1 Hoa Ma pan bread
– Address: 53 Cao Thang, Ward 3, District 3, HCMC
– Opening hours: 06:00–11:00
– Reference price: 40,000 – 60,000 VND
Hoa Ma pan bread is one of the oldest popular restaurants in the city. Ho Chi Minh. The flavor here is fragrant, rustic and evokes childhood memories of many Saigon people. Each pan is filled with fried eggs, salted pork belly, ham, pork rolls, cinnamon rolls and sausages. Sprinkle onions on top, eat with crispy bread and pickles, roll the more you eat. If you want to change the taste, you can try the restaurant’s burgers, which are equally delicious.
The Hoa Ma pan bread is filled with attractive toppings. Illustration photo: Thanh Nien Newspaper
2 Bun rieu Yen
– Address: 1348 Truong Sa, Ward 3, Tan Binh, Ho Chi Minh City
– Opening hours: 06:00–18:00
– Reference price: 40,000 – 65,000 VND
If you want to find a popular restaurant specializing in delicious vermicelli noodles in Saigon, then Yen vermicelli noodles is a name not to be missed. The shop is located in a small alley, but is always crowded with people coming in and out. The vermicelli bowl here is full of snails, fried beans, pork rolls, cinnamon rolls and even crab. Crispy snails, fragrant golden fried beans, fatty and flavorful crab sticks. When eating, remember to add lots of green vegetables to make it both light and not boring.
The bowl of noodle soup is attractive and fragrant, not boring at all. Illustration photo: VinWonders
3 Thien Ly rice pot
– Address:
72 Nguyen Thach Co, HCMC
120 Street 7, Ho Chi Minh City
87A Cuu Long, Ho Chi Minh City
…
– Opening hours: 10:00–14:30 | 16:00–21:00
– Reference price: From 30,000 VND
Thien Ly is a restaurant chain with many branches in the city. Ho Chi Minh City and is well known for its Saigon-style clay pot rice dish. The rice here is sticky and fragrant, the grains are soft, and the burnt layer underneath is golden and crispy, very appetizing. Each pot of rice is served with a variety of delicious dishes representing the three regions such as braised pork, braised goby with pepper, sour soup or boiled meat dipped in fish sauce. The restaurant space is spacious, meticulously decorated, creating a pleasant feeling. This is a reasonable choice for lunch with family, meeting friends or receiving guests and partners.
4 Chicken rice fried with Su Su fat
– Address: 117/1D Cong Quynh, Nguyen Cu Trinh Ward, District 1, HCMC
– Opening hours: 10:30–20:30
– Reference price: 30,000 – 55,000 VND
If you are in District 1 and want to eat a plate of rice that is both delicious and filling, you should visit a popular restaurant called Su Su fried chicken rice. A full portion usually includes golden fried rice, hot fat-fried chicken, served with cucumbers, tomatoes and a small bowl of soup. The chicken here is not at all friable or dry, the skin is crispy while the inside is still soft and retains its sweetness. The point that many people remember the most is the black pepper sauce mixed according to its own recipe, sprinkled on chicken rice, the more you eat it, the more it rolls.
Su Su fat-fried chicken rice is full the more you eat it, the more it rolls. Illustration photo: VinWonders
5 Nga Bui beef noodle soup
– Address: 114-116-118 Bac Hai, Ward 6, Tan Binh, HCMC
– Opening hours: 06:00–20:30
– Reference price: 55,000 – 100,000 VND
Nga Bui is a Hue beef noodle shop in Saigon frequented by many Vietnamese stars. The vermicelli dish here retains the true Hue flavor, the broth is clear and sweet, with a light scent of lemongrass. A bowl full of meat, tendons, beef ribs, beef balls and even pork legs. The restaurant space is spacious, beautifully decorated, always clean and airy. In particular, the service staff is quick and attentive, creating a pleasant feeling right from the first visit.
