Vietnamese food: 20 dishes worth ordering
Vietnamese cuisine ranks among the best in the world, and a single bowl of pho for about $1.20 shows why. Below are 20 dishes with 2026 prices, what to order, how spicy each one is, and where to try them across the country.
Vietnamese cooking is a balance of five tastes: salty, sweet, sour, bitter and umami. There is little oil and a lot of green — cilantro, mint, basil, lemongrass. Nearly every dish mixes crunchy, soft and juicy in one bite. And there are really three cuisines in one country: the restrained north, the spicy centre and the sweet south.
The influences run deep: China (chopsticks, noodles, the wok), France (baguettes, coffee, pâté), Thailand and Cambodia (lemongrass, coconut milk, spice). But the Vietnamese remade all of it in their own image.
Soups — the backbone of the table
Vietnamese eat soup for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In the morning the queue for pho forms by five a.m.
1. Pho (Phở) — the national soup
A clear beef broth simmered 6–12 hours with star anise, cinnamon, clove and ginger. Rice noodles, thinly sliced beef. Alongside comes a plate of mint, basil, bean sprouts and lime.
In Hanoi the pho is served plainly — clear broth, minimal garnish. In Ho Chi Minh City the soup is sweeter and richer, and the table is loaded with sauces and herbs. Try both. Order: "phở bò" (beef) or "phở gà" (chicken). Not spicy by default.
How to eat it. Chopsticks for noodles and meat, spoon for broth. Add herbs a little at a time. Hoisin and sriracha go in a side dish for dipping, not into the soup. Taste the broth clean first.
Price: 30,000–60,000 VND (~$1.20–2.40), up to 90,000 VND (~$3.60) at a sit-down place.
💬 "I came back to the same pho lady every morning — you learn which stall is clean and consistent. A 40,000 VND bowl (~$1.60) is a full meal on its own. The southern pho is sweeter and richer, the northern one cleaner and stricter." — traveller review, r/VietnamTravel, 2025
2. Bun bo Hue (Bún bò Huế) — the spicy soup from the imperial city
A beef broth with lemongrass, thick round rice noodles, beef and pork. The broth is cloudy and rich, its red tint from chilli and annatto paste. If pho is the classic, bun bo Hue is Vietnam's rock-and-roll soup. Heads-up:this is the spicy one — ask for it mild if chilli isn't your thing.
Price: 40,000–70,000 VND (~$1.60–2.80).
3. Bo kho (Bò kho) — Vietnamese beef stew
A thick stew of braised beef with carrot. Lemongrass, star anise, cinnamon, cardamom — the meat falls apart at the touch of a chopstick. Served with a crusty baguette or rice noodles. Vietnam's answer to French boeuf bourguignon, at a tenth of the price.
Price: 40,000–70,000 VND (~$1.60–2.80).
Noodles and rice — the table's greatest hits
4. Bun cha (Bún chả) — the icon of Hanoi
In 2016 Obama and Anthony Bourdain sat on plastic stools at a Hanoi joint, Bún chả Hương Liên, and the dish went global. On the table: cold vermicelli, char-grilled pork, a sweet-sour broth with pickled veg, and a pile of herbs. Assemble a bite yourself and dip. Strictly a Hanoi dish, and not spicy.
Price: 40,000–70,000 VND (~$1.60–2.80).
5. Com tam (Cơm tấm) — the Saigon breakfast
Broken rice with a grilled pork chop, a steamed egg cake, pickled veg and nước chấm. A classic southern breakfast, filling and cheap.
Price: 35,000–60,000 VND (~$1.40–2.40).
6. Mi Quang (Mì Quảng) — noodles from central Vietnam
Wide turmeric-tinted rice noodles with meat or shrimp, peanuts and rice crackers. There is barely any broth — just a spoonful at the bottom. The pride of Da Nang.
Price: 35,000–60,000 VND (~$1.40–2.40).
7. Cao lau (Cao lầu) — the Hoi An one-off
You can only get the real thing in Hoi An. Thick, chewy noodles made with water from one specific well. Five-spice pork, herbs, crunchy crackers. Almost no broth.
Price: 40,000–60,000 VND (~$1.60–2.40).
8. Com ga (Cơm gà) — chicken with yellow rice
Rice cooked in chicken broth with turmeric, boiled or fried chicken, lime and pepper. A Hoi An staple and a simple, homey plate.
Price: 35,000–60,000 VND (~$1.40–2.40).
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9. Banh mi (Bánh mì) — the best sandwich in the world
A French baguette the Vietnamese turned into a masterpiece: pork, pâté, pickled carrot and daikon, cilantro, chilli, cucumber. In Ho Chi Minh City it is hearty and meaty, in Hoi An balanced, in Hanoi simpler. Order:point and ask for less chilli with "ít cay" if you're heat-shy.
Price: 20,000–40,000 VND (~$0.80–1.60). A full meal for a dollar.
