Top 7 irresistible food you must try in Vietnam

Along with the country’s natural beauty coupled with the friendliness and hospitality of its people, Vietnam’s food strongly distinguishes itself from the world culinary map. For many years, Vietnamese food has become an impressive highlight to attract tourists coming to the S-shaped country. Check out the top 7 irresistible foods in Vietnam that have conquered the taste of gourmets throughout the world.

Banh mi (Vietnamese bread) – The iconic in Vietnam’s food.

Eating the Banh mi is truly an exciting culinary experience in Vietnam food. The incredible combination of crispy bread, soft cold cuts and meat, crunchy pickles, and fresh herbs will take you through different layers of the sense of taste.

Banh mi has been ranked first in the list of the top 100 sandwiches in the world by Taste Atlas in 2024

The ingredients are added in the order, and they will surprise and satisfy you with their perfect blend of textures – crispy, crunchy, and soft – and how their tastes complement each other so perfectly. Most of the ingredients are homemade, so despite being made from the same ingredients, the Banh mi’s flavor can vary from vendor to vendor, making it a unique experience every time you try it.

Pho (Vietnamese noodle soup)

Pho is regarded as Vietnam’s iconic soup that is the first thing all tourists want to taste on the first day of arrival to discover the Vietnam food and also the first thing every Vietnamese abroad eats when they return home.

Pho is the pride of Vietnamese cuisine

This national staple is made with flat rice noodles, a warming broth and usually sliced beef, or chicken, or beef meatballs. The flavor of this comforting noodle soup can vary greatly across the country, and many establishments load your table with sauces, green herbs and dried spices so you can season your Pho exactly how you like it.

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Bun Bo Hue (Hue beef noodle soup)

As figured from its name, this delicious food originated from Hue, an old citadel of Vietnam and also the hometown of several delicious cuisines. This Vietnamese spicy beef noodle soup is believed to be one of the dishes of the royal family in the former days, so it has been carefully cooked with local spices to have a distinctive flavor.

A typical bowl of Bun Bo Hue

A good bowl of Bun bo Hue contains vermicelli-like rice noodles, spicy soup and beef, adding pork pie, congealed pork blood and a plate of fresh and raw vegetables. About the smell, a good bowl must wake up to the aroma of spicy noodle soup, including the smell of meat, lemongrass and onions intertwined, and spice vegetables. 

Goi cuon (Vietnamese fresh spring rolls) 

An action-packed salad roll, Goi cuon is bursting at the seams with freshness. A transparent rice paper wrapper, cooked shrimp or pork, vermicelli noodles, and greens such as lettuce, mint, beansprouts, and cucumber slices are used to make fresh spring rolls. There are many recipes for this dishes depending on the region and the ingredients used. You can find Goi cuon with different flavors when traveling to Hanoi Old Quarter, Hue, Danang, Hoi An, Nha Trang, Ho Chi Minh City or Mekong Delta.

Goi cuon is among the must-try dishes in Vietnam

This dish is traditionally served with a dipping sauce, which is often a harmonious mixture of salty, sweet, and sour flavors from fish sauce, lemon juice, sugar, pepper, minced garlic, and chili. If you are looking for a light, healthy, and delicious dish, look no further than Goi cuon.

Bun cha (grilled pork with vermicelli noodles) – another Vietnam’s food you must try!

In Vietnamese, “bun” refers to fresh rice noodles, while “cha” means pork that has been fried or roasted over fire. The name of the dish itself clearly indicates its ingredients. Bun cha is accompanied by a bowl of mixed sauce, which typically includes fish sauce, garlic, chilies, vinegar, and sugar. Each restaurant has its own secret recipe for making the sauce more appealing to customers.

Bun cha is more than just a meal, it’s a symphony of taste

Along with a plate of bun and a bowl of meat in sauce, you may also be served a plate of fresh vegetables and raw herbs to enjoy as a salad. Hanoi is the most famous city for Bun cha, with many restaurants offering it all day.

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Mi Quang (Quang noodles)

This light and springy noodle originates from Quang Nam province in Central Vietnam. Its origin is suggested right from the name. “Mi” means any kind of noodles made from wheat flour, and “Quang” refers to Quang Nam Province – which Hoi An Ancient Town belongs to. The vibrantly yellow noodles owe their rich color to the turmeric-infused broth made rich with peanut oil. 

The eye-catching appearance of Mi Quang

The flavor of Mi Quang has a richness that comes from the shrimp, meat, and eggs, the spiciness of chili, the aroma of lemon, rice paper, and raw vegetables. It is served with rice crackers, peanuts, hard-boiled eggs and some spices such as lime juice and fresh chili or chili sauce. All of them make a unique dish of Central Vietnam. 

Com tam (Vietnam’s special broken rice)

Back in the day, Vietnamese farmers would eat the fractured rice grains they could not sell. Nowadays, “broken” rice is a staple dish in Vietnam food range, particularly in the Southern region. Typically, a Vietnamese broken rice plate is served with grilled meat, egg meatloaf or sunny-side-up egg, tomato, lettuce and cucumber salad, carrot and radish pickles, and a generous amount of fish sauce.

The dish can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Take a spoon of broken rice, put it on top of a piece of grilled pork ribs, add some fried eggs, pork rind, pickles, mixed fish sauce, and scallion and oil garnish. Then take a bite. The wonderful flavor will surely satisfy your taste buds.

Broken rice – A signature dish of Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam is a mesmerizing country that is famous for its delicious food, but its natural beauty is equally breathtaking. So, if you are looking for an unforgettable adventure, make sure to add some of Vietnam’s stunning destinations to your travel plans. Asia Vacation Group offers a plethora of exclusive travel packages which take you to the most outstanding destinations as well as hidden gems in Vietnam.
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