Street Food in Saigon: A Local’s Guide to the Best Cheap Eats

Eating street food in Saigon, or Ho Chi Minh City as it is officially called, is a truly special experience. There's no better way to enjoy a meal in Vietnam's largest city than sitting on a little red plastic stool on the side of the road, enjoying whatever culinary delights the vendor is cooking up.

In Saigon, the street food is cheap, tasty, and some of the best food in Saigon you'll find in Southeast Asia. Plus, observing everyday street scenes while you slurp your bowl of pho or munch on your banh mi sandwich is all part of the experience.

There are so many fun things to do in Ho Chi Minh City, but eating street food tops the list. Plus, with such affordable prices, you can eat as much as you'd like without ever breaking the bank. Not sure where to start? To help you make the most of your trip, this guide highlights the must-try street foods in Saigon and gives you suggestions on where to try each one.

A culinary remnant of the French colonial era, the banh mi is a baguette sandwich with a Vietnamese twist. The crispy and fluffy baguette is slathered with pate and mayonnaise before getting stuffed with meat - usually pork - cucumbers, pickled carrots and daikon, cilantro, jalapeños, and chilli sauce.

This is a street food staple in Ho Chi Minh City. And while it is a common breakfast item, banh mi can be enjoyed at any time of day.

Where to try it: Banh mi street food vendors are ubiquitous in Saigon. However, if you've only got 24 hours in HCMC and want to try one of the city's best, Banh Mi Huynh Hoa in District 1 is known for its meaty, overstuffed banh mi sandwiches. It's not the cheapest, but it's worth it if you come hungry.

Address: 26 Le Thi Rieng, Phuong Pham Ngu Lao, Quan 1

No trip to Ho Chi Minh City is complete without tucking into a steaming bowl of pho. Pronounced “fuh,” pho is the most famous street food not only in Ho Chi Minh City but in Vietnam.

You'll find variations served all over the country, but in Saigon, this noodle soup is prepared with beef (bo) or chicken (ga), rice noodles, and a slow-cooked broth spiked with aromatics like star anise, cinnamon, and cloves. In the south, pho is served with a plate piled high with herbs, bean sprouts, lime, and chilli peppers. There will be a small jar of fish sauce (nuoc mam) on your table, which is a very popular addition to pho.

Where to try it: Pho Hai serves up some of the best pho in the city. With small plastic stools and a roadside location, this place is no-frills. But the beef brisket pho is both cheap and delicious.

Address: 64 Tran Khanh Du, Phuong Tan Dinh, Quan 1

Banh xeo is another super popular street food in Saigon. This dish is essentially a savoury crepe filled with bean sprouts, shrimp, pork, or even mushrooms for vegetarians. In the south, expect your banh xeo to be served with a variety of fresh herbs and lettuce. To eat it like a local, just tear off a piece of the crispy crepe, place it in a lettuce leaf with herbs, wrap it up like a spring roll, dip it in the tangy nuoc cham sauce, and enjoy.

Where to try it: Da Lat Oi is a small family-run restaurant that specialises in banh xeo. While it's not technically a street food spot, the prices are very affordable and the menu gives you the option of sampling three types of banh xeo - typically pork, shrimp, and quail egg.

Address: 525/64 D. Huynh Van Banh, Phuong 13, Phu Nhuan

Translating to "broken rice," com tam is a street food staple in Ho Chi Minh City. At its roots, this is a humble meal made from broken grains of rice, which were historically considered less desirable. However, com tam has long been a national favourite, enjoyed everywhere from street food stalls to gourmet restaurants. Eat it on the street, and this is arguably one of the cheapest meals you can have in Saigon.

It typically consists of barbecued pork, broken rice, and fried egg. But different places cook up different variations.

Where to try it: Com Tam Ba Ghien is a local favourite. The menu here is simple, as it should be, featuring com tam with either pork rib, pork rib skin, fried egg, or fried chicken - or some sort of combination of these ingredients.

