The best Vietnamese restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City are not necessarily the most obvious to spot. This is a city of surprises and food is one of the biggest. I struggle a bit with Vietnamese food to be honest. The street food is nothing like to my taste. I don’t go a bundle on the raw vegetables and herbs that accompany everything. I know it’s good for you but I prefer my veggies cooked.

The restaurants are somewhat different. When they get it right, the food in my favourite Vietnamese restaurants is simply amazing. It’s fresh, clean tasting, light and incredibly tasty. So where to start? I prefer to go for the places that genuinely hit the spot for me. They might not be the most obvious choices, but you wouldn’t be disappointed in any of them

My personal Best Restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City

Time Bistro

Address: 44 Nguyen Hué, District 1, Ben Nghe Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Tel: +84 8 6660 5051

The name belies this fabulous little diner on the best street in town. The owner Mrs. Phuong serves fantastic home made Mekong specialities in the most welcoming of ambiences. The restaurant is beautifully decorated with delightful murals painted on the walls. The service is good and the table layout, simple and rather lovely. The food is the best Vietnamese food in town for my palate. The way it is presented is worthy of note. You will have a guaranteed great experience here. Easily on any list of best Vietnamese restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City.

Nha Hang Ngon

Address: 160 Pasteur, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Tel:+84 8 3827 7131

I genuinely love this place, one of the first Vietnamese restaurants I visited when I first arrived. I have been here solo, with a date, and with various groups of people and it has never let me down. The choice is huge and it is always just bang on. The building is a real winner, a large converted French mansion in the heart of town. If going in a large group, reserve the 16 seat table by the water feature, you’ll love it.

Bloom Saigon

Address: 3 Hoang Sa, Da Kao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
Tel: +84 8 3910 1277

This place takes a bit of finding, but boy oh boy is it worth the trouble. The building alone will blow you away. It’s a large old colonial french built mansion in a tiny side street. It has been left for the main as a house. So you have the added attraction of finding quiet corners or even having a room to yourselves. The food is fabulous, the presentation is amazing and the whole night, just lovely. The describe their menu as “street food a modern setting” Believe me, if street food tasted like this, I’d never eat indoors again. The fact that this place helps vulnerable children as well, makes it a must as far as I’m concerned.

Cuc Gach Quan

Address: 10 Dang Tat, Tan Dinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Tel: +84 8 3848 0144

This is a great place to sample authentic Vietnamese food. The great beauty of the place is that they serve almost tapas sized dishes, which means that two people can order 4 or 5 dishes and get a superb introduction to what local cuisine is all about. It is getting really popular and one hopes that it won’t lose something because of this. The decor is quaint and homely, but the food is simply superb.

Cyclo Resto

Address: Unit 28/6 Cach Mang Thang Tam, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Tel: +84 8 6680 4235

This quirky rather unique place is a huge hit amongst the young and hipster scene in Ho Chi Minh City. It’s situation close to the backpacker district means that it has garnered a large following from the backpacker community. The fact that they can serve five courses for 6 dollars adds to the appeal from this group. However the restaurant is much more than just a cheap place in which to fill up. The food is great and the service is excellent. It deserves its place in my list of the best Vietnamese restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City.