International$$$thao-dienDaily 08:00-23:00
The Deck is a luxe riverside restaurant on the Saigon River in Thao Dien, plating modern pan-Asian and Western dishes across a broad open deck.
Signature: Grilled seafood, Modern Asian plates, River-view dining
Order: Grilled seafood at sunset with a river view.
Tip: Arrive before dusk for a table on the water; it runs a popular weekend brunch and river shuttle.
Indian$$pham-ngu-laoDaily 10:00-23:00
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.
Signature: Butter chicken, Biryani, Thali
Order: The butter chicken with garlic naan, or a South Indian thali.
Tip: It is on the backpacker strip; the thali is the value order and the kitchen does mild-to-fiery on request.
Thai$$$district-1Daily 11:00-24:00
The Racha Room is a stylish Thai fusion restaurant and bar on Mac Thi Buoi, plating punchy modern Thai plates and cocktails in a dim, design-led District 1.
Signature: Massaman curry, Pad Thai, Thai fusion plates
Order: The massaman curry and a lemongrass cocktail.
Tip: It turns into a lively bar later; book for dinner if you want a quieter table.
Vietnamese$$district-1Daily 07:00-22:00
Nha Hang Ngon is a bustling institution in a colonial villa on Pasteur, gathering open stalls of regional Vietnamese street dishes under one roof.
Signature: Banh xeo, Goi cuon, Regional street dishes
Order: A spread of small dishes; the banh xeo and cha gio are reliable.
Tip: It is touristy and busy but a painless one-stop sampler of dozens of Vietnamese dishes.
Japanese$$$$district-1Daily 10:00-22:00
Sorae is a high-end Japanese restaurant and lounge in the AB Tower, serving sushi, sashimi and wagyu across a dramatic space with skyline views.
Signature: Sushi, Sashimi, Wagyu
Order: The omakase sushi selection or the wagyu.
Tip: It sits at the base of the AB Tower; dress smart and book a window table for the view.
Seafood$$$district-1Daily 10:00-22:00
Ngoc Suong is a long-running upscale seafood restaurant in a classic villa on Suong Nguyet Anh, plating fresh fish, prawns and crab in a formal room.
Signature: Steamed fish, Grilled prawns, Crab
Order: Steamed reef fish and salt-and-pepper prawns.
Tip: It suits a group seafood banquet; fish is priced by weight from the tanks.