Top 12 Dishes To Try In Vietnam

#1. Pho(Vietnamese noodle soup)

Pho is a traditional Vietnamese noodle soup that’s often made with beef or chicken and topped with things like fresh bean sprouts, basil, and chilies. The best thing about pho is that it’s such a restorative food—the comforting soup is savory and rich, while still feeling clean and refreshing at the same time.

It's almost impossible to walk a block in Vietnam's major destinations without bumping into a crowd of hungry patrons slurping noodles at a makeshift pho stand. It's cheap, tasty, and widely available at all hours. Pho can be enjoyed year-round—and any time of day. In Vietnam, pho is a popular breakfast, and for good reason: It's super satisfying!

#2. Banh xeo(Vietnamese crêpes)

Banh means cake in Vietnamese and the “xeo” refers to the sizzling sound it makes when you cook the batter. Its name loosely means “sizzling cake.” These crêpes are yellow and look like omelettes, but there are actually no eggs in it. It’s just turmeric powder that colors them yellow!

A good banh xeo is a crispy crepe bulging with pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts, plus the garnish of fresh herbs that are characteristic of most authentic Vietnamese dishes. To enjoy one like a local, cut it into manageable slices, roll it up in rice paper or lettuce leaves and dunk it in whatever special sauce the chef has mixed up for you.

#3.Gỏi cuốn(Summer Rolls)

In southern Vietnam these summer rolls are called “Gỏi cuốn”. This means salad rolls, while in northern Vietnam, these rolls are called Nem cuốn, meaning nem rolls. In central Vietnam, it is simply called “rice paper” roll.

With much of local Vietnamese cuisine being unsparingly fried, grilled and boiled, you may find yourself occasionally craving something a little fresher. Look no further than gỏi cuốn, also known as “summer rolls”. These fresh spring rolls are typically packed with crispy salad, prawns and pork and served with a sweet-and-spicy dip topped with peanuts. These rolls are very popular appetizer with customers in Vietnamese restaurants.

The vegetarian version of Gỏi cuốn is called Gỏi cuốn chay, also called Buddhist fresh spring rolls. Buddhists do not eat vegetarian or vegan but they eat “chay”, which is slightly different. They exclude all root vegetables, so no onion or garlic will be used in a chay restaurant.

#4. Chè(Sweet Soup)

Literally Che means tea .But Vietnamese chè is broad term for dishes include any traditional sweet soup, beverage, pudding, or any other custard-like dessert that is made with a base of either water or coconut cream and served either hot or cold. Other ingredients for making chè include various jellies and fruits, beans and pulses, rice and grains, and even tubers and cereals. You can find chè at any time of the year, but it’s arguably best served with a scoop of crushed ice on a hot day.

The most popular che dishes are ：
Purple Yam Sweet Soup Recipe (Chè khoai môn tím)
Pomelo sweet soup (Chè bưởi)
Steamed sticky rice with sweet gruel (Xôi chè)
Lotus seed and Longan sweet soup (Chè hạt sen long nhãn)
Sweet black bean soup (Chè đậu đen)
Vietnamese sweet corn pudding (Chè ngô)
Almond with Cheese Jelly and Lychee Sweet Soup (Chè khúc bạch)
Rice Balls with Roasted Pork Filling Sweet Soup (Chè Bột Lọc nhân Heo Quay)
Vietnamese sweet ginger rice (Chè con ong)

#5. banh mi (Vietnamese Sandwich)

If you’re planning on traveling to Vietnam, the one sandwich you will not want to miss is the banh mi. This iconic sandwich has been consistently ranked as one of the best sandwiches in the world.

Banh Mi is a Vietnamese sandwich that’s made up of an odd sounding combination – crusty bread rolls smeared with pate, mayo, suspicious looking Asian ham, pickled vegetables, green onion, coriander/cilantro, a mighty wack of fresh chilies and drizzle of seasoning.

The baguette was introduced by the French in mid-19th century, but appropriated by the Vietnamese in the 1950s when they started calling it the banh mi or wheat bread. Ho Chi Minh City is believed to be the birthplace of the banh mi sandwich. The Le family moved from Hanoi to Saigon in the 1950s and created this Vietnamese sandwich. Their shop, Banh Mi Hoa Ma(53 Cao Thang, phuong 3 Ho Chi Minh City) is a very popular restaurant.

#6. Cha ca(Grill Fish)

The word “ca” in cha ca means fish in Vietnamese and “cha” is a general word for certain grilled or fried dishes that take meat or seafood as the main ingredient.
Cha ca consists of chunks of grilled fish rendered in oil, and served with vermicelli noodle, spring onion, dill, peanut, and shrimp paste.

