Vietnam's street food culture - a sensory delight !!
is an essential part of daily life, with bustling night markets in Hanoi and floating markets in the Mekong Delta offering fresh, affordable and authentic flavors. The Vietnam street food culture is by far the most genuine and competitive.
Vietnamese food is a fun combination of fresh ingredients, aromatic herbs, and a blend of spicy, sweet, sour and umami flavors. It is also found a fascinating blend of the familiar and the exciting for Indian travellers. Rice, lentils, vegetables and vibrant spices make it easy to find dishes that suit the Indian palate.
Explore Vietnams Rich Culinary Heritage !!
I've read a lot about Vietnam's amazing cuisine and I just wanted to know more about how delicious it is - I love the way their cuisine blends flavors, textures, and aromas, all while being shaped by the country's history, geography, and culture - and even though everyone knows of their pho and banh mi, there are so very many other dishes that are just as deserving of recognition!
How Vietnamese Cuisine Varies by Region
While the cuisine in Northern Vietnam is incredibly subtle, leveraging a balance, and essentially devoid of sugar, that in the Central region is notoriously spicy, flavorful and heavy on chili, shrimp paste, and fresh herbs. Dishes to try are bun cha (grilled pork and vermicelli), bun bo Hue (spicy beef noodle soup), and com hen (baby clams with rice). Dishes in the South are sweeter because the cooking typically includes a considerable amount of coconut milk and sugar, not to mention fresh herbs. Popular dishes include thit kho (braised pork with eggs), banh xeo (crepe filled with pork, shrimp and bean sprouts), and ca kho to (first marinated in a sauce made from soy sauce, honey, fish sauce, and a lot of garlic, then simmered in it for hours).
But Vietnamese food is also unique in its own way. It’s light yet flavorful, and it’s healthy yet satisfying. Whether you’re a vegetarian, a hardcore spice lover, or someone who enjoys comforting meals - Vietnam has something for every palate.
If you are an Indian traveller, you can order some vegetarian options in Vietnam. Banh mi chay (vegetarian banh mi), goi cuon chay (vegetable spring rolls) and pho chay (vegetarian pho). You can also mention how to request vegetarian food by saying “không thịt” (no meat) or ăn chay (vegetarian).
Which food streets and markets do you suggest Indian travelers visit?
Here is a list for you:
• Hanoi: Dong Xuan Market, Old Quarter street stalls
• Ho Chi Minh City: Ben Thanh Market, Bui Vien Street
• Hoi An: Night Market for regional delicacies
• Da Nang: Han Market for fresh seafood and snacks.
Here is a guide to the must-try Vietnamese dishes along with vegetarian choices and where to find them for Indian tourists heading from the lively markets of Ho Chi Minh City to the bustling streets of Hanoi.
Pho Vietnamese soul food!!
pronounced “fuh” is Vietnam’s trailblazing dish — a hot bowl of wide rice noodles in a rich, deeply perfumed broth, usually served with beef (Pho Bo) or chicken (Pho Ga) on top. The broth is usually slow-cooked for hours with spices like cinnamon, star anise, cloves and cardamom, which give it a pleasant aroma.
Why Indians will love it:
A warm, spicy broth tastes like a comforting homemade meal, and can be both nourishing and soothing, much like dal or rasam :) you can adjust the flavors with fresh herbs, chili, lime, and sauces just like with Indian street food.
Try the vegetarian option:
A vegetarian version called Pho Chay is available, made with a rich mushroom or vegetable broth, tofu, and fresh greens.
Where to try:
• In Hanoi, go to Pho Thin - famous for its smoky Pho.
• In Ho Chi Minh City, Pho 2000 is a famous tourist spot where even Bill Clinton has eaten!
Banh Mi, the delectable Vietnamese sandwich, is the ultimate treat to eat. With its variety of flavors and crispy French baguette filled with fresh ingredients like pickled carrots and radish, fresh cucumber, mayonnaise, chili, and a protein like grilled pork, chicken, or tofu, it's like the perfect snack as Vietnamese solution to street food.
Why Indians love it
Indians will love it because it has fresh, tangy, slightly spicy flavors that are similar to Indian chaats and the crunchy baguette adds a delightful texture.
