Top 20 best dishes in Vietnam from North to South

When traveling to Vietnam, you will not only discover the beauties of nature and people but also enjoying Vietnamese cuisine is something not to be missed. If you are a food lover, let's take a look at famous Top 20 best dishes in Vietnam from North to South with Vietnam Original Travel.

Vietnamese food is unique and unforgettable. From street vendors to high-end restaurants, typical Vietnamese dishes are full of salty, sweet, sour and spicy flavors. Vietnamese cuisine is a combination of many spices and ingredients. It is diverse, rich, delicious, strange, and varies from region to region. Vietnamese cuisine is not only dishes and recipes but also its unique culture.

Typical dishes of North Vietnam

The North is known for its beautiful landscapes, with a long tradition. Moreover, thanks to the cool climate, there are four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter, so Northern cuisine is extremely rich and unique. There are rustic dishes with sophisticated processing imbued with national identity. If you are about to have a trip to the land considered the cradle of Vietnamese culture but still do not know what to eat, or where to eat, please refer to the suggestions below!

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Pho – rice noodle soup

Vietnam has long been famous for its traditional pho. This Vietnamese dish is cooked very elaborately. Beef bones, cinnamon, and anise,... are stewed for 6-8 hours to have a sweet broth. The mix of soft noodles and fresh vegetables also brings a dish suitable for all ages.

Pho is a typical dish in Vietnamese cuisine. Every day, there are millions of bowls of pho sold. It is considered the most famous and attractive dish of Vietnamese cuisine in the eyes of many international tourists. Pho has been repeatedly voted by CNN, BBC, and Business Insider... as the top most delicious dish in Asia. In 2016, World Records Union - Worldkings, Pho was one of 3 Vietnamese dishes in the top 100 most delicious in the world.

Some famous Pho restaurants you can refer to:

  • Pho Bat Dan: 49 Bat Dan, Hoan Kiem District, Ha Noi

  • Pho Ly Quoc Su: 10 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem District, Ha Noi

  • Pho Thin: 13 Lo Duc Road, Hai Ba Trung District, Ha Noi

Cha ca - Vietnamese Fish Cake

Coming to Hanoi, you should try Cha ca. It has a rather sophisticated way of making. The most important step to deciding the quality of the fish cake is to marinate it with fish sauce, garlic, turmeric, ginger, etc. Cha ca can be made from many different types of fish such as mackerel, and hemibagrus, ... Cha ca La Vong is one of the popular dishes of Vietnamese cuisine.

Author Patricia Schultz included Cha ca La Vong in the book "1000 Places to See Before You Die". Today, in Hanoi, many brands of fish cakes are also popular with tourists such as Cha ca Thang Long, Cha ca Anh Vu, and Cha ca Lao Ngu.

Some famous Cha ca restaurants you can refer to:

  • Cha ca Thang Long: 6B Duong Thanh, Cua Dong, Hoan Kiem District, Ha Noi

  • Cha ca Anh Vu: 120-K1 Giang Vo, Dong Da District, Ha Noi

  • Cha ca Lao Ngu: 171 Thai Ha, Dong Da District, Ha Noi

Bun cha - Vietnamese Meatball with vermicelli

Vermicelli is another typical dish in Vietnamese cuisine, and would also be called "noodle". Noodle dishes in Vietnam are very diverse. The most famous and delicious are Bun Cha and Bun Bo Hue.

This is a special dish in the North of Vietnam, especially in Hanoi. While pho is chosen as the representative dish of Vietnamese cuisine, Bun Cha is a dish people want to try when coming to Vietnam. Former President Obama once enjoyed this dish with chef Anthony Bourdain at Le Van Huu, Hanoi. Bun Cha is a combination of many flavors such as spicy, sour, salty, sweet, harmoniously combined with the freshness of vermicelli and raw vegetables.

Some famous Bun Cha restaurants you can refer to:

  • Bun cha Huong Lien: 24 Le Van Huu, Ha Ba Trung District, Ha Noi

  • Bun cha Tuyet: 34 Hang Than, Ba Dinh District, Ha Noi

  • Ban cha 41: 41 Cua Dong, Hoan Kiem District, Ha Noi

Pho Cuon – spring rolls

Pho is always the pride of Vietnamese cuisine. Besides Pho, Hanoians have created variations to create other dishes with creativity such as fried noodle, Mixed Pho, … and even more outstanding is still Pho Cuon.