💬 "The bánh mìfrom a street cart beats the restaurant version. I got one three days running for 25,000 VND (~$1): crisp baguette, pork, pâté, pickled carrot and a fistful of cilantro. In Hoi An it was even cheaper." — r/VietnamTravel, 2025
10. Goi cuon (Gỏi cuốn) — fresh spring rolls
Translucent rice paper wrapped around shrimp, pork, vermicelli, lettuce and mint. Served with a peanut or hoisin dip. No frying — all fresh and light. The perfect thing on a hot day, and safe for a sensitive first day.
Price: 25,000–50,000 VND (~$1–2) for 2–4 rolls.
11. Nem ran / Chả giò — fried rolls
Crisp rice paper around a filling of minced pork with wood-ear mushroom and carrot. Called nem rán in the north, chả giò in the south. Made for beer.
Price: 30,000–50,000 VND (~$1.20–2).
12. Banh xeo (Bánh xèo) — the sizzling crepe
A rice-flour batter with turmeric and coconut milk, fried crisp on a cast-iron pan. Filled with pork or shrimp and bean sprouts. You don't use a fork: tear off a piece, lay it on lettuce with mint and basil, and dip in nước chấm. Naturally gluten-free — full guide in our banh xeo deep-dive.
Price: 30,000–60,000 VND (~$1.20–2.40).
13. Banh cuon (Bánh cuốn) — steamed rice rolls
Paper-thin steamed rice sheets rolled around minced pork and mushroom. Best in Hanoi, and one of the great Vietnamese breakfasts — see our banh cuon guide.
Price: 25,000–45,000 VND (~$1–1.80).
14. Banh trang nuong (Bánh tráng nướng)— the Vietnamese "pizza"
Rice paper grilled over charcoal with quail egg, minced pork, dried shrimp and cheese. A Da Lat signature, and a fun street snack.
Price: 15,000–30,000 VND (~$0.60–1.20).
Meat and seafood
15. Bo la lot (Bò lá lốt) — beef in lolot leaves
Minced beef with lemongrass and garlic, wrapped in fragrant lolot pepper leaves and grilled over charcoal. Served with rice paper and herbs so you wrap each mini-roll fresh yourself. A southern specialty.
Price: 40,000–70,000 VND (~$1.60–2.80).
16. Cha ca (Chả cá) — Hanoi-style fish
White fish with turmeric and — the key detail — dill. Hanoi has a whole street, Phố Chả Cá, named after the dish. The restaurant Chả cá Lã Vọng has run since 1871.
Price: 80,000–150,000 VND (~$3.20–6).
17. Grilled seafood
Charcoal shrimp, mussels with peanuts, squid, tamarind crab, cheese-topped oysters — all cooked in front of you. The best spots line the coast of Nha Trang, Da Nang and Phu Quoc. Cash tip: confirm the per-kilo price before they cook, and check the bill against it.
Price: 100,000–300,000 VND (~$4–12); lobster from 500,000 VND (~$20).
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18. Nuoc mam (Nước mắm) — fish sauce, the soul of the cuisine
A fermented anchovy sauce — the foundation of Vietnamese cooking. It goes into almost everything. The main production hub is Phu Quoc, whose nước mắm is prized like Parma parmesan.
From it comes nuoc cham, the sweet-sour dip with lime, garlic and chilli that arrives with most dishes. Allergen note: fish sauce is nearly universal, so if you have a fish or shellfish allergy, flag it every time.
19. Vietnamese coffee (Cà phê sữa đá)
Vietnam is the world's second-largest coffee exporter. The coffee is brewed through a phin — a metal filter that sits on the glass. It drips onto a layer of condensed milk, then ice goes in. The result is strong, sweet and ice-cold.
The Hanoi specialty is egg coffee (cà phê trứng): a whipped yolk with condensed milk over black coffee, something between a drink and a tiramisu. Invented in 1946. A rung up is weasel coffee (cà phê chồn), among the priciest in the world — worth reading about before you pay tourist rates for it.
Price: 20,000–40,000 VND (~$0.80–1.60).
💬 "In 2025 the World Culinary Awards named Vietnam Asia's best culinary destination, and Hanoi the best emerging food city. Bánh mì and bún bò Huếkeep landing on the global lists from Taste Atlas, CNN Travel and Condé Nast Traveller." — CNN Travel, 2025
20. Che (Chè) — the rainbow dessert
Sweet Vietnamese desserts, served hot or cold. The most photogenic is chè ba màu("three colours"): red beans, yellow mung beans and green pandan jelly, with coconut milk and crushed ice.
Price: 15,000–30,000 VND (~$0.60–1.20).
