Vietnamese dishes you MUST try in Vietnam

I was pleasantly surprised by Vietnamese dishes! It was the perfect combination of savory and a little bit spicy food.

To be honest, I had never tried Vietnamese food before visiting Vietnam. And some dishes definitely weren’t to my liking. But between common Asian staples like fried rice and spring rolls, there were so many new dishes I ended up loving! 

The tricky part is understanding what you’re ordering as most restaurant menus will be in Vietnamese, or there won’t be a menu and just photos on a wall. And some dishes are kinda regional and you’ll only find the best versions in a specific city. But once you get the hang of what’s what, you’ll easily eat your way around Vietnam and enjoy a full and happy belly. 

But to help you out on your eating adventures around Vietnam, here are a few of my favorite Vietnamese dishes.

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Spring rolls

OMG! I don’t know why spring rolls in Vietnam are so good but they freaking are! From fried spring rolls to the more healthy option of fresh spring rolls, you HAVE to add spring rolls to your lunch or dinner. I promise you won’t regret it.

Fried rice

Fried rice is tried and true. Vietnam has seafood fried rice, chicken fried rice, egg fried rice, and so many more options. My absolute favorite was the seafood (or sometimes just shrimp) fried rice. As I said, an absolute Asian staple that will always taste delicious. 

Banh Xeo aka Vietnamese pancakes

Banh Xeo isn’t your regular pancake. They’re mostly made of rice flour and kinda look like an omelet. They are filled with meats and veggies, and include a few herbs and dipping sauces on the side. My absolute favorite Banh Xeo was from a little restaurant in Hanoi.

Bun bo Hue

Bun Bo is a little-known soup from the region of Hue, Vietnam. It is mostly a breakfast broth, made with beef, lemongrass, shrimp paste, noodles, veggies, and herbs, amongst other ingredients. It’s spicy, savory, sour, and sweet all at once. And as a person that doesn’t really eat spicy food, I found it to be the perfect amount of spiciness. Be aware that it is also made with pork blood, so if you’re adventurous, just order it as it comes, if not, just ask “to hold the blood”.

Mi Quang

Mi Quang is a Vietnamese noodle dish that originated in central Vietnam. It is not a soup, but it does contain a small amount of beef or chicken broth, like a sauce. Its main ingredients are flat rice noodles, fresh veggies, herbs, proteins (usually shrimp, pork belly, and peanuts), and a bit of broth. I highly recommend trying it on your visit to Hoi An.

Banh mi

Banh Mi is the BEST street food in Vietnam. It is a baguette filled with proteins (like tofu, chicken, ham, pate, pork, etc), pickled veggies, a few herbs and spices, and butter/mayo. It is also made differently depending on where you go, even within the same city. But one thing is for sure, the best ones are from street vendors. They are a very cheap and filling meal to have, especially on the go. 

Vietnamese egg coffee

It sounds weird and a bit gross, but Vietnamese egg coffee is surprisingly good. It’s basically a combination of coffee and, either creamy egg white foam OR whipped egg yolk and sweetened condensed milk. It originated in Hanoi in the 1940s as a solution to the shortage of milk. I’m not a coffee drinker and even I thought it was a delight.

Pho

Pho is a Vietnamese staple that you simply must try at least once. It is a soup made of beef broth, rice noodles, herbs, protein, and a few toppings. It is also considered a very healthy soup containing antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins.

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I hope this list of Vietnamese dishes opened your appetite and made you want to visit Vietnam even more. Don’t forget to BOOKMARK this blog post so you can have it handy on your trip to beautiful and delicious Vietnam. 

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Want to learn more about Vietnam? Read these blogs:

My first impression of Vietnam

6 budget-friendly things to do in Da Nang, Vietnam