282 Best Restaurants in Vietnam

Kind service, a calm setting, and a big menu of simple plant-based dishes (including grab-and-go meat-free banh mi Vietnamese baguette sandwiches) are reasons to come to this vegan restaurant.

The sign outside says "The best spitroast pork and noodle shop in the world (probably)," and if the pork belly they serve is anything to go by, the claim is justified. This local joint with plastic chairs and an enormous grill out front is easy to find if you follow your nose from the small boat station in town.

One of a number of large and popular bia hoi (fresh beer) halls named Hai Xom that serves all the Vietnamese favorites, including stir-fried meet dishes, deep-fried tofu dishes, and plenty of fresh green vegetables.

This Thai eatery was opened by Daniel Takianchan, a native of Bangkok, in 2006. With a big menu and wine on display from around the world, the open wooden dining area welcomes many expats and tourists. The tom yam koong is delicious and the chicken pandanus—chicken wrapped in pandan leaves and deep-fried— is not to be missed.

Full of bricks, books, and artistic locals, Bluebird's Nest is a quiet oasis where you can work, study, or kick back and get some leisure reading done. This café often hosts intimate events, like film nights or acoustic music shows, and you might overhear a private English or Vietnamese lesson if you stay the afternoon. They don't serve a full menu, but their coffee and cakes are enough for a light breakfast or snack.

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.

A baguette and home-cooked bo kho, a slow-cooked beef stew with obvious French influences, is the perfect breakfast for Dalat’s spring-like morning temperatures, and this shop of only four tables serves delicious bowls fragrant with cinnamon, star anise, and lemongrass. The shop is open until she sells out.

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.

Drawing crowds with enormous servings of bun cha (grilled pork with rice vermicelli), Bun Cha 34 does not fail to deliver good quality bowls at affordable prices. Customers rave over the charred pork and fragrant herbs. You can also order a serving of fried spring rolls on the side. Be prepared for a street food experience, as the tiny tables and chairs regularly spill out onto the sidewalk.

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.

Nonguests are welcome at the luxury Six Senses Con Dao's main restaurant, which is the perfect venue for a romantic meal of freshly caught local seafood and fine wine overlooking Dat Doc Beach. It's just as stunning by moonlight as it is during the day. The menu is Asian fusion with a hint of French influence.

For many purists, Neapolitan-style pizza—a simple combination of fresh ingredients and a dough made from wheat flour, yeast, salt, and water—offers the ultimate in wood-fired wonderment. And this segment is ably served in Danang by Cardi, which enjoys a plum position by the banks of the Han River. The formula is very simple. Combine a base sauce made with the freshest tomatoes with your dough to produce pies that have a pillow-soft crust with judicious charring and offer the perfect marriage of acidity and sweetness.

If you're looking for a change of scenery away from Mui Ne's main strip, head up the hill to Cargo Remote, and enjoy salads, burgers, pastas, and other casual Western dishes in a modern space made from industrial metal and bamboo.

The small, romantic restaurant inside boutique Cham Villas Resort adds an extra touch of class to Mui Ne. Overseen by the German owner, who also runs Ratinger-Lowe Restaurant, the kitchen serves a range of Vietnamese dishes, such as beef-and-prawn skewers and spicy lemongrass beef served with fried thien ly flowers, as well as international options if your heart desires.

This fine-dining modern Vietnamese restaurant draws from the recipes and flavors of far-flung corners of the country for a creative tasting menu. There's an emphasis on the grill, but also attentive service and storied dishes. This is a worthy splurge option to round off a few days of street food and cheap eats in the capital.

This hole-in-the-wall serves only one thing: che, a sweet green bean concoction that is part drink, part pudding. Especially popular with Vietnamese youngsters, che is a typical treat on sultry summer afternoons. Walk to the end of the alley and look for the shop on your left.

From your table in this tiny family restaurant hidden in an alley of a backpackers’ area, you can smell the mouth-watering fragrance from the open kitchen where Mr. Hung is preparing your fresh meal. His amiable wife Hue, and sister Ha (who is a French tour guide) serve delicious plates with a warm smile, adding a homely touch to the experience. All meals are finished with abundant complimentary seasonal fresh fruits. Their beautiful cooking and exceptional service compensates for their tasteless interior and narrow space.

