What To Eat In The South Of Vietnam?

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The cuisine of Vietnam is getting much more famous in the world because of its special tastes. Many people desire to visit this country to experience those tastes exactly that they can’t feel clearly through the internet, newspaper, social media… It’s so hard to describe to the fullest how great the Vietnamese foods bring it to us. Especially in the South of Vietnam, if you have a chance to visit this region, let’s experience as much as you can, you may love it a lot.

Local food

1. Com tam – Broken rice

The first name has to be “broken rice” – the most famous local food in Ho Chi Minh city (the central city of the South). Whenever you visit this region, you should try this food. The rice is called “broken rice”, some marinated pork is grilled with tasty spice. You can also have some fried egg and some carrot pickle. Especially, the fish sauce decides how delicious this food would be – it will make you extremely excited because of its taste. Let’s experience as a local people with this special food.

Price: 30.000 – 50.000 VND (1-2 USD)

Recommendation: Com tam Cali. This one has many branches in Ho Chi Minh city, you can choose the nearest one.

Com Tam – Broken rice

2. Banh mi – bread

In Vietnam, the strange shape of bread makes everyone curious about its taste. You will easily find it in every Vietnamese restaurant in your country, and “Vietnamese bread” is always available. It attracted many travelers to desire to try its original taste when they take their time to visit Vietnam. “Banh mi” is everywhere on the street or many restaurants. “Banh mi” Huynh Hoa is probably a good one that you can try in Ho Chi Minh city.

Recommendation: Banh mi Huynh Hoa

Price: 40.000 VND ( 2 USD)

Banh mi – is one kind of breads in Viet Nam. It’s so tasty and flavorable.

3. Pho – Beef noodle soup

Pho is not only in Vietnam, you can try it in many countries. But let’s try this food with the characteristic taste of the local people in Vietnam. Many Vietnamese people have it as a main meal in the whole day, it is called “national food” in Vietnam. Pho is available in the North, the Middle and the South as well – each region will bring different feelings to you.

Recommendation: Pho Le – 413 Nguyen Trai street, district 5, Ho Chi Minh city

Price: 40.000 – 70.000 VND (2-3 USD)

pho bo – beef noodle

4. Goi cuon – Vietnamese spring roll

Goi cuon is a traditional food in Vietnam and many Vietnamese people love it, especially in the South. This food can be a street food, also a special food in Vietnam’s cuisine. The main ingredients are noodle, vegetable, pork, shrimp… Spice is the most important thing to enjoy this food – fish sauce. It would be amazing if you can find out the place where it has tasty and delicious fish sauce.

Recommendation: Ben Thanh market

Price: 3 rolls/ 1 USD

Goi Cuon – Vietnamese Spring roll

5. Bun mam – Vietnamese seafood gumbo noodle

The soup is made from many kinds of local fish in Mekong Delta, it has strong and salty flavor. Noodle, shrimp, gumbo, vegetable are the main ingredients of this food. This is the most famous local food in Mekong Delta and is sold everywhere in Ho Chi Minh city. It’s hard for those who doesn’t like the strong flavor, but it would be amazing for those who loves its taste. When you can love it, you will never forget it.

Price: 30.000 – 50.000 VND (1-2 USD)

Recommendation: Bun mam Phan Boi Chau – 22 Phan Boi Chau street, district 1, Ho Chi Minh city.

Bun Mam – Vietnamese seafood gumbo

6. Banh cuon nong – steamed rolled rice pancake

The most interesting of this food is to be able to make it yourself. This special food is good or not, it depends on the fish sauce which is made by the local people. Let’s experience to make and try it, it will be probably one of your favorite food in Vietnam.

Price: 20.000 – 40.000 VND (1-2 USD)

Recommendation: Banh cuon Nguyen Cu Trinh – 91 Nguyen Cu Trinh street, district 1, Ho Chi Minh city.

Banh cuon nong – steamed rolled rice pancake

7. Banh Xeo – Vietnamese crepe

Vietnamese crepe is one of the food that you shouldn’t miss in Vietnam, especially in the South. It would be more interesting if you have a chance to make it yourself with the local people. A big pancake with many kinds of attractive vegetable and the local fish sauce. Cassava tubers, pork, shrimp and rice flour are the main ingredients.

Banh Xeo is the Vietnamese’s favorite food, let’s try how tasty it is, you may like it.

Price: 30.000 – 50.000 VND/one (1-2 USD/one)

Recommendation: An La Ghien restaurant, Suong Nguyet Anh street, district 1, Ho Chi Minh city.

