast during your Saigon taste tours experience. A walking food tour Ho Chi Minh City is the perfect way to navigate the city’s bustling food scene and discover new culinary favorites.

Broken Rice

It’s unclear when broken rice became a longstanding signature dish of Saigon. Wandering around the alleys of Saigon, you’ll see many broken rice eateries, and pork chop rice eateries; it can be said that this is a beloved street food dish enjoyed by people of all ages, from adults to children. The ribs are marinated with distinctive flavors, and then grilled over low heat, allowing the meat to absorb the flavors evenly, tender inside and out. When eating broken rice, you must definitely add fish sauce, although the meat is flavorful, if lacking this special dipping sauce, the dish will be missing its allure.

Price: 35,000 VND – 100,000 VND

Reference addresses:

• Phuc Loc Tho Broken Rice: 223 Nguyen Thi Thap, Tan Phu Ward, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City
• Ba Ghien Broken Rice: 84 Dang Van Ngu, Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City
• Tu Map Pork Chop Rice: 812 Su Van Hanh, Ward 12, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City
• Nguyen Van Cu Broken Rice: 167 Nguyen Van Cu, Ward 2, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City
• Saigon Dusty Broken Rice: 100 Thach Thi Thanh, Tan Dinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Nam Vang Noodle Soup

Nam Vang noodle soup is a delicious dish that cannot be missed on the list of food tours in Ho Chi Minh City. Nam Vang Noodle Soup originated from Cambodia, was prepared with Chinese flavors, and was slightly modified to suit Saigon. The dish has a distinctive sweet and savory taste from the broth made from simmered bones, shrimp, and dried squid, accompanied by toppings such as quail eggs and minced meat. This is certainly a lunch that satisfies every traveler, leaving a lingering taste in every bite.

Price: 30,000 VND – 70,000 VND

Reference addresses:

• Dat Thanh Nam Vang Noodle Soup: 232 Nguyen Thi Thap, Binh Thuan Ward, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City
• Quoc Ky Nam Vang Noodle Soup Stall: 24 Ky Con, Nguyen Thai Binh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
• Quynh Nam Vang Noodle Soup: A65 Nguyen Trai, Cu Trinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Stewed Offal

Compared to other dishes, stewed offal stands out as a symbol of street food, occupying a special place in the childhood memories of many Saigonese. The image of street vendors selling stewed offal exudes the fragrant aroma, deeply ingrained in the memories of generations here.

This dish is made from ingredients such as intestines, young intestines, lungs, liver, and heart… which are marinated with spices, briefly fried until golden brown, and then boiled again until tender. Afterward, coconut milk is added to create a sweet and rich flavor for the stewed offal broth. When eating stewed offal, you can enjoy it with bread or instant noodles to experience the unique flavor that only Saigon has. Whether it’s a scorching summer day or a cold rainy day, stewed offal is always a great choice to explore the distinctive taste of Saigon.

Price: 20,000 VND – 300,000 VND

Reference addresses:

• Stewed Offal Lì: 1A Suong Nguyet Anh, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
• Stewed Offal – Gia Dinh High School: 195/29 Xo Viet Nghe Tinh, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City
• Cô Thảo’s Beef Stewed Offal: 243/29G Ton Dan, Ward 15, District 4, Ho Chi Minh City

Fermented Fish Vermicelli Soup

Fermented fish vermicelli soup is one of the specialties of the Mekong Delta region in Vietnam that has been introduced to Saigon, becoming a dish that tourists must try when visiting Vietnam.

This dish is typically cooked with fermented fish such as linh fish or snakehead fish, along with some ingredients from the river region such as shrimp, squid, bitter vegetables, water lily stems, etc. Despite its simplicity and ease of preparation, a bowl of fermented fish vermicelli soup is accompanied by high-quality side dishes such as roasted pork, shrimp, squid, fish, and fish cakes. Therefore, nowadays, fermented fish vermicelli soup is not just a fast food anymore but a complete and satisfying meal for the day.

Price: 25,000 VND – 60,000 VND

Reference addresses:

• Mrs. Trinh’s Fermented Fish Vermicelli Soup: 116 Vuon Chuoi, Ward 4, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
• Mrs. Cuc’s Fermented Fish Vermicelli Soup: 174 Nguyen Thien Thuat, Ward 1, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
• Hue Cuisine – Fermented Fish Vermicelli Soup: 242/14 Nguyen Thien Thuat, Ward 3, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City

>> Is Ho Chi Minh City worth visiting? Discovery Here!

Afternoon Snack Adventure – Food Tour Ho Chi Minh City

As the afternoon unfolds, satisfy your cravings with an afternoon snack adventure through the streets of Saigon.

Mixed Rice Paper Salad

While Dalat or Phan Thiet are known for their famous grilled rice paper, mixed rice paper salad is a street food dish in Saigon that is not only popular among domestic tourists but also well-known among foreigners. Although simple, enjoying the unique flavor of this dish is not available everywhere. Mixed rice paper salad is made from small pieces of rice paper mixed with ingredients such as dried beef, dried shrimp, quail eggs, mango, cilantro, chili sauce, shrimp salt, and a little bit of tamarind. When eating, you will experience a unique flavor with a blend of sour, spicy, salty, and sweet tastes that is irresistibly delicious.

