Ho Chi Minh City · Vietnam
The Ho Chi Minh City food cheat sheet
One page from Chef Amazing · November 2026
The dish to eat
A light, crackly baguette filled with pâté, cold cuts, pickled carrot and daikon, cucumber, cilantro and chili.
Best at Bánh Mì Huỳnh Hoa, Lê Thị Riêng, District 1. Get: The bánh mì đặc biệt, packed with cold cuts and pâté
Five places, and what to order
- Cơm Tấm Ba Ghiềnstreet food · Phú Nhuận (84 Đặng Văn Ngữ)Get: Cơm tấm thập cẩm with charcoal pork chop; ask for extra scallion oil
- Phở Minhfamily-run · District 1 (63/6 Pasteur)Get: Southern-style phở bò and a freshly baked pâté chaud
- Bún Thịt Nướng Chị Tuyềncounter · District 1 (175c Cô Giang)Get: Bún thịt nướng, with the fried spring rolls snipped over the bowl
- Cơm Tấm Bà Hàfor cơm tấm · District 8Get: Salted-egg or fish-paste meatloaf with grilled pork chop
- Hủ Tiếu Cô Giang corner stall (176bis Cô Giang)for hủ tiếu · Cô Giang, District 1Get: Hủ tiếu hoành thánh (wontons), dry or in broth
The market
Covered market. Vietnamese noodles, coffee, prepared foods
The line worth it
Bánh Mì Huỳnh HoaDistrict 1
Get: The banh mi stuffed with pâté and cold cuts
Expect: 15 to 30 min. Beat it: Go mid-afternoon.
In season this November
Dry-season grilling (snail joints, com tam, seafood)
How it works here
Tip: Not expected at street stalls; leave about 5-10% at sit-down restaurants.
Book: Street food is walk-in, first come; book only the upscale places.
When locals eat: Pho and banh mi go early (6-9am) and sell out; dinner from 6pm.