Vietnamese Street Food

Did you know that Vietnamese street food is among some the healthiest cuisines in the world? As well as delivering both flavoursome and unique dishes it's no wonder Vietnam street food tours are so popular.

Although it's worth noting that as a foodie travelling through Vietnam, entirely different street food can be found at each destination. Whether it's a Saigon food tour in Ho Chi Minh City or food experiences in Hoi An,  Vietnam is recognised as one of the top street food destinations in the world.

Vietnamese Street Food

In order to experience some of the very best Vietnamese street food, below we take a look at some of our favourites.

Pho

Vietnamese street food starts with a breakfast dish that consists of beef or a chicken-based broth. Served with rice noodles, Pho is one of the most popular dishes available in Vietnam.

Slowly cooked overnight, Pho is a spicy dish that is best enjoyed first thing in the morning. As this is when all the ingredients will taste at their freshest, while the extra chilli will certainly help wake you up!

Bun Cha

Very much like the American burger, Bun Cha is a char-grilled pork patty served with vermicelli noodles. As a side dish, the locals often enjoy Bun Cha with crab spring rolls.

Alternatively, a different variation is available ("Bun Thit Nuong"), made with beef, peanuts and shallots.

Banh Xeo

Another Vietnamese Street Food dish taking influence from overseas is "Banh Xeo", which is similar to the French crepe.

However, rather than being a dessert, the savoury crepe is cooked with pork, shrimps, herbs and spices. The crepes are then rolled in rice paper or lettuce and served as small snacks.

Banh Tet

This very popular Vietnamese dish gets its name from the Vietnamese New Year (Tet Nguyen Dan). Banh tet is a dish of sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves. The rice is traditionally mixed with either mung bean or pork, for a savoury dish and bananas for a sweet alternative.

Cao Lau

A super fresh pork noodle dish, that derives from the town of Hoi An in Quang Nam Province. The dish consists of thick noodles made from ground rice with ash and water. Cao Lau then combines a mixture of sour, sweet and bitter flavours. The end result, a Vietnamese street food classic.

Rau Cang Cua

As Vietnam is close to the South China Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, shellfish is often served in authentic Vietnamese cuisine. Rau Cang Cua is actually a dish made up of crabs or other shellfish and even snails. They are then grilled over a barbeque and sprinkled with lime, chilli and ground pepper.

Goi Cuon

Goi Cuon is a salad roll made up of rice paper. You can choose vegetarian or non-vegetarian rolls with fillings such as mung bean, tofu, egg, squid, fish, crab, beef or pork. The rolls are eaten with a fish or peanut sauce.

Although offered as a traditional starter in most restaurants, this is a dish that originates from the street vendors. As such, join a street food tour and you'll experience a more authentic version of Goi Cuon.

Bo La Lot

Bo La Lot is a gorgeous beef dish made of minced beef patties, carefully wrapped in betel leaves then grilled over charcoal. Due to the betel leaves, it gives the dish a peppery taste. It is served with vegetables, rice noodles, fresh chilli and shallots. However, it does taste better with sweet chilli fish sauce.

Banh Bot Chien

A popular Vietnamese street food dish with the locals, comprising of fried rice flour cakes, along with an egg, duck and vegetable filling. Banh Bot Chien is served with sweet papaya shavings, shallots and soy sauce.

Street Food Tours in Vietnam

The real heart of Vietnam's local cuisine comes from its amazing Vietnamese street food. As such street food tours in Vietnam offer you the opportunity to sample popular, authentic and sometimes unusual dishes.

Here at tabl. we currently have Vietnamese street food tours in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), Hue, Hanoi and Hoi An. Book online and experience an incredible foodie adventure.