Skip to main content
Viet Global TravelVietnam travel guide
What to eat in Vietnam
Food

What to eat in Vietnam

Half the reason to come. Filter by region or type of dish to find what is worth queuing for and what it costs.

Area
Region
Type of dish
9 dishes
Banh Beo: Hue's Tiny Steamed Rice Cakes, a dish from Hue, central Vietnam
Regional specialty

Banh Beo: Hue's Tiny Steamed Rice Cakes

Hue, central Vietnam

Thumb-sized saucers of steamed rice batter topped with dried shrimp floss and pork cracklings, eaten a dozen at a time in Hue with sweet fish sauce.

~$1–$2 (20,000–50,000₫) Estimate for one serving, which usually means a tray or a stack of eight to fifteen small dishes. Around 20,000-50,000d, roughly US$0.80-2. Prices move with the venue and the season, so ask before you order in a tourist area.
Banh Xeo: The Mekong Delta's Sizzling Rice Crepe, a dish from The Mekong Delta, southern Vietnam
Regional specialty

Banh Xeo: The Mekong Delta's Sizzling Rice Crepe

The Mekong Delta, southern Vietnam

A turmeric-yellow rice flour crepe the size of a dinner plate, fried crisp with shrimp, pork and bean sprouts, then torn up and wrapped in herbs.

~$0.5–$2.5 (15,000–60,000₫) Estimate per crepe: roughly 15,000-30,000d (about US$0.60-1.20) at a roadside or market stall, and 40,000-60,000d (about US$1.60-2.40) at larger places or for premium fillings. One delta-sized crepe feeds one to two people. Prices vary by town and season.
Bun Ca Fish Noodle Soup: Hai Phong's Spicy Bowl, a dish from Hai Phong, northern Vietnam
Regional specialty

Bun Ca Fish Noodle Soup: Hai Phong's Spicy Bowl

Hai Phong, northern Vietnam

Hai Phong's signature bowl: crisp fried fish and springy fish cake in a sour, chili-red broth with rice vermicelli, eaten at any hour of the day.

~$1–$2.5 (25,000–60,000₫) Estimate per bowl: around 25,000-35,000d (roughly US$1-1.40) for a standard bowl, and 40,000-60,000d (roughly US$1.60-2.40) for a loaded bowl with extra fish cake and mackerel. Prices vary by place and time of day.
Bun Rieu: Hanoi's Crab and Tomato Noodle Soup, a dish from Hanoi, northern Vietnam
Regional specialty

Bun Rieu: Hanoi's Crab and Tomato Noodle Soup

Hanoi, northern Vietnam

A tart, tomato-red noodle soup built on freshwater paddy crab, with clouds of crab curd, fried tofu and a basket of raw herbs. Hanoi's classic morning bowl.

~$1–$3 (30,000–70,000₫) Estimate per bowl: around 30,000-50,000d (roughly US$1.20-2) for a standard bowl, rising to about 50,000-70,000d (roughly US$2-2.80) when you add pork rolls, ribs or beef. Prices vary by neighborhood.
Cha Ca La Vong: Hanoi's Turmeric Fish Dish, a dish from Hanoi, northern Vietnam
Regional specialty

Cha Ca La Vong: Hanoi's Turmeric Fish Dish

Hanoi, northern Vietnam

Turmeric-marinated fish grilled, then finished in a pan of hot fat at your table with a bale of dill, eaten over rice noodles with peanuts and shrimp paste.

~$4.5–$10 (120,000–250,000₫) Estimate per person, including noodles and herbs: roughly 120,000-180,000d (about US$5-7) outside the center, and 150,000-250,000d (about US$6-10) at the well-known Old Quarter places. Prices vary and premium fish costs more.
Com Hen: Hue's Baby Clam Rice, Explained, a dish from Hue, central Vietnam
Regional specialty

Com Hen: Hue's Baby Clam Rice, Explained

Hue, central Vietnam

Cold rice tossed with tiny river clams, pork cracklings, peanuts, crushed crackers, herbs and fiery shrimp paste, with a bowl of hot clam broth on the side.

