The 15 Best Street Foods in Vietnam (and Where to Find Them)

Vietnam's street food is not a sideshow to the restaurant scene -- it is the food scene. The best meals in the country are served on plastic stools at sidewalk stalls by cooks who have been perfecting a single dish for decades. Michelin stars cannot compete with a 30,000 VND bowl of bun bo Hue ladled by someone whose grandmother invented the recipe.

This guide covers the 15 essential street foods, organized by region, with real prices and specific places to find the best versions.

Northern Vietnam

The north favors subtlety. Broths are cleaner, seasoning is restrained, and the focus is on the purity of core ingredients. Hanoi is the undisputed street food capital.

1. Pho (Beef or Chicken Noodle Soup)

The dish that needs no introduction. Northern-style pho uses a clear, deeply simmered beef bone broth with flat rice noodles, thin slices of beef (pho bo) or chicken (pho ga), and a scattering of green onions and cilantro. Unlike the southern version, there is no hoisin sauce or bean sprout mountain on the side -- just broth, noodles, and herbs.

• Price: 35,000-50,000 VND ($1.40-2)
• Best spot: Pho Gia Truyen, 49 Bat Dan, Hanoi. Operating since the 1960s, there is always a queue. Arrive before 8 AM for the richest broth.
• Runner-up: Pho Thin, 13 Lo Duc, Hanoi -- famous for stir-frying the beef in garlic before adding it to the broth.

2. Bun Cha (Grilled Pork with Noodles)

The quintessential Hanoi lunch. Charcoal-grilled pork patties and sliced pork belly served in a bowl of sweet-sour dipping broth, alongside cold rice vermicelli and a massive plate of fresh herbs. This is the dish Obama ate with Anthony Bourdain in 2016.

• Price: 35,000-60,000 VND ($1.40-2.40)
• Best spot: Bun Cha Huong Lien, 24 Le Van Huu, Hanoi (the "Obama bun cha" place -- still excellent despite the fame). For a less touristy option, try Bun Cha Dac Kim, 1 Hang Manh.

3. Banh Cuon (Steamed Rice Rolls)

Delicate sheets of steamed rice batter filled with minced pork and wood ear mushrooms, topped with crispy fried shallots. Served with a light fish sauce dip and a side of cha lua (Vietnamese pork sausage). A refined breakfast that exemplifies northern elegance.

• Price: 25,000-40,000 VND ($1-1.60)
• Best spot: Banh Cuon Ba Hoanh, 66 To Hien Thanh, Hanoi. Watch them make each roll to order on a cloth stretched over a pot of boiling water.

4. Bun Dau Mam Tom (Noodles with Fried Tofu and Shrimp Paste)

This one divides people. Cold rice noodles served with golden fried tofu, herb platters, and mam tom -- fermented shrimp paste with a pungent aroma that is legendary even by Vietnamese standards. The flavor is addictive once you get past the smell.

• Price: 40,000-60,000 VND ($1.60-2.40)
• Best spot: Any stall in Hanoi's Old Quarter with crowds of locals and the unmistakable aroma. Bun Dau Pho Co near Hoan Kiem Lake is reliable.

5. Egg Coffee (Ca Phe Trung)

Technically a drink, but it deserves a spot. Egg yolk whipped with condensed milk and sugar into a thick, sweet cream, served atop strong Vietnamese robusta coffee. It tastes like liquid tiramisu.

• Price: 25,000-45,000 VND ($1-1.80)
• Best spot: Cafe Giang, 39 Nguyen Huu Huan, Hanoi. The family that invented egg coffee in the 1940s still runs this tiny cafe.

Central Vietnam

Central Vietnamese food is the boldest in the country -- spicier, more complex, and heavily influenced by the royal cuisine of the Nguyen Dynasty in Hue. Hoi An adds its own unique specialties.

6. Bun Bo Hue (Spicy Beef Noodle Soup)

Many Vietnamese people will tell you this is better than pho -- and they might be right. A fiery, lemongrass-infused beef and pork broth with thick round noodles, sliced beef shank, pork knuckle, and cubes of congealed pig blood (optional but traditional). The chili oil on top glows orange.

• Price: 30,000-50,000 VND ($1.20-2)
• Best spot: Bun Bo Hue O Phuong, 7B Nguyen Cong Tru, Hue. A tiny stall that locals swear by. Grab a spot before 10 AM.

7. Banh Beo, Banh Nam, Banh Loc (Hue Steamed Cakes)

A trio of delicate steamed rice cakes unique to Hue. Banh beo are small saucers of steamed rice batter topped with dried shrimp and crispy pork skin. Banh nam are flat, banana leaf-wrapped parcels. Banh loc are translucent tapioca dumplings with shrimp and pork. Order all three as a set.

• Price: 30,000-50,000 VND ($1.20-2) for a full set
• Best spot: Banh Beo Ba Do, Hue -- near the Dong Ba Market area. The set of all three is the way to go.

8. Cao Lau (Hoi An Noodles)

A dish that exists only in Hoi An. Thick, chewy noodles (said to require water from a specific local well) with slices of barbecue pork, fresh herbs, crispy rice crackers, and a small amount of rich broth. Not a soup -- more like a dressed noodle dish.

• Price: 40,000-60,000 VND ($1.60-2.40)
• Best spot: The stalls inside Hoi An Central Market, especially the row of food vendors on the second floor. Arrive before noon for the best selection.

9. Mi Quang (Turmeric Noodles)

Da Nang's signature dish. Wide, yellow turmeric-tinged noodles with shrimp, pork, herbs, peanuts, rice crackers, and just enough broth to coat the noodles. Every family in Da Nang has their own recipe.