6 Thanh Dat Nam Vang Noodle Soup
– Address:
22B Nguyen Huu Cau, Tan Dinh Ward, District 1, HCMC
– Opening hours: Open all day
– Reference price: 55,000 – 115,000 VND
Nam Vang Thanh Dat Noodle Soup is a familiar address for District 1 residents, loved for its unique flavor and consistently stable quality. The highlight of the restaurant lies in the rich, naturally sweet broth from the stewed bones, which is clear and fragrant when eaten. The noodle bowl is prepared with fresh ingredients such as shrimp, char siu meat and quail eggs, filling and attractive. The space of this popular restaurant is small but neat, clean, and serves quickly so you don’t have to wait long. However, the dish is a bit fatty and has a lot of oil, so it may not be suitable for those who like to eat lightly or want a light taste.
Thanh Dat Nam Vang noodle soup is fresh and delicious with carefully selected ingredients. Illustration photo: Nam Vang Thanh Dat Noodle Soup
7 Thanh Mai vermicelli noodles
– Address: 14 Truong Dinh, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
– Opening hours: 05:30–14:30
– Reference price: 34,000 – 80,000 VND
Thanh Mai Bun Moc is located right near Ben Thanh market. This popular restaurant impresses with its clear broth, light taste, not harsh, but still strong enough thanks to the harmonious seasoning. The bowl of rustic vermicelli here is always prepared with fresh ingredients, maintaining its deliciousness, so many diners eat it once and then come back again. However, the restaurant space is quite small and inconvenient because there is no parking, so you need to consider if going during peak hours.
8 Pho Thanh Da
– Address: 61 Binh Quoi, Ward 27, Binh Thanh, Ho Chi Minh City
– Opening hours: 05:30–22:00
– Reference price: 30,000 – 65,000 VND
Pho Thanh Da is a popular Vietnamese restaurant, outstanding with a bowl of pho with a light, fatty aroma and a harmonious broth. The pho noodles are medium chewy, soft and delicious when eaten, making the dish even more attractive. The restaurant space is airy and clean, creating a pleasant feeling for you to enjoy a delicious and relaxing pho meal.
Pho Thanh Da is clearly soft and delicious in each chopstick. Illustration photo: Danhsach.vn
9 Anh Tu grilled chicken
– Address: 449 Le Quang Dinh, Ward 5, Binh Thanh, Ho Chi Minh City
– Opening hours: 09:00–21:00
– Reference price: 90,000 – 190,000 VND
Anh Tu grilled chicken is a familiar name to those who love grilled chicken properly. The food here has its own flavor, is both unique and delicious, and is clean so customers always come in and out continuously. It is the meticulousness in each dish that makes the restaurant always crowded and receives many compliments.
10Hang Xanh white porridge
– Address: Alley 283 Xo Viet Nghe Tinh, Ward 2, Binh Thanh, HCMC
– Opening hours: 14:00–03:00
– Reference price: 10,000 – 15,000 VND
If you are wondering what delicious food to eat in Saigon but still “affordable” price, Hang Xanh white porridge is a popular restaurant that many people mention. The restaurant serves hot white porridge, served with a variety of salty dishes such as pickles, braised fish, salted eggs, braised meat… The porridge is cooked soft, fragrant, combined with rich dishes to create a feeling of both simplicity and deliciousness. In particular, the restaurant is often bustling late at night, very suitable for those who like to roam and enjoy Saigon night cuisine.
A bowl of white porridge served with many side dishes is both simple and delicious. Illustration photo: Blue SM
11 Hoang Van grilled pork vermicelli
– Address: 137 Chan Hung, Ward 6, Tan Binh, Ho Chi Minh City
– Opening hours: 07:00–20:30
– Reference price: 50,000 – 70,000 VND
Hoang Van grilled pork noodle soup is one of the popular Saigon restaurants listed on the Michelin Selected list, enough to see the attraction of this place. The restaurant has been operating for more than 20 years and is famous for its delicious grilled meat vermicelli dishes but still very affordable prices. Each meal includes fresh vermicelli, fragrant grilled pork, crispy spring rolls, served with raw vegetables, carrots, cucumbers, bean sprouts and lettuce. The dipping sauce is mixed just right, making the dish more flavorful. The restaurant is always crowded, especially from afternoon to evening when customers fill the tables.
