20+ Honored Vietnamese Street Food You Must Try

There is famous Vietnamese street food that has left an unforgettable feeling for foreign guests who once set foot here. Best Vietnamese street food is not too fussy or complicated but still captivates people, it is that simplicity that makes the taste of Vietnam. Let’s take a look at the honored Vietnamese street food with Tasty Touch!

Vietnamese Street Food History

Street food in Vietnam is not simply a list of traditional Vietnamese dishes sold on the street, it also represents a part of the beauty of the culture, lifestyle, feelings, and thoughts of the Vietnamese people. Moreover, it is a combination of traditional Vietnamese culture and the cultures of other countries that have dominated Vietnam historically, especially China.

Experiencing more than 2000 years of history with many ups and downs, Vietnamese culture in general and cuisine, in particular, is strongly influenced by Chinese culture, so it is not difficult to find some Vietnamese street food. quite similar to Chinese dishes such as dumplings, fried noodles,… However, anyone who has tried Vietnamese street food will realize the difference when Vietnamese people have changed to make innovation and creativity for their own flavorful dishes.

Vietnamese cuisine focuses on the harmony of ingredients to bring a fresh taste, keep the natural flavor, and be good for health. In each dish, visitors will find sour, spicy, salty, and sweet flavors very attractive. This is the reason that Vietnamese street food makes a strong impression on many tourists.

20 Best Vietnamese Street Food

There are many reasons for tourists to explore and become addicted to Vietnamese street food recipes. However, the majority agree that there are 4 main reasons to keep them, including street food taste, cheap price, authenticity, the freshness of ingredients, and people’s way of enjoying street food. 

Bun Cha (Bún chả)

Bun Cha originated in Hanoi. It’s basically a warm broth with minced pork and traditional Vietnamese vermicelli. You will be served with a plate of rice noodles, fresh herbs, and a bowl of warm broth with grilled minced pork. Broth and pork are the factors that make this dish unique.

When eating, you will dip the vermicelli in the broth, even roast pork if you like, and eat it like Western soups. The broth has a natural sweetness from the grilled pork bones, the grilled pork is very fragrant while the herbs bring freshness to this dish.

Pho (Phở)

Pho is one of the two most famous Vietnamese traditional dishes that has been included in the Oxford Dictionary by its popularity not only in Vietnam but also in many other countries. This is a Vietnamese soup consisting of broth, rice noodles, herbs, and meat – usually beef, sometimes chicken, duck, or goose depending on the customer. The type of pho used in this dish is not the same as that used in bun cha. It is flatter and larger while Bun Cha in Bun Cha has a very small white rope shape.

Banh mi (Bánh mì)

Banh mi is not simply a dish, it is a feature, a characteristic image that reminds visitors of Vietnam. Just like Pho, Vietnamese Banh Mi has become so popular with people in many countries that the name of this dish has been added to the Oxford dictionary.

Banh mi is probably the most popular Vietnamese street food in any province. You can find Banh Mi served in restaurants, small food stalls, and food carts anywhere.

Banh cuon (Bánh cuốn)

Another very delicious street food in Vietnam is Banh cuon, a main dish that locals can eat three meals a day. Banh Cuon is a dish made from rice flour into paper-thin sheets before stuffing chopped pork and chopped wood ear into a stir-fry, sprinkled with golden brown dried onions that have been covered and served with fish sauce.

Hu Tieu (Hủ tiếu)

Hu Tieu is not only a popular street food in Saigon, but it also presents a familiar feature or image of Saigon. Hu Tieu is sold in small carts that you can easily find on the sidewalks in crowded streets late at night.

Grilled rice paper (Bánh tráng nướng)

Grilled rice paper is a very famous street food in Da Lat and the southern provinces. This dish is made from rice paper and sprinkled with fried onions, shrimp, sausages, quail eggs, and chili sauce. When eating grilled rice paper, it will break into small pieces like eating pizza. Each piece is crispy, fragrant, and warm is the most attractive point.

Banh xeo (Bánh xèo)

This is a famous street food that many people believe to have originated from France during their occupation of Vietnam. The word “xèo” describes the sizzling sound when rice flour is poured into the hot oil. This dish has a yellow outer layer, inside is boiled pork, shrimp, bean sprouts, and green onions. Although some people may prefer using chopsticks to eat Banh xeo, the best way to enjoy it is to eat it with your hands.

You can try making Banh xeo with our recipe.

Broken rice (Cơm tấm)

Broken rice is a Vietnamese dish made from rice but not normal rice, it’s broken rice (Broken rice). It originated in Saigon and is the most popular dish that locals choose for their breakfast. Today, you can find Broken rice in restaurants in almost every province in Vietnam.

Broken rice is usually served with grilled pork (or ribs or shredded), egg bread, cucumber, carrots, scallions, and vegetables topped with diners’ preferences, and a small bowl of fish sauce, a soup bowl.

Milk iced coffee

Iced Milk Coffee is simply a filter of Vietnamese coffee, some milk, and ice and one can drink it anywhere from coffee shops to street corners, coffee carts on the street, or even small sidewalk cafes. Vietnamese people often enjoy a cup of iced coffee early in the morning to wake up or spend the weekend with friends or colleagues.

Rice noodles with grilled pork (Bún thịt nướng)

Vermicelli with grilled pork is another type of vermicelli in Vietnam and is especially famous in Ho Chi Minh City. It’s a bit different from other noodles. It’s dry vermicelli, not wet vermicelli. Dried vermicelli means that there is no broth or broth to accompany this dish. Although there is no broth or broth, it actually tastes very fresh as you will be served with a variety of Vietnamese herbs such as lettuce, coriander, perilla, and more.

