FOODS MUST TRY IN VIETNAM

Ten Famous Vietnamese Dishes

1. Bánh Mì Recently, bánh mì has “dethroned” phở to become the most beloved Vietnamese dish among foreign visitors. On many travel or culinary websites, food blogs, and even among famous bloggers, “banh mi” is mentioned with passion and enthusiasm. This dish has also been ranked multiple times among the top best foods in the world by reputable foreign magazines and websites. The BBC has praised bánh mì as the best sandwich in the world. There’s even a dedicated handbook on Vietnamese bánh mì called The Banh Mi Handbook, which has been published and widely received by readers.

Bánh mì comes with dozens of different fillings such as meat, pâté, pork roll, fried eggs, or sausage. Each type has its own unique flavor, but they all share a common feature: a crispy crust, the refreshing taste of pickled vegetables, aromatic herbs, and a flavorful sauce inside. This is a popular dish, so tourists can easily find bánh mì at any tourist spot in Vietnam. However, the most famous places for bánh mì are Hanoi, Nha Trang, Hội An, and Ho Chi Minh City.

2. Bánh Cuốn Bánh cuốn is a wonderful specialty of Vietnamese cuisine. This thin pancake is made from rice flour, steamed, tightly rolled with a delicious filling, and dipped in sweet and sour fish sauce. The variety of ingredients used for the filling gives each region its distinct flavor. Bánh cuốn trứng from Lạng Sơn, bánh cuốn chả from Phủ Lý, or bánh cuốn tôm from Thái Bình each have their own unique characteristics.

In particular, Thanh Trì bánh cuốn in Hanoi is famous for its two types: with and without filling. The filling is made from fried onions, small shrimp, or minced meat, combined with cinnamon pork, fried tofu, and fish sauce mixed with vinegar, creating an excellent meal. Famous addresses like 17 Chả Cá Street (Hoàn Kiếm District), and 66 Tô Hiến Thành Street (Hai Bà Trưng District) are always welcoming to diners.

Experience the distinctive flavor of bánh cuốn and discover the interesting process of making it on streets like Hàng Điếu, Kỳ Đồng, and Hàng Cót.

3. Chả Cá Lã Vọng Chả cá Lã Vọng is a traditional culinary icon at 14 Chả Cá Street. With more than 150 years of history, this dish has retained its unique flavor and become a symbol of Hanoi’s cuisine. Chả cá Lã Vọng has won many high-level awards and received 5-star ratings on many reputable food travel websites.

The main ingredient for chả cá is catfish, which has a lot of meat and few bones. To explore its unique flavor, tourists can participate in the preparation process by adding marinated fish into a sizzling pan, creating an appealing golden color. Chả cá Lã Vọng is often enjoyed with vermicelli, roasted peanuts, dill, cilantro, Láng basil, scallions, and shrimp paste with lemon.

4. Mì Quảng Mì Quảng is a culinary symbol of Quảng Nam and has been recognized by the Asian Records Organization as one of the 12 Vietnamese dishes with Asian culinary value. Unlike bún and phở, the noodles are made from thin rice paper cut into strips, combined with a variety of fillings such as chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, crab, or fish.

Beneath the noodles are various fresh herbs like basil, lettuce, young mustard greens, bean sprouts, coriander, Vietnamese coriander, green onions, and thinly sliced banana flowers. Additionally, there are pork, shrimp, chicken, frog meat, snakehead fish, sometimes boiled eggs, a signature broth made from pork bones, roasted peanuts, scallions, aromatic herbs, and red chili. Mì Quảng is usually served with sesame rice crackers and fragrant roasted peanuts.

5. Bún Bò Huế A specialty of the ancient capital of Huế, bún bò Huế has become a culinary symbol widely available from Northern to Southern Vietnam. To enjoy the authentic taste of this dish, visitors should visit Đông Ba Market, where world-famous chef Anthony Bourdain once praised: “Bún bò Huế is the best soup in the world.”

The main ingredients include thick rice noodles, beef shank, pork knuckles, and a distinctive broth with the spicy flavor of chili, the aroma of lemongrass, and fermented shrimp paste. The broth, considered the soul of the dish, is simmered from beef bones and various root vegetables, ensuring a full balance of sweet, sour, and spicy flavors. Bún bò Huế is often served with a variety of aromatic herbs.

6. Fresh Spring Rolls (Gỏi Cuốn) Fresh spring rolls (also known as nem cuốn) are a popular dish found in many markets or restaurants in the South, priced around 5,000 VND each. Fresh spring rolls are made with pork, shrimp, fresh vermicelli, and aromatic herbs. All ingredients are wrapped in rice paper and served with a sweet and sour dipping sauce or a thick sauce made from liver and meat. Enjoying fresh spring rolls offers a delightful experience of the fresh flavors of pork, shrimp, and herbs. With a light and refreshing taste, fresh spring rolls are highly rated, especially by foreign tourists.

According to international culinary experts, this is one of the healthiest, most nutritious, and safest dishes for health. Nowadays, with the diversity and demand for culinary experiences, fresh spring rolls come in various versions with diverse vegetable and meat ingredients to suit vegetarian diets. Variations like vegetarian fresh rolls, pig ear fresh rolls, and fermented pork fresh rolls are all popular choices depending on personal taste.

7. Cao Lầu Cao lầu is a specialty of three Central provinces of Vietnam: Huế, Đà Nẵng, and Quảng Nam. However, tourists often believe that enjoying cao lầu in Hội An (Quảng Nam) is the most interesting and appealing experience. The origin of this dish remains a topic of debate, with some suggesting that cao lầu originates from Japanese udon noodles, while others propose that it comes from the Chinese phrase “cao lâu,” meaning “to eat, you must go upstairs.”

