Discover the 13 most delicious Vietnamese dishes for first-time travelers, including the most popular foods such as pho, banh mi, and local favorites. Packed with useful tips and beautiful photographs, enjoy Vietnamese food the way the locals do!
Banh Mi (Vietnamese Baguette Sandwich)
Banh Mi is a popular Vietnamese sandwich served on a baguette. It’s street food and available everywhere in Vietnam, from Hanoi’s old quarter to Saigon’s streets. Outside, the bread is crusty, inside, it’s soft and freshly baked daily.
Inside, there is a tasty array of ingredients including grilled pork, steamed meatballs, pâté, pickled daikon and carrots, fresh cucumber, chili slices, and herbs like coriander. Each bite offers a different feel and flavor, and it is a tasty and filling meal at any time of day.
Bun Bo Hue (Spicy Beef Noodle Soup from Hue)
Bun Bo Hue is a spicy, powerful beef noodle soup from the imperial city of Hue in central Vietnam. It is famous for its rich, flavorful broth and balance of spicy, sour, salty, and savory flavors. Many who like pungent Vietnamese soups really adore this dish. It is usually eaten as a fulfilling breakfast or lunch, especially in southern and central Vietnam.
It’s made by slow-cooking beef bones with lemongrass, shrimp paste, and chili oil to make an aromatic and flavorful base. Thick, round rice noodles are added, together with soft slices of beef, pork hock, and sometimes pieces of solid pig’s blood.
Banh Xeo (Vietnamese Sizzling Pancake)
Banh Xeo is a crispy, tasty pancake that crackles while it is being cooked, and thus was named, “xeo” is the sound of the batter hitting hot oil. It is popular in southern and central Vietnam. The yellow pancake is made of rice flour, turmeric powder, and coconut milk, and has shrimp, pork, and bean sprouts inside.
When crispy-fried, it is cut into pieces and wrapped in fresh lettuce or rice paper with herbs like mint and basil. It’s then dipped into sweet and sour fish sauce. Banh Xeo is a communal dining experience to relish eating, typically with family or friends.
Bun Cha (Grilled Pork with Noodles)
Bun Cha is a popular dish in Hanoi and a top lunch choice for the locals. It is made of grilled pork served in a bowl of hot fish sauce with a hint of sweetness, topped with pickled papaya and carrot.
These are presented in a bowl of hot, sweet-sour sauce. The sauce is made with fish sauce, vinegar, sugar, and garlic. With it, there is a side plate of rice noodles, lettuce, and fragrant herbs like perilla and mint. To eat, you dip all of them into the sauce, with a tasty combination of textures and flavors.
Bun Bo Tron Nam Bo (Southern-style Stir-fried Beef Noodles)
Bun Bo Tron Nam Bo Bun Bo Tron Nam Bon is a flavorful Southern Vietnamese noodle dish of tender rice noodles, wok-tossed beef, herbs, bean sprouts, and crushed peanuts. It is sprinkled with crispy shallots and accompanied by a sweet and sour fish sauce dressing, which combines all the flavors together so perfectly.
It’s a light dish packed with flavor, it’s fresh with herbs on one end, with the richness of marinated beef on the other. It’s one of those things I think a lot of people love as a hearty lunch or dinner, particularly on sweltering days when only something cool will do. And it’s a great demonstration of the way just a few unassuming ingredients can combine to create something that really tastes good.
Bun Rieu (Crab Paste Noodle Soup)
Bun Rieu, or Vietnamese Crab Paste Noodle Soup, is a classic Vietnamese noodle soup dish: hot, satisfying, and delicious. This tasty soup is made with banh canh, rice vermicelli noodles, that is often added to a rich brew of fish stock where guests can also add a mixture of crab paste, minced pork, fish cakes, tomatoes, tofu, and, depending on your location in the country, sometimes snails or blood pudding.
It is typically topped with fresh herbs, shredded lettuce, and banana blossoms, and served with a squeeze of lime. You see people eating bun rieu all over the north and the south, and often for breakfast or lunch, because it’s delicious but also balanced in richness, tang, and refreshment.
Banh Cuon (Steamed Rice Rolls)
Banh cuon is a steamed rice roll wrapped in a thin rice wrapper. The texture is made from ground pork and sweet potato. The roll is mixed with crisp fried shallots, slices of Vietnamese pork link, fresh sauces, and a pungent fish sauce made with chili oil painting.
