19 budget eating worth the trip across Vietnam, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All Vietnam guides.
Bia Hơi Corner Ta Hien ★ 4.6 · Hanoi
old-quarter · Ta Hien at Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Hanoi's Bia Hoi Corner at Ta Hien and Luong Ngoc Quyen is one of Asia's cheapest beer junctions, with fresh draft at 10,000-15,000 VND on plastic stools.
Tip: Bring small notes. The corner closes at 23:00 when police clear the pavement; the bia hoi crowd then walks to bun dau or pho.
Banh Mi 25 ★ 4.6 · Hanoi
old-quarter · 25 Hang Ca, Hang Bo, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Banh Mi 25 in Hanoi serves the Old Quarter's most-photographed banh mi at 30,000-40,000 VND, with two pork, three chicken, two beef and four vegetarian.
Tip: Three counters at 25, 30 and 32 Hang Ca. Card accepted; eat on the pavement benches.
Phở Gia Truyền Bát Đàn ★ 4.6 · Hanoi
old-quarter · 49 Bat Dan, Cua Dong, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Pho Gia Truyen Bat Dan in Hanoi is the Old Quarter's Michelin Bib Gourmand pho house, with bowls at 60,000-80,000 VND and self-service from queue to seat.
Tip: Closes mid-morning to mid-afternoon. Cash only; carry small bills.
Xôi Yến ★ 4.4 · Hanoi
old-quarter · 35B Nguyen Huu Huan, Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Xoi Yen in Hanoi sells turmeric sticky rice with savoury toppings for under 50,000 VND on Nguyen Huu Huan, open from dawn to 01:00 the next morning.
Tip: Cash only and small bills work best. Takeaway parcels wrapped in banana leaves.
Bánh Cuốn Gia Truyền ★ 4.4 · Hanoi
old-quarter · 14 Hang Ga, Cua Dong, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Banh Cuon Gia Truyen in Hanoi plates silky rice rolls with pork and wood-ear mushroom for 40,000-60,000 VND on Hang Ga, steamed to order since 1973.
Tip: Breakfast and lunch only; closed mid-afternoon. Cash only, plates run 40-60,000 VND.
Com Tam Ba Ghien ★ 4.4 · Ho Chi Minh City
phu-nhuan · 84 Dang Van Ngu Street, Ward 10, Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City
Com Tam Ba Ghien serves the Bib Gourmand broken-rice plate that made it famous: an oversized caramelised grilled pork chop over broken rice.
Tip: It is a Michelin-listed bargain; the pork chop alone feeds most appetites.
Bún Bò Nam Bộ Bách Phương ★ 4.3 · Hanoi
old-quarter · 73-75 Hang Dieu, Hang Bo, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Bun Bo Nam Bo on Hang Dieu has served one dish at 60,000 VND since 1986: rice noodles with stir-fried beef, herbs, peanuts and crispy shallots in nuoc cham.
Tip: Long metal tables; share with strangers and pass the herbs along. Cash only and small bills.
Phở Cuốn Hương Mai ★ 4.2 · Hanoi
ba-dinh · 25-27 Ngu Xa, Truc Bach, Ba Dinh, Hanoi
Pho Cuon Huong Mai on Ngu Xa runs the rolled-pho strip near Truc Bach Lake for 60,000-100,000 VND a plate, with fresh sheets wrapped around beef.
Tip: Whole Ngu Xa block runs the same dish; if Huong Mai is full, the next counter does it for the same price.
Bún Đậu Mắm Tôm Cô Tuyến ★ 4.2 · Hanoi
old-quarter · 31 Hang Khay, Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Bun Dau Mam Tom Co Tuyen serves the Old Quarter's most-recommended bun dau plate for 60,000-90,000 VND, with fried tofu, rice noodles and pork on Khay.
Tip: Cash only. The mam tom shrimp paste is assertive; ask staff to balance with lime and sugar.