Unlike Pho, Pho Cuon attracts people to enjoy the rich taste of sour and spicy dipping sauce, skillfully prepared according to the maker's secret. Pho Cuon is not too picky in the way of processing. To make a delicious plate of Pho Cuon, you need Pho leaves, a few slices of beef stir-fried fragrant with ginger, garlic and add some familiar raw vegetables such as lettuce, coriander, and basil ... All rolled up in thin pho leaves. It can be seen that Pho Cuon is a rustic and simple dish.

Some famous Pho Cuon restaurants you can refer to:

  • Pho cuon Huong Mai: 25 Ngu Xa, Ba Dinh District, Ha Noi

  • Pho cuon Huong Son: 19 Ngu Xa, Ba Dinh District, Ha Noi

  • Pho cuon Duy Map: 79 Truc Bach, Ba Dinh, Ha Noi

Xoi – the delicious sticky rice

Rice is one of the indispensable ingredients in the life of every Vietnamese person. It is also an ingredient to make Xoi - a famous Vietnamese dish, you should try it.

Sticky rice is cooked from rice, soaked in water for many hours, and steamed until fragrant. These Vietnamese dishes are both a daily food and an important feng shui meaning, used in Tet holidays and traditional parties of the Vietnamese people. Many delicious and famous Vietnamese sticky rice dishes are loved, including five-color sticky rice, xoi xeo, bird sticky rice, Siamese sticky rice, ant egg sticky rice,., which are both delicious and very nutritious.

Each type of sticky rice is combined with different ingredients, creating unique flavors. You will see a lot of five-color sticky rice when coming to the Northwest provinces, the most famous ones are Yen Bai, Ha Giang, Son La,… This Vietnamese dish is a specialty of the Thai, Tay, Hmong, etc., which is not only delicious but also has many meanings in the culture of the indigenous people. Sticky rice is characterized by 5 different colors, made from the colors of natural and easy-to-find ingredients, with the meaning of bringing a lot of luck. Or when you come to Hanoi, you will see that xoi xeo is sold a lot. Sticky rice is covered with green beans, add chicken fat, and meat floss, forming a delicious dish.

Some famous Xoi restaurants you can refer to:

  • Xoi Yen: Nguyen Huu Huan, Hoan Kiem District, Ha Noi

  • Xoi Cat Lam: 25B Duong Thanh, Hoan Kiem District, Ha Noi

  • Xoi Bu: 61 Lo Duc, Hai Ba Trung District, Ha Noi

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Nem ran – fried spring rolls

Nem ran (the Central people call it "grilled ram" and the Southern people call it "spring rolls") is a traditional dish of Vietnamese people. Traditional fried spring rolls are rolls, with minced pork, mixed with vermicelli, mushrooms, and wood ear... and rolled in rice paper rolls, then deep fried. Today, there are many different variations of Nem ran.

Fried spring rolls are one of the long-standing traditional dishes of the people of the North in particular and the Vietnamese in general. In addition to Tet, nowadays, fried spring rolls have become a favorite dish of many families in daily meals.

Some famous Nem ran shops you can refer to:

  • Nam ran Hang Quat: 74 Hang Quat, Hoan Kiem District, Ha Noi

  • Nem thit Hang Be: 21 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem District, Ha Noi

  • Nem ran Nguyen Hong: 9 Lane, Huynh Thuc Khang, Dong Da District, Ha Noi

Banh chung – the party dish

It can be said that Banh Chung is a traditional dish with the longest history in Vietnam.

Raw materials for banh chung, including cake shells, are glutinous rice; filled with pork, and green beans. Banh Chung is wrapped in a square with dong or banana leaves. After wrapping, Banh Chung is boiled in water for about 8-10 hours. If you come to Vietnam on Tet, you can easily see the family gathering to watch the pot of banh chung. This is one of the cultural features not only of Vietnamese cuisine and the beauty of Vietnamese culture in general.

In the South, Banh Chung has another name: Banh Tet. Banh Tet has a similar way but the cake is cylindrical.

Some famous Banh Chung/Banh Tet shops you can refer to:

  • Gio cha Quoc Huong: 9 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem District, Ha Noi

  • Banh Chung Nuong Bac: 89 Phao Dai Lang, Dong Da District, Ha Noi

  • Banh Tet Huynh Thi Trong:  56 Thai Thi Nhan, Binh Thuy District, Can Tho

Typical dishes of Central Vietnam

The Central region has a subtropical climate with severe weather all year round. That has created special features in the character and cultural life of the people here. Along with this diverse cultural life, the cuisine of the Central people also has a very unique and distinct taste. The cuisine of the Central region is spicy and bolder, and the color of the dishes is also very rich and vibrant. Red and dark red are the most common colors in the food. In addition, with a long coastline, Vietnamese cuisine here is also bold in the identity of the sea.