How much food costs in Vietnam in 2026
| Dish | Price (VND) | Price (~USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Pho bo | 30,000–60,000 | ~$1.20–2.40 |
| Bun bo Hue | 40,000–70,000 | ~$1.60–2.80 |
| Bo kho | 40,000–70,000 | ~$1.60–2.80 |
| Bun cha | 40,000–70,000 | ~$1.60–2.80 |
| Com tam | 35,000–60,000 | ~$1.40–2.40 |
| Mi Quang | 35,000–60,000 | ~$1.40–2.40 |
| Cao lau | 40,000–60,000 | ~$1.60–2.40 |
| Com ga | 35,000–60,000 | ~$1.40–2.40 |
| Banh mi | 20,000–40,000 | ~$0.80–1.60 |
| Goi cuon | 25,000–50,000 | ~$1–2 |
| Nem ran | 30,000–50,000 | ~$1.20–2 |
| Banh xeo | 30,000–60,000 | ~$1.20–2.40 |
| Banh cuon | 25,000–45,000 | ~$1–1.80 |
| Banh trang nuong | 15,000–30,000 | ~$0.60–1.20 |
| Bo la lot | 40,000–70,000 | ~$1.60–2.80 |
| Cha ca | 80,000–150,000 | ~$3.20–6 |
| Grilled seafood | 100,000–300,000 | ~$4–12 |
| Fish sauce (bottle) | 30,000–100,000 | ~$1.20–4 |
| Coffee | 20,000–40,000 | ~$0.80–1.60 |
| Che | 15,000–30,000 | ~$0.60–1.20 |
Average spend by venue
Eating for $3 a day on street food is genuinely doable; a comfortable budget is $10–15 a day. Street stalls are cash only, so carry small notes. For sit-down places and delivery, Grab and ShopeeFood take cards in-app and show menus with photos in English.
Where to eat: markets, cafés and restaurants
Sidewalk cafés and com binh dan
Cơm bình dânmeans "people's canteen": dozens of pre-cooked dishes behind a glass case. Point at what you want and get a plate of rice with toppings for 35,000–50,000 VND (~$1.40–2). The one rule: eat where the locals eat. A queue of Vietnamese is the best quality signal there is.
Night markets
The best place for a food adventure. The famous ones: Ben Thanh and Pham Ngu Lao in Ho Chi Minh City, Dinh Cau on Phu Quoc, the Hanoi night market. Bring cash and an appetite.
Restaurants
Average spend 150,000–300,000 VND (~$6–12). Tip: look for places that specialise in one or two dishes — in Vietnam the best spots aren't the ones with a 20-page menu, but the ones that make a single thing perfectly.
Vietnamese cuisine by region
| Region | Character | Signature dishes |
|---|---|---|
| North (Hanoi) | Restrained, clean, few spices | Pho bo, bun cha, banh cuon, cha ca |
| Centre (Hue, Hoi An, Da Nang) | Spicy, hot, varied | Bun bo Hue, mi Quang, cao lau |
| South (Ho Chi Minh City) | Sweet, exotic, generous | Com tam, banh xeo, bo la lot, che |
Pho in Hanoi is a clear broth with a couple of sprigs of herb. Pho in Ho Chi Minh City is sweeter, thicker and buried under basil, mint and sauces. Central Vietnam is the most food-dense region of all. For city-by-city eating, Hanoi, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang and Phu Quoc each have their own food guide.
Tips and common mistakes
- Don't dump every sauce in the pho at once. Broth clean first, then basil, then lime. Hoisin and sriracha go in a side dish.
- Hygiene. Choose stalls with fast turnover. Plastic stools on the pavement are the norm, not a red flag.
- No tap water. Ice in cafés is usually factory-made (cylinders with a hole through the middle) — safe.
- Allergies. Peanuts and fish sauce are in almost everything. Learn: "không có đậu phộng" (no peanuts), "không có nước mắm" (no fish sauce).
- Chopsticks aren't compulsory. Ask: "cho tôi cái nĩa" (a fork, please).
- Don't fear street prices. 20,000 VND (~$0.80) is normal. Often the best food is the cheapest.
FAQ
What is Vietnamese food like?
Fresh ingredients, rice noodles, fish sauce and a mountain of herbs. Pho, banh mi, bun cha, goi cuon, banh xeo. A meal from around $1.
How much does food cost?
Street food ~$1–2.80. Cafés ~$2.40–4.80. Restaurants ~$6–12. You can live on street food for $3–5 a day.
Is street food safe?
Yes, if you pick busy stalls with a local queue and drink bottled water.
What should I eat first?
Pho (from ~$1.20), banh mi (from ~$0.80), bun cha (from ~$1.60), banh xeo (from ~$1.20), coffee with condensed milk (from ~$0.80).
Is there vegetarian food?
Yes. Vegetarian eateries (quán chay) are in every city. The main catch is fish sauce, added almost everywhere.
Is Vietnamese food spicy?
Mostly mild. Chilli comes on the side. If you want it mild, say "không cay".
Updated July 2026. Prices in USD are approximate at ~25,000 VND to $1. More on Vietnamese food on the Vietnam Tourism portal.