Ho Chi Minh City—Vietnam’s economic engine—juxtaposes gleaming towers with graceful French-era facades and age-old pagodas. The metropolis buzzes with museums, markets, and nonstop energy, yet nothing reveals its spirit faster than its food.
The dishes below were chosen from more than 104,000 public votes in the Tourism Department’s “Ho Chi Minh City – 100 Interesting Things” program. See how many you’ve crossed off your list!

Bánh mì

A single baguette tells the story of the city’s diversity. Ho Chi Minh City offers dozens of fillings: shumai, pork skin, fish cake, roasted pork, grilled beef, shredded chicken—you name it. Legendary bakeries such as Bảy Hổ, Hoa Mã, Huỳnh Hoa, Tăng, Cù Ly, and Sáu Lệ have been perfecting the craft for half a century or more.

Bánh tráng trộn (Mixed rice paper)

More snack than meal, this street-side favorite tosses thin shards of dew-dried rice paper with green-mango shreds, laksa leaves, Tay Ninh shrimp salt, kumquat juice, fried shallot oil, peanuts, quail eggs, dried shrimp, and beef jerky. Find it anywhere teenagers gather: Turtle Lake, Nguyễn Thượng Hiền Street, Bến Thành Market, September 23 Park, and countless curb-side carts.

Bánh xèo (Crispy pancake)

Two regional styles meet in the city:

• Central–style: palm-sized, crisp crêpes packed with mung beans, bean sprouts, and a touch of pork or seafood.

• Mekong–style: dinner-plate large, folded around shrimp, pork belly, mung beans, and sprouts.

Bún bò (Beef vermicelli)

• Bún bò Nam Bộ: a broth-less southern bowl—thin rice noodles topped with stir-fried beef, herbs, bean sprouts, roasted peanuts, and a tangy garlic-chili fish sauce.

• Bún bò Huế: the fiery central classic that Anthony Bourdain adored—beef and pork sausage in a robust, shrimp-paste scented broth, sweetened slightly to suit southern palates.

Xôi (Sticky rice)

Served from dawn till past midnight, xôi comes in sweet and savoury forms.

• Sweet: mung-bean, durian, corn, or gac fruit, crowned with grated coconut, sugar, and peanuts. Corn xôi stewed in coconut water is a local favourite.

• Cadé: sticky rice wrapped in banana leaf and slathered with silky coconut-egg custard.

• Savoury: sticky rice piled with char siu, dried shrimp, Chinese sausage, pork floss, quail eggs, scallion oil, and house sauces—or opt for chicken thighs with pickled mustard greens and crispy skin.

Chè (Sweet soups & puddings)

Districts 1, 5, and 10 overflow with chè stalls serving everything from lotus-seed or black-sesame soup to ginseng tonic and flan. On Sư Vạn Hạnh Street, order a 16-cup sampler tray featuring banana, taro, white-bean, and ba ba sweet soups plus coconut jelly and sticky rice. Craving something different? Head to “Thai chè” street for durian-scented, coconut-rich Thai-style desserts.

Cơm tấm (Broken-rice plate)

A Saigon staple for any meal. Tender broken rice grains share the plate with grilled pork ribs, shredded pork skin, steamed pork patties, cucumber slices, and pickles. The signature is the candy-sweet fish-sauce dip—pour it over everything and dig in.

Hủ tiếu Nam Vang (Phnom Penh noodles)

Silky rice noodles bathed in a pork-and-seafood broth, topped with prawns, minced pork, offal, quail eggs, and crisp fried garlic. Raw herb platters complete the bowl. Ubiquitous, inexpensive, and utterly addictive.

Ốc (Snail & seafood dishes)

Evenings spark the city’s snail joints to life. Snails are steamed, stir-fried, grilled, or roasted, then dunked in ginger-chili, salted-egg, or tamarind sauces. Menus usually stretch to oysters, crabs, mantis shrimp, and squid—perfect for a seafood crawl with friends.

Phở (Vietnamese noodle soup)

Northern-style shops serve clear, lightly sweet broths that showcase pristine beef slices. Southern bowls lean richer and darker thanks to charred onions and a medley of spices, and arrive with baskets of bean sprouts, herbs, lime, and hoisin or chili sauce for custom seasoning.

From baguettes at dawn to sizzling snails after dark, Ho Chi Minh City rewards curious eaters at every turn. Which dish will you sample next?