List and addresses of the best street food in Saigon that you should try once

One of the interesting things that makes tourists love Vietnam in general and Saigon in particular is the cuisine. The most vibrant city in Vietnam has a rich list of specialties from all regions, however, when following the footsteps of the locals “migrating” to Saigon, these dishes may have changed a bit to better suit the taste of the masses. The street food Vietnam experts of The Myst Dong Khoi would like to send you a list and addresses of 5 dishes that always come to the top of our minds every time we mention them, including dishes that may be too familiar to international visitors such as banh mi, pho, or dishes that are not yet popular but are worth trying once.

Top 5 street food in Saigon you shouldn’t miss

Banh mi Huynh Hoa 

How can just a sandwich with cold cuts become so famous? But all questions can be answered when you put the baguette-shaped bread in your mouth and take a bite of the crispy, fragrant butter. Take another bite, all the flavors of the variety of cold cuts, and fresh pate every hour, along with pickles, a little green onion, a little fresh chili… all of those beautiful mixtures can conquer the most demanding diners, a salty dish enough to fill you up, without having to eat it hot, nor needing fancy restaurant tables and chairs, Banh mi Huynh Hoa is just too suitable for the tropical weather of Saigon.

The restaurant has been around for more than 35 years, from the owner’s father, until now, and has expanded to a nearby branch to serve customers who order through ordering applications. If you just want to stay in the hotel and still want to try Banh mi Huynh Hoa, get one (or few) through popular apps like Grab Food, Be Food, Shopee Food…

Address: 26 Le Thi Rieng, Pham Ngu Lao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Opening hours: 6am – 10pm daily

Pho Le

You may have eaten pho in many places in Vietnam, but Pho Le is definitely an exception. In general, pho broth in the South will be sweeter than pho in the North, and Pho Le is similar in context. However, the rich flavor and distinct aroma of the broth, combined with rare beef, flank, tendon, beef balls, lots of green onions and onions skillfully arranged on top, along with a little ground pepper. The restaurant will serve you a large plate of green vegetables, full of bean sprouts, coriander, basil, mint, and lots of vegetables to add flavor to the pho bowl, but be careful when trying the first bite because the broth is very hot.

Another thing we love is that the pho restaurant is especially clean and tidy compared to the sidewalk stalls that can be easily found on the street. Pho Le is listed in the Michelin Guide for 2 consecutive years 2024-2025.

Address: 415 Nguyen Trai, Ward 7, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City

Opening hours: 6am – 1am daily

Nguyen Trung Truc Grilled Pork Noodles

A real sidewalk restaurant, not far from Saigon Center Shopping Mall and Ben Thanh Market. At lunchtime, you will see a lot of local diners, including office workers and nearby retailers coming to eat. It is a very bustling scene on both sides of the sidewalk, even though the weather can be very sunny and the temperature can reach over 35oC.

The restaurant only serves grilled pork noodles, with pieces of pork belly grilled on a charcoal stove, served with fresh noodles, lots of chopped vegetables, and pre-mixed fish sauce. Order additional spring rolls if you want more protein, and add some homemade chili paste for a delicious, fresh, simple & easy lunch along the go.

Address: 1 Nguyen Trung Truc Street, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. 

Opening hours: daily from 6am to 8pm

Nguyen Van Cu broken rice

It is not difficult to find a broken rice shop in Saigon. Just by seeing a shop with smoke billowing from afar and the fragrant smell of grilled meat, you can confirm that it is a broken rice shop. As a popular dish of Saigon people in particular and Southern people in general, broken rice is made from broken rice, with a variety of salty dishes to eat with, but certainly cannot miss the ribs marinated with spices, honey, coconut color.

As one of the oldest broken rice shops in Saigon, Nguyen Van Cu broken rice is always crowded and will have to wait quite a while. The delicious dish is only for the patient, and you will definitely be surprised by the restaurant’s very large, very soft and fragrant pork chop. Also, do not miss other salty dishes such as pork skin and steamed egg rolls. Add a little scallion oil on top, broken rice is perfect for breakfast or lunch for culinary souls who love to explore.

Address: 74 Nguyen Van Cu, Nguyen Cu Trinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Opening hours: daily from 7am – 3pm

Thanh Dat Noodles

The noodle (Phnompenh-style rice noodles) originated from Cambodia, a blend of Chinese Teochew cuisine with Cambodian Khmer cuisine and entered Southern Vietnam in the 60s and 70s of the last century. There are plenty of choices for hu tieu in Saigon, we especially would like to highlight this chain with their unique broth that none can compete with. The shop, which started humble, and is now expanding to more than 14 stores around Saigon.

You can eat noodles in broth or dry. The clear broth is made from pork bones, dried squid, seasoned with fish sauce and sugar. If it is dry noodles, after being blanched in boiling water, the noodles will be mixed with a thick brown sauce combining oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar and a little chili sauce. Each bowl of noodles will have lean pork, a big fresh shrimp, quail eggs, and pork organs (heart, kidney, stomach). Of course, you can ask the waiter to remove the dishes you do not want to eat.

Address: 34 Co Bac, Cau Ong Lanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Opening hours: All day