Ho Chi Minh City, VietnamHCMC's Chinatown (Cho Lon) is a layered world of Chinese clan houses, Buddhist temples, herbal medicine shops, and food stalls serving dim sum, braised pork rice, and century egg porridge. The Thien Hau Temple and the narrow market lanes behind it are worth half a day.
Price range
$
Category
🍜 Food & Drink
City
Ho Chi Minh City
🍜
HCMC's most loved introduction to Vietnamese regional cuisine - a restored French villa where stalls around the courtyard serve specialties from every Vietnamese province. Banh mi from Hoi An, bun bo from Hue, banh xeo from Da Nang - all under one elegant roof.
🍜
Widely considered the best banh mi in Vietnam - the bold claim is backed by legendary queues at this tiny shophouse on Le Thi Rieng. The pork rolls are stuffed to almost comic excess with pate, cold cuts, pickled daikon, and herbs. Open from 2pm until sold out.
🍜
HCMC's famous seafood snail restaurants (quan oc) are a Vietnamese institution - piled-high plates of whelks, clams, sea snails, and oysters cooked in a dozen different sauces. Oc Dao is the best of the cluster on Hoang Sa Street, serving cold beer and fresh shellfish in chaotic, joyful outdoor seating.