ICONSIAM is a massive lifestyle precinct overlooking Chao Phraya river
February 25, 2023
Travelling to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam?
Local Restaurants to visit in Ho Chi Minh City
One of the best value restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City, Miya Sushi BBQ Restaurant in Phạm Ngũ Lão
If you are looking for popular restaurants to visit in Ho Chi Minh City, Google Maps is your friend. A sure way to discover reliable restaurants is to type “top places to eat around me”. A restaurant with a decent number of reviews (more than 100) and a rating of above 4 usually won’t disappoint. If you want to be extra careful, tap “Most Recent” reviews to check that the place has maintained its standard.
If you are looking for recommendations in Ho Chi Minh City, feel free to message me on Instagram or e-mail me.
Garry Ho
Garry was born in Hong Kong but moved to Sydney, Australia at an early age.
Phở Minh (Văn Hiến) - Quán Phở Quận 1
122D Đ. Bùi Thị Xuân, Phường Phạm Ngũ Lão, Quận 1, Thành phố
Phở Minh (Văn Hiến) specialises in beef noodle soup. Uniquely, you can also order bubble milk tea. I thoroughly enjoyed my bowl. It was aromatic, generous with ingredients, and all-round satisfying.
See the Google Map link to “Phở Minh (Văn Hiến)” here. It’s one of the best pho restaurants in this part of District 1.
RuNam Bitexco
45 Ngô Đức Kế, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Thành phố
RuNam is an upmarket brand serving Vietnamese cuisine and western fare (think steak). They have branches around Ho Chi Minh City. The ambience and service is expectedly refined given the higher menu prices, and I thought that the food justified the price. The Traditional Pho soup with Beef, Oxtail & Oven-baked Bone Marrow was delightful.
I had a lovely dinner at the RuNam branch next to the towering Bitexco Financial Tower by myself. Accompanied also by potato wedges, I read my Kobo e-book.
See the Google Map link to “RuNam Bitexco” here.
Bánh canh cua Cô Diệu
389 Nguyễn Thị Thập, Tân Phong, Quận 7
Banh canh cua translates to “crab noodle soup”. The broth is thick and flavoured with shrimp, pork and crab. The tapioca noodles are deliciously chewy. If you are in District 7, this restaurant is a must-visit.
I went in after being attracted by the large signage. The experience felt very local and the staff did not speak much English. I like how the Banh can cua is served with fried breadsticks, which you can use to soak up the rich soup.
See the Google Map link to “Bánh canh cua Cô Diệu” here.
Nhà hàng Tân Hải Vân
152 Đ. Nguyễn Trãi, Phường Phạm Ngũ Lão, Quận 1
Ever since I found this Cantonese restaurant a stone’s throw away from my Airbnb, I was a regular diner. If you like dim sum, congee, fried noodles, roast duck, barbecue meat, or actually any form of Cantonese food, Tân Hải Vân will likely have it in their menu. They even had mini pineapple buns filled with savoury char siu!
Tân Hải Vân is one of the best Chinese restaurants in District 1. Their style and service is relatively upmarket, and their decor is attentive to Cantonese custom. I’d recommend going as a group so you can try different dishes while enjoying a pleasurable ambience. Tân Hải Vân is open until late, I would regularly visit after midnight.
See the Google Map link to “Nhà hàng Tân Hải Vân” here.
Bun Dau Homemade
1 Nguyễn Văn Tráng, Phường Phạm Ngũ Lão
Bun Dau Homemade is a restaurant spanning 3 floors and welcomes diners with a home-style interior. I enjoyed getting to know my Airbnb host here. I’m grateful for his introduction to Bun Dau Homemade’s northern Vietnamese dishes, particularly the platter of Bun Dau Mam Tom. You’ll either love or hate the fermented shrimp dipping sauce.
I had a great time at my Airbnb, where I stayed for 37 nights. Located in District 1 and within walking distance of Benh Thanh Market, it was clean and full of useful amenities. In my digital nomad travels so far, it’s one of the best studio apartments I’ve stayed in.
See the Google Map link to “Bun Dau Homemade” here.
Kowloon Bing Sutt
74 Bùi Hữu Nghĩa, Phường 7, Quận 5
Kowloon is one of Hong Kong’s three main urban areas and is part of China’s landmass. Bing Sutt literally means “ice room” in Cantonese, and is the predecessor to the current-day Cha Caan Tengs (Hong Kong-style cafes serving a variety of comfort food).
