Moving to Vietnam
One thing that all expats in Vietnam seem to agree on is that the food here is incredible – which is only made better by the fact that it’s really, really cheap. Ho Chi Minh City, as the largest city in the country, is home to some of the best eats you can find in all of Vietnam. With thousands of restaurants on offer, it can be difficult to know which ones to head to first. By and large, eating out in Ho Chi Minh City is cheap enough that you can do it on a nightly basis without breaking the bank, and if you want to try everywhere once, you’re more than welcome to. However if you want to prioritise the top 5 restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City, as ranked by the TripAdvisor Community, here’s where you should start.
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Noir. Dining in the Dark
The dining experience at Noir. is a little bizarre. The whole idea of this restaurant is summed up in their slogan, ‘dining in the dark’. You’re served your meal in a pitch black environment by one of 11 staff members who are either blind or visually impaired. The idea here is that by removing one of your main senses, your olfactory senses are heightened. The food is exquisite, and the meal truly is an experience to remember.
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La Villa French Restaurant
La Villa French Restaurant won a Travellers’ Choice Award in 2014 for their excellent reviews on TripAdvisor. Perhaps this comes from the fact that the restaurant is set in a stunning colonial style villa and run by Thierry Mounon, a French chef who trained in a Michelin Starred Restaurant. The restaurant offers a wide range of authentic French cuisine for you to enjoy, although it’s worth pointing out that for Vietnam, it’s fairly pricey. You’re looking at about $60 (£40) for an eight course meal from Michelin quality chef.
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Hum Vegetarian Cafe & Restaurant
If you’re looking for vegetarian food in Ho Chi Minh City you can’t do much better than the Hum Vegetarian Cafe and Restaurant. This venue won a Certificate of Excellence for its consistently high reviews from both vegetarians and omnivores alike. Hum is well known for preparing healthy and delicious meals which are great for anything from eating out with friends to a business lunch. Even if you’re not a vegetarian, a cursory glance at the menu will definitely pique your interest – after all, who doesn’t like freshly squeezed fruit juice and MSG-free food?
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Bun Chả 145 Bui Viện
If you’re looking for a no frills, no gimmick restaurant which serves stunning local food, Bun Chả is the place to go. Unlike some of the other restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City which seem to offer every dish under the sun, Bun Chả offers a very specific menu. If you simply want Vietnamese food cooked to perfection, don’t think twice about Bun Chả.
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Ichiban Sushi Vietnam
Another restaurant bearing the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence, Ichiban Sushi Vietnam probably is the number one sushi joint in the country. If sushi is your thing, you will love this restaurant – the choices are extensive and while it can be a little expensive for Ho Chi Minh City, you’re probably expecting that if you’re going out for sushi. However if you’re really looking to keep the price down, Ichiban Sushi Vietnam offers Sushi Happy Hours on Saturday and Sunday.
