Vietnamese food: 15 dishes to try and where to eat them
Updated 1 November 2026 · 5 min read
In short
The dishes not to miss in Vietnam are phở (noodle soup), Hanoi's bún chả, bánh mì, fresh spring rolls (gỏi cuốn), bún bò Huế, Hoi An's cao lầu, Saigon's cơm tấm and Hanoi's egg coffee. Each region has its own specialities: northern food is milder, central food spicier and southern food sweeter.
Vietnamese food is one of the main reasons to go: fresh, full of herbs, and above all served on the street, on small plastic stools. Here are the dishes to try, and which city to eat them in.
15 dishes to try
| Dish | What it is | Where to try it |
|---|---|---|
| Phở | Rice noodle soup with beef (phở bò) or chicken (phở gà), broth scented with star anise | Everywhere; the classic is eaten in Hanoi for breakfast |
| Bún chả | Charcoal-grilled pork, rice vermicelli, herbs and sweet-sour sauce | Hanoi, at lunch |
| Bánh cuốn | Steamed rice rolls filled with pork and mushrooms | Hanoi, in the morning |
| Chả cá | Fish marinated in turmeric and dill, cooked at the table | Hanoi |
| Bún bò Huế | Beef noodle soup with lemongrass and chilli | Hue |
| Nem lụi | Pork skewers rolled in rice paper | Hue |
| Cao lầu | Thick noodles, pork and herbs with little broth | Hoi An, the local speciality |
| Mì Quảng | Yellow rice noodles, pork or shrimp, peanuts | Hoi An and Da Nang |
| Bánh mì | Baguette sandwich with pâté, pork, pickled vegetables and herbs | Everywhere; Hoi An is famous for it |
| Bánh xèo | Crispy turmeric pancake with shrimp and bean sprouts | Centre and South |
| Gỏi cuốn | Fresh spring rolls with shrimp, pork and herbs | South, Ho Chi Minh City |
| Cơm tấm | Broken rice, grilled pork chop and egg | Ho Chi Minh City |
| Hủ tiếu | Noodle soup with shrimp and pork | Mekong Delta and Saigon |
| Cà phê trứng | Egg coffee: coffee topped with whipped egg-yolk cream | Hanoi |
| Cà phê sữa đá | Drip coffee with condensed milk, over ice | Everywhere |
North, Centre, South: three cuisines
- The North (Hanoi): milder, balanced flavours, noodle soups and grilled meats. It is the birthplace of phở.
- The Centre (Hue, Hoi An): the spiciest food in the country, inherited from the imperial court in Hue, with many local noodle dishes.
- The South (Saigon, Mekong): sweeter, more fresh herbs and fruit, and a wide range of rice dishes.
A few useful words
- Không cay: not spicy
- Ngon quá!: delicious
- Tính tiền: the bill
- Bao nhiêu tiền?: how much is it?
Street food tour or cooking class?
A guided street food tour on your first or second evening in Hanoi teaches you what to order on your own afterwards. Cooking classes, in Hanoi or Hoi An, usually start at the market. Compare the top-rated ones: cooking classes and street food tours.
Food tours in Hanoi
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