District 5 is known for its large population of Chinese residents, restaurants and small businesses. You’ll hear people speaking in an accented type of Cantonese, and see siu mei (BBQ meat) restaurants. Kowloon Bing Sutt is an institution, with multiple levels of busy dining floors. The menu featured a huge variety of dishes found in Hong Kong cuisine.
See the Google Map link to “Kowloon Bing Sutt” here. The pork bone and corn soup brought fond memories of home, it was delicious!
Miya Sushi BBQ Restaurant
150/26 Đ. Nguyễn Trãi, Phường Phạm Ngũ Lão, Quận 1
I would go back to Miya Sushi BBQ Restaurant in a heartbeat, if I was living in District 1 again. It’s a small, understated Japanese eatery with a sincere heart.
The quality of food and service was lovely. I hadn’t tried a rice bowl wrapped in uni (sea urchin) and topped with ikura (salmon roe) before, and boy was it creamy and delicious. There are different types of ramen available, including soy, tonkotsu (pork-flavoured) and miso. There is a big variety of sushi and sashimi, with carefully prepared platters available for groups.
See the Google Map link to “Miya Sushi BBQ Restaurant” here.
7Fuku Izakaya
212 Đ. Đề Thám, Phường Phạm Ngũ Lão, Quận 1
On the corner of a busy intersection at Bui Vien Walking Street, 7Fuku Izakaya certainly grabs attention with its shining traditional decor. The atmosphere is unique. Sitting outside, you can nibble on juicy yakitori meat skewers and gulp down beer while watching party-goers and women of the night.
I enjoyed the ramen, fried chicken cartilage and takowasa (raw wasabi-coated octopus). The menu was diverse, with sashimi, sushi and small dishes (like karaage chicken and takoyaki) on offer. 7Fuku Izakaya is a lovely Japanese restaurant have a group dinner in.
See the Google Map link to “7Fuku Izakaya” here.
Quán Hoa Đông
28/6A Đ. Tôn Thất Tùng, Phường Phạm Ngũ Lão, Quận 1
I tried two dishes here and was impressed. Quán Hoa Đông is a home-style restaurant located in an alleyway just off Nguyen Trai street.
Bánh canh cua features glass udon and crab meat in a gravy-like thick soup. It was full of crab meat. Bun cha features vermicelli and grilled pork meat – it comes from Hanoi and is a refreshing, tasty dish.
See the Google Map link to “Quán Hoa Đông” here.
Mama Thai
28/6A Đ. Tôn Thất Tùng, Phường Phạm Ngũ Lão, Quận 1
Mama Thai was busy every night I walked past. I didn’t think the Thai cuisine here was spectacular but it was tasty and reminded me of the food I had in Bangkok. The chicken skewers were juicy. You can order dishes like Pineapple Fried Rice and Mango Salad.
See the Google Map link to “Mama Thai” here.
BARRIGÓN
147B Trần Hưng Đạo, Quan 1
If you’re looking for a restaurant to get hyped up at before a party night in Bui Vien Walking Street, then Barrigon is a solid choice. It’s best to arrive around 8:30pm – this was when the party started to heat up.
A DJ was mixing music while a younger, fashionable crowd clinked beers and dined on fusion cuisine. The menu features starters like Fried Squid, Soft Shell Crab, and Garlic Bread with Bone Marrow. The Saute Beef with Truffle was delicious, and we had our eyes on the Curry Fried Rice with Crab Meat.
See the Instagram link to BARRIGÓN here. The venue is stylish and thematically curated.
Nhà hàng Ốc Đại Việt
191&193 Đ. Bùi Viện, Phường Phạm Ngũ Lão, Quận 1
Glass containers with fresh lobsters, eels, sea snails and other seafood fill one side of Dai Viet restaurant. If you like people-watching, you can have a beer (along with freshly cooked catches) while soaking in the atmosphere of this end of Bui Vien Walking Street.
See the Google Map link to “Nhà hàng Ốc Đại Việt” here.
Bonjour Resto' Nguyễn Trãi
Hẻm, 150/35 Đ. Nguyễn Trãi, Phường Bến Thành, Quận 1
Bonjour Resto is an understated restaurant in a quiet laneway serving French cuisine and western food. It was a welcome discovery, having eaten plenty of Asian cuisine during my prior few weeks.
The mushroom soup was like a warm hug, and the Grilled Chicken hit the spot especially with fries and gravy. I would try the steak next time I visit, along with a pasta dish from Bonjour Resto’s selection.