Bun Bo Hue – Hue beef noodles

In an episode of "Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown" broadcast on CNN, the famous American chef commented: "Bun Bo Hue is the best soup in the world". The Asian Record Organization also put Bun Bo Hue in the top 100 Asian delicacies in 2016.

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Bun Bo Hue is a noodle dish, different from the Northern dish of the same name. Beef broth is made with lots of lemongrasses, and seasoned with fish sauce and cashew oil. Beef noodle soup is round, large, slippery, and slightly chewy, eaten with meats, bean sprouts, and herbs. The dish is a great balance between all the sour, spicy, salty, and sweet flavors in one bowl.

Some famous Bun bo Hue restaurants you can refer to:

  • Bun Bo My Tam: 5 Tran Cao Van, Vinh Ninh, Hue City

  • Ong Vong - O Phung: 5 Nguyen Du, Phu Cat, Hue City

Bun Thit Nuong Hue – rice vermicelli with grilled meat

Hue cuisine is known by many people for its luxurious and delicious royal dishes. However, Bun thit nuong is one of Hue's dishes that "fascinates" visitors, making anyone who has tried it once, they will always remember it.

Bun thit nuong Hue (Source: Vinpearl)

Rice vermicelli with grilled meat dish looks simple, but it's not easy to have a delicious bowl. The hardest part is the cooking process. Usually, Hue's mothers and aunts often choose to buy pork belly or lean meat. Thinly sliced ​​pork is put in a large bowl and seasoned with lemongrass, garlic, pepper, fish sauce, salt, monosodium glutamate, oil, sugar, and a little white sesame to make the meat more fragrant when grilled. Then mix the meat well to infuse the spices and arrange them on a griddle. When grilling meat, you have to turn your hands continuously, the fatty pork belly melts and makes the meat look more eye-catching. When cooking, the smoke rises with a fragrant aroma, so anyone who smells it will feel their stomach rumbling.

Adding a special feature to this dish is the sauce. The difference from the South is sweet and sour fish sauce with garlic and chili, eaten with vermicelli, grilled meat, and raw vegetables, but in Hue, this sauce is more delicate. Just put some vermicelli in a bowl, add raw vegetables, arrange meat on top, and put a cup of broth next to it. The bowl of vermicelli also attracts diners with its color and flavor.

Some famous Bun Thit Nuong Hue  restaurants you can refer to:

  • Ba Ti: 81 Dao Duy Tu, Phu Binh, Hue City

  • Bun thit nuong Huyen Anh: 50 Kim Long, Hue City

  • Phuong: 38 Ba Trieu, Hue

Banh Beo chen – shrimp crackers

Banh Beo is a popular cake in the Central region. Banh Beo has become a beauty in Vietnamese cuisine for a long time.

If you enjoy the supple and chewy texture of mochi, Banh Beo might be the flavor you've been waiting for. The cake will be poured very thin and shaped like a beo's leaf, then placed on a rack (20 cups per rack) and steamed in a water bath). When cooking, add a little seasoning on top of the cake. Banh Beo is delicious with the

minced shrimp and especially the special dipping sauce. Fish sauce is mixed with sugar, garlic, and chili.

Some famous places you can refer to:

  • Dong Ba Market: Tran Hung Dao Road, Hue City

  • Banh Beo Trung Bo: 16 To Hien Thanh, Phu Cat, Hue City

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Banh ram-it – the dumplings of Hue

Ram-it is not only one of the rustic dishes for the Hue people but also for Central people in general. A delicious soft cake made from a dough that is both crispy and flexible, thanks to the skillful hands of the baker, creating a unique attractive flavor.

Ram-it is divided into 2 parts: the less It cake on the top and the crispy Ram cake on the bottom. When eating Ram it, you will feel the crunchy and flexible taste of ram cake and it cake. The flavors blend perfectly, and delicately. You can easily find this Vietnamese dish at roadside sidewalk eateries or in luxury restaurants in Hue in particular and the central provinces in general.

Some famous places you can refer to:

  • Quan Banh O Le: Kiet 104, 17/09 Kim Long, Hue City

  • Banh Ba Chi Xu Hue: 64 Hoang Dieu, Tay Loc, Hue City

Bun cha ca – Fish noodle soup

Traveling to the coastal cities in Vietnam, especially the Central region, you cannot ignore the fish noodle dish. Right from the outside appearance, the bowl of vermicelli has scored in the hearts of diners with extremely eye-catching colors with orange, yellow, blue, and red colors. Next is the characteristic scent of this dish, which is hot and fragrant.

