Ranked by TableJourney editorial score.
A thick, gluey crab noodle soup of chewy tapioca-and-rice noodles in a starchy, savoury broth loaded with crab meat, pork, quail eggs and cha, finished with black pepper and a squeeze of lime. Comforting, rich and unmistakably Saigon.
Banh canh takes its name from its noodles, short thick strands of tapioca and rice flour with a slippery, chewy bite quite unlike pho's flat noodles. The cua version, with crab, is a Saigon favourite, its broth deliberately thickened until it clings. Tan Dinh's sidewalk stalls, including the long-running Banh Canh Cua 87, turned a single bowl into an institution, and coastal variants like banh canh ghe swap sea crab and a green-chili salt. It is eaten at all hours, a heavier, stickier counterpoint to the city's clear-broth noodle soups.
2 editor picks for Banh canh cua in Ho Chi Minh City, ranked by editorial score. All Ho Chi Minh City signature dishes · Banh canh cua across every 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.
OrderThe full banh canh cua loaded with crab and quail eggs.
TipIt is a busy sidewalk stall with plastic stools; go mid-afternoon to beat the crowd.
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.
OrderBanh canh ghe with a whole sea crab and the green-chili salt.
TipCrack the crab into the soup and dip the meat in the green-chili salt on the side.
Banh canh cua makes more sense with someone from Ho Chi Minh City explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
Guided tour · 4.5 hours
Discover Ho Chi Minh City at night on a guided walking tour. Explore Nguyen Hue Walking Street and Bui Vien Street, and enjoy a tasty banh mi from a local shop.
3 hours
Spend three hours with a talented local chef to cook a three-course meal by yourself, following the steps of the instructions given and using only natural ingredients....
Guided tour · 8 hours
Explore Ho Chi Minh City on a guided tour with a Polish-speaking guide. Ride a traditional rickshaw, visit the Jade Emperor's Pagoda, and enjoy a local lunch.
