Vietnamese Food Guide 2026 – 12 Must-Try Dishes for Indians

Last updated: June 27, 2026

Vietnamese food is light, fresh, and packed with herbs – a refreshing contrast to heavy Indian cuisine. Here are the 12 dishes you must try and where to find them.

1. Pho (Northern Vietnam)

Vietnam’s national dish. Rice noodle soup with beef (pho bo) or chicken (pho ga). Hanoi style is purer, Saigon style sweeter. Pho Thin (Hanoi) for the classic 50-year-old recipe. Veg version (pho chay) widely available.

2. Banh Mi (Throughout)

French baguette + Vietnamese ingredients. Crispy outside, soft inside, filled with pate, pork, pickled vegetables, cilantro, chili. Banh Mi Phuong in Hoi An (Anthony Bourdain-famous), Banh Mi 25 in Hanoi.

3. Bun Cha (Hanoi)

Grilled pork patties + rice noodles + herbs + dipping sauce. Obama and Bourdain ate this at Bun Cha Huong Lien in 2016. Best for non-vegetarian travelers.

4. Goi Cuon (Spring Rolls)

Fresh (not fried) rice paper rolls with prawns, pork, noodles, herbs. Healthy, light. Vegetarian versions everywhere. Dip in peanut sauce. Try at any pho restaurant.

5. Cao Lau (Hoi An Exclusive)

Only made in Hoi An using water from a specific 1000-year-old well. Thick rice noodles, pork, crispy croutons, herbs. Try at Trung Bac restaurant.

6. Mi Quang (Central Vietnam)

Turmeric-yellow noodles, shrimp, pork, ground peanuts, rice cracker on top. Different from pho – drier, more textural. Da Nang and Hoi An specialty.

7. Bun Bo Hue

Spicy beef noodle soup from Hue. The spiciest mainstream Vietnamese dish – actually somewhat spicy by Indian standards. Includes pork knuckle, beef, blood pudding (optional skip).

8. Banh Xeo

Crispy turmeric pancake stuffed with shrimp, pork, bean sprouts. Wrap a piece in lettuce + herbs and dip in nuoc cham. Crispy outside, soft inside.

9. Vietnamese Coffee (Ca Phe Sua Da)

Strong dark roast dripped slowly over condensed milk + ice. Ridiculously sweet, gives you wings. Also try Egg Coffee (Hanoi specialty, egg yolk + condensed milk + coffee whisked together) at Cafe Giang.

10. Pho Cuon

Pho noodle rolls – thin rice sheets wrapped around beef and herbs, dipped in nuoc cham. Hanoi specialty. Lighter than spring rolls.

11. Com Tam (Broken Rice – Saigon)

Broken rice grains with grilled pork chop, fried egg, pickled vegetables. Saigon’s everyday lunch. Cheap (Rs.150-250) and filling.

12. Che (Sweet Soup)

Vietnamese dessert – mung bean, coconut milk, tapioca, ice. Refreshing. Che Ba Mau (3-color), Che Bap (sweet corn) are starter versions.

For Vegetarian Indians

Vietnam has a strong Buddhist vegetarian tradition. Look for “Com Chay” (vegetarian restaurant) signs – they serve mock meat dishes made of tofu/wheat gluten. Vietnamese pho chay, banh mi chay, goi cuon chay are all common. Indians will find more vegetarian options than expected.

Vietnamese dishes you must try

Vietnamese food is fresh, light and bursting with herbs — a delight for Indian travellers. Start with pho, the iconic noodle soup, and banh mi, the French-influenced baguette sandwich. Try fresh and fried spring rolls, bun cha (grilled pork with noodles), com tam (broken rice), and the turmeric-and-herb pancake banh xeo. Northern, central and southern Vietnam each have specialities — Hue’s spicy bun bo, Hoi An’s cao lau and white rose dumplings. Wash it down with famous Vietnamese egg coffee or iced coffee.

Tips for vegetarians

Vegetarians can eat well, especially as Buddhist vegetarian (“an chay”) food is widespread — look for “chay” restaurants and stalls. Fresh spring rolls (ask for veg), tofu dishes, vegetable pho and banh mi, and rice plates are reliable. Watch for fish sauce (nuoc mam) and shrimp paste, which appear even in seemingly veg dishes; ask for versions without them. Learning “an chay” helps enormously, and many places near temples cater specifically to vegetarians. Fresh fruit and the famous coffees are always safe, delicious choices.

Eating well on your trip

Street stalls and small family eateries serve the best, cheapest food — follow the local crowds for freshness. Vietnamese food is generally mild, so spice lovers may want extra chilli on the side. Drink bottled water, be a little cautious with ice in rural areas, and enjoy the herb-heavy, healthy flavours. Try a cooking class in Hoi An or Hanoi to take the recipes home. From a steaming bowl of pho on a street corner to egg coffee in a hidden cafe, food is one of the great joys of visiting Vietnam.

Frequently asked questions

Is Vietnamese food good for vegetarians?

Yes — Buddhist vegetarian (“an chay”) food is widespread. Seek out “chay” eateries, and watch for fish sauce and shrimp paste in otherwise veg dishes, asking for versions without them.

What Vietnamese dishes should I try?

Pho, banh mi, fresh and fried spring rolls, bun cha, com tam, banh xeo, and regional specialities like cao lau — plus the famous egg and iced coffees.

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