What to do when you are in Saigon?

The most well-known things to do when you are in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) is to eat street food and drink ca phe sua da. Chez Thao won't recommend luxurious or touristic places but unique ones. Below will be some of our suggestions for those and one of the places to learn how to cook Vietnamese food if you are interested. The collections will be updated bit by bit so keep yourself stay stuned for the list.

DRINKS:

1. Tuxo Coffee & Tea:

When you travel to Vietnam, don’t forget to try a coffee at Tuxo Coffee & Tea. They use green ingredients from Bao Loc without artificial fragrance and color (which are used a lot in most coffee and tea shops in Vietnam) to provide you with the best and original taste of the drinks. The space is small but well designed. The kind owner and staff will make you feel very warm welcomed and enjoyed the place. And finally, the price is very reasonable.

They also sell raw coffee & tea if you would like to buy some as gifts.

Address: 04, Nguyen Van Trang, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/tuxocoffee.tea/

Opening hours: 6am - 5pm

2. Ca phe Sai Gon Hem

The coffee shop is in a very small alley, decorated with the old style of Saigon. They sometimes have photo exhibition about Vietnam as well.

Address: 15/29, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Dakao ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CafeSaigonHem/

Opening hours: 7am - 10pm

3. Ca phe Vot

This a very special coffee shop which serves a traditional way of making coffee in Saigon back in the past.

Address: 330/2 Phan Dinh Phung, Ward 1, Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Opening hours: 9am - 10pm

4. Cua hang ca phe 81

This is one of the popular coffee shops which is converted from an old house. You can enjoy the atmosphere of Saigon in the 1990s which is very charming.

Address: 216B Nguyen Van Nguyen, Tan Dinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Opening hours: 7am - 10.30pm

5. Ca phe Ut Lanh

This coffee shop has the same style with the Cua hang ca phe 81 with different decoration.

Address: 283/37 Pham Ngu Lao, Nguyen Thai Binh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Opening hours: 7am - 11pm

EAT:

1. Cau Ba Quan

They take extreme care in sourcing ingredients and presenting them in new and innovative ways. Their food is most healthy scrumptious food eaten in true Vietnamese style - on the street! And their food is sourced from the best places but also contains no processed sugar or msg allows you to enjoy so much more.

They also provide homemade spices and sauces to bring home if you would like to have some.

Address: 85 Hoang Sa (corner of Hoang Sa and Nguyen Van Thu), Dakao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caubaquan82/

2. Chi Hoa Vietnamese Cuisine

Delicious traditional Vietnamese food served in beautiful traditional Vietnamese dinnerware and decoration place.

Address: 31A Le Thanh Ton, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chihoacuisine/

3. Bun Nuoc Quyen

A street food store with very delicious noodle soups or spicy noodle salad.

Address: A3/1 Mieu Noi Apartment Building, Vu Huy Tan Street, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Opening hours: From 3pm till around 8pm

4. Oc My

A very small seafood street store but with delicious and fresh seafood. You won't know this store as a tourist because it's in a very deep alley. Good luck on finding it but it's really worth your effort in finding it.

Address: 528/5/107 Dien Bien Phu, Ward 11, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City

Opening hours: from 5pm until around 10pm

5. Bun bo Ba Ba

This very special Bun bo (beef noodle) has very clear and delicious soup taste and without pork which is totally different from the normal Bun bo with red color and full of pork.

Address: 18A/17A1 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Dakao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Opening hours: from 4pm until around 8pm

6. Hu tieu suon bo vien

Hu tieu suon bo vien is noodles with beef balls and pork ribs. This store beats all other Hu tieu suon bo vien in town.

Address: 1 Doan Thi Diem, Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City

Opening hours: from 5pm until around 10pm but if you come later than 7pm, there may be no more pork ribs

7. A street food store for breakfast

She sells different soups (hu tieu, bun rieu, bun bo..) for breakfast everyday. But everyday she has banh bot loc and banh it tran (the two specialities of Hue). The store is in front of a coffee. It's served very early and always crowded. Sometimes you even have to serve yourself but it's worth like that because the food is very delicious and the price is amazingly cheap, around 1 USD for one dish.

Address: 18A/20 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Dakao ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Opening hours: 6am - 9am (She only sells for 3 hours in the morning)

8. Quan gi do

Great and very special taste of all the dishes in the menu, it stands out from the same dishes of other restaurants. A must try.

Address: 26/16A Dinh Tien Hoang, Ward 1, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Opening hours: 11am - 8pm

9. Pho Thai Son

Pho is one of the dishes you have to try when you are in Saigon. There are so many pho restaurants which are very famous for tourists and Vietnamese but the one I like most is this restaurant. It is more than 30 years old and was very famous in the past but nowadays, they don't have as many guests as before due to the result of lacking enhancing promotions. Try pho from this restaurant and from others then you will see why I love the pho here.

Address: 178 Le Lai, Pham Ngu Lao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Opening hours: 6am - 8pm

10. Bun thit nuong 141 Ly Tu Trong

Bun thit nuong (noodles with bbq pork and fried spring rolls) is one of the must try dishes when you are in Saigon and this place provides the best one. Besides, they also provide some other nice dishes such as banh beo (mini steamed rice pancake), goi du du (papaya salads), che chuoi (banana sweet soup)..

Address: 141 Ly Tu Trong, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City (It's located in a small alley which is opposite the shop Bana Boutique. You go into the alley and turn right at the end off it. The store is about 30 m on the left)

Opening hours: 11am - 3pm (you should go before 12pm because it's crazily full at lunch time and if you come after lunch time, there may be no more bbq pork)

COOKING CLASS

1. Tap De Kitchen Boutique