53 Best Restaurants in Mekong Delta, Vietnam

The old-world charm of the Victoria Chau Doc Hotel extends to its in-house restaurant, which serves Vietnamese and Western cuisine overlooking a busy junction of the Chau Doc and Hau River. Take a seat on the terrace to enjoy sunset (and happy hour) at the river and the attentive but discreet service. This is the priciest place in town, but the food, the staff, and the river views make it worthwhile. Reservations are recommended because sometimes the restaurant hosts bus tours.

Even if you're not staying at Azerai Can Tho, a boutique resort on a lush islet in the middle of the river, it's worth making a reservation and taking their boat over for an elegant lunch or dinner. The casual lunch menu and more extensive dinner menu both feature delicious Vietnamese specialties and fine international dishes, paired with a comprehensive wine list and a slew of creative cocktails. The menu changes weekly at The Grill, their other restaurant, opened on weekends.

A devilishly themed cocktail bar hidden deep down a local alley, The Heo Bistro not only expertly crafts classic and signature cocktails, but their kitchen also serves delicious bistro snacks, salads, and pastas.

Reminiscent of an elegant colonial mansion, Le Longanier is a lunch-only restaurant set in tropical gardens that's part of the Victoria Hotels group, and is a regular stop for Victoria Cruises, though independent travelers can also enjoy the set menu of Mekong Delta classics (reservation is required). Do take some extra time for a refreshing drink in the downstairs salon and a stroll through the gardens before you leave.

This intimate and refined omakase, under the direction of former Nobu chef Andy Huynh, is a delicate marriage of French and Japanese flavors, of traditional techniques and modern innovation, with each artfully prepared dish outdoing the last. The attention to detail, the sake and wine list, and chic yet unfussy art deco setting makes this gastronomy experience at Regent Phu Quoc's star restaurant worth the splurge. The dining room doubles as a Salon de Boeuf steak house specializing in Wagyu beef and revels in the same French-Japanese flair.

La Veranda's in-house restaurant presents upscale Pacific Rim cuisine and lovely second floor views over the ocean in an elegant French colonial-style setting. One of the pricier options on Phu Quoc, it's a nice splurge for the service, setting, food, wine list, and a predinner sunset cocktail. It's also an ideal location for a quiet romantic dinner in the heart of busy Long Beach.

This is a great find in Ca Mau, with nostalgic style (the name translates as "ancient street"), including quaint little wooden pavilions, a courtyard bonsai garden, and fish ponds. Serving Chinese-influenced dishes as well as Vietnamese cuisine, Pho Xua has a menu that contains English subtitles, although not much English is spoken by the staff. With its proximity to the ocean, it's no wonder that seafood is the house specialty, but there's also a range of chicken, beef, buffalo, and pork dishes.

Pizza, burgers, pastas, salads, and fish-and-chips are just some of the tasty bar food available day and night at this chilled-out, cheerful restaurant on the east coast—worth the drive if you want to hangout and enjoy the breezy space that includes a large deck, minigolf, swimming pool, petanque court, and pool table. Hosts Rory and Yoon preside over the café/bar, which has a genuinely welcoming atmosphere and fabulous vantage over the ocean.

At Cassia Cottage Resort's in-house restaurant, whether you choose to dine beside a lily-filled pond in the manicured tropical garden, by the pool, or right on the beach, expect delicious Vietnamese and Mediterranean cuisine using fresh local produce. This is a great option for a special romantic evening that won't break the bank.

An assortment of antiques and a jungle of potted-plants add panache to this humble family-run restaurant, which has been in business for a decade. It's no wonder, because the home-style Vietnamese dishes of meat, seafood, or vegetable stir-fry served with rice are delicious and filling.

The in-house restaurant at this friendly eco-lodge serves fresh local seafood, vegetarian dishes, and lau (hotpots), which will be paired with a terrific view. Don't miss the house specialty, tempura shrimp, or book a beach barbecue for two. It's wise to make a reservation, as the restaurant's capacity is limited.

A basic, often busy joint designed for Vietnamese family-style eating, ordering different meat, seafood, and vegetable dishes to share, the house specialty is com ca kho to (catfish in claypot) and sweet-and-sour soup with catfish or shrimp. The service can be hit or miss when busy.

Located across from Vinh Trang Pagoda, the setting of this charming vegan restaurant is basic but pleasant, and while the service is not the fastest, the food is truly delicious. Note that the English menu lists meat dishes, but they use imitation, soy-based "meats." The house specialty is the vegan Thai-style sour-and-spicy hotpot (lau Thai Lan); the braised vegetables in claypot (rau cu kho) is also a stand-out dish.

Across the road from the marina, this small, neat, and cozy café is a good place to stop for a coffee, ice cream, milk shake, or smoothie, as well as light meals such as sandwiches, burgers, and Vietnamese dishes.

This basic street food stand serves a great version of the local specialty, bun nuoc leo, a vermicelli noodle soup with a umami-rich lemongrass-infused broth topped with pork and snakehead fish; you can indicate to omit the cubes of pork blood, if you don't want it. Patrons can expect celebrity treatment, with plates of spring rolls, fried prawn cakes, and banana-leaf-wrapped roast pork offered, along with wide smiles. If you don't eat any of the extras, you don't pay (but they are very good).

