ExploFood · Asia
What to eat in Vietnam
Five dishes to try in Vietnam, the most typical first. One is vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in Vietnam
Pho Phở
Rice noodles in clear beef or chicken broth with herbs and lime.
How to have it: A breakfast dish in Hanoi; add herbs, chilli and lime to taste at the table.
Banh mi Bánh mì
Crisp baguette filled with pâté, cold cuts, pickles, herbs and chilli.
How to have it: Sold from street carts all day; Hoi An and Saigon stalls are especially well known.
Bun cha Bún chả
Grilled pork patties and belly in a sweet fish sauce dip with rice noodles.
How to have it: A Hanoi lunch dish; dunk noodles and herbs into the broth and add a fried spring roll.
Fresh spring rolls Gỏi cuốn
Rice paper rolls of shrimp, pork, vermicelli and herbs, served cold.
How to have it: Common in the south; dip them in peanut-hoisin sauce.
Iced coffee Cà phê sữa đá
Strong drip coffee over ice with sweetened condensed milk.
How to have it: Sip it on low plastic stools at sidewalk cafés; it is strong, so go slow.
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Questions
What food is Vietnam famous for?
Pho (rice noodles in clear beef or chicken broth with herbs and lime) comes first on our list, followed by Banh mi, Bun cha, Fresh spring rolls and Iced coffee.
What is the national dish of Vietnam?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Vietnam is Pho: rice noodles in clear beef or chicken broth with herbs and lime. A breakfast dish in Hanoi; add herbs, chilli and lime to taste at the table.
Which dishes in Vietnam are vegetarian?
One of the five on this page is vegetarian as usually made: Iced coffee. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
What street food should I try in Vietnam?
Banh mi (crisp baguette filled with pâté, cold cuts, pickles, herbs and chilli).
What do people drink in Vietnam?
Iced coffee: strong drip coffee over ice with sweetened condensed milk.
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.