Bun Bo Nam Giao is a vietnamese restaurant in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.
Bun Bo Nam Giao has cooked Hue-style spicy beef noodle soup since 1991, its lemongrass-and-chili broth a backpacker-district fixture near Bui Vien.
Editorially verified July 1, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Signature dishes: Bun bo Hue, Spicy beef noodle soup
Must order: The full bun bo Hue with beef shank and cha.
Tip: The broth is fiery by Southern standards; add the shrimp paste on the side to taste.
Address: 248 De Tham Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Banh Canh Cua 87 is a Tan Dinh sidewalk institution with a single-minded focus: a thick, savoury crab noodle soup of tapioca noodles, crab and quail eggs.
Signature: Banh canh cua, Crab tapioca noodle soup
Order: The full banh canh cua loaded with crab and quail eggs.
Tip: It is a busy sidewalk stall with plastic stools; go mid-afternoon to beat the crowd.
Ha Ky is a long-running Cho Lon dessert house serving Cantonese-style sweet soups, warm and cold che by the bowl, in the heart of District 5's Chinatown.
Signature: Che, Chinese sweet soups, Sesame ball soup
Order: A bowl of warm black-sesame or almond sweet soup.
Tip: It doubles as a savoury spot, but locals come for the Chinese sweet soups after dinner.
Com Ga Hai Nam plates Hainanese-style chicken over rice cooked in the poaching broth, a tidy District 10 counter for steamed or roasted chicken.
Signature: Com ga, Hainanese chicken rice, Roast chicken rice
Order: Steamed chicken over the broth-cooked rice with ginger sauce.
Tip: Ask for a mix of steamed and roasted chicken if you cannot choose; both are strong.
This District 10 counter is known for banh canh ghe, a thick tapioca noodle soup piled with sea crab and served with tangy green-chili salt.
Signature: Banh canh ghe, Crab tapioca noodle soup, Green chili salt
Order: Banh canh ghe with a whole sea crab and the green-chili salt.
Tip: Crack the crab into the soup and dip the meat in the green-chili salt on the side.
Pho Quynh sits on the backpacker strip of Pham Ngu Lao and runs nearly around the clock, a reliable late bowl of pho and beef stew for the Bui Vien crowd.
Signature: Pho bo kho, Beef stew pho, Late-night pho
Order: The pho bo kho, a beef-stew twist on the classic bowl.
Tip: It is one of the few kitchens serving proper pho well after midnight in the backpacker area.
Hai Ky Mi Gia is a Cho Lon institution for mi vit tiem, herbal braised duck over springy egg noodles, a Cantonese noodle house beloved in District 5.
Signature: Mi vit tiem, Duck egg noodles, Wonton noodles
Order: Mi vit tiem, the herbal braised-duck egg noodle soup.
Tip: The duck is braised in Chinese herbs; ask for it dry with the broth on the side to taste the noodles.