Summer rolls 

If you are looking for “healthy & balanced” street food, spring rolls are a great suggestion for you. Goi Cuon is made from rice paper rolls, fresh vermicelli, shrimp meat, and raw vegetables – dipped with black sauce or sweet and salty fish sauce depending on your preference. Besides shrimp and meat salad, spring rolls with skin or squid are also very popular among international foodies.

Banh can (Bánh căn)

Can cake is a favorite specialty in many coastal cities, such as Da Nang, Phan Thiet, Vung Tau, and Nha Trang. Crispy crust embraces the filling of hot eggs, squid, or shrimp – add a little onion fat and then eat with spicy fish sauce or scad sauce “excellently delicious”. Banh Can brings a feeling of fullness for a long time, so it is a popular choice for lunch or dinner in Vietnam.

Vietnamese Stew with Organ Meats (Phá lấu)

To be fair, Pha Lau is quite a “difficult” street food for tourists from the West. The reason is that this specialty is made from animal organs – the part that is considered “unclean” in some cultures. The intestines – after being cleaned and seasoned with spices – will be fried until golden brown and then stewed with coconut milk. Pha Lau served with bread or instant noodles is a favorite dish of Vietnamese students, students, and office workers.

Egg Coffee

Vietnam is known as the land of smiles and… coffee. Vietnamese coffee is not only delicious but also rich – having the ability to “knock down” the most “heavy” #teamKlook. So, when learning about egg coffee, many international friends have been captivated by its lovely appearance and novel fatty and aromatic taste. If you want to drink standard egg coffee, you must definitely go to Hanoi capital – where the brand Café Giang has existed for more than 50 years.

Dried beef salad (Gỏi khô bò)

Many foreign tourists misunderstand Vietnamese beef jerky salad for Thai Som Tam salad. Although it is made with the same ingredients as grated green papaya, roasted peanuts, coriander, and dried black beef… the taste of these two specialties is completely different. Beef jerky salad is a harmonious combination of three flavors sweet – salty – spicy, eaten with crispy shrimp crackers is even more perfect.

Sticky rice (Xôi)

Sticky rice rarely appears in meals in Vietnam and is usually only available in trays. Sticky rice is also a portion of familiar street food, sold as a convenient breakfast dish. The dish is made from glutinous rice and is served with a variety of “toppings” (from chicken and pork to fried eggs or spring rolls).

Dumplings (Bánh bao)

The cake is made from flour with a filling inside that usually includes minced pork, onions, and shiitake mushrooms. Some varieties will have salted eggs or quail eggs added. When enjoying this non-greasy but still nutritious dish, the only main thing that should be noted is to peel off the steaming paper below the cake before eating.

You can try making Banh bao with our recipe.

Tao pho (Tào phớ)

This is one of the traditional cooling dishes of northern Vietnam on hot summer days. A bowl of tofu will have bean brain, fresh coconut, desiccated coconut, peanuts, jelly, and foot Chau combined with sugar water to create an extremely cool and sweet cooling dish.

Vietnamese donuts (Bánh rán)

Donut is a dish found in many countries around the world, but donuts in Vietnam have a very special flavor that no other country has. Deep fried with many different types of fillings, Vietnamese donuts are extremely diverse as they sell fried meat, sugar donuts, sesame donuts, and coconut milk donuts,… Food worth trying when you are looking to enjoy street food.

Vermicelli with fried tofu & shrimp paste (Bún đậu mắm tôm)

Bun Dau Mam Tom is an extremely simple and rustic dish in Vietnamese cuisine and can be used as a snack or as a snack. This dish has the main ingredients including fresh vermicelli, fried tofu, and spring rolls served with shrimp paste mixed with lemon and chili and served with herbs. Although if anyone has not eaten it, shrimp paste has an unpleasant smell, once you try this dish, you will immediately be addicted to the sweetness of shrimp paste combined with vermicelli and accompaniments.

Beef rice noodles (Bún bò Nam Bộ)

This noodle dish is very popular and does not come with a broth like many others. Beef rice noodles is a mixed noodle dish, consisting of tender beef stir-fried with a fragrant aroma, some vermicelli, some herbs, and bean sprouts. All are mixed with a special blend of fish sauce and sprinkled with some roasted peanuts and crispy fried onions. You can enjoy this dish with a little chili depending on your taste.

Flour filter cake (Bánh bột lọc)

Banh bot loc is an extremely delicious cake in Vietnam originating from Hue and currently, is very popular throughout the provinces in Vietnam. This dish has an outer shell made from tapioca flour and a filling made from wood ear, minced meat, and shrimp. After boiling, this cake has a transparent outer shell that can clearly see the inside, making it very eye-catching and delicious. Surely, this will be an ideal dish when you are looking to do a foot tour with your friends and relatives.

Balut (Trứng vịt lộn)

Balut is a special dish that you can only find in some eastern countries like Vietnam and China. In Vietnam, Balut is a street food that is loved by many people because it is very delicious and rich in nutrients. Is a duck egg but when the embryo has developed into the shape of a duck. This is the reason why some visitors feel scared to try this dish. 

Boiled duck eggs in about 15-20 minutes can serve guests. Normally, Vietnamese people eat laksa leaves with laksa leaves and ginger because according to oriental medicine, laksa leaves bring cold air while laksa leaves and ginger bring hot air, so eating together will create a good balance for health.

Vietnamese street food is really attractive, isn’t it? If you have a chance, come and enjoy! Wish you have moments of enjoying food that are fun and delicious.