Address: 84 D. Dang Van Ngu, Phuong 10, Phu Nhuan

Chances are you haven't heard of bo la lot before, but this is a must-try Vietnamese street food in Saigon. Bo la lot features seasoned minced beef that's wrapped tightly in la lot leaves (similar to betel leaf) and char-grilled to smoky perfection. The beef rolls are typically served with rice noodles, herbs, veggies, and a fish sauce for dipping.

Where to try it: The best place to try bo la lot is from one of the street vendors on Co Giang Street in District 1, near the famous Bui Vien Walking Street. When night falls, this street transforms into a mecca for cheap street eats, and the bo la lot is always delicious.

The garlicky and buttery smell of snails being sautéed on the sidewalk is something you'll encounter time and again in Saigon. And it is heavenly.

While you might be averse to eating snails, or oc in Vietnamese, chances are you'll get addicted once you give them a try. In Saigon, oc are prepared in a variety of ways. Whether your snails are fried, steamed, or barbecued or topped with lemongrass, garlic, or chillies, just bring a sense of adventure and be prepared to be amazed.

Where to try it: For a quintessential Ho Chi Minh City street food experience, make your way to Vinh Khanh Street (aka “Seafood Street”) in District 4. This street is lined with vendors cooking up ultra-affordable snail and seafood dishes. Just pick a place and enjoy.

Coffee is a big deal in Saigon and one of the perks of travelling here is having the excuse to drink as much ca phe sua da (Vietnamese iced milk coffee) as possible. Ca phe sua da is one of the most popular coffee drinks in Vietnam. It's prepared using a traditional Vietnamese coffee filter called a phin.

The phin allows the black coffee to slow-drip into a glass of ice with a generous layer of sweetened condensed milk, resulting in a gloriously sweet glass of iced Vietnamese coffee.

Where to try it: Anywhere and everywhere. You'll find ca phe sua da being served on street corners and in budget-friendly restaurants all around the city.

Street food is a part of the heart and soul of Saigon and you'll encounter vendors everywhere you go in the city. However, here are a few hubs for street food activity.

• Ben Thanh Market: Ben Thanh Market is one of the top tourist attractions in Ho Chi Minh City. This is not only a great place to sample the city's top street foods, but it's a great spot to shop for souvenirs.
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• Co Giang Street: Tucked away near the backpacker area of Bui Vien Walking Street in District 1, Co Giang Street is a local favourite for street food. At night, all of the food vendors are out in full force, serving everything from bo la lot to goi cuon (fresh spring rolls).
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• Ho Thi Ky Market: Set in District 10, Ho Thi Ky Market is best known as a very affordable flower market. However, it's also a prime spot for street food, especially at night. This place has it all, from snails to banh xeo to an excellent selection of dim sum.
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• Vinh Khanh Street: Vinh Khanh Street in District 4 is where to go for all things snails and seafood. Do as the locals do, and wash it all down with an ice-cold Bia Saigon or two.

• Bring cash and small bills: Always have cash and small bills on hand, since most street food vendors do not accept cards, and many will not have change for larger bills.
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• Wet wipes: In Saigon, it's customary for street food vendors to leave wet wipes on the table. Do note that you will be charged a small fee if you do use them. To save money, just bring your own.
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• Get around with Grab: Getting around Ho Chi Minh City is very affordable, especially if you use the Grab motorbike option to zip from place to place.

When it comes to finding affordable hotels in Ho Chi Minh City, it helps to look outside the tourist hub of District 1. Located in the expat hub of Phu My Hung in District 7, ibis Saigon South is a budget-friendly hotel that doesn't skimp on modern amenities.

All rooms feature sleek hardwood floors, designated workstations with high-speed Wi-Fi, and flat-screen TVs. You can also grab craft beers and fusion food at Charlie's Corner Bistro on the third floor or get some work done at the 24-hour business corner. Plus, it's easy and cheap to hail taxis and Grab cars to get around town.