Price: from 15,000 VND

Reference addresses:

• Dalat Corner: 386/43B Le Van Si, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
• Dalat Grilled Rice Paper: 61 Cao Thang, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
• LamBro: 2Bis Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Stir-fried Corn

When mentioning stir-fried corn, one thinks of its deliciously fragrant and rich flavor. The golden hue of the corn mixed with the fresh green of spring onions, the reddish tint of dried shrimp, and the harmony of pork floss create a masterpiece of culinary art. You can find this snack anywhere, from sidewalk stalls to upscale restaurants. Its widespread popularity is thanks to its pleasant aroma, versatility, and ease of preparation.

Price: from 10,000 VND

Reference addresses:

• Salted Egg Stir-fried Corn: 99A Tran Van Dang, Ward 9, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
• Cống Quỳnh Stir-fried Corn: 187 – 189 Cống Quỳnh, Ward Nguyen Cu Trinh, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Popiah/Spring Rolls

Fresh spring rolls are a familiar snack in Saigon, appearing from sidewalk stalls to upscale restaurants. These round, full popiah are made from ingredients such as vegetables, jicama, Chinese sausage, and dried shrimp, and wrapped in a fatty, flavorful dipping sauce that stimulates the taste buds of every tourist.

In addition to the familiar shrimp and meat fresh spring rolls found in the three regions, Saigon also has a dish called “Bò bía” or “Bò Pía”. In the filling of beef rolls, the main ingredient is not beef but diced jicama combined with other ingredients such as beets, carrots, herbs, dried shrimp, Chinese sausage, etc. There is also another variant of beef rolls known as sweet beef rolls with a filling consisting of malt candy eaten with sesame, shredded coconut, and rice noodles.

Price: from 5,000 VND

Reference addresses:

• Jumping Shrimp Fresh Spring Rolls: 424 Lac Long Quan, Ward 5, District 11, Ho Chi Minh City
• Beef Rolls & Fresh Spring Rolls: 51/24B Ho Thi Ky, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City
• Fresh Spring Rolls & Sweet Beef Rolls – 142 Lam Van Ben, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City

Night walking food tour Ho Chi Minh City

A walking food tour Ho Chi Minh City in the evening allows you to experience the city’s culinary delights while soaking in its vibrant nightlife and bustling atmosphere.

Rice Noodle Soup

Surely to add to the list of delicious Saigon dishes made from rice is rice noodle soup. Not inferior to other daily dishes, rice noodle soup is also prepared in a diverse and rich way. The chewy rice noodles blend harmoniously with the rich broth depending on the chef’s cooking method, with various toppings mixed in. From crab rice noodle soup, pork knuckle rice noodle soup, meat rice noodle soup, and fish rice noodle soup, there are many choices for tourists to consider on their Ho Chi Minh City food tour.

Price: 40,000 VND – 100,000 VND

Reference addresses:

• Út Lệ Crab Rice Noodle Soup: 210 To Hien Thanh, Ward 15, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City
• Crab Rice Noodle Soup, Pork Knuckle: 181/6 Xom Chieu, Ward 16, District 4, Ho Chi Minh City
• Crab Rice Noodle Soup: 720 CMT8, Ward 5, Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City
• Flour Rice Noodle Soup: 453/50 Le Van Sy, Ward 12, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City

Saigon Snails

Saigon snails are one of the street foods found and enjoyed at every corner of Saigon. Prepared from various types of snails into different dishes such as boiled snails, spicy tamarind stir-fried snails, lemongrass chili stir-fried snails, grilled snails, allowing diners to freely choose. Accompanying them is a bowl of dipping sauce with a characteristic sweet and spicy taste of chili, creating a dish with the rustic style of Saigonese.

Price: from 50,000 VND

Reference addresses:

• Loan Snails: 166/1 Ly Thai To, Ward 1, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
• Dao Snails: 212B/C79 Nguyen Trai, Nguyen Cu Trinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
• Khanh Snails: 25/5 Nguyen Binh Khiem, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
• Mam Sua Snails: 282/4A, Bui Huu Nghia, Ward 2, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City

Beef Stew

Hu Tieu or baguette with beef stew is a familiar dish on the Saigon taste tours list. What’s special about beef stew hu tieu is the broth. The broth is not full like a bowl of soup nor is it as thin as other hu tieu dishes, but the beef stew broth is only halfway filled in the bowl, slightly thick and rich in color. A complete beef stew meal must include a bowl of beef stew, fresh vegetables, and a bowl of deliciously toasted chili salted lemon.

Price: 30,000 VND – 60,000 VND

Reference addresses:

• Beef Stew 343: 343/5 To Hien Thanh, Ward 12, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City
• Hu tieu beef stew: 254 Nguyen Van Dau, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City
• Soft beef: 281 Nguyen Thi Thap, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City

>> A-Z guide and things to know about your trip to Vietnam, explore details here!

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Embarking on a food tour Ho Chi Minh City is a culinary adventure like no other, offering a tantalizing glimpse into the vibrant flavors and rich traditions of Vietnamese cuisine. A Vietnam food tour Saigon experience is sure to leave you with lasting memories and a newfound appreciation for Vietnamese cuisine. So pack your appetite and join the Asia Encounter Ho Chi Minh tour for an unforgettable journey through the culinary wonders of Ho Chi Minh City.