This is a favorite dish of northern Vietnamese and can be set up on every road in Hanoi. However, you must try the Banh Cuon, if you want to start the day with a light snack. With every bite, you can feel the discrepancy between the soft and warm rice roll and the juicy sauces. For those who like to start the day with a light snack, this dish is a delicacy not to be missed.
Goi Cuon (Fresh Spring Rolls)
Fresh Spring Rolls (Goi Cuon) is a cherished dish that’s loved by Vietnamese people. Spring rolls are precisely wrapped in soft and transparent rice paper, which contains fresh ingredients such as shrimp, pork slices, rice rolls, lettuce, and sauces.
These spring rolls are light and healthy, making them a perfect snack or appetizer. Paired with racy peanut sauce or hoisin sauce, fresh spring rolls have a fresh taste, a balanced taste, and comfort, making them a first choice for those who are looking for a stimulating mess or a light snack.
Com Tam (Broken Rice with Grilled Pork)
Com Tam or Grilled Pork with Broken Rice is a common street food in southern Vietnam, especially Ho Chi Minh City. The broken rice grains, once considered an outgrowth, are now extremely sought after for their tender, slightly crunchy texture. The broken rice is served with grilled pork chops, a fried egg, shredded pork rind, pickled carrots and daikon, and a sweet-savory fish sauce for drizzling over.
What sets Com Tam apart is its homestyle, comforting flavor loved by all ages. Although it’s plain, it pairs well with smoked grilled meat with good-topping ingredients and a superior balance of salty, sweet, and sour. The dense, filling dish is a breakfast favorite but consumed at any meal time.
Mi Quang (Turmeric Noodles from Quang Nam)
Mi Quang (Quang Nam Turmeric Noodles) is a central Vietnamese specialty, extremely popular in Da Nang and in Quang Nam province. It is made of yellow-colored wide rice noodles from turmeric, served in a shallow bowl with strong-flavored broth. The toppings would typically include pork, shrimp, quail eggs, and fresh herbs, all sprinkled with roasted peanuts and crispy rice crackers.
What sets Quang Noodles apart is its startling color and contrasting textures, chewy noodles, crunchy toppings, and rich, full-bodied broth. It showcases the essential Vietnamese flavors and is often eaten as an everyday comfort food or festive dish.
Hu Tieu (Southern Vietnamese Noodle Soup)
Hu Tieu – who doesn’t love these famous Vietnamese noodle soups from the South, particularly Saigon or the Mekong Delta! It’s all served in a clear and somewhat sweet pork-based broth, which comes with chewy rice noodles and a varied medley of toppings: sliced pork, shrimp, squid, or quail eggs.
The hearty dish is typically eaten for breakfast or lunch, and it’s always served with some fresh herbs, lime, chili, and bean sprouts on the side. Flavored with the characteristic balance of Southern Vietnamese cuisine, Hu Tieu has become an all-time favorite of locals and tourists.
Banh Bot Loc (Dumplings with Shrimp and Pork)
Banh Bot Loc is a traditional Vietnamese dumpling that’s especially popular in the Central region, particularly around Hue. These small, circular dumplings are made from tapioca flour, giving them a leathery and slightly sticky texture. Outside, they’re filled with a scrumptious admixture of shrimp and pork, creating a perfect balance of taste.
Banh Bot Loc is generally fumed or boiled and eaten when it is hot with a side of sweet and racy fish sauce for dipping. This dish is loved for its unique texture and rich, savory flavors, so it has become a favorite snack or appetizer for anyone exploring Vietnamese cuisine.
Banh Cam (Sesame Balls with Sweet Filling)
The Banh Cam is a popular dessert in Vietnam, especially in the South. It’s a combination of sticky rice flour formed into small rounds to enrobe sweet mung bean paste and coated with sesame seeds. Then they’re deep-fried until crispy and golden.
It’s no lie, people love to eat Banh Cam as snacks, desserts, because they can taste how crispy and sweet the crust and coating are, while the soft part inside. It is so popular at festivals as a mark of happiness and good fortune. This is a favorite soy sauce flavor in numerous Vietnamese families.
Final Thoughts: Is Vietnamese Food Worth Trying?
The Vietnamese food is an experience in and of itself. The food is very fresh and delicious as it balances sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavours. Each and every meal is a colorful story of culture and tradition. Discover even more delicious Vietnamese flavors at Seni World!
