19 Best Restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

The centerpiece of this stylish, immensely popular Japanese-owned restaurant is not a sushi bar but a brick oven, and the focus here is Japanese-Italian fusion, targeted at the Vietnamese palate but equally loved by out-of-towners. You can opt for classic creations such as prosciutto margarita or something a little more experimental, like flower pizza (with edible blooms such as pumpkin, leek, and daylily), teriyaki chicken with seaweed or salmon miso cream. Italian-style appetizers and pasta dishes are also available, as is a cheese platter featuring handmade cheeses from the 4Ps' cheese factory near Dalat. Customers who can't get a seat will stand by the bar just for a slice of the mouthwatering pizza. Reservations for this location should be made in advance. This location is the original, with a growing number of restaurants in some of Vietnam's biggest cities.

The city's only Michelin-starred restaurant, Anan Saigon puts a whimsically modern twist on Vietnamese street food. Talented Vietnamese-American chef-owner Peter Cuong Franklin is credited for pioneering Vietnamese fusion cuisine, often elevating Vietnamese flavors with French cooking techniques. The main restaurant is on the ground floor but also explore the upper floors to Nhau Nhau for cocktails with an Old Saigon vibe, Pot Au Pho noodle bar serving innovative variations of Vietnam's de facto national dish, and the rooftop bar for views of the neighboring wet market backed by one of Saigon's tallest buildings.

Always packed with locals, this narrow eatery serves up Ho Chi Minh City's best banh cuon (steamed rice flour crepes stuffed with minced pork and wood ear mushrooms) and an excellent version of the central Vietnamese banh beo (steamed rice flour pancakes topped with dried prawn). Just order the first three items on the menu and you'll be in foodie heaven in no time.

Awarded a Bib Gourmand in 2023, this cute little eatery can be found down a small alleyway near Ben Thanh Market, past a row of nail salons. Known for serving cheap and cheerful Vietnamese food at its finest, the restaurant's staff are friendly, the food is tasty, and there's a range of interesting and refreshing drinks and desserts.

A stylish lounge and restaurant on the banks of the slow-flowing Saigon River, The Deck is a place to spoil yourself with sublime seafood-focused pan-Asian cuisine, fine wines, and professional service. The beauty of the entry courtyard, with its tall trees, black marble pond, and potted lotus plants, is almost forgotten once you enter the restaurant, where the river views take center stage. The weekend Champagne brunches are sophisticated yet casual and the executive set lunches are perfectly suited to the business crowd.

Serving French fare with a Vietnamese touch, Fashionista Café is the place to see and be seen, enclosed in a lovely glass "winter garden" in the heart of the city. Owned by a fashion magnate, the space is intimate and stylish with a retail space (mainly women's fashion) upstairs. The set menus are especially good value considering the high quality and beautiful presentation of the food. Check the Facebook page for events, including acoustic nights, wine and dine, and Sunday picnic brunches. The afternoon tea is superbly priced and very popular with the Instagram crowd.

The name translates to "poppy flower," and this chic little eatery is in a corner of the former La Manufacture d'Opium, the French-controlled opium refinery and warehouse. It offers contemporary Vietnamese cuisine with knockout flavors and a wine list that works with the local cuisine. The Art Deco interior is elegant, with wrought-iron chairs, cast-iron lamps, hand stenciling, and a leafy outdoor terrace. Standout dishes include mustard-leaf rolls; pink pomelo, squid, and crab salad; and soft shell crabs in green rice batter with passion fruit sauce. Hoa Tuc is popular with tour groups, so reservations are recommended, especially for lunch.

If you're craving quality sushi at reasonable prices, this family-owned eatery can't be beat. Grab a seat at the sushi bar on the ground floor and watch Vietnamese-American Chef Van at work or take one of the tables upstairs in a stylish space and order to your heart's content. The restaurant offers three tiers of omakase sushi buffet where diners have two hours to eat their fill of sushi, sashimi, salads, and hot dishes. Upgrade to the higher tiers for progressively premium ingredients including wagyu and otoro.

The flagship location of this well-loved café chain offers a chic Old Saigon vibe to go along with reliably good, contemporary café fusion fare including salads, sandwiches, pastas, and other Western and Asian favorites. The all-day breakfast menu is also popular as are the gorgeous desserts. Head upstairs for a trendy retail space featuring Vietnam-inspired clothing and gifts from local designers and more seating.