• Price: 30,000-50,000 VND ($1.20-2)
• Best spot: Mi Quang Ba Vi, 166 Le Dinh Duong, Da Nang. A no-frills shop that nails the balance of flavors.

10. Banh Trang Nuong (Vietnamese Pizza)

A rice paper round grilled over coals and topped with egg, dried shrimp, scallions, chili sauce, and sometimes cheese. Crispy, smoky, and impossibly cheap. Street snack perfection found at night markets across central Vietnam.

• Price: 15,000-25,000 VND ($0.60-1)
• Best spot: Da Lat night market has the best versions, but you will find them in Hoi An and Da Nang night markets too.

Southern Vietnam

Southern Vietnamese food is sweeter, herbier, and more influenced by Chinese, Khmer, and French cuisines. Ho Chi Minh City is a sprawling street food metropolis.

11. Banh Mi (Vietnamese Baguette Sandwich)

The ultimate fusion food. A crispy-light French baguette stuffed with pate, cold cuts, pickled daikon and carrot, cilantro, cucumber, chili, and a drizzle of soy sauce or Maggi seasoning. Every vendor has their own combination and fiercely loyal regulars.

• Price: 15,000-35,000 VND ($0.60-1.40)
• Best spot: Banh Mi Huynh Hoa, 26 Le Thi Rieng, HCMC. The line is long but moves fast. Their overstuffed banh mi (45,000 VND) is piled absurdly high with meat and pate. For a classic cheaper version, any cart with a queue will deliver.

12. Com Tam (Broken Rice)

Saigon's comfort food. Fractured rice grains (originally the broken bits from milling) served with a grilled pork chop (suon nuong), a fried egg, shredded pork skin (bi), and a steamed egg meatloaf (cha trung). Drench it in fish sauce.

• Price: 30,000-55,000 VND ($1.20-2.20)
• Best spot: Com Tam Ba Ghien, 84 Dang Van Ngu, HCMC. Multiple locations, consistently excellent pork chops.

13. Banh Xeo (Crispy Crepes)

Giant crispy yellow crepes filled with shrimp, pork, bean sprouts, and mung beans. Tear off a piece, wrap it in rice paper with herbs and lettuce, and dip in nuoc cham (sweet fish sauce). Southern banh xeo are much larger than the central version.

• Price: 30,000-60,000 VND ($1.20-2.40)
• Best spot: Banh Xeo 46A, 46A Dinh Cong Trang, HCMC. A legendary address that has been sizzling crepes for decades.

14. Goi Cuon (Fresh Spring Rolls)

Translucent rice paper rolls filled with shrimp, pork, rice vermicelli, and fresh herbs. Light, fresh, and dipped in peanut hoisin sauce or fish sauce with garlic and chili. The perfect snack in Saigon's heat.

• Price: 10,000-15,000 VND per roll ($0.40-0.60)
• Best spot: Quan An Ngon, 138 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, HCMC -- a restaurant that recreates a street food market. For actual street vendors, look along Bui Vien and the surrounding alleys.

15. Che (Sweet Dessert Soup)

A catch-all term for dozens of sweet soupy desserts made from beans, tapioca, jelly, coconut milk, fruit, and crushed ice. Che ba mau (three-color dessert) is the classic -- layers of mung bean, red bean, and pandan jelly in coconut milk.

• Price: 15,000-30,000 VND ($0.60-1.20)
• Best spot: Che Thai shops near Ben Thanh Market, HCMC. Point at what looks good -- they are all delicious.

How to Find the Best Street Food Stalls

Not all stalls are equal. Here is how to find the ones worth stopping for:

1. Follow the crowds. If 30 locals are crammed onto tiny stools, the food is good. If a stall is empty at peak mealtime, keep walking.
2. Look for specialization. The best stalls sell one dish. If a menu has 40 items, none of them will be exceptional.
3. Eat at local mealtimes. Breakfast stalls are best before 9 AM, lunch spots between 11 AM and 1 PM, dinner after 5 PM. Many stalls sell out and close early.
4. Check the broth pot. At noodle stalls, a large, ancient-looking pot that has been simmering all morning is a good sign.
5. Look for the plastic chairs. The lowest stools and most chaotic sidewalk setups often correlate with the best food.

Street Food Etiquette and Tips

• Sit where you are directed. The staff manages the seating like Tetris. Do not rearrange.
• Eat and go. Street food stalls depend on turnover. Lingering for an hour on your phone after finishing is frowned upon.
• Pay in cash. No stall accepts cards. Keep small bills (10,000-50,000 VND) ready.
• Wet wipes are your friend. Most stalls provide tissues (sometimes for 2,000 VND), but having your own is wise.
• Point and smile. When you cannot read the menu, looking at what other people are eating and pointing works perfectly.

Food Safety

Street food in Vietnam is overwhelmingly safe. Millions of Vietnamese people eat it three times a day. Follow these basic guidelines:

• Cooked food is safe food. Anything boiled, grilled, fried, or steamed to order is fine. Be cautious with pre-made items sitting at room temperature.
• Busy stalls have fast turnover. High volume means fresh ingredients and nothing sitting around too long.
• Ice is generally safe. Factory-made ice (cylindrical tubes or large blocks chipped into pieces) is purified. Crushed ice at busy stalls is also fine.
• Wash fruit yourself. Pre-cut fruit from street vendors is usually fine, but if you are cautious, buy whole fruit and wash it at your hotel.

Pro tip: Do not let food anxiety hold you back. The single best strategy is to eat where locals eat in large numbers. Their stomachs are not fundamentally different from yours -- they just know which stalls to trust.

Ready to build your food itinerary? Combine this list with our 2-week Vietnam itinerary to hit the best dishes in every city, or read our first-time Vietnam guide for more practical tips.