☕️ Rating everything we ate in Ho Chi Minh 👀😮💨
We spent 3.5D4N in HCM, and to be honest we mostly ate 2 meals a day only hence didn’t get to try more cafes n street food!! it’s also our first visit to Vietnam 🤭
📍Tonkin Coffee (7/10)
- okay this was legit the first place we ate (more like drink) at apart from free hotel breakfast
- specialises in egg coffee/matcha, but lots of other drinks to choose from
- personally didn’t favour the thick consistency (I’m a hater of the consistency of whipped liquid / foam 🥹) but wanted to try, would have preferred standard matcha drinks!
📍Pizza 4Ps (10/10)
- must go! (It’s too hyped up)
- I liked that we could choose 2 types of flavours for a single pizza, we weren’t too hungry hence didn’t get to eat more stuff, their pastas looked so amazinggg
- hubs said the matcha taste like luckin 😂 but it was good nonetheless!
📍SOKO (10/10)
- as u can see we returned twice………
- croissants / bakes are a MUST try
- we got a pancake to share on our second visit, it’s nice but def not worth $12…… pretty for photos I guess? 😬
📍Marugame Udon (10/10)
- I’m quite sure there’s an outlet in sg, but I feel their menu is different?
- pricing is lower than sg, and had drinks too, amazing nonetheless 😮💨
📍Little Hanoi (10/10)
- hubs had pork rice which he absolutely loved
- I had an egg ham cheese sourdough which was also amazing (& had banana + watermelon too???? 🫨😩 so fresh)
📍The Running Bean (8/10)
- not bad in my opinion but hubs loved it so much he wanted to return the next day for lunch 😂
- had their signature brownie too but ill rate it 7.5/10….. it was not bad but wont crave for it!
📍Highlands Coffee (9/10)
- not sure why this place isn’t hyped up!! I think is a local coffee shop brand, it’s also almost everywhere in hcm
- we had mochi hojicha, but they had so many items on their menu I wished I had room for more, would love to try the rest, from coffee, to fruit tea, yummmm
📍Chao Restaurant (7/10)
- not bad….. but we only ate here cause of bad planning so we headed for the first food place we saw while shopping at District 1
- their drinks was so good tho???? We had the honey ice tea & peach ice tea. Chia seeds inside!!
📍Circle K
- I’m only adding this in cause somehow, their blue lemon ade was so good?? For $1
- we were abit mouth itchy so we shared an indomie here but shoutout to the blue lemon drink <<<<<
We had so little time here I realised we did not eat any street / local food!! We aimed straight for the cafes as they had so good reviews, but if I return I would loved to try other local food like:
- banh mi
- crab noodle, etc
Thx for reading!! ☺️
If you plan to explore Ho Chi Minh City's vibrant food scene further, here are some tips based on my experience and things I wish we had tried. While we focused mostly on cafes and some restaurant dining, Saigon’s street food is a must for any food lover. Iconic dishes like banh mi, fresh spring rolls, and local noodle recipes such as crab noodle soup are popular for a reason—they offer true flavors of Vietnam. Exploring local markets early in the morning can lead you to hidden gems where you can taste authentic pho or enjoy snacks like bánh xèo (Vietnamese savory pancakes). Also, small street stalls often have the freshest ingredients and best prices. For beverage lovers, beyond Tonkin Coffee’s egg coffee, I’d recommend trying Highlands Coffee’s wide menu including their mochi hojicha or any of their unique fruit teas. These local coffee chains capture the essence of Vietnamese coffee culture, and their variety means you can find something delightful for every palate. Lastly, if you enjoy sweets or baked goods, places like SOKO offer excellent pastries and creative pancakes—though some items lean more toward being Instagram-worthy than a wallet-friendly meal. Don't miss a visit to Marugame Udon for a quick, affordable, and satisfying Japanese noodle meal that offers a slightly different taste than the outlets you might find elsewhere. Next time I visit, I’m eager to prioritize street food and local specialties outside of cafes and chains. Ho Chi Minh City’s food scene is vast, combining rich traditions with modern twists, promising endless delicious discoveries.