10 International Cuisine Picks In Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City is the most eclectic food heaven in Vietnam where a plethora of traditional dishes around the world can be found. Various restaurants that have been running for over 10 years can impress even the most discriminating gourmets. Let's check out the following 10 dishes if you need a break from Vietnamese traditional food.

Burger at Marcel Gourmet Burger

If one craves burgers but not in the ordinary style, look no further than Marcel Gourmet Burger. Marcel makes a French approach to enhance the classic burgers, which means they bake with French expertise. Saltiness and sweetness are delicately balanced. Their deliveries are limited exclusively in district 1 and district 7 to ensure freshness. Their daily specials are often sold out before lunchtime so it is advisable to show up or order early.

Pizza at Italiani’s Pizza

Italiani’s Pizza is a gourmet restaurant with several locations in Ho Chi Minh city. The dough is fresh, mozzarella imported, tomato sauce made out of ripen vine and pizzas baked to perfection in wood-fired ovens. Signature ingredients are crafted and manually added for additional unique touches. The crispy crust seals fuse with a chewy center to complete the masterpiece. There is a delicious vegan pizza for people who are on a diet. Besides, local craft beers are also highly recommended.

Steak at Nossa Steakhouse

Italian cuisine gastronomes seem to relish every single dish at Nossa Steakhouse as its visitors are mostly Westerners who know the ropes. Nossa Steakhouse focuses on the authentic flavors of the food. It ensures a broad range of imported meats for the Western steaks and fresh local seafood. The sauces are of a higher caliber, especially the salmon one which is deemed as Nossa Steakhouse's signature sauce. Although the space is rather limited, its decoration is quite elegant and there are a lovely outdoor terrace and a private dining area with excellent service.

Address: 36 Pham Hong Thai, Ben Thanh, D1

Phone: +84 938 584 188

Hours: everyday – 11AM to 11PM

Price: $4- $23/ person

Posh Carbonara at Ciao Bella

Posh Carbonara is pasta coated in a creamy sauce combining eggs, cheese, pork, and black pepper. At Ciao Bella, a Venetian style restaurant in District 1, Posh Carbonara is considered the signature dish. What's special about this restaurant is that they make their own linguine and tourists can enjoy watching the whole process. The portion is very generous so tourists should come with friends to be able to try more dishes. Some other highly rated choices are salmon vignoie, duck ravioli and fried mozzarella.

Mango sticky rice at Chilli Thai

Mango Sticky Rice or Khao Nia Mamuang is a sweet dessert made of slightly salty sticky rice soaked in slurry coconut milk and fresh aromatic mango toppings. This dessert is a glimpse of heaven on summer days when protein-rich dishes seem like just too much. Vegans do not have to go to Thailand to satisfy their insatiable craving for this dish as Chilli Thai restaurant in District 1 serves the best Khao Nia Mamuang and many other delicacies of Thai cuisine. Rated 8.5/10 by locals, this restaurant is gaily decorated and reasonably priced. The dishes are well-balanced in taste, not too spicy, sweet or salty. Some other signature dishes of Chilli Thai include Thai pad, tom yum soup, seafood salad, etc.

Pad Thai noodles at TukTuk Thai Bistro

TukTuk Thai Bistro is a great choice for expats as it is vegetarian friendly with a plethora of Thai both authentic and inventive dishes. The spice is generally toned down a bit so you can adjust it on your own. Vegan dishes and the levels of spiciness are clearly marked in the menu to make ordering easier for you. The nice ambience is also a plus. Check out Pad Thai noodles, fish cakes, curry and mango sticky rice. These are staples to make a feast for the eyes and palate of Thai food lovers.

Dim sum buffet at San Fu Lou restaurant

Dim sum or dumplings are generally believed to have originated in tea houses in Guangdong, China. These culinary delights have got popular all over the world for their delicate look and sophisticated taste. In the traditional etiquette of eating dim sum, pick a tea first and pour the tea for other guests before pouring it for yourself. San Fu Lou restaurant's founder, a man from Guangdong, has brought the most authentic and mouth watering dumplings to Ho Chi Minh city. There is a broad range of meat, seafood, and vegetable dishes that can be steamed, baked or fried to choose from. His buffet which costs only 239000VND is the perfect choice for family gatherings and a sumptuous feast for dim sum addicts.

Sushi at Tokitsu Nada

Tokitsu Nada is a hidden gem for Japanese cuisine epicures. IT was founded by a sumo wrestler. As it has been frequently highly rated online with reviews written in Japanese, quality and authentic flavors can be ensured. The sushi served in Tokitsu Nada is fresh and made in a sophisticated manner. Besides, many Japanese specialities that are hardly found beyond its shores are also available here. With various lunch combos to choose from, family and friend gatherings find it very convenient to try both sushi, hot pot and other rare Japanese dishes. Address: 8a/a9 Thai Van Lung, Ben Nghe, D1

Ramen at IPPUDO Ramen

Like Tokitsu Nada, IPPUDO is situated on Thai Van Lung street, which is called Saigon's little Tokyo. It can be considered the heaven for ramen gourmets as it is literally addictive to locals and Japanese tourists. The ramen made here is highly customised. You can choose from a broad range of noodle types, adjust spicy and salty levels. The classic Shiromaru ramen and Karaka special which has more spices and toppings are the signature ramen dishes while grilled dumplings and Aburi salmon roll are other highly recommended choices.

Cold noodles at Mì Lạnh Yoo Chun

Cold noodles is a rare treat of Korean cuisine, which fuses coldness, saltiness and a pickle-esque taste. This dish is ideal for dog days of summer when it is so hot outside that one would rather drink than eat anything. The best cold noodles has been served for over a decade in Mì Lạnh Yoo Chun restaurant, besides other Korean dishes like bibimbap, Korean dumplings and Korean hot pots.

On your excursion to Ho Chi Minh city, make sure to try these Italian, Korean, Japanese and Thai dishes if you want to refresh your routine meals. Nothing can pamper one's heart quicker than good food.
Photo by @hieng.opla