Although some restaurant menus boast over 200 different items, most of them are made up of pho, rice, vermicelli noodles, and beverages. The rest range from appetizers to side dishes, and specialty dishes to family courses. But the choices are still vast and can still be very overwhelming for novice fans.
In today’s article I present to you our list of 10 Vietnamese dishes you must try. These are based on our personal favourites and our opinion on their popularity. We decided to leave out appetizers and beverages since we figure you get them regularly. Keep in mind that only few restaurants actually serve all these 10 items, so you might have to do some investigating!
our top 10 must try vietnamese dishes
Top 3 Dishes
The top 3 Vietnamese dishes that everyone has to have, and probably have had, are pho, rice combo, and vermicelli combo. These are not only the staples of most restaurants, they are also the representatives of Vietnamese cuisine outside of Vietnam. As discussed in previous articles (pho, rice, vermicelli), these 3 dishes can be customized based on your taste.
mouth watering pho
rice with pork chops
spring roll and grilled meat vermicelli
The 7 Musts
Here are the next 7, in no particular order.
Banh Xeo. Sizzling Crepes – “Bun say-oh” is a fun dish to try. Besides being prettily yellow, it is also fun to eat, as it is a crepe stuffed with different goodies.
sizzling crepes
Hu Tieu My Tho. My Tho Seafood Noodles is a glass noodle soup dish with lots of vegetables and seafood. Egg noodle can also be added.
My Tho seafood noodle
Bun Bo Hue. Spicy Hue Noodle – “Bun bo Hue is the most famous dish to come out of the centrally located, imperial city of Hue. Thicker, round rice noodles in a spicy beef broth flavoured principally with lemongrass and chili, bun bo Hue is extremely rich in flavour and aroma. Large pieces of pig knuckle and (fatty) slices of beef add body to the soup, while thinly sliced red onions, chopped scallion and a squirt of lime give bun bo Hue an element of freshness.”
spicy Hue noodle
Banh Cuon. Rice-flour Crepes with Minced Pork – “Banh cuon is a popular dish hailing from Northern Vietnam and is typically eaten in the day time. It is a thin rice flour crepe stuffed primarily with ground pork and minced wood-ear mushroom. Banh cuon is laid out flat on a dish, topped with fresh sprigs of coriander, accompanied by slices of pickled carrot and daikon, and doused with sweet nuoc mam. Cooked bean sprouts and Vietnamese pork sausage (cha lua) are optional, although commonly added to the dish as well.”
banh cuon
Canh Chua Ca Kho To. As traditional as it gets, this dish of Sweet and Sour Fish Soup with Braised Fish in Clay Pot is something the whole family can share and enjoy.
canh chua ca kho to
Bo Luc Lac. ” The famous dancing beef dish of Vietnam. This is Vietnamese stir-fry at its finest. Made from marinated beef cut into cubes and fried with shallots, served over watercress, and, or lettuce, it’s a simple but delicious dish for beef lovers. Just as its appearance suggests, its flavours are bold and mouth watering.”
shaking beef
Bun Rieu. “Crab meat noodle soup is an extremely rich noodle soup originating from northern Vietnam. Made with a tomato-based broth flavoured with fresh crab paste and shrimp paste, bun rieu is a fine meld of sweet, savoury and sour. Vermicelli noodles, crab cake, fried tofu, and vegetarian sausage are added to the soup base, then garnished with fresh cilantro, bean sprouts and fresh water spinach.”
bun rieu
That wraps up our top 10. Aside from the Top 3, what are your 7 must have dishes?
thank you so much for showing these awesome pictures! my mom is from tra vinh and she’ll love me for introducing her to them! you are a great photographer!
Hi Phuong. Thanks for stopping by! The photos were not taken by myself, but were contributed by photographers from all over the world. For more photos from their collections, please visit our “Photographers” page.
I love Pho too. You pictures are fab! Where is you favorite place in the city? I’m addicted to the places on Ossington. Banh-xeo is also one of my favorites its am amazing balance. The bbq pork is also mouthwatering. Vietnamese food is so light and flavorful.
Thanks! Some of my fave places are in Chinatown. I’m in the area so I really get to know the restaurants there. Ossington is also great for really good broths!
I eat pho all the time but one of my special favorites is Bun Mang Vit, Duck Noodle Soup With Dried Bamboo Shoots. It’s two dishes in one, a noodle soup and sliced duck with cabbage salad on the side. There’s a place in Seattle called Green Leaf that serves a tasty version.