Banh Xeo – Vietnamese pancake

8. Ca tai tuong chien xu – fried breadcrumb elephant fish

Elephant fish is the famous one in Mekong Delta and it is getting more common for those who visit this region. Fried breadcrumb elephant fish is used with some vegetable, some fresh noodle, rice paper and some local fish sauce – this food will be definitely amazing to enjoy in the South.

Price: 150.000 – 200.000/elephant fish (6-8 USD/one)

Recommendation: this food is so common in Mekong Delta where some provinces are nearby Ho Chi Minh city.

Ca tai tuong chien xu – fried breadcrumb elephant fish

9. Hu tieu – Rice noodle soup

Hu tieu is one of the most famous foods in the South with its tasty and attractive flavor. The soup is made from dry shrimps which make it sweeter and tasty. Rice noodle, shrimp, pork and vegetable are the main ingredients, let’s try and feel this special food in Ho Chi Minh city or somewhere in Mekong Delta.

Price: 30.000 – 50.000 VND (1-2 USD)

Recommendation: Hu Tieu Nhan Quan – Nguyen Thi Minh Khai street, district 1, Ho Chi Minh city.

Hu tieu – Rice noodle soup

10. Bánh canh cua – Crab noodle soup

Banh canh is one of popular noodles in Vietnam, the two most popular one are made from rice flour and finest flour. Crab noodle soup is a special food in the South with the very characteristic and tasty flavor which is loved by many Vietnamese people. Its original taste is in Mekong Delta, but the taste in Ho Chi Minh city is not less interesting.

Price: 30.000 – 50.000 VND (1-2 USD)

Recommendation: Banh canh cua 14 – Tran Binh Trong street, district 5, Ho Chi Minh city.

Banh canh cua – Crab noodle soup

Street foods

1. Banh trang tron – mixed rice paper

This is the most famous street food in Vietnam, especially in the South. Mixed rice paper has extremely characteristic flavor because of its diverse ingredients such as rice paper, mango, dried beef, oil, salt… You will easily see it on the street, let’s experience its special taste.

Price: 15.000 – 20.000 VND/one (1 USD)

Recommendation: Banh trang tron chu Vien – 38 Nguyen Thuong Hien street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh city.

Banh trang tron – mixed rice paper

2. Banh trang cuon – Rice paper rolls

In addition to mixed rice paper, rice paper rolls also attract you so much. The main ingredients are the same with mixed rice paper, but the different things are the sauce, the way to make it. So its taste is also amazing, you will also easily find it everywhere on the street, let’s try and feel the difference.

Price: 15.000 – 20.000 VND/one (1 USD)

Recommendation: Banh trang chu Vien

Banh trang cuon – Rice paper rolls

3. Banh trang nuong – grilled rice paper

Banh trang nuong is also a special street food in Vietnam, it is so common in Ho Chi Minh city. The main ingredients are pork, egg, sausage, scallion, butter… You will also easily find it everywhere on the street.

Price: 15.000 – 20.000 VND (1 USD)

Recommendation: 61 Cao Thang street, district 3, Ho Chi Minh city.

Banh trang nuong – grilled rice paper

4. Bot chien – fried flour

This street food is so common for everyone. The flour is fried to be crunchy and eat with some fresh papaya, eggs, some soy sauce. This food will also bring great experience to you while enjoying street foods in Vietnam.

Price: 20.000 – 30.000 VND (1 USD)

Recommendation: Bot chien Dat Thanh – 277 Vo Van Tan street, district 3, Ho Chi Minh city.

Bot chien – fried flour

5. Chuoi nep nuong – sticky baked banana

This folk food is from Me Kong Delta and kept for many generations. Let’s try this amazing taste, the coconut milk and crunchy sticky baked banana will make you extremely excited and attractive.

Price: 10.000 VND/one (0.5 USD)

Chuoi nep nuong – sticky baked banana

6. Che – sweet soup

Che is a street and traditional food that you should not miss in the South. Pomelo sweet soup, rice ball sweet soup, green beans sweet gruel, black beans sweet gruel… Each one will bring different taste to you.

Price: 15.000 – 30.000 (0.5 – 1 USD)

Recommendation: 242B Su Van Hanh, district 10, Ho Chi Minh city.

Che – sweet soup

The cuisine of Vietnam is so diverse and special. Coming to this country, especially in the South, you will be diving into the cuisine’s world and not worry about the strange tastes anymore, because there are so many different foods which are waiting for you to experience.