See the Google Map link to “Bonjour Resto” here.
Pho Hung
243 Đ. Nguyễn Trãi, Phường Nguyễn Cư Trinh, Quận 1
Pho Hung reliably serves Pho noodle soups until 3am. I walked there during a few late nights and was surprised at how there were still diners at such a late time.
Pho Hung has been featured in the Michelin Guide. I didn’t feel that the food was amazing, but it was nice. This is the first Vietnamese restaurant where I had a raw egg inside the soup.
See the Google Map link to “Pho Hung” here.
Home Saigon
185/28 Đ. Phạm Ngũ Lão, Phường Phạm Ngũ Lão, Quận 1
Home Saigon, with its nostalgic decor and attentive, kind service, feels like a home. This cozy two-storey restaurant is a hidden gem in a back alley of Bui Vien Walking Street. I can thoroughly recommend it for a date or group dinner. Note that bookings are strongly recommended.
Home Saigon, though not the easiest to find, is very popular amongst foreigners. I enjoyed the Coconut Rice (served inside an actual coconut) with Chicken and loved the drinks menu. There were IPA beers, wines, and thoughtfully designed cocktails.
See the Google Map link to “Home Saigon” here.
Cơm Gà Hải Nam Yummy
58 Trương Quyền, Phường 6, Quận 3
If you’re craving dishes like Hainanese Chicken Rice, Singapore Laksa and Rebus Chicken Noodles, this restaurant in District 3 serves them tastily.
It’s part of the “Yummy Hainanese Chicken Rice” chain of restaurants. They serve authentic Singaporean cuisine and are located in Districts 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 and more.
See the Google Map link to “Cơm Gà Hải Nam Yummy” (District 3) here. You can visit Là Việt Coffee after your meal – it’s a famous cafe with relaxed seating and specialty coffee. Located 5-mins walk away.
Com Tam Thuan Kieu
24-26 Đ. Tôn Thất Tùng, P, Quận 1
“Com Tam” is a must-try Vietnamese dish that locals eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It means “broken rice”, and consists of tasty ingredients like suon nong (grilled pork) and cha trung (a solid piece of pork and egg mix).
“Com Tam Thuan Kieu” is a chain of restaurants that serve broken rice along with a big menu of casual dining choices. I’d recommend trying “Grilled Boneless Chicken Rice”, “Shrimp Sour Soup”, and “Pork Ribs Rice”. I was also obsessed with drinking the corn milk.
See the Google Map link to “Com Tam Thuan Kieu” here.
Ngan Phố Xưa - Tinh hoa ẩm thực Bắc
43 Đ. Bùi Thị Xuân, Phường Phạm Ngũ Lão, Quận 1
A short stroll away from Leiden Homestay & Cafe, this restaurant specialises in duck. They are open until late. Try the rice noodle soup with duck, meatballs, and pig’s blood. Mix in the condiments for extra oomph in flavour.
See the Google Map link to “Ngan Phố Xưa – Tinh hoa ẩm thực Bắc” here.
Bucaxo Noodles with Fish
84 Đ. Tôn Thất Tùng, Phường Phạm Ngũ Lão, Quận 1
Bucaxo Noodles is an unpretentious restaurant in the Pham Ngu Lao neighbourhood. For around 85K dong, you receive a large bowl of noodles in delicious fish broth. The meat inside the soup is tasty, with fish fillets and bits of seafood.
See the Google Map link to “Bucaxo Noodles with Fish” here.
Matchandeul Korean BBQ
49 Cao Triều Phát, Tân Phong, Quận 7
If you’re searching for Korean food in Ho Chi Minh City, you must visit District 7. The area is popular with Korean residents and small businesses.
The most popular Korean restaurant in District 7 is Matchandeul Korean BBQ. Having stayed in Korea, I can say that the experience here is authentic. In classic Korean BBQ hospitality-style, the staff cut your pork into rectangular prisms and grill it for you. The panchan (side dishes) are also plentiful. One may wonder how the restaurant actually makes money considering the quality and variety of the side dishes.
Matchandeul Korean BBQ is also spacious, occupying several levels. Its atmosphere is conversational, and the amenities provided were considerate (each diner receives a kit which includes a phone screen wipe and tooth flosser). At the end of my meal the staff asked if I would like ice-cream or coffee, complimentary.
See the Google Map link to “Matchandeul Korean BBQ” here.
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My name is Garry Ho, I’m the founder.
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