Vietnamese Food Guide: What to Eat in the North, Center and South

This Vietnamese food guide sorts the country's cooking into three regional styles: subtle and savory in the north, spicy and bold in the center, sweeter and herb-heavy in the south. From our Vietnam travel blog, it lists the dishes to try in each region, street snacks, drinks and desserts, how to eat like a local, and our detailed food guides for each city.

Food is one of the main reasons people visit Vietnam, and many trips are planned around it. If you still need a visa for yours, apply for a Vietnam e-visa online before you book flights.

Vietnamese food by region

Vietnamese food by region follows the shape of the country. The table shows the main style and signature dishes of each area.

Region	Style	Dishes to try
North (Hanoi)	Clear broths, less sugar, fresh herbs	Pho, bun cha, cha ca, bun thang
Center (Hue, Hoi An)	Spicy, lemongrass, chili, royal recipes	Bun bo Hue, mi Quang, cao lau, banh beo
South (Saigon, Mekong)	Sweeter, more herbs and fruit	Com tam, hu tieu, banh xeo, banh mi

Fish sauce (nuoc mam), rice and fresh herbs link all three, and most meals come with a plate of greens to add yourself.

Northern dishes

The must-try Vietnamese food in the north starts with pho, the beef or chicken noodle soup eaten for breakfast, and bun cha, grilled pork with noodles and dipping broth, as Vietnam's national tourism site notes for Hanoi.

Also look for cha ca, turmeric fish fried at the table with dill, and bun thang, a delicate noodle soup with shredded chicken, egg and ham. Our guide to Vietnamese noodle soups compares pho with the other bowls.

Central dishes

Central Vietnam has the boldest flavors, with chili, lemongrass and shrimp paste, and the refined dishes of Hue's royal kitchen. Bun bo Hue, a spicy beef and lemongrass noodle soup, is the dish to try first.

In Hoi An and Da Nang, look for mi Quang, turmeric noodles with a little broth, peanuts and rice crackers, and cao lau, Hoi An's chewy pork noodles. Hue is known for small steamed rice cakes such as banh beo.

Southern dishes

Southern cooking is sweeter and generous with herbs and fruit. Com tam, broken rice with grilled pork chop, is Saigon's everyday meal, and hu tieu noodle soup is eaten at any hour.

Banh xeo, a crispy rice-flour pancake filled with shrimp and pork, is wrapped in lettuce and herbs and dipped in sauce. In the Mekong Delta, grilled fish, tropical fruit and rice-based sweets dominate.

Vietnamese street food and snacks

Vietnamese street food is cheap, fast and found on every corner, from plastic-stool noodle stalls to carts selling one snack. Banh mi, the baguette sandwich, is the most famous; our banh mi guide explains the fillings.

Fresh spring rolls (goi cuon), sticky rice dishes such as red xoi gac, and grilled skewers make good snacks. Adventurous eaters try balut, a fertilized duck egg, sold from street carts in the evening.

Drinks and desserts

Vietnamese coffee is strong and usually served with condensed milk, hot or over ice, and coffee shops are part of daily life; our guide to Vietnamese coffee culture covers egg coffee and more. Tea is served free in many local restaurants.

For dessert, try che, sweet soups and drinks made with beans, fruit, jelly and coconut milk, sold from street carts. Fresh sugarcane juice and coconut water are good in the heat.

Vietnamese eating habits and table manners

Vietnamese eating habits are social: dishes are shared, rice comes in small bowls, and everyone picks from the middle with chopsticks. Breakfast is often a bowl of noodles, and lunch is the main meal for many people.

Do not stick chopsticks upright in rice, which recalls offerings for the dead. Wipe your chopsticks and spoon with a napkin if others do; it is a local habit, not a sign of dirt. Useful phrases are "khong cay" (not spicy) and "tinh tien" (the bill, please). Each city has its own specialties, covered in our detailed guides.

Vietnamese food guide by city

Every Vietnamese city claims its own dishes. These guides take you to the best of them.

Hanoi and the north

Our Hanoi street food guide covers pho, bun cha and the Old Quarter's best stalls.

Hoi An and the center

Our Hoi An street food guide covers cao lau, white rose dumplings and the town's famous banh mi.

Saigon and the Mekong

Our Saigon street food guide covers com tam and night markets, and our Mekong Delta food guide covers the delta's fish, fruit and cakes.

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