Where to
Eat & Drink in Saigon

Restaurants & Bars in Ho Chi Minh City

I am often asked for some quality restaurant recommendations of restaurants and bars in Ho Chi Minh City (aka HCMC aka Saigon) without all the tourists. Whilst the below list is not intended to be exhaustive, it features places I have been to and can vouch for all with District 1.

It’s important to remember there are so many restaurants and bars in Saigon, some of which come and go quite quickly. So, it’s worth doing your research to ensure you pick a quality place both for service and hygiene reasons.

Restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City

Although not a specific restaurant, I always recommend doing a Vespa Food Tour. As ever, there are numerous companies offering the service but the one I have used for when friends visit is Vespa Adventures. You will be picked up at your accommodation and whisked around to various restaurants and bars for a duration of approx. 4 hours from 8pm to 10pm. https://vespaadventures.com/tour/saigon-after-dark/
Saigon has hundreds of coffee shops. The majority offer the same thing whilst some have been created with social media in mind! It’s nice to sit on the little chairs watching the hustle of the city go by. Cộng Cà Phê are reliable whilst Lacàph and Okkio are contemporary with the highest quality coffee. Recommend trying the famous Egg Coffee any of the aforementioned coffee shops. There are multiple Starbucks throughout the city also.
Hum Vegetarian – vegetarian but not boring! https://la-hum.vn/en/locations
Shambala – vegetarian also but again not boring and like Hum, has a lovely setting and ambience. https://www.theshamballa.com/
Anan Saigon – it’s serving what I call ‘upmarket Vietnamese street food’ and was awarded Ho Chi Minh City’s first and only Michelin star in 2023. It also features as #40 on Asia’s Top 50 Best Restaurants. https://anansaigon.com/
Hoa Túc Saigon – in a nice courtyard setting with indoor and outdoor seating. Serving quality Vietnamese cuisine. https://hoatuc.com/vi/
Quince – wood-fired type of cuisine, lovely vibe with a great bar on 2nd floor called Madame Kew. http://quincesaigon.com/
Au Parc & Propaganda – these restaurants are side by side and as the name suggests, overlooks a little park and are walking distance to Independence Palace. Au Parc serves a nice mix of international dishes with a meditteranean twist whilst Propoganda is Vietnamese.

Bars in Ho Chi Minh City

My first go to is 2 Lam Son at Park Hyatt. They have a great happy hour from 5-7.30pm daily. https://www.saigon.park.hyattrestaurants.com/2-lam-son.html
Social Club Rooftop Bar at Hôtel des Arts Saigon — has great views of the city. https://www.hoteldesartssaigon.com/restaurants-bars/social-club-rooftop-bar/
Bar Nhau Nhau is on the rooftop of the previously mentioned Anan Saigon. https://anansaigon.com/
If you can venture slightly outside of District 1, make it to Thao Dien which is considered an ‘expat area’ and has multiple bars but top of the list is The Deck. It is a restaurant as well as a bar so I highly recommend you arrive for sunset and then enjoy a Saigon riverside table. https://www.thedecksaigon.com/