12 Ky Dong chicken vermicelli pho
– Address: 14/5Bis D. Ky Dong, Ward 9, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
– Opening hours: 05:30–22:30
– Reference price: 40,000 – 130,000 VND
Ky Dong Chicken Vermicelli Pho is a longtime restaurant in Saigon, having been with customers for more than half a century. A bowl here can choose from pho or vermicelli, complete with shredded chicken, skin, intestines, gizzards and even young eggs. Eat with a plate of bean sprouts or raw vegetables to enhance the taste. The point that makes it attractive lies in the fragrant, slightly sweet broth from the stewed bones, with the addition of a little fat from chicken fat, making it both rich and easy to eat.
Ky Dong chicken vermicelli pho has a fragrant, slightly sweet broth from stewed bones. Illustration photo: Labor newspaper
13 Rice paper mixed with Van Kiep
– Address: 146/59/18/96 Vu Tung, Ward 2, Binh Thanh, HCMC
– Opening hours: 15:00–21:30
– Reference price: 12,000 – 25,000 VND
If you are looking for a popular snack restaurant in Saigon, mixed rice paper is a “must try” snack when visiting Saigon. Coming to Van Kiep mixed rice paper, you will immediately feel the fragrant smell of rice paper, making you crave it as soon as you open the box. The restaurant is most famous for mixed rice paper and rice paper rolls, two dishes that always attract customers. Toppings are filled to the brim, eye-catching yet clean, making anyone who eats want to come back.
The rice paper mixed with toppings looks extremely eye-catching. Illustration photo: Khiet Minh Bakery
14 Oc Dao
– Address: 212B/D48 Nguyen Trai, Nguyen Cu Trinh Ward, District 1, HCMC
– Opening hours: 10:30 – 22:00
– Reference price: 50,000 – 100,000 VND
Oc Dao is a familiar meeting place in District 1 for those who love seafood, especially fresh snail dishes. The restaurant scores points thanks to its diverse menu. Snails are prepared in many ways, so you won’t get bored eating them all the time. Outstanding dishes such as sea urchin snails, roasted snails with salt and chili or stir-fried wool snails with coconut are always the most ordered. Rich flavors and fresh ingredients make the restaurant especially popular with diners, including artists who often visit.
15 Ba Huyen goby hotpot
– Address: 87 Ba Huyen Thanh Quan, Vo Thi Sau Ward, District 3, HCMC
– Opening hours: 09:00–21:30
– Reference price: From 30,000 VND
Mentioning popular restaurants specializing in selling delicious hot pots in Saigon, many people will immediately think of Ba Huyen goby hot pot. The hot pot here has a sharp sour and spicy taste, eating it once is easy to “addict”. Goby fish is selected fresh, with firm meat and light fat. In addition to the famous hot pot, the restaurant is also loved for grilled goby fish, eel hot pot or grilled squid with salt and chili. The space is spacious, beautifully decorated and includes private rooms, very suitable for groups of friends or parties.
Ba Huyen goby hotpot has a clear sour and spicy taste, eating it once is easy to “addict”. Illustration photo: Melamine World
16 Thien Thien dumplings
– Address: 195 Ha Ton Quyen, Ward 7, District 11, HCMC
– Opening hours: 12:30–01:00
– Reference price: From 30,000 VND
Thien Thien dumpling soup is a familiar restaurant on Ha Ton Quyen street, a street famous for its Chinese dumplings, noodles and wontons. The dumplings here are made from fresh meat, wrapped in a thin crust, absorbent when eaten and are not at all crumbly. The bowl of broth has a sweet taste, eaten with vegetables, so it’s even more pleasant. If you choose fried dumplings, you will love the crispy crust while the inside is still soft and fragrant. The restaurant is simple but spacious, airy, clean, and the staff is enthusiastic and very attentive.
If you like dishes that are both delicious and familiar, Saigon’s popular restaurant is an option not to be missed. Each restaurant has its own flavor. Every time I bring my backpack to visit, it’s a new experience. And sometimes, it’s those simple meals that make people love Saigon more.