What makes a bowl of noodles so colorful? The broth is sour and sweet. It is a rich blend of tomatoes, cabbage, dried bamboo shoots, fish sauce, ... Combined with a little onion and garlic to smell and tough noodles, fragrant fish cakes. sea ​​flavor. All of these things make a perfect bowl of vermicelli.

Some famous places you can refer to:

  • Bun cha ca ba Hoa: 27 Le Hong Phong, Phuoc Ninh, Hai Chau, Da Nang

  • Bun cha ca Hon: 113/3 Nguyen Chi Thanh, Hai Chau, Da Nang

Cao Lau – Noodles with lacquered pork and herbs

Cao Lau is a typical dish of Hoi An, Quang Nam. It is also ranked 4th by CNN in the 40 best dishes of Vietnamese cuisine. Cao Lau has larger fibers than pho or vermicelli, similar to udon noodles. It is mixed noodles, with a filling consisting of raw vegetables, grilled pork, and especially crispy fried skin. The birth history of Cao Lau is unknown, but the strange thing is that it is said that Cao Lau originates from the Chinese, while the Chinese do not accept this dish as originating from them.

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Cao Lau has long become a famous specialty that you must try when coming to Hoi An. In the old town, there are quite a few places selling high floors from restaurants, and large eateries to street vendors. The most famous when traveling to Hoi An Da Nang are 2 places:

  • Cao Lau Ba Le: 49/3 Tran Hung Dao, Minh An, Hoi An, Quang Nam

  • Cao Lau Hong: 18 Thai Phien, Minh An, Hoi An, Quang Nam

Mi Quang – Wide yellow rice noodles

Quang noodle dish is a famous specialty of Quang Nam province, but it is a popular national Vietnamese dish. Ingredients to make a bowl of Quang noodles include: yellow noodles, rice paper, peanuts, crispy roasted pork and marinated with thick turmeric-yellow broth.

Mi Quang is mixed noodles. Depending on the person who likes to eat, there will be a bowl of noodles as desired. This dish is served with grilled rice paper, green chili, lemon slices, roasted peanuts and a plate of raw vegetables.

Some famous My Quang restaurants  you can refer to:

  • Cao Lau - Hu Tieu Ong Ty: 71 Phan Chau Trinh, Minh An, Hoi An, Quang Nam

  • My Quang Ba Mua: 95A Nguyen Tri Phuong, Thac Gian, Thanh Khue, Da Nang

  • My Quang Da Nang: 44 Le Dinh Duong, Phuoc Ninh, Hai Chau, Da Nang

Typical dishes from South Vietnam

If the Northern cuisine focuses on sophistication, the Central region is full of flavor, the Southern culinary culture has its simplicity and authenticity. The South is favored by nature with a variety of rich and diverse products. Southern cuisine has a liberal and wild character because of the generous nature of the southern river region. Here are some Vietnamese food you must try when you come to the South.

Hu Tieu – the soup of Saigon

Stretching from North to South, you know that Vietnam food has many types of noodles such as bun, pho, cao lau, noodles, ... When you come to Saigon, you will experience one more type of noodle: Hu Tieu . Hu Tieu is considered the quintessence of cuisine, showing the culture as well as the life of the people here. It is a very popular dish in this city. There are two types of noodles: dry noodles and water noodles.

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Hu Tieu is a dish cooked by Vietnamese people with shrimp and fish that is first sold in Nam Vang (the transliteration of Phnom Penh). Hu Tieu has chewy noodles, and the main broth is minced meat, pork intestines cooked together. A bowl of noodle soup includes onion, shallots, minced meat, and pork intestines. Depending on the taste of each person, it is possible to replace the pork belly with shrimp, crab, or squid... but minced meat is required.

Some famous noodle brands:

  • Hu Tieu Nam Vang Thanh Dat: 34 Ong Bac, Cau Ong Lanh, District 1, Ho Chi Minh

  • Hu Tieu My Tho Thanh Xuan: 62 Ton That Nghiep, Ben Nghe, District 2, Ho Chi Minh

Ta Pin Lu – the fondue of southern Vietnam

Not only having a strange name, but Ta pi lu hot pot dish also gives you interesting culinary experiences. According to culinary experts, the name "ta pí lu" originates from Chinese culinary culture, described as a hot pot dish consisting of raw foods arranged around a hot pot. When eating, dip the meat until cooked and serve when hot. Previously, this dish was found in the Mongol tribes and then gradually introduced to Vietnam and was loved by the variety of side dishes.