Are you vegetarian? Try out the Veg Bánh mì, made with mushrooms and tofu.. And visit two highly recommended places to try out the best bánh mi. Bánh Mì Huynh Hoa (Ho Chi Minh City) – One of the most famous bánh mì stall in Vietnam. Bánh Mì 25 (Hanoi) – A great spot for vegetarian and vegan options.
Gỏi Cuốn – Fresh Spring Rolls
What is it:
Unlike fried spring rolls, these are soft, translucent rice paper rolls filled with shrimp, vermicelli noodles, fresh herbs, and lettuce, served with a peanut dipping sauce.
Why Indians will love it:
The fresh crunchiness of the herbs and the nutty peanut sauce are perfect for those who love chaat-like textures and flavors.
Gỏi Cuốn – Fresh Spring Rolls
What is it:
Unlike fried spring rolls, these are soft, translucent rice paper rolls filled with shrimp, vermicelli noodles, fresh herbs, and lettuce, served with a peanut dipping sauce.
Why Indians will love it:
The fresh crunchiness of the herbs and the nutty peanut sauce are perfect for those who love chaat-like textures and flavors.
Do you have a vegetarian option?
Veggie lovers can look for the Gỏi Cuốn Chay dish, which replaces shrimp with tofu and extra vegetables.
You can try it at any street food market in Vietnam, as it is a very common and popular dish.
Com Tam, or broken rice, is a meal filled with a variety of flavors, like grilled meats, a fried egg, and pickled vegetables and yet is a simple and humble dish. This is a dish made up of grains of rice that are smaller and softer than regular rice.
Indians who love rice will definitely like this dish as it is simple and yet a comfort food just like Dal-Chawal or curd rice.
There is a vegetarian version with tofu, vegetables, and soy-based mock meats known as Cơm Chay.
What is Bún Chay? A rice noodle salad made with fresh herbs, peanuts, pickled vegetables, crispy tofu and a light dressing.
This is an awesome option for Indians because the flavors are incredible, fresh, just slightly sweet and tangy – think a noodle version of bhel puri!
You can get your noodle bowl fix at Bun Chay Ha Thanh (Specializing in Vegetarian noodle bowls ) in Hanoi.
Chè, the sweet side of Vietnam, is a wide category of sweet soups, puddings, and beverages made with coconut milk, beans, jelly, and tropical fruit.
Indians will love the Chè dessert because the coconut and mung bean flavors are especially familiar. Many varieties of Chè actually resemble Indian desserts like payasam or rabri.
Also, try these popular variations:
• Chè Ba Màu – A colorful three-layered dessert.
• Chè Chuối – Banana and tapioca pudding.
Vietnamese iced coffee is made using a form of drip filter that makes each cup strong, bold, and uniquely brewed. Adding the condensed milk will sweeten and cream up that delicious coffee for you.
Here are a couple of reasons Indians will love it. Because if you enjoy South Indian filter coffee, you’ll love the intensity and richness of Vietnamese coffee.
For a Twist, try Cà Phê Trứng (Egg Coffee), a creamy Hanoi specialty made with whipped egg yolk.
Have you ever been to Café Giảng in Hanoi, where Egg Coffee originated from?
Nước Mía (Sugarcane Juice) - Fresh Sugarcane Juice
What it is:
Fresh sugar cane is squeezed to make a fresh juice, often mixed with lime or kumquat for flavor.
Why Indians will love it:
In Vietnam, just like in India, Sugarcane juice is like the ultimate street side drink for refreshment.
Indian travelers would be advised to do well when seeking vegetarian food, they should be on the lookout for the word “Chay” on the menu. At Buddhist temples, people can eat sumptuous vegetarian meals there too. Vietnamese food is usually milder than Indian food, though. If you want your food to be hotter, you can add fresh chilies or chili sauce. There are a number of Indian and Middle Eastern restaurants in major cities offering Halal and Jain-friendly meals.
Rice is the staple, so wheat-based options like roti or naan are rare. Be open to trying rice paper and vermicelli noodles instead.
Final thoughts.
Vietnamese food is a wonderful journey for Indian travellers. Each bite will give you a new taste experience, whether you are delighting in a bowl of Phở, enjoying a crispy Bánh Mì, or from a Chè dessert. What is even better is that you will come across something light, fresh and delectable, whatever your dietary preference is.
And with that, all you need to do is to pick up your chopsticks and taste the flavors of Vietnam.
Which dish are you most excited to try?