An experience rather than a meal, La Villa serves elegant but not pretentious fine French dining on a quiet street in District 2's Thao Dien area. Whether you sit in the garden by the pool, surrounded by fairy lights and greenery, or inside in the airy salon, the attentive service and the cuisine add to the memorable experience. For an extra-special meal try the Menu Villa Gourmet, and for something extra-extra special ask for Chef Thierry's wine pairings from the extensive wine list. Don't miss the homemade Camembert Calvados (apple brandy camembert) from the cheese cart.

Serving contemporary Vietnamese cuisine in an intimate, elegant setting, Madame Lam feels like dining in the home of a well-traveled friend. Dishes showcase flavors from all over Vietnam with an innovative twist and gorgeous presentation. Don't miss the creative cocktails featuring Vietnamese flavors and local ingredients.

Authentic Italian cuisine in a dreamy space by the sea is what Mare offers, right in the middle of Sunset Town, which itself looks like it was lifted from the Amalfi Coast. The menu here is Mediterranean-focused with dishes like Iberico pork, homemade pasta, and a wonderfully spicy Spanish-style garlic shrimp. Several dishes are finished tableside like the rich tiramisu and the pasta carbonara, prepared in a wheel of Pecorino Romano. Aim to finish dinner slightly before 9:30 pm and head outside to watch the fireworks.

The concept of dining in pitch blackness, served by vision-impaired waiters, has been a huge hit since Noir opened its doors in mid-2014. The theory is that because sight is our dominant sense, if you take it away other senses are heightened, resulting in a more intense experience of the food's aromas and taste. Diners divest themselves of light-emitting devices such as mobile phones and order three-course Eastern, Western, or vegetarian set menus in a well-lit entry area before entering the blacked-out dining room. Noir's founders and kitchen team have extensive fine dining experience, which is evident once the first morsel is navigated through the darkness to awaiting taste buds. Identifying ingredients in the dark is harder than you'd expect. After the meal, diners learn the specifics of the dishes they've enjoyed.

If Top Chef ever came to Vietnam, it would likely look like Nous. With just eight seats surrounding an open kitchen once per night, this modern minimalist space is all about elevating Vietnamese flavors to fine dining heights. Tasting menus change every few months, but diners can expect familiar flavors and often local ingredients transformed into adventurous modern cuisine incorporating foams, gels, smokes, and cures. One meal might include a deconstructed banh xeo eaten like a taco and a sweet treat of lotus ice cream and longan shaved ice inspired by a humble street food dessert.

This American barbecue joint is wildly popular among locals, who love the tasty ribs, the craft beer, the cheeky menu, and the laid-back vibe. It was set up by an American, Australian, and French trio, who charm the local dining scene with shared plates, communal picnic-style tables, stripped-back surroundings, and reasonable prices. The most popular menu items are the ribs and the big, spicy Italian sausage, each including three sides. You can choose whether to eat with a knife and fork or chopsticks. A second outlet is at 47 Xuan Thuy in District 2.

One of the hippest eateries in town, the Racha Room serves up Asian-inspired fusion food with bold flavors as well as artisanal cocktails in a small but groovy space, with graffiti art and funky music. The place has proved a hit with locals, expats, and travelers alike for its bold flavors and overall trendy vibe, so reservations are recommended.

This Italian-style Gelateria Artigianale is well-loved for its authentic gelatos and sorbets, all made by hand and fresh from scratch daily with no preservatives or additives. While traditional flavors such as chocolate, black currant, cinnamon, and rum raisin are always available, if you happen to see Vietnamese-inspired flavors available like fish sauce or lekima fruit, don't hesitate to try them. Outside covered seating area available.

The climb all the way to the rooftop of a residential apartment building is worth the effort for a rustic, home-cooked meal. A Saigon favorite, the extensive menu here features tapas-sized dishes that are great for sharing. The eclectic plates and bowls, faded walls, and heavy wood tables just add to the charming atmosphere. The restaurant is especially pretty at night with lanterns and fairy lights. The space is fan-cooled only, so lunch can be a somewhat sweaty affair. There is a second, slightly less atmospheric location at 131 Calmette.

Staffed by alumni of Jimmy Pham's KOTO (Know One, Teach One) not-for-profit social enterprise helping at-risk and disadvantaged Vietnamese youth, this collaboration with Sofitel Saigon Plaza offers exciting contemporary cuisine in a stylish setting. Expect innovative Vietnamese fusion fare that blends imported ingredients with local flavors and techniques. The menu revolves around elevated versions of Vietnamese favorites and includes smaller plates designed for sharing as well as hearty mains.