If the original dish usually uses goat, sheep, and veal meat, when it comes to Vietnamese cuisine, the accompaniment depends on the place of sale and the cook. The broth is mixed with vinegar and sugar and then boiled to make the hot pot taste sweet and sour. When enjoying, you dip an amount of meat, fish, and seafood into the pot. You can eat it with some fresh vermicelli, instant noodles, and accompanying vegetables. It is a very suitable dish to enjoy on the weekend with family or friends. Quan An Dan Ich is a famous place for you to enjoy this dish.

Banh xeo – the crepe of southern Vietnam

Banh Xeo is a familiar dish for Vietnamese people. Almost every region has Banh Xeo, but each region has its unique way of processing it. Among them, Banh Xeo in the Southwest region is considered a special dish bearing the soul of the homeland.

The crispy taste of the crust, the fat of shrimp, and minced meat mixed with vegetables and rice paper, adding a little rich dipping sauce, will surely appeal to you right from the first taste. If Banh Xeo in the Central region is small and pretty and can be eaten, the Southern Banh Xeo is oversized. When the finished product, the cake is almost as big as the tray, so people often double it when they take it out of the pan.

Some famous Banh Xeo address you can refer to:

  • Muoi Xiem: 204 Nguyen Trai, District 1, HCM

  • Quan Banh xeo mien Tay ba Hai: 49 Nguyen Trong Tuyen, Phu Nhuan District, HCM

Banh mi – the Vietnamese sandwich

Dubbed "the best sandwich in the world", banh mi is also honored to be ranked in the Top 10 most famous and delicious Vietnamese food. Bread is derived from the bread brought by France.

Vietnamese people cut the belly of a loaf of bread and stuffed it with different fillings, creating a typical Vietnamese bread. It is different from French bread. Bread filling is very diverse: pork rolls, pork rolls, grilled pork, omelets, sausages, ... However, the most famous is the bread with pate. Pate is a puree from heated pork liver. Due to the low price, bread is often sold on the street or in some shops, suitable for all classes. Like Pho, this is one of the most popular dishes of Vietnamese cuisine.

Some famous brands you can refer to:

  • Banh My Huynh Hoa: 26 Le Thi Rieng, Ben Thanh, District 1, Ho Chi Minh

  • Banh My Co Diep: 238 Vo Thanh Trang, Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh

  • Banh My Bay Ho: 19 Huynh Khuong Ninh, District 1, Ho Chi Minh

Bun Thit Nuong – rice noodles and grilled meat

In this dish, the meat is cooked to perfection, soft and evenly absorbed with spices, and served with crispy fried spring rolls. Raw vegetables are chopped and mixed with minced garlic fish sauce. Not stopping there, it is the fatty taste of roasted peanuts with fragrant onion fat that makes each bowl of vermicelli here most appealing to the taste buds. A simple dish easily won the hearts of anyone when enjoying it. This is one of the outstanding dishes of Vietnamese cuisine that any tourist coming to Ho Chi Minh will hear the name and be suggested.

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Some famous address you can refer to:

  • Bun Thit Nuong Cu Kieu: 338 Nguyen Cong Tru, Nguyen Thai Binh, District 1, HCM

  • Bun Thit Nuong Chi Tuyen: 175C Co Giang, District 1, Ho Chi Minh

Che – dessert

Che has long been a familiar street food for Vietnamese people. In the past, Che was simply che sen (lotus), che do den (black bean), and che do xanh (green beans) to cool off on hot summer afternoons. In addition, xoi che is also delicious Vietnamese food.

Over the decades, the old dessert is now more diverse with many different types. This Vietnamese dish retreats to a quiet but not faint place. Old shops still have the bold flavor of che with old ingredients that have not changed, have their characteristics, and are not mixed with any other types of it. Eating Che on the hot days of Saigon will be an experience you should try.

Some famous Che address you can refer to:

  • Che mam Khanh Vy: 32H, Ngo Gia Tu, District 10, Ho Chi Minh

  • Che Campuchia Co Huoi: 57 Ho Thi Ky, District 10, Ho Chi Minh

  • Che Hien Khanh: 718 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, District 3, Ho Chi Minh

Above is a summary of Top 20 best dishes in Vietnam from North to South​ that are extremely attractive and delicious. Vietnamese food is one of the special cuisines that has been recognized and appreciated by many countries around the world. The dishes look simple, but they are specialties that help Vietnamese cuisine attract many gourmets around the world to pay attention. If you are planning to travel to Vietnam or any of Vietnam's landmarks, contact us so we can bring you the best trips.

Read more:

=> Hanoi street food tour

=> Saigon street food tours


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