12 popular dishes to try in Vietnam
Are you traveling to Vietnam soon and want to know the best dishes to try on your trip? After traveling through Vietnam for about a year, I have compiled some of the best foods to try. One thing to note is that although popular foods like Phở and Banh Mi can be found almost everywhere in Vietnam, some dishes are regional and can only be found in certain parts of Vietnam.
Most Vietnamese dishes consist of rice or a type of noodle, protein of choice, vegetables, and herbs on the side. Another thing to note is that certain dishes are eaten at certain times of the day. So if you walk into a restaurant and it is empty, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the food is not good there. For example, if you walk into a Phở restaurant in the middle of the day and you don’t see any local people, it is because Phở is traditionally for breakfast in Vietnam.
Fun Fact: Vietnamese cuisine is considered one of the healthiest cuisines in the world.
One of the best things to do is book a food tour in a major city like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). It is one of the best things to do if you are limited on time. To book a food tour, check out affordable, highly rated tours on Klook.com
Phở
Phở is widely known around the world. It is a rice noodle soup with a rich broth and it usually comes with beef or chicken. When you go to a Phở place, you would usually see Phở bo (beef) or Phở ga (chicken) on the menu. You will usually be served with a bowl of the Phở along with another bowl of herbs and vegetables. The vegetables and herbs are to be added and mixed with the broth.
2. Bún Chả-
It is a pork noodle dish famous in Hanoi but can be found almost everywhere in Vietnam. There are different variations of this dish and to get the most authentic taste, be sure to try this dish while in Hanoi.
3. Bánh mì-
Banh mi is definitely a must-try. It is probably the most common street food along with Phở. It is a baguette sandwich filled with veggies, pork or beef, patay, and sometimes a fried egg.
4. Bún Riêu-
A savory vermicelli noodle soup. The broth is usually tomato-based and has crab or shrimp paste which gives it a unique flavor. In addition to the crab or shrimp paste, it is topped with fried tofu, quail eggs, fresh herbs, bean sprouts, beef, or pork.
5. Nem Nướng-
This dish comes with rice paper wrappers, noodles, grilled pork sausage skewers, and a ton of vegetables like lettuce, cucumber, and carrots. It is eaten by adding a little bit of everything onto the rice paper, forming your own fresh spring roll and dipping it in fish sauce.
6. Bánh Xèo-
This is a thinly fried crispy Vietnamese pancake filled with vegetables, shrimp or meat (usually pork). It is yellow in color and the color comes from turmeric powder that is added to the pancake batter before frying. This dish comes with rice paper, extra fresh vegetables like carrots, herbs, bean sprouts, and sometimes thinly sliced mango and cucumber on the side. You then wrap a little bit of everything in the rice paper and make your own roll. The roll is then dipped into a sauce, which is a combination of fish sauce and cut chillies.
7. Bún Bò Huế-
My personal favorite Vietnamese food is Bún Bò Hue. And if you like spicy, flavorful soups, you will be addicted to this dish. As the name indicates, this dish originated in the Imperial city of Hue in the central part of Vietnam. It is a hearty vermicelli noodle soup with beef. Think of Phở but spicier. It normally comes with chili oil sauce on the side and a bowl of veggies. The meat is usually a mix of beef shank, beef brisket, fish cake, and sometimes pork.
8. Bánh Canh Cua-
Bánh Canh Cua is a hearty tapioca-based noodle soup with chunks of crab meat, quail eggs and sometimes also comes with shrimp or fish. This dish is made of a savory thick broth and like most Vietnamese noodle soups, it is served with herbs, lime, and fish sauce on the side.
9. Cơm ga-
This dish literally translates to chicken rice. It is a broken rice dish with either roasted chicken leg or shredded chicken with vegetables. Very simple yet delicious and full of flavor.
10. Mì Quảng-
A flat rice noodle dish that originated from the central part of Vietnam (Quang Nam Province). Compared to most noodle dishes in Vietnam, this dish has less broth and has a yellowish color. The color comes from the spice, turmeric. Mì Quảng is often served with quail eggs, shrimp, pork or chicken, a large piece of rice cracker, and fresh vegetables.
11. Cao lầu-
This dish originates from the city of Hội An in central Vietnam.
The dish is a combination of a thick rice noodle dish with slices of barbecued pork, fresh herbs, bean sprouts, and crispy fried noodles, all served in a light, flavorful broth.
12. Bò né-
Just like the Tex-Mex dish fajita, Bò né usually comes out sizzling on a hot iron plate. If you are looking for a protein-packed meal, then this is what you want to try. It comes with beef, different types of sausages, vegetables, eggs (usually cooked sunny-side up), and on the side, it comes with plain Vietnamese baguette. The baguette is meant to be broken apart and dipped in the savory dish. This meal is usually eaten in the mornings for breakfast or early lunch.
Conclusion
In order to truly immerse yourself in Vietnamese culture, you must expand your taste buds by exploring the rich flavors of Vietnamese cuisine. Whether you are traveling to the culturally rich capital of Hanoi or the busy urban city of Ho Chi Minh City, the above 12 dishes can serve as a guideline or a starting point on what dishes to try on your visit to the beautiful country of Vietnam.