Just a stone’s throw away from the hotel we were staying at in Ho Chi Minh City, sits cosy little pho joint, Mama Pho Restaurant. The seemingly cafe-style establishment serves up pho as well as other local delights but how it differs from those you get from the streets is a massive variety of pho types, as well as sides.

Mama Pho has a stellar pho-centric menu, featuring not only different flavours of the classic soup-based pho. Here is where you’ll find unique pho-based creations such as their Crispy Pan-Fried Pho, Rolled Pho and even Wok-Fried Pho.

You won’t find many locals dining here given its higher price point, but here’s why we think that Mama Pho is worth a visit regardless.

Stepping into the cosy little joint, you’ll be greeted by gorgeous floor tiles and comfortable seating. The wait staff was attentive and their strong air-conditioning really relaxed us after a long day of walking in the heat.

We went right for the unique Pho Sate Bo (78,000 VND, S$4.61) which is essentially beef pho but served in a rich peanut-based broth instead.

The pho broth was incredibly unique and we liked that it wasn’t overly rich, complementing the springy rice noodles and tender beef slices to perfection. After trying so many bowls of pho, we were glad to dig into something a little different.

We were torn between the Wok-Fried Pho and Crispy Pan-Fried Pho but we settled for the latter.

The Pho Ap Chau Tom & Rau Cu (Sautéed Shrimp & Vegetables over Crispy Pan-Fried Pho, 78,000 VND, SS$4.61) was, unfortunately, a little too tough to bite through.

For a light nibble before your meal, order up the Cahn Ga Chien Sa Nghe (Fried Lemongrass & Turmeric Chicken, 48,000VND, S$2.84). This deep-fried chicken wing delight comes served with a sweet chilli sauce on the side but truly, it stood up well on its own.

The chicken wings were marinated well and who can dislike the combination of turmeric and chicken, fried to golden perfection?

There were a few hits and misses during our visit but despite that, Mama Pho certainly deserves praise for their unique pho creations. Which one will you be trying?

Mama Pho Restaurant
111, Hem so 9, Ben Nghé
Quan 1, Ho Chí Minh, Vietnam
Daily: 8am – 10pm
Tel: +84 28 3915 1009

In a bustling city like Ho Chi Minh City that bustles even more at night, places to find food in the wee hours of the morning is never a difficult feat. And Pho Ha, a cosy little pho-focused eatery in District 1 just a short walk from where we stayed, proved to be a solid go-to to satiate our pho cravings from as late (or early) as 1am.

This late-night spot is a bit of an institution in Saigon. Before the arrival of Bitexco tower across the road, the street that Pho Ha sits on used to be packed with late night pho outlets serving Saigon’s later night revellers.

Having been around for the past 20 years, these folks know how to serve up a proper bowl of pho, so skip your McDonald’s and head over to Pho Ha for a delicious late-night bite instead.

Having knocked back a couple of beers, we were hankering for something hot, soupy and comforting, hence, a bowl of beef pho seemed to be the only logical choice.

Meaty and straightforward yet brimming with heady notes of spices—at only 50,000 VND a bowl—there really is no questioning why the locals here can have this every single day.

Delving into unfamiliar territory, we decided to order their Fried Pho with Beef (85,000 VND). The dish resembles that of the crispy noodles we often find in zi char stalls in Singapore with the only exception being that it did not come with much sauce.

Because there wasn’t much sauce to soften the noodles, the noodles did become a hassle to chew through and our jaws ached after a while. The only saving grace to this would be the strips of tender and well-seasoned beef and onions that helped to amplify the dish’s otherwise non-existent flavour.

Pho Ha
19 Hai Trieu, District 1,
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Tel: +84 91 394 49 43
Daily: 4pm – 2am

For more recommendations, read our Ho Chi Minh City’s guides to discover the best places to visit in the city.

A popular pit stop among the Vietnamese locals, Nhu Lan Bakery houses several food stalls in one. The establishment functions as a banh mi kiosk, a proper sit-down Vietnamese eatery as well as a delicatessen and meat grocer.

Every morning from as early as 5am, throngs of locals park their scooters right outside the eatery, grabbing themselves a quick bite before going about their day. Curious, and pining for a taste of what locals deem delicious, we decided to pay the humble eatery a visit.

They serve everything under the sun, from tasty, proper bowls of pho bo, to a massive selection of banh mi toppings and even some other local delicacies not commonly found elsewhere.

Outside is where you can get your hands on some freshly-made banh mi. Inside, however, they serve a pretty impressive variety of noodle and rice dishes from the classic pho, dry rice noodles to some pretty interesting, rarely heard of items as well.

Having read so much more about Vietnam’s many varieties of noodle dishes, we decided to wing it with their Rice Noodles with Fried Spring Rolls and Barbecued Pork (40,000 VND).

The dish features a colossal portion of rice noodles along with some pickled vegetables, spring rolls, barbecued pork, ground peanuts and a lime wedge. Like most Vietnamese dishes, it also comes with a platter of fresh herbs.

To get the ultimate combination of flavours and textures, you really have to mix everything together. We went with a dash of fish sauce, lime juice, chillis, garlic, fresh herbs simply torn in and sriracha for ours.

The result? A vibrant and addictive mix of fresh flavours that encompassed sweet, sour, salty and spicy.

Unsure of what else to get, we decided to go with our gut and randomly pointed towards one of the lesser intimidating items on the menu. Thankfully, what was served to us was the Rice with Fried Roast Pork, Braised Pork, Pickled Cabbage & Egg (40,000 VND).

Laced with a tangy, salty kick from the pickled cabbage, coupled with the fresh taste of coriander along with the smoky, meaty taste of the barbecued pork, this was honestly one of the most delightful we had—that isn’t pho.

The flavours reminded us of pig’s organ soup, especially with the heavy emphasis on pickled vegetables to counter the porky taste, just that this was much drier.

Stuffed from edge to edge with thin rice noodles, fresh vegetables and slivers of shrimp, we absolutely couldn’t get enough of their Pork & Shrimp Spring Roll (15,000 VND). The rice paper was a little stiff and tricky to nibble through, but besides that, everything was perfect.

We’re not fully sure what went into the dipping sauce, except that it was a mixture of sweet, tangy, savoury and nutty qualities. Come to think of it, hoisin definitely made up a majority of its flavour.

Nhu Lan Bakery
50 Ham Nghi, Ben Nghé, Quan 1,
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Tel: +84 28 3914 1338
Daily: 4am – 11pm
SGD to VND: S$1 : 16981.22 VND (aprox)

For more recommendations, read our Ho Chi Minh City’s guