21 Best Eats & Breweries in Ho Chi Minh City (2026): An Expat’s Guide

Quan Bui is an awesome restaurant to enjoy a large selection of Vietnamese food. It is actually a chain restaurant. This was often a place we would take our guests who were visiting us in Ho Chi Minh City. The restaurant decor is so beautiful, making it such an enjoyable atmosphere when tasting local food!

They have four locations in Ho Chi Minh City, one in D1 and three in D2, making it convenient to dine there!

Recommended Locations: District 1 (here), District 2 (here)

How else to say this other than that this is simply a MUST, when visiting Saigon. You’ll find small tables and chairs on the sidewalk outside at this location, with everyone eating almost the same thing – Bún thịt nướng.

It’s a dish comprised of rice noodles, grilled pork, herbs & salad. It’s so tasty, authentic, and has always been a highlight, every time we have eaten here!

Vibe: Busy, hidden gem, authentic

Location: District 1 (here)

One of my favourite dishes in Vietnam was Cơm Tấm, which you can find in many places! We were fortunate enough to have a side street with local vendors right near our apartment, and I made almost a daily visit to the lady who served Cơm Tấm.

It’s a broken rice dish served with grilled pork, tomatoes, cucumbers & fish sauce.

Recommended Locations: An Phu, District 2 (here) This location is a side street with a local vendor, but make sure you go in the morning!

District 10: (here)

Out of all of the places we ever went to in Ho Chi Minh City, this was the absolute best. It is truly a hidden gem in Saigon, and boy, do we miss it dearly. It became a local spot that we went to weekly. Their coffee is SO GOOD, and you can also buy their beans there, too.

Vibe: Relaxed, hidden gem, authentic

Top Recommendations: Bánh Mì Chảo (a must) paired with a Coconut Coffee, Orange Espresso or a Mint Mojito.

Note: You can ask to add extra things, for example, add an egg!

Bánh Mì Chảo consists of eggs, meat, and pâté on a skillet with a bánh mì on the side.

Location: An Phu, District 2 (here)

Drinking an egg coffee is an experience in and of itself. It is a unique taste, quite delicious, and certainly considered a “must” when visiting Vietnam. It is combined with strong coffee, whisked egg yolks, and condensed milk.

One of our favourite spots to grab one is at Little HaNoi. They even have 4 locations in Ho Chi Minh City!

Vibe: busy, authentic

Recommended Location: District 1 – At this location, we loved sitting on a balcony, taking in the views!

Without a doubt, you can’t come to Vietnam and not get a Bánh Mì. It’s a short baquette filled with meat, pickled vegetables, pâté and herbs.

You’ll be able to find this anywhere! We often went to a local vendor near our apartment, around this area (same spot as another local vendor serving Cơm Tấm).

Recommendation: Instead of going to a popular chain, grab a Bánh Mì from a smaller shop/vendor!

Another staple in Vietnam is to grab a bowl of Phở. This dish includes flat rice noodles, sliced meat, spices and is served in a bone broth. While I don’t have a specific favourite location in Ho Chi Minh City for Phở, it’s a definite must while visiting Vietnam!

Add Bánh Xèo to the list when considering which foods to try while visiting Vietnam!

Bánh Xèo is a rice pancake that is filled with meat, such as pork and vegetables, including bean sprouts and onions.

Recommendation Location: Try this dish at the Quan Bui Restaurant or at a local vendor stall!

We made a special trip to D1 just to check out the Godmother Bake & Brunch restaurant. We went for brunch and really enjoyed our food!

It has a very cozy, warm, and modern aesthetic, and is a popular spot for breakfast. You’ll have both local and western choices on the menu, offering a wide range of tasty eats!

Vibe: Friendly, cozy, modern

Recommendation: Go for brunch & make a reservation

Location: District 1 (here)

Pasteur Street is one of our favourite places to enjoy amazing Craft Beer. This brewery is a popular chain, and you’ll find 14 taprooms across Vietnam. Our local spot was in Thao Dien (D2).

Vibe: relaxed, social, and they even have a shuffleboard table!

Must Try Brews: Passion Fruit Wheat Ale and the Bia Chanh Muoi. Oh, and be sure to ask about their seasonal taps!!

Recommended Locations: District 1 (here), District 2 (here)

7 Bridges just might take the cake when it comes to our favourite breweries. They have a great selection of beers and awesome pub food, too.

They have 4 locations in Vietnam, including Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Ninh Binh, and Hoi An.

Vibe: Lively, fun, social

Must Try Brews: Sunset Tangerine Wheat and the Dragon Session IPA.

Recommendation: Be sure to grab a bottle of their Dragon Hot Sauce – you won’t be disappointed!