In terms of appearance, cao lầu resembles mì Quảng but is more elaborate in preparation and consumption. The noodles are made from rice soaked in ash water from Cù Lao Chàm wood, then ground with Bá Lễ well water to retain the ancient flavor. Cao lầu is usually served with char siu pork, Trà Quế herbs, pork cracklings, or crispy pork skin, and finely crushed roasted peanuts. This dish is often sold at eateries on the second floor, allowing diners to enjoy the atmosphere of Hội An’s ancient town.

8. Bánh Khọt The name bánh khọt comes from the “khọt khọt” sound made when cooking the cakes. Bánh khọt is found in many places in the South, but each place has its unique characteristics. While made from ground rice flour, Châu Đốc bánh khọt (An Giang province) is mixed with turmeric, with each cake topped with a shrimp, while Vũng Tàu bánh khọt remains white and doesn’t use fresh shrimp but is sprinkled with crispy fried shrimp. To experience the true flavor of bánh khọt, visitors should go to Vũng Tàu, where it is a famous local specialty.

Diners can enjoy bánh khọt by wrapping the cake in lettuce leaves, eating it with shredded papaya, various fresh herbs, and dipping it in a sweet, sour, and spicy fish sauce. Bánh khọt was once recognized as one of 12 Vietnamese dishes that set an Asian record.

9. Bánh Xèo Bánh xèo is a familiar dish in all three regions of Vietnam, but the difference in bánh xèo across regions lies in its size and filling. While Southern bánh xèo is large with plenty of filling, Central bánh xèo is only as big as an adult’s hand, with minimal filling, such as a small shrimp, or a few slices of meat, squid, and a little bean sprouts. On the outside, bánh xèo looks quite similar to a pancake, so foreign tourists often call this dish “Vietnamese Pancake.”

However, bánh xèo stands out from pancakes due to its balanced combination of starch, protein, and fresh herbs. Discussing how to enjoy bánh xèo, two famous CNN food writers, Helen and Karryn, wrote: “To enjoy this dish like a local, cut the bánh xèo into bite-sized pieces, then wrap them with various herbs in a white rice paper. Finally, dip it in the sweet and sour fish sauce, which is absolutely delicious.”

10. Phở It would be a great omission to visit Vietnam without trying the world-renowned dish that everyone must mention when talking about Vietnamese cuisine—phở. The main components of phở are rice noodles and broth (or “nước lèo” as it is called in the South) served with thinly sliced beef or chicken. The best beef for phở comes from local cattle breeds. Accompanying spices include soy sauce, pepper, lime, fish sauce, and chili. Phở is typically enjoyed as a breakfast dish or a late-night snack with a plate of herbs like scallions, bean sprouts, and cilantro.

In each region, phở is prepared and flavored differently. Typically, Northern phở is characterized by its salty taste, while Southern phở is sweeter and accompanied by more vegetables. The rice noodles in the South are smaller than those in the North. However, despite the different cooking methods, the flavor of phở in Vietnam always leaves a lasting impression on international visitors.

11. Bún Chả Bún chả is a Vietnamese dish that has appeared on various rankings of street food and is loved by many foreign tourists. One significant reason is the famous “bún chả Obama” incident when former U.S. President Barack Obama visited Vietnam in 2016 and enjoyed this dish with famous chef Anthony Bourdain. Since then, bún chả has gained even more popularity and recognition.

To make bún chả, Vietnamese cooks use pork (ground meat and pork belly) seasoned with fish sauce, sugar, pepper, and sometimes garlic, onion, or lemongrass. The meat is then grilled over charcoal and served with a sweet, sour, and spicy sauce, fresh herbs, pickled vegetables, and rice noodles.

12. Bún Thịt Nướng Bún thịt nướng is a traditional Vietnamese dish that has made it onto CNN’s list of the world’s top 50 most delicious dishes. With a variety of fresh ingredients, this dish is particularly loved by foreign visitors because it’s both delicious and good for health.

Bún thịt nướng consists of rice noodles, grilled pork, fresh vegetables, herbs, and pickled vegetables, topped with a sweet, sour, and spicy sauce. The balance of flavors, the fragrant grilled pork, and the freshness of the herbs make this dish irresistible.

13. Bún Riêu Bún riêu is a traditional Vietnamese soup noodle dish with a characteristic tomato-based broth, topped with crab paste, tomatoes, tofu, and sometimes meatballs or other proteins. It is served with rice noodles and a variety of fresh herbs, bean sprouts, and lime. The combination of the rich and tangy broth, the umami flavors from the crab paste, and the freshness of the herbs makes bún riêu a highly popular dish among both locals and tourists.
14. Hủ Tiếu Hủ tiếu is a popular street food dish in southern Vietnam, particularly in Ho Chi Minh City. It consists of rice noodles served in a flavorful broth with slices of pork, shrimp, quail eggs, and various toppings like fried shallots, garlic, and fresh herbs. The dish can also be served dry (hủ tiếu khô), where the broth is served on the side, and the noodles are mixed with a savory sauce. The combination of textures and flavors makes hủ tiếu a beloved dish among locals and visitors alike.

These dishes reflect the diversity and richness of Vietnamese cuisine, each bringing a unique taste and cultural experience to the table. Whether you’re exploring the streets of Hanoi, the markets of Ho Chi Minh City, or the ancient town of Hội An, these dishes are a must-try for anyone looking to experience the true flavors of Vietnam.