Cars steadily pull up and pile out at this bustling but tidy shop dedicated to Soc Trang specialty bun nuoc leo, a sweetish savory broth made with fermented fish, served over fresh bun rice noodles with slices of fish, roast pork, shrimp, shredded banana flower, and local greens.

This riverside café features a sizeable koi pond at its center and an extensive drink menu, from espresso and milk tea, to cold brew, in addition to a small menu of snacks and desserts.

There's a range of morning and daytime street food stalls surrounding Ha Tien's impressive market, which comprises of several buildings. Also find lots of cheap snacks and seafood at the night market, which used to be on the riverside but has been relocated to a wide boulevard in a newly developed area of town; a few vendors still set up at the river.

A central location on Long Beach's main strip, an eclectic assortment of recycled furniture and antiques, friendly owners, and terrific Arabica coffee beans from Dalat are more than enough reasons to choose this creatively decorated nook. Look for their mobile cart on the beach behind the café, where they do sunset pop-ups.

The food at this cheap local joint is tasty, and though the interior is basic, the restaurant is air-conditioned and the menu is in Vietnamese, English, and Chinese, so ordering is relatively simple. Mekong Delta specialties include lau (hotpot), ca kho (caramelized fish), and suon xao chua ngot (sweet-and-sour pork riblets) as well as bo luc lac (shaking beef—because it dances around the pan while being cooked) and chao tom chien (prawn paste on sugar cane sticks).

Usually packed with locals, this big eating hall with metal tables and plastic stools is the best place in town to order hu tieu My Tho, the noodle soup specialty of My Tho. The menu, printed on the walls, is simple: hu tieu (rice-noodle soup), banh canh (rice-and-tapioca noodle soup), bot nui (rice-macaroni soup), and hoanh thanh (pork wonton soup). There are different prices for hu tieu: thit (pork), xuong (pork knuckle), muc tuoi (fresh squid) and tom tuoi (fresh shrimp).

Popular with locals, this restaurant is designed to look like a bamboo village hut, and is a bit of a point-and-order eating adventure for visitors—the menu has no English, only a few photos on each page that vaguely correspond to the dishes listed below. The menu offers seafood, salad, beef, chicken, sparrow (chim se), and hotpot. Luckily the prices are so low it doesn't really matter if you mis-order a few dishes.

For years this French restaurant was the finest dining in Can Tho. While the city has grown-up considerably, L'Escale still boasts the best rooftop terrace; try to snag a table at the front overlooking the riverfront promenade. The specialty is steak, but the menu has chicken, duck, pork, or fish dishes as well, accompanied by a decent size list of wines by the bottle and jazzy tunes.

Located in a modern development, this corner French café-bistro is just the ticket for those wanting a break from Vietnamese food. It has egg dishes and tartine for breakfast, French salads, duck, and steak for dinner, and in a strange twist, poke bowls for lunch.

The newest restaurant on Can Tho's tourist strip has an intimate set up, comfortable furniture, and a coveted terrace on the ground and upper floor with views of bustling Ninh Kieu Pier. The menu is divided between European and Asian and both sections offer plenty of variety (try the chicken braised in coconut). There's also La Baguette, their grab-and-go on the side for quick sandwiches, drinks, coffee, or cake, which are baked on-site.

This garden restaurant is popular with locals for feasting with family and friends. The specialty is whole chicken (including the head and feet), but the menu has a range of chicken, beef, pork, crab, fish, and snail dishes.

This lodge on the Mekong River proudly sources fresh local ingredients and happily accommodates vegetarians. The riverside location and lovely Mekong views are worth the effort to get here by boat or motorbike (the lodge cannot be reached by car). Mekong Lodge supports charities, including a school and a training center for disadvantaged locals. A meal here gives back to the community.

This modern café has an eclectic menu of Korean and Japanese-influenced dishes, including ramen and bi bim bap, as well as pizza and Thai food.

One of several ancient houses in the neighborhood, the house of district chief Tran Tuan Kiet was built in 1838, its 108 poles made from the wood of xylia xylocarpa trees. Beautiful carved furniture, some with mother-of-pearl inlays, doors carved with flowers and trees, ceramic pieces, and other antiques fill the house, which was restored in 2003 with financial and technical assistance from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Its on-site restaurant is a popular stop for small group tours and serves a seven-course set menu of Mekong Delta cuisine, including deep-fried elephant ear fish.

In contrast to the same-owned L'Escale French restaurant on the rooftop, this all-day café-restaurant serves a variety of traditional Mekong specialties in a casual bistro setting. The dishes highlight typical Mekong Delta flavors, ingredients, and preparations, including sweet-and-sour soups and braised-in-claypot dishes; the adventurous can try the snake set, while the less adventurous still have a Western menu available. Part of the tourist-targeted empire that also owns Sao Hom and The Lighthouse Restaurants, this one offers the most traditional fare. Reservations are recommended at peak times, as large tour groups can arrive en masse.