One of the hippest spots in Ninh Binh, this lively beer garden supplies great food, decent drinks, and an excellent selection of Vietnamese craft brews. The Vietnamese specialties such as spring rolls are delicious, but it's the authentic and well-priced Western food that stands out.

With a handful of busy locations, Chops is becoming a staple in Hanoi’s foodie community. Their slogan, "Hops, Wheat, Meat," says it all. All Chops burgers are made fresh daily from imported Australian beef and lamb and they bake their buns in-house every morning. They’ve got good service and excel at keeping it casual and comfortable.

This cozy restaurant is at the bottom of the Legend Hotel; chandeliers and bamboo curtains add to the beauty of the rustic interior. There are set lunches and dinners so that groups can eat family-style, which makes this a tour group favorite. However, it's not a bad spot for a date. Upstairs you can see 10 kinds of rice wine on display, all fermented with local fruit; nothing starts the night like a glass.

Com ga (chicken with aromatic rice) is a true specialty of Hoi An, and one of the best places to try the dish is down an alley off Phan Chu Trinh. They start you off with some crispy shredded papaya and thin slices of onion and lime juice on the side before giving you a juicy half chicken with fluffy golden turmeric rice. Just add the cold beer for perfection.

One of the most popular com binh dan (canteens) in town, Com Sau Thu has been making locals happy with their economical fare for over a decade. The husband and wife Sau and Thu have another shop, but locals agree the original one at this address remains the best. The daily options are displayed in a glass case at the front of the restaurant, so just point to what you want and then take a seat. Vietnamese usually eat family-style, ordering one meat dish, two vegetable dishes, and a soup, all placed in the middle of the table and shared. There's no need to order rice because it comes automatically.

Located across from An Hai Beach in the center of town, this simple café consists of a few tables and umbrellas set under big shady trees in front of the former French Maison des Passagers (Customs House). The outdoor-only setup gives customers a great view of the beach, making it an ideal spot for sunset drinks, except when the staff turns up the V-pop volume or when it rains. The basic menu includes coffee, tea, soft drinks, and juices as well as a very popular coconut ice cream.

Off the main road, about 200 yards from entrance to market, this restaurant, attached to a hotel of the same name, does a brisk business with lunching tourists. It serves very basic, but extremely tasty Vietnamese fare, such as pho and a variety of noodle, meat, and chicken dishes. Service can be a little erratic, and simple orders like a cold beer sometimes take awhile to arrive.

Serving traditional Vietnamese dishes with an emphasis on healthy, environmentally friendly eating, Cuc Gach has succeeded in carving out its own niche in the city's dining scene. Set in an old French home that has received a modern makeover and is furnished with repurposed colonial-era furniture—including a wooden bed that's been converted into a dining table—this is Vietnamese with a green and design-y edge. Reservations are recommended but not essential.

The owner of Cousins (cugini means cousins in Italian) partnered with Italian chef Nico Ceccomoro to create an authentic dining experience at decent prices. Classy red and black interiors, sensual paintings, and a tree-shaded balcony make this location perfect for a date night. The menu is updated and expanded regularly, but you can’t go wrong with the pizzas or pasta, especially the tortellini with ricotta. There are also several fine wines to choose from.

Dalat's night market is famous within Vietnam, and evenings here soaking up the energy of all the happy tourists is a must. The market sprawls down an enormous staircase to the roundabout and down Nguyen Thi Minh Khai to the lake. Try Dalat "pizza," banh trang nuong, rice paper mounted with toppings and grilled over hot coals. Look for mobile vendors selling hot silky tofu in sweet ginger syrup, grilled corn, and kem bo (avocado mousse ice cream), 

Wood-fired pizza, pasta, steak, and seafood with breezy sea views are on the menu at this popular spot that draws tourists and locals alike. Service can be slow, but the pizzas are on point. Arrive early or book ahead to get a table with a view upstairs.

Tourists gather at this restaurant near the market for the large portions of pasta and pizzas cooked in a genuine Italian pizza oven by the amiable owner-chef, Mr. Tung, who spent six months studying in Milan before opening the restaurant. Exquisite crepes satisfy a lighter appetite, and there's an extensive international wine list. During peak season, from around October through mid-December, it's best to make reservations for weekend dining.