Location: District 1 (here)

Heart of Darkness is such a cool place to enjoy a drink and eat some pub food in D1. They have a tasty menu, and so we have eaten there on many occasions.

Vibe: Low-key, social

Must Try Brews: The Kurtz Insane IPA and their Tropical BiA

Recommendation: Their merch is really cool – be sure to check it out!

Location: District 1 (here)

Mulligans Saigon is a great place to enjoy some pub food and watch live sports. We even got to enjoy a special Canadian Thanksgiving meal while we were there!

Vibe: Social, low-key

Recommendation: Check out their many hot sauces!

Location: District 1 (here)

This spot opened up while we were living in Vietnam and quickly became a top choice for us to go to. It truly has it all, being a sports bar combined with a food hall.

It has a really fun Oktoberfest event and also offers food stalls featuring Sri Lankan, Italian, French and more cuisines! We were also pumped to watch the F1 races here as well!

Vibe: Relaxed, social

Recommendation: Check out their happy hour! Also, talk to the staff about any special sporting events on TV. We found they were welcoming of tuning in to sports like F1!

Location: Thao Dien, District 2 (here)

We had our first taste of Balkan food at Chevap, and we were not disappointed! We opted for the meat platter and cabbage salad; every bite was so tasty. It’s a true gem in D2 and a great option if you are looking for a new cuisine to try!

Vibe: low key, quiet

Recommendation: Try the meat platter!!

Location: Thao Dien, District 2 (here)

District Federal is a popular Mexican restaurant in the heart of Thao Dien (D2) along the busy Xuân Thủy road. We have loved the food every time we went, and would often bring visitors to this spot as well.

Vibe: busy, friendly, popular

Recommendation: Try their Port Carnitas Nachos!

Note: Xuân Thủy Road in Thao Dien is filled with restaurants and bars, and is quite a lively area.

Dolce Vita is a popular gelato place, making it a great spot to grab a cooling dessert! They have multiple locations and flavours to choose from, with vegan options available, and even seasonal flavours as well! It has a convenient location on Xuân Thủy Road in the heart of Thao Dien!

Note: Xuân Thủy Road in Thao Dien is filled with restaurants and bars, and is quite a lively area.

Recommended Location: Thao Dien, District 2 (here)

Tucked away in the An Phu area is DAKGANGJEONG Eatery. It was newly opened while we lived there, with a smaller menu. As of 2026, the menu has grown!

The food was awesome while we were there, and it’s great to see all of the new options! A neat location out of the hustle and bustle of D2 to enjoy some Korean food!

Vibe: Friendly, gem

Location: An Phu, District 2 (here)

Terraviva is truly a gem in the D2 An Phu area. It offers excellent pizzas and pastas, and the restaurant has such a nice vibe.

It offers lots of seating outdoors surrounded by plants, making it feel warm and cozy!

Vibe: Quaint, cozy, warm

WagWel Rescue (formerly known as R House Lounge) is a Dog Rescue Cafe. They have many rescue dogs that are available for adoption, who are cared for and live at this location.

There is both outdoor and indoor seating available, with adoption pages for viewing to see which animals are still looking for homes.

They are a cafe & restaurant in one, serving great food and drinks as well! If you are looking for a place to grab some good food and enjoy watching dogs, then this is a place to go!

Notes: They also accept pet item donations such as dog food, pet toys, and more! You can also bring your dog, as well, and they even have a pool for your pup to swim in!

Location: Thao Dien, District 2 (here)

Ho Thi Ky Flower Market

Heading to the Flower Market is quite an experience in and of itself! Although it’s a bit out of the way as it’s in District 10 it deserves a special mention and, without a doubt is worth checking out! By day, it is a flower market, and in the afternoon, it turns into a food night market. There is a huge variety of local dishes to try; you could easily spend a couple of hours there.

Timing: Open 24/7 (flowers AM, night market PM)

Recommendations: Go after dark (6pm), if you want to have a more busy & lively experience

Foods to Try: Snails, Cambodian Sweet Soup (Chè Campuchia), Coconut Ice Cream

Vibe: busy, lively, fun

Location: District 10 (here)

Travel Resources

Grab App

Grab is the go-to app for all things ride sharing and food delivery.

If you are wondering how you can get around Ho Chi Minh City, then Grab will be your best friend. Sign up, and if you are feeling adventurous, book a scooter taxi, and enjoy the awesome eats and drinks in Saigon!

Ho Chi Minh City Food Walking Tour

If you want to take the guesswork out of what to eat and where to go, then a food tour just might be for you! We went on a similar tour in Hanoi, which was great to try local dishes at places we may not have discovered otherwise. Check out this highly rated tour below!