19 upscale places in Ho Chi Minh City, editor-picked. occasion restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City: destination kitchens for celebrations and visits. All Ho Chi Minh City food.
Esta Saigon ★ 4.4
district-1 · 27 Tran Quy Khoach Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Esta is a District 1 tasting room where a modern kitchen plates Asian fusion; it has featured in the Michelin Guide and Robb Report Vietnam's top 25.
Tip: Reservations are strongly recommended; email or call ahead, as the room is small and books out.
Quince Saigon ★ 4.4
district-1 · 37bis Ky Con Street, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Quince is a Michelin Selected wood-fire kitchen open since 2018, where an open hearth of glowing embers drives bold, smoke-kissed modern cooking.
Tip: The open kitchen counter is the seat to book for the full show.
Stoker Woodfired Grill and Bar ★ 4.3
district-1 · 44 Mac Thi Buoi Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Stoker is a Michelin-listed three-floor steakhouse in District 1 built around an open wood fire and grass-fed and grain-fed beef dry-aged over 21 days.
Tip: The ground-floor counter around the open kitchen is the liveliest seat.
Le Corto ★ 4.3
district-1 · 5D Nguyen Sieu Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Le Corto is a polished French room off Dong Khoi, open since 2016, plating foie gras, duck, pigeon and souffle from a long list of French classics.
Tip: The bar pours a deep French wine list; smart-casual dress suits the room.
Vietnam House ★ 4.3
district-1 · 93-95-97 Dong Khoi Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam House sits in a colonial building on Dong Khoi, where a team under chef Luke Nguyen elevates traditional Vietnamese dishes with a modern twist.
Tip: The upstairs dining room is grander; lunch is a quieter time to visit.
Hoa Tuc ★ 4.3
district-1 · 74/7 Hai Ba Trung Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Hoa Tuc plates refined modern Vietnamese cooking in a former opium-refinery courtyard off Hai Ba Trung, and runs the well-known Saigon Cooking Class upstairs.
Tip: The courtyard is a calm escape from the traffic; book for dinner outdoors.
Nephele ★ 4.2
binh-thanh · 125/12 Nguyen Cuu Van Street, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City
Nephele is a Michelin Selected modern Vietnamese room in Binh Thanh, working local herbs and seasonal produce into a quiet, contemporary set menu.
Tip: It sits down a residential lane in Binh Thanh; booking ahead is the safe move for dinner.
Okra Food Bar ★ 4.2
thao-dien · 10 Thao Dien Street, Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City
Okra Food Bar is a Michelin Selected Thao Dien room plating modern Vietnamese small plates alongside a serious cocktail list in a compact, design-led space.
Tip: Seats are limited and the counter is the best view of the kitchen; reserve for weekends.
ST25 by KOTO ★ 4.2
district-1 · 17 Le Duan Boulevard, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
ST25 by KOTO is a Michelin Selected farm-to-table Vietnamese restaurant on Le Duan, run by the KOTO social enterprise that trains at-risk youth.
Tip: Eating here supports KOTO's hospitality training programme; the set lunch is good value.
The Deck Saigon ★ 4.2
thao-dien · 38 Nguyen U Di Street, Thao Dien Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
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.
Tip: Arrive before dusk for a table on the water; it runs a popular weekend brunch and river shuttle.
The Racha Room ★ 4.2
district-1 · 12-14 Mac Thi Buoi Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
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.
Tip: It turns into a lively bar later; book for dinner if you want a quieter table.
Noir. Dining in the Dark ★ 4.2
district-1 · 180D Hai Ba Trung Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Noir serves a set tasting menu in complete darkness, guided by blind and visually impaired waiters, a District 1 dinner about taste, smell and touch.
Tip: Lock your phone away and let the waiters lead; book online in advance.
MAD House ★ 4.2
thao-dien · 6/1/2 Nguyen U Di Street, Thao Dien Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
MAD House is a laid-back garden restaurant in a Thao Dien villa, serving modern European and Vietnamese plates across a leafy indoor-outdoor space.
Tip: The tropical garden is the reason to come; go for a long lazy lunch.
Social Club Rooftop Bar ★ 4.2
district-3 · 76-78 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
Social Club sits atop the Hotel des Arts with an infinity pool and one of the city's best skyline outlooks, a polished rooftop for sunset cocktails.
Tip: It is on the roof of Hotel des Arts; come for sunset drinks before it fills for the DJ set.
MAD Wine Bar and Eatery ★ 4.2
thao-dien · 63 Xuan Thuy Street, Thao Dien Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
MAD helped pioneer Saigon's wine-bar culture, a relaxed Thao Dien room with one of the city's deepest lists by the glass, leaning old-world.
Tip: The by-the-glass list rotates often; ask the staff to pour you something off the beaten track.
Ngoc Suong Seafood ★ 4.1
district-1 · 106 Suong Nguyet Anh Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
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.
Tip: It suits a group seafood banquet; fish is priced by weight from the tanks.
Saint Honore ★ 4.1
thao-dien · 17 Tran Ngoc Dien Street, Thao Dien Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
Saint Honore is a French boulangerie and patisserie in Thao Dien, baking laminated croissants, tarts and gateaux to a high standard for the riverside expat.
Tip: It is on the pricier side but the viennoiserie is among the best in the district.
Chill Skybar ★ 4.1
district-1 · Level 26, AB Tower, 76A Le Lai Street, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Chill Skybar was Vietnam's first rooftop bar, a sprawling open-air deck on the 26th floor of the AB Tower with 360-degree city views and pricey drinks.
Tip: There is a smart dress code; arrive before dark for a table on the open-air rail.
The Refinery ★ 4.1
district-1 · 74 Hai Ba Trung Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
The Refinery is a French brasserie and wine bar in a heritage former opium refinery, a Saigon institution since 2006 with a leafy courtyard.
Tip: The courtyard is a calm escape from the traffic; it doubles as a full brasserie for lunch.