Cộng Cà Phê ★ 4.2 · Hanoi
hai-ba-trung · 152D Trieu Viet Vuong, Bui Thi Xuan, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi
Cong Cà Phê serves Vietnam's most-copied coconut coffee for under 60,000 VND across nearly 100 stores; the Trieu Viet Vuong original opened in 2007.
Tip: Trieu Viet Vuong is the origin store and historic cafe street. Whole bean retail to take home.
Xoi Ga Number One ★ 4.2 · Ho Chi Minh City
district-5 · 84/6 Nguyen Bieu Street, Ward 1, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City
Xoi Ga Number One is a Michelin Selected spot for its cheap plate of sticky rice topped with a fried chicken drumstick, scallion oil and crisp shallots.
Tip: It runs into the evening; the fried chicken version is the one regulars order.
Bún Chả Hương Liên ★ 4.1 · Hanoi
hai-ba-trung · 24 Le Van Huu, Phan Chu Trinh, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi
Bun Cha Huong Lien in Hanoi sells the Combo Obama set for 130,000 VND: a bowl of bun cha, a fried seafood spring roll and a Hanoi beer pairing.
Tip: Cash and card. The Obama-Bourdain table is preserved in glass on the second floor.
Banh Mi Hong Hoa ★ 4.1 · Ho Chi Minh City
district-1 · 54 Nguyen Van Trang Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Banh Mi Hong Hoa is a bakery-and-stall near Ben Thanh where warm baguettes come stuffed with cold cuts and pate for a fraction of a sit-down meal.
Tip: Bread is baked through the day, so the baguette is almost always warm and crisp.
Com Tam Di Tam ★ 4.0 · Ho Chi Minh City
tan-dinh · 331 Hai Ba Trung Street, Tan Dinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Di Tam is one of Saigon's oldest broken-rice stalls, a Tan Dinh fixture plating com tam with a charcoal-grilled pork chop, egg and pickles for a few dollars.
Tip: It is central District 1 but still cheap; go at lunch when the grill is at full tilt.
Tu Hai Banh Mi ★ 3.9 · Ho Chi Minh City
district-1 · 356 Dinh Tien Hoang Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Tu Hai is a cheap banh mi counter near the Da Kao end of Dinh Tien Hoang, known for the thin banh mi que pate sticks that locals snack on all day.
Tip: The pate sticks are made for snacking; buy several, they cost next to nothing.
Bun Mam Co Cuc ★ 3.9 · Ho Chi Minh City
district-3 · 174 Nguyen Thien Thuat Street, Ward 1, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
Bun Mam Co Cuc ladles the Mekong Delta's pungent fermented-fish noodle soup, a dark, deep broth loaded with squid, prawn and roast pork on Nguyen Thien Thuat.
Tip: The fermented-fish broth is an acquired taste; pile on the herbs and eggplant to balance it.
Bun Rieu Da Lat ★ 3.9 · Ho Chi Minh City
district-1 · 86 Co Giang Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
This Co Giang stall serves a bargain bowl of bun rieu, the tomato-and-crab-paste noodle soup, for around 28,000 dong, one of the cheapest sit-down meals.
Tip: At under thirty thousand dong it is a genuine bargain in the centre; go for an early lunch.
Ho Hao Hon Noodle Soup ★ 3.9 · Ho Chi Minh City
district-1 · 30 Ho Hao Hon Street, Cau Kho Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Down an alley off Ho Hao Hon, this old Chinese-Vietnamese counter serves cheap egg-noodle and wonton soups for breakfast, a longtime local favourite.
Tip: It is a morning spot down a hem; go for an early, filling and very cheap breakfast bowl.
Hue Food Bun Mam Nem ★ 3.8 · Ho Chi Minh City
district-3 · 242/14 Nguyen Thien Thuat Street, Ward 3, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
This District 3 alley kitchen specialises in central-Vietnamese bun mam nem, cold vermicelli with grilled pork, herbs and a punchy fermented-anchovy dressing.
Tip: It sits down a narrow lane; the fermented-anchovy sauce is the whole point, so do not skip it.