Mid-Range in Ho Chi Minh City

Cuc Gach Quan ★ 4.4

tan-dinh · 10 Dang Tat Street, Tan Dinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Cuc Gach Quan is a Bib Gourmand favourite: an architect's old villa turned into a warm room for home-style Southern Vietnamese cooking and clay-pot braises.

Tip: There is no fixed menu; tell the staff your group size and let the dishes arrive family style.

Pizza 4P's Saigon Centre ★ 4.4

district-1 · Level 6, Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Pizza 4P's is the Vietnam-born chain that makes its own cheese and fires Japanese-Italian pizzas; the Saigon Centre branch is its polished downtown flagship.

Tip: Book ahead; the chain is hugely popular and the mall branch fills at lunch and dinner.

Maison Marou ★ 4.4

district-1 · 167-169 Calmette Street, Nguyen Thai Binh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Maison Marou is the cafe and patisserie arm of Marou, the Saigon bean-to-bar chocolate maker, turning its single-origin Vietnamese chocolate into tarts.

Tip: You can watch pastry work through the glass; the boxed bars make the best edible souvenir.

The Workshop Coffee ★ 4.4

district-1 · 27 Ngo Duc Ke Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

The Workshop was among the first cafes to take specialty coffee seriously in Saigon, a light-filled heritage loft up a staircase off Dong Khoi.

Tip: It is up a rickety staircase off Dong Khoi; the big windows make it a fine spot to work.

Every Half Coffee Roasters ★ 4.4

district-3 · 232/23 Vo Thi Sau Street, Vo Thi Sau Ward, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City

Every Half grew from a 2016 personal project into one of Saigon's most respected roasteries, its District 3 cafe drawing coffee people for pour-overs.

Tip: The baristas here are serious about extraction; ask to try whatever they are dialling.

Drinking and Healing ★ 4.4

district-1 · 25 Ho Tung Mau Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Drinking and Healing is one of Saigon's most sought-after cocktail bars, a dim speakeasy where the drinks lean on Vietnamese herbs and spirits.

Tip: It is up a narrow staircase with no obvious sign; book ahead as the room is tiny.

Okkio Caffe ★ 4.3

district-1 · 151 Dong Khoi Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Okkio is a design-led Saigon coffee brand whose Dong Khoi flagship, up an alley and a flight of stairs, is a local favourite for coconut coffee.

Tip: The entrance is up an alley off Dong Khoi; look for the small sign and climb the stairs.

Bosgaurus Coffee Roasters ★ 4.3

district-1 · 3A-3B Ton Duc Thang Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Bosgaurus is one of Saigon's most serious roasters, working Vietnamese highland beans alongside imported single origins in a striking multi-storey cafe.

Tip: The riverside Ton Duc Thang space is the flagship; ask the baristas what they just roasted.

Snuffbox ★ 4.3

district-1 · 19/6 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Snuffbox is a hidden speakeasy off Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, an intimate low-lit room turning out precise classics and house cocktails for Saigon.

Tip: The entrance is deliberately discreet; call ahead and the staff will point you to the door.

Layla Eatery and Bar ★ 4.3

district-1 · 63 Dong Du Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Layla is a buzzy cocktail bar and eatery in a colonial apartment block off Dong Du, with one of the city's longest bars, floor-to-ceiling windows.

Tip: It is the bigger sister of Summer Experiment; the eleven-metre bar is the seat to grab.

Pasteur Street Brewing Company ★ 4.3

district-1 · 144 Pasteur Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Pasteur Street opened in 2014 and helped start Saigon's craft-beer boom, brewing American styles laced with Vietnamese ingredients like passion fruit.

Tip: The original taproom is up an alley off Pasteur; the tasting flight is the way to sample widely.

Heart of Darkness Craft Brewery ★ 4.3

district-1 · 31D Ly Tu Trong Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Heart of Darkness is one of Saigon's most ambitious breweries, its Ly Tu Trong taproom pouring 20-plus taps of experimental beers under Conrad-inspired names.

Tip: The 20-plus taps rotate fast; the shaded patio is the seat to grab on a hot afternoon.

Secret Garden ★ 4.2

district-1 · 158 Pasteur Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Secret Garden hides on the rooftop of an old apartment block off Pasteur, serving home-style Southern Vietnamese cooking on a breezy open-air terrace.

Tip: It is up several flights inside an old building; look for the small sign and keep climbing.

