A First-Timer’s Vietnam Street Food Guide
From pho to egg coffee, here’s what to eat in Vietnam and how to order it like a local.
The dishes to try first
Start with pho, the fragrant beef or chicken noodle soup eaten morning to night. Then banh mi, the crusty baguette sandwich that’s a French-Vietnamese masterpiece; bun cha, Hanoi’s grilled-pork-and-noodle dish; fresh and fried spring rolls; com tam (broken-rice with grilled pork) in the south; and Hoi An’s cao lau noodles.
North vs south on a plate
Northern food (Hanoi) is subtler and less sweet — clearer pho, bun cha and cha ca grilled fish. Southern food (Ho Chi Minh City) is bolder, sweeter and herb-heavy, with com tam, hu tieu noodle soup and a riot of tropical fruit. The centre, around Hue and Hoi An, is the spiciest and most regal.
Don’t skip the coffee
Vietnam is the world’s second-largest coffee producer, and its café culture is unmissable. Try ca phe sua da (strong iced coffee with condensed milk) and Hanoi’s legendary egg coffee — a rich, custardy cup whipped from egg yolk and condensed milk. Coconut coffee is a sweet southern twist.
How to eat safely and well
Choose busy stalls with high turnover, eat where locals queue, and accept the plate of fresh herbs and lime — they’re part of the dish. Carry small cash, sit on the plastic stools, and join an evening street-food walk on your first night to learn the lay of the land.
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The dishes to try first — what should I know?
Start with pho, the fragrant beef or chicken noodle soup eaten morning to night. Then banh mi, the crusty baguette sandwich that’s a French-Vietnamese masterpiece; bun cha, Hanoi’s grilled-pork-and-noodle dish; fresh and fried spring rolls; com tam (broken-rice with grilled pork) in the south; and Hoi An’s cao lau noodles.
North vs south on a plate — what should I know?
Northern food (Hanoi) is subtler and less sweet — clearer pho, bun cha and cha ca grilled fish. Southern food (Ho Chi Minh City) is bolder, sweeter and herb-heavy, with com tam, hu tieu noodle soup and a riot of tropical fruit. The centre, around Hue and Hoi An, is the spiciest and most regal.
Don’t skip the coffee — what should I know?
Vietnam is the world’s second-largest coffee producer, and its café culture is unmissable. Try ca phe sua da (strong iced coffee with condensed milk) and Hanoi’s legendary egg coffee — a rich, custardy cup whipped from egg yolk and condensed milk. Coconut coffee is a sweet southern twist.
How to eat safely and well — what should I know?
Choose busy stalls with high turnover, eat where locals queue, and accept the plate of fresh herbs and lime — they’re part of the dish. Carry small cash, sit on the plastic stools, and join an evening street-food walk on your first night to learn the lay of the land.