~$0.5–$1.5 (15,000–40,000₫) Estimate per bowl: roughly 15,000-30,000d (about US$0.60-1.20) at a neighborhood stall, and up to 40,000d (about US$1.60) at a sit-down place or with extra clams. It is one of the cheapest dishes in Vietnam.
Goi Cuon: Vietnamese Spring Rolls Done Right, a dish from Vietnam, most strongly associated with the south
Worth trying

Goi Cuon: Vietnamese Spring Rolls Done Right

Vietnam, most strongly associated with the south

Fresh, unfried rolls of shrimp, pork, noodles and herbs in translucent rice paper, dipped in a thick peanut and fermented soybean sauce.

~$1–$3 (25,000–80,000₫) Estimate per portion of two to four rolls: around 25,000-50,000d (roughly US$1-2) at a street stall or market, and 40,000-80,000d (roughly US$1.60-3.20) at a sit-down restaurant. Prices vary by city.
Hu Tieu: Saigon's Other Great Noodle Bowl, a dish from Ho Chi Minh City, southern Vietnam
Regional specialty

Hu Tieu: Saigon's Other Great Noodle Bowl

Ho Chi Minh City, southern Vietnam

A clear, sweet pork and dried seafood broth over springy noodles, loaded with shrimp, minced pork, quail eggs and offal. Ho Chi Minh City's breakfast of choice.

~$1.5–$3 (35,000–70,000₫) Estimate per bowl: around 35,000-60,000d (roughly US$1.40-2.40) at a neighborhood shop, rising to about 70,000d (roughly US$2.80) at long-established places or with extra toppings. Prices vary across the city.
Mi Quang: Da Nang's Turmeric Noodle Bowl, a dish from Da Nang and the surrounding central coast
Regional specialty

Mi Quang: Da Nang's Turmeric Noodle Bowl

Da Nang and the surrounding central coast

Wide turmeric-yellow rice noodles under just enough intense broth to coat them, topped with shrimp, chicken, peanuts and a shard of sesame rice cracker.

~$1–$2.5 (25,000–60,000₫) Estimate per bowl: around 25,000-40,000d (roughly US$1-1.60) at a neighborhood place, and 45,000-60,000d (roughly US$1.80-2.40) at busier spots or with premium toppings such as shrimp, ribs or frog. Prices vary.

Blog

Latest articles

New guides, seasonal advice and updates from the Viet Global Travel team.

See all articles
What to Eat in Hai Phong: 8 Dishes Worth the Stop — Vietnam travel article

What to Eat in Hai Phong: 8 Dishes Worth the Stop

Hai Phong is the best eating city in northern Vietnam and almost no foreign traveler stops for it. The dishes are spicier than Hanoi's, heavier on shellfish, and sold by stalls that open for a few hours and then shut.

28 August 20265 min read
What to Eat in Dien Bien Phu: Fish, Rice and Smoke — Vietnam travel article

What to Eat in Dien Bien Phu: Fish, Rice and Smoke

The food here belongs to the Thai people of the northwest uplands, not to the Vietnam of pho and banh mi: charcoal grills, a numbing mountain pepper, sticky rice steamed in wood, and smoked buffalo. This is what each dish is and how to order it.

28 August 20265 min read
What to Eat at Ban Gioc Waterfall and in Cao Bang — Vietnam travel article

What to Eat at Ban Gioc Waterfall and in Cao Bang

There is almost nothing to eat at the falls themselves, so the real question is what to eat in the region around them. Border cooking: rice rolls in bone broth, cold sour noodles, seven-spice roast duck and a chestnut people drive a long way for.

28 August 20265 min read
Newsletter

Vietnam travel tips, once a week

New guides, seasonal advice and the occasional route we think is underrated — straight to your inbox.

No spam. Unsubscribe in one click.

Tiếng Việt