282 Best Restaurants in Vietnam

This little venue doesn't let you down. From the ornate Sanskrit-style lettering on the door to a menu well balanced with meat and vegetarian options, the restaurant is as authentic as they come.

This stunning café was designed by international-award-winning Vietnamese architect Vo Trong Nghia, who specializes in structures made completely out of bamboo. Part of the Indochine Hotel, it's a local drinks-and-ice cream spot overlooking the Dak Bla River, with soaring inverted cone-shaped bamboo columns and many peaceful fish ponds.

Half a block north from the market, this bright, fan-cooled café has a rustic chic style. The menu is geared toward travelers, with sandwiches, pastas, steaks, and other Western comfort fare. There is a small selection of Asian dishes.

This artsy little café fits right into the vibe of the street art alley it inhabits, and the owner-barista Huy crafts each cup of specialty egg coffee (hot coffee whipped with egg yolks, sugar, and condensed milk) with care.

A staple in Mui Ne for live music, Western food, and draft beers, the café's cavernous property is located right on the seashore in the heart of the strip. Filled with greenery and dappled sunlight, Joe's is open from early morning until late, so enjoy a sea-view breakfast or hang out when there's live music at night.

At this hip lakeside spot serving Greek and other Mediterranean food in crisp surroundings. there's a lot of choice for vegetarians and vegans. DJ events draw crowds of young local and foreigners on the weekend. The wraps and pitas make for a tasty light lunch while exploring West Lake.

Located a few steps from the beach, this Japanese-inspired café is a great place to refresh with a coffee, matcha, or a drink with house-made rice milk, joined by youth who use the space as a backdrop for kawaii photos. The café rents yukata robes to dress up in.

Unexpected in Vietnam, this Ukrainian restaurant serves some tasty Eastern European, Western, and Asian dishes, along with Vietnamese and imported beers. If you need a break from Vietnamese food, this will hit the spot. Expect lackluster service and you won't be disappointed.

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.

One of the first restaurants to bring inspired French cuisine to the heart of Hanoi, La Badiane has main entrées that will set you back more than most restaurants in Hanoi, but the flavors are worth the splurge. The rich desserts are almost impossible to pass up. Those who order the tasting menu can elevate the experience with an optional wine pairing.

The wood-fire pizza hits the spot at this busy two-story restaurant serving Southern Italian cuisine, as does the perfectly cooked pasta and respectable wine list.

La Fiesta, run by the effusive American-Vietnamese couple Scott and Duc, will satisfy all your Tex-Mex cravings, whether it's for tacos, chili con carne, enchiladas, sangria, or margaritas. Open since 2014, this place is popular with locals, expats, and tourists for its big portions, big taste, strong drinks, and great service all at reasonable prices. Vegetarian and vegan options are available, although if you're counting calories, this may not be the place for you.

A new establishment tucked away on a high floor in an Old Quarter corner building, La Lot has excellent views of the busy, tangled streets below. But the rotating playful displays also offer visual nourishment. Highlights on the menu include the succulent ribs and any of the spring rolls on the appetizer page. Request a table by the window when making a reservation.

Join the locals at this popular, sometimes rowdy barbecue and hotpot joint that becomes quite smoky when the table-top barbecuing on charcoal braziers is in full swing. Expect plastic chairs and plain decor, but the food is cheap, grilling your own meat can be fun, and there's an English menu.

This busy little café is one of the oldest in Hue. On a busy corner by the side of the river, it mainly specializes in banh khoai, crispy pancakes stuffed with bean sprouts, shrimp, and little mounds of pork, served up with herbaceous side salads and a spicy peanut sauce. To eat, cut them in half, wrap them in herbs and rice paper, and dip. The shady seats on the sidewalk are perfectly positioned for watching life go by.

Almost exclusively using fresh, locally sourced ingredients, Lang Viet's menu highlights Vietnam’s regional culinary diversity with the best dishes from three regions, North, Central, and South. It's a journey through Vietnam via your palate.

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.

Opened in 1901 and nestled in the Metropole, Le Beaulieu was possibly the first-ever French restaurant in Hanoi. The spacious dining room doesn't lend itself particularly well to intimacy, but an extensive wine list and expert sommelier service heighten the allure.

Inside the historical Azerai La Residence Hue, this pricey brasserie rivals anything you might find in Paris. The French fusion degustation menu (which must be requested eight hours in advance) features six exquisite courses, ranging from smoked duck carpaccio to beef tenderloin with rosemary. International wines are paired with each course, including an impressive dessert of molten chocolate with red hibiscus coulis served under a crystallized sugar dome.

The secret to having a good meal at this Cat Ba restaurant/hostel/hotel is ordering what is local and fresh. Pass on the steak and order instead whole fish, prawns, squid, or the house specialty: seafood hotpot. This Vietnamese version of fondue comes with fresh vegetables, noodles, and every type of seafood imaginable—simply drop them into a pot of boiling broth at your table.

Catering mostly to foreign tourists, this large restaurant, a short walk from Hill A1–Eliane, serves a wide selection of Chinese, Vietnamese, and Western dishes.

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.

A small and cute café full of travelers and cats, Like Coffee is a hit with its simplicity. The chai tea latte and fluffy pancakes are excellent, but it’s the milk shakes and egg coffee that bring repeat business.

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.

Argentinian steak, French lamb, and other carnivorous treats are cooked to perfection and served in bucolic surroundings in a quiet and atmospheric corner of West Lake. There's also a back room with air-conditioning for when Hanoi heats up, making this a popular (and pricey) spot for both high-salaried foreigners and well-heeled locals.

An upmarket brewery, bar, and restaurant situated in huge beachfront premises, Lousiane Brewhouse even has its own pool and sun loungers. A good selection of well-priced European-style craft beer is on offer, as well as an extensive menu of international and Vietnamese cuisine. Louisiane Brewhouse has a bit of something for everyone, including live music in the evenings, and is one of the best places in town for a sundown drink.

Brewery tours with tastings are available.

Just down the way from the Jade Emperor Pagoda, this is a bright and clean vegan restaurant catering to local Buddhists, who are full-time or part-time vegetarians—some just forsake meat twice a month, on the full and half moon. An extensive range of fresh and delicious Vietnamese vegan dishes features on the menu, many using mock meat made from tofu, lentils, or beans (meaning there's actually no beef in a dish labeled, for instance, beef with pepper sauce). Not only is the menu in English, but it also includes pictures, and the prepared dishes are as colorful as they appear on the menu.

Clay-oven pizza, pasta, antipasti plates, and fine wines, all sourced from Italy, can be enjoyed on a tropically planted beachfront garden, or, on wintery days, holed up in a cozy corner by the kitchen. The sesame-coated tuna with salad, Pecorino cheese, and olives are to die for, as are the Italian homemade desserts.

A quirk of fate made the ever-smiling Nguyen Thi Thanh an international television superstar, yet fame has not wrought many changes to her humble food stand (although in a different location). The Lunch Lady, who famously served celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain on his No Reservations TV show in 2009, has a rolling menu of different soups each day. It's a great way to try street food local-style, on plastic chairs around low metal tables.

It's not compulsory to eat the fresh spring rolls/summer rolls or side dishes that are served once you sit down, but if you try one, you will be charged for the whole plate. Just wave them away if you don't want them.