Chả Cá is a street of the same name in the old quarter in Hanoi. Back in the 13th and 14th centuries, what is now the old quarter was made up of 36 different guilds each inhabiting a different street named for the craft or specialty that guild represented.

#7. Bun Cha (Rice noodles topped with grilled pork and pickled vegetable)

Bun cha Hanoi is a traditional Vietnamese dish that is so worth getting to know. A delicious combination of flavorful meatballs, rice noodles and a tangy dipping sauce/broth, you'll immediately love all the flavors and textures.

It is believed to have originated in the old quarter of Hanoi, although similar varieties can be found in other parts of Vietnam, the local Hanoi version is held in high regard. Not much is known about its history or origin, but the dish became internationally recognized in 2016 when it was featured on the show Parts Unknown – in which the host Anthony Bourdain enjoyed bún chả together with the former president Barack Obama.

During the 2016 Presidential visit to Vietnam, Barack Obama went to a bun cha restaurant in Hanoi with Anthony Bourdain. The restaurant is better known as Bun Cha Obama now. The name of the restaurant is called “Bún chả Hương Liên”, situated in the south east of Hanoi’s French Quarter.

#8. Nem ran/cha gio(Vietnamese Fried Spring Rolls)

Vietnamese fried spring roll – Nem rán called “Cha Gio” in southern regions is one of the traditional dishes in Vietnam. Up to now, Nem Ran has been a familiar dish on the menu at all households on special days or family parties.

Vietnamese Fried Spring Rolls are delicious with crispy exterior and flavorful filling. Depending on the regions, the filling may be slightly different, but it usually contains ground pork, shrimp, and a variety of shredded veggies. It is then wrapped with a spring roll wrapper and fried until golden and crispy.

#9. Banh bot loc(Vietnamese Shrimp and Pork Dumplings)

Bánh bôt loc are tapioca dumplings stuffed with shrimp and pork, garnished with fried shallots and fermented fish sauce, that the Vietnamese enjoy as a snack.

Traditionally it is filled with shrimp and pork belly, or mixed pork, onions and sometimes mushrooms.

Bánh bột lọc is like many of the best Vietnamese dishes from Hue. The city of Huê has an exceptional cultural and historical heritage, a legacy of its imperial past that its gastronomy perfectly illustrates.

Under the Nguyen dynasty from 1802 to 1945, the city was indeed the imperial capital of Vietnam. The Emperor and the court lived there. It acquired great prestige both in the field of poetry and music as well as gastronomy.

#10. Bun bo hue(Spicy Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)

Bun Bo Hue is a spicy Vietnamese Beef Noodle soup. It takes many hours and a lot of ingredients to make a full-bodied beef broth. It takes many hours and a lot of ingredients to make a full-bodied beef broth.

Traditionally, Bun Bo Hue is served with coagulated pig blood cubes and sliced banana flower (or banana blossoms).

The city of Huế was put on the map as Vietnam’s capital in 1802 when the Nguyen Dynasty seized control of the country and ruled from this central city.This city has a reputation for having spicy foods–not something as common with other Vietnamese cuisine.

#11. Xoi (Steamed Glutinous Rice)

“Xoi”; or “glutinous rice”, “sweet rice”, “sticky rice” in English; can be found in many Asian dishes, especially in the South East Asia areas. From one main white plain”xoi”, there are nearly hundreds variations have been created. Normally, sticky rice can be steamed together with other seeds like mung bean (black and red mung bean are also included), corn, peanut, etc.

Different areas have various kinds of “xoi” with distinct taste. In the mountainous area of Northern Vietnam, the ethnic minority are very proud of their “five-color xoi”. “Xoi” is cooked with special local herbs which originate the colors of red, black, purple, and yellow. No food coloring using, all are natural and good for your health.

Hanoi, the capital, is famous for its “Xoi com”- “young green sticky rice”, a delicacy that is made only in autumn. Together with white coconut, the grains are so sweetly scent that it will leave a lasting flavor. In Southern Vietnam, coconut milk and panda leaves are also added, which makes “xoi” a sweet dessert fitting perfectly for supper.

#12. Com tam (Broken Rice)

In Vietnam, broken rice or cơm tấm is arguably the most iconic Ho Chi Minh street food. The word “cơm” refers to cooked rice while “tấm” refers to broken rice grains. Made up of smaller pieces of rice, it's also known as Broken Rice, and was traditionally a leftover-style snack. The Vietnamese have managed to hone it into a renowned Ho Chi Minh street food snack.

Com Tam is served with either grilled pork (usually grilled), fish or simply a fried egg. Traditionally, com tam is eaten with pork chops, shredded pork or pork loaf. Restaurants will also serve a small bowl of nuoc cham or dipping fish sauce, the indispensable accompaniment.