Ba Co Loc Coc ★ 4.2

district-3 · 40A Tran Cao Van Street, Ward 6, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City

Ba Co Loc Coc is a Michelin Selected room for traditional Southern Vietnamese home cooking in District 3: grilled meats, clay pots and market vegetables.

Tip: It fills fast with local families at dinner; go early or book ahead on weekends.

Hoi An Sense ★ 4.2

district-1 · 12 Phan Ke Binh Street, Da Kao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Hoi An Sense is a Michelin Selected restaurant bringing central Vietnamese cooking to a garden villa in Da Kao, from cao lau to white rose dumplings.

Tip: The garden courtyard is the seat to request; there is often live traditional music at dinner.

Dim Tu Tac ★ 4.2

district-5 · 29B Tran Hung Dao Street, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City

Dim Tu Tac is a Bib Gourmand Cantonese house in Cho Lon known for its trolleys of dim sum and its Peking duck, a fixture of District 5 banquet dining.

Tip: Go with a group for the duck and a full round of dumplings; weekend lunch is the liveliest.

L'Usine Le Thanh Ton ★ 4.2

district-1 · 19 Le Thanh Ton Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

L'Usine is a cafe, all-day kitchen and concept store rolled into one, its Le Thanh Ton branch a bright colonial-loft spot for Western brunch.

Tip: The cafe hides behind the boutique; walk through the shop to reach the tables.

Lacaph ★ 4.2

district-1 · 220A Nguyen Cong Tru Street, Nguyen Thai Binh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Lacaph is a coffee experience space and roaster devoted to Vietnamese beans, its exposed-brick District 1 room built for tastings of phin-brewed coffee.

Tip: Book the tasting flight to compare phin, filter and espresso brews of the same Vietnamese bean.

Stir ★ 4.2

district-1 · 136 Le Thanh Ton Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Stir is a hidden cocktail bar tucked inside a District 1 residential block, a warm room of seasonal signature drinks that rewards anyone who finds it.

Tip: It hides inside a residential building; look for the unmarked stairwell off Le Thanh Ton.

Nhau Nhau ★ 4.2

district-1 · 89 Ton That Dam Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Nhau Nhau is the rooftop bar atop Anan Saigon, a narrow perch over the Ton That Dam wet market that riffs on Vietnam's nhau drinking culture with cocktails.

Tip: It shares a building with the one-star Anan; head to the roof for the wet-market view.

Summer Experiment ★ 4.2

district-1 · 77-79 Ly Tu Trong Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Summer Experiment is a sustainability-minded cocktail bar on Ly Tu Trong, growing herbs on its rooftop for a low-waste drinks list served in a warm room.

Tip: It sits above street level on Ly Tu Trong; the rooftop herb garden supplies the bar.

East West Brewing Co. ★ 4.2

district-1 · 181-185 Ly Tu Trong Street, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

East West is a large modern brewpub on Ly Tu Trong with an on-site brewery and a broad kitchen, the most polished of Saigon's craft-beer halls.

Tip: It doubles as a full restaurant; the industrial upstairs bar is quieter than the ground floor.

BiaCraft Artisan Ales ★ 4.2

district-3 · 1 Le Ngo Cat Street, Vo Thi Sau Ward, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City

BiaCraft is a homegrown Saigon taproom pouring 50 craft beers on draft, mixing its own brews with guest taps from craft breweries across Vietnam.

Tip: The Le Ngo Cat branch has the biggest tap wall; pair the beers with the chicken feet.

Oc Dao ★ 4.2

district-1 · 212B/C79 Nguyen Trai Street, Nguyen Cu Trinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Oc Dao is a perpetually packed snail house where Saigon comes to eat oc, working through plates of shellfish over cheap beer late into the night.

Tip: Order several small plates to share; the tamarind and coconut snails are the ones to start the night.

The Cafe Apartment ★ 4.2

district-1 · 42 Nguyen Hue Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Tip: Pay a small fee for the lift or climb the stairs floor by floor; each landing hides a different cafe.

Au Parc ★ 4.2

district-1 · 23 Han Thuyen Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Au Parc faces the park behind the Reunification Palace, a long-running District 1 brunch spot for Mediterranean and Middle Eastern plates, shakshuka.

Tip: Grab a table on the pavement facing the park; weekend brunch is busy, so come early.

Home Saigon ★ 4.1

district-1 · 185/28 Pham Ngu Lao Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Home Saigon tucks into a quiet alley off Pham Ngu Lao, plating polished versions of family Southern Vietnamese recipes in a set of restored old-house rooms.

Tip: It sits down a narrow hem; the street entrance is easy to miss, so follow the house numbers.

