Vietnamese restaurants in Asia
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A
V Cafe
A travellers’ favourite, this cute bistro hung with Chinese lanterns serves a mix of Asian and Western mains. Service is very good and you can choose dessert from the small spread on the counter.
reviewed
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B
Cargo Club
If you’re craving a hearty Western meal, come here for a full spread of international cuisine. The freshly baked patisserie and boulangerie selections are ‘to die for’, in the words of a Hoi An expat. It’s a great place for people-watching at any time of the day, and from the upstairs balcony there are lovely views of the river. After dark the place morphs into a groovy bar.
reviewed
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Green Mango
For inventive, creative cuisine this is the restaurant of choice in Cat Ba Town. There’s an incredibly tempting menu that includes lamb shank, smoked duck and blackened barramundi (160,000d) as well as more inexpensive pasta dishes. It is also a great venue for a cocktail or three, either in the lounge bar–style interior or outside on the terrace.
reviewed
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C
Temple Club
This classy establishment is housed on the 2nd floor of a stunning colonial-era villa and has been decked out in spiritual motifs. The menu includes delightful dishes such as fish with tamarind or shrimp in coconut milk. The spirited cocktails are a good way to prepare for the experience.
reviewed
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D
Phuong Nam
Next door to the Mekong, this place offers a similar ambience, but has the slight advantage of an upstairs terrace for people-watching.
reviewed
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E
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F
Pho 2000
Near Ben Thanh Market, Pho 2000 is where former US president Bill Clinton stopped by for a bowl.
reviewed
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G
Nha Hang Phu My
It's tight quarters and flickering fluorescent lighting in this modest little joint, but the clientele is a happy bunch. Once you've ordered the house speciality you'll understand why. It's pho xao bo, which amounts to sautéed beef served on a plate of noodles with a thick, starchy gravy poured on top. The food is slopped onto your plate, but it packs lots of flavour.
reviewed
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H
Le Tonkin
The neocolonial dining experience is toned down at Le Tonkin. Its appeal is in the quiet, simple elegance of its setting, in a backstreet villa. You can take your leisure in the homey dining room or on the courtyard among leafy banana trees. Excellent food draws inspiration from the street and the country, and the cooks here don't meddle much with tradition.
reviewed
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I
Louisiane Brewhouse
It’s not only the beer that draws a crowd here, as there is an eclectic menu offering international classics, some fiery Thai dishes and Vietnamese favourites. The beachside pool is a beautiful place to while away some time digesting the meal, and there are some great cakes and pastries for inveterate snackers.
reviewed
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J
Restaurant Alley
If you fancy skipping the main tourist scene on the riverfront, then try this small alley between Ð Dien Bien Phu and Ð Phan Dinh Phung where there are about a dozen local restaurants scattered on both sides of the street. Barbecued meats, seafood hotpots and simple vegetables, it’s all here.
reviewed
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K
Douang Deuane Restaurant & Wine Bar
The tasty Lao, Thai and Vietnamese favourites here are complemented by an attractive traditional setting and a welcoming French host. We always have a good time when eating here, it’s that kind of place. The upstairs balcony has a good table for couples.
reviewed
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L
Nam Giao
Tucked away in an alley of cosmetic shops near Ben Thanh Market, Nam Giao serves superb Hué-style mains and is always packed with locals. There's a simple photo menu.
reviewed
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M
Minh & Coco Mini Restaurant
Run by two lively sisters, this humble joint is a fun place to get an inexpensive feed.
reviewed
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N
Nam 1975
Debates rage over whether Shànghǎi will ever have an authentic Vietnamese restaurant, but unless you’re a serious connoisseur, you’ll probably find Nam to be a first-rate choice. Large bowls (Y39) of pho (rice noodles) and bun (vermicelli noodles) are the stars, though for an extra Y35, why not sample some of the spring rolls too? It’s lost down an alley off Middle Huaihai Rd.
reviewed
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O
Bo Tung Xeo
It's undeniably cool having dinner on a covered rooftop along happening Pho Mai Hac De. Bo Tung Xeo is hard to find (walk through the downstairs pho - rice-noodle soup - restaurant and up the stairs at the back), which naturally adds to its appeal. The speciality is a marinated sliced beef dish, which you and your friends grill at your table. Along with cold beer it makes a hearty repast.
reviewed
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P
Lotus Palace
Lunch and dinner are an absolute steal at this foreigner-friendly Vietnamese noodle shop, which serves up set meals that are centred on huge bowls of pho (rice-noodle soup) and rounded out with prawn spring rolls and mung-bean pudding. If you need to put an extra spring in your step, the syrupy Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk will no doubt get you where you want to be.
reviewed
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Q
Qing
Time seems to stand still at this place, which resembles a street-side bistro in Hanoi. Blocked out from traffic, the outdoor tables offer an ambience increasingly hard to come by in hyperactive Hong Kong. Go light with the Vietnamese-style rice paper rolls or indulge in a steak smothered with Roquefort - it's all up to you, and the wine is always fab.
reviewed
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R
Huong Lai
Set in the airy loft of an old French-era shop-house, this is dining with a difference. All staff here are from disadvantaged families or are former street children and receive on-the-job training, education and a place to stay. Many have gone on to secure jobs at top hotels and restaurants. A must for beautifully presented traditional Vietnamese food.
reviewed
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S
Restaurant Café 96
With paint peeling to expose the brick beneath and a woven flax ceiling, this riverside restaurant has the perfectly decrepit look Western interior designers would spend a fortune creating. The food is sublime - traditional Vietnamese with all of the Hoi An specialties. Try the set menu or at the very least the grilled fish wrapped in banana leaf.
reviewed
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Daeng Namnuang
This massive river restaurant has grown into an Isan institution and hordes of out-of-towners head home with car boots and carry-on bags – there's an outlet at Udon Thani's airport – stuffed with năam neu·ang (pork spring rolls).
reviewed
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T
Tropical Garden Restaurant
This popular place offers romantic dining in a lush, leafy garden. It specialises in Central Vietnamese cuisine, and is the best place in Hué to catch a traditional music performance (from 19:00 nightly). While it's a regular stop for tour groups, they don't tend to spoil the atmosphere - although they do slow the service down.
reviewed
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U
Saigon Pho
In terms of price performance, this modest eatery makes some of the best pho (bowl small/medium/large $32/$36/$42) in town, with tender beef in broth fragrant with herbs, and a bottomless side of chilli peppers the way we like it. The Vietnamese curries come with buttered baguette straight out of the oven.
reviewed
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V
Food Wave
Atop the Royal Garden Plaza shopping mall, this expands the food court concept with a wider range of cuisines, including Japanese, Vietnamese and Italian. There's also Starbucks if you, like, really, really need an organic soy latte. You'll find other fast food chains you didn't know you were missing downstairs.
reviewed
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W
Sésame
A hospitality training school for disadvantaged children, Sésame was originally set up by the French NGO Triangle Génération Humanitaire. The menu is Franco-Vietnamese, prepared with fresh local ingredients, and dishes are beautifully presented. It is worth the trek out here to experience the attentive service.
reviewed