Bep Me In ★ 4.1

district-1 · 136/9 Le Thanh Ton Street, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Bep Me In is a Michelin Bib Gourmand room dressing up Southern Vietnamese home cooking in a nostalgic old-Saigon setting just off Le Thanh Ton in District 1.

Tip: The retro decor draws a young local crowd; it is down a lane, so watch the house numbers.

Quan Bui ★ 4.1

district-1 · 2A Le Duan Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Quan Bui is a polished mini-chain of Vietnamese restaurants, and its Le Duan branch is a reliable, air-conditioned room for Southern home cooking.

Tip: It is a comfortable introduction to Vietnamese food for first-timers, with an English menu and cocktails.

Baba's Kitchen ★ 4.1

pham-ngu-lao · 274 Bui Vien Street, Pham Ngu Lao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Baba's Kitchen is Saigon's best-known Indian restaurant, a Bui Vien mainstay for North and South Indian curries, tandoor grills and thali plates.

Tip: It is on the backpacker strip; the thali is the value order and the kitchen does mild-to-fiery on request.

Runam Bistro ★ 4.1

district-1 · 3 Cong Xa Paris Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Runam is a lavish multi-storey cafe in a French-style mansion facing the cathedral, pouring Vietnamese egg coffee and hot drip alongside a full breakfast.

Tip: It faces Notre Dame Cathedral; the upstairs rooms are quieter for a slow breakfast.

Old Compass Cafe ★ 4.1

district-1 · 63/11 Pasteur Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Old Compass is a bohemian third-floor cafe and cultural space hidden down a Pasteur alley, a bookish, old-world room for drip coffee, tea and events.

Tip: It is up three flights down an alley by Liberty Citypoint; the entrance is easy to miss, so watch for the sign.

The Vagabond Patisserie ★ 4.1

district-1 · 9 Tran Cao Van Street, Da Kao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

The Vagabond is a patisserie and cafe set in a restored old villa in Da Kao, pairing carefully made French pastries and cakes with coffee in a calm room.

Tip: The old-house setting is the draw; the pastry case is best stocked earlier in the day.

Rehab Station ★ 4.1

district-1 · 27/6 Nguyen Binh Khiem Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Rehab Station is a moody cocktail bar set in a restored old building off Nguyen Binh Khiem, a favourite of Saigon's late crowd for well-made drinks.

Tip: It sits down a lane near the Botanical Gardens; it hits its stride late in the evening.

Winking Seal Beer Co. ★ 4.1

district-1 · 50 Dang Thi Nhu Street, Nguyen Thai Binh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Winking Seal is a craft brewery whose District 1 taproom on Dang Thi Nhu pours its own hop-forward and easy-drinking cans and drafts, a relaxed spot.

Tip: The beer is brewed south of the city but the Dang Thi Nhu taproom pours the full range fresh.

Vua Cua ★ 4.1

district-1 · 376 Vo Van Kiet Street, Co Giang Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Vua Cua, the Crab King, is a lively evening seafood joint on Vo Van Kiet where the draw is crab cooked every way, from tamarind to salted-egg, with cold beer.

Tip: Come hungry with a group; crab is priced by weight and meant to be shared.

Quan Ngon 138 ★ 4.0

district-1 · 138 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Quan Ngon 138 gathers dozens of regional Vietnamese street dishes near the Independence Palace, cooked at open stalls inside a colonial-era house.

Tip: It is busy and touristy but a painless way to sample many regional dishes in one sitting.

Lang Nuong Nam Bo ★ 4.0

district-10 · 302A To Hien Thanh Street, Ward 15, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City

Lang Nuong Nam Bo is a rowdy Southern barbecue institution where whole suckling pig and skewers come off open grills across a sprawling District 10 compound.

Tip: Come with a group and plenty of beer; the grilled meats are meant for sharing.

Nha Hang Ngon ★ 4.0

district-1 · 160 Pasteur Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Nha Hang Ngon is a bustling institution in a colonial villa on Pasteur, gathering open stalls of regional Vietnamese street dishes under one roof.

Tip: It is touristy and busy but a painless one-stop sampler of dozens of Vietnamese dishes.

Lau Bo Nha Go ★ 4.0

district-3 · 162 Ly Thai To Street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City

Nha Go is a rustic wood-lined beef hotpot house on Ly Thai To, where groups gather around bubbling pots of lau bo with fresh herbs, noodles and beef.

Tip: Hotpot here is a group affair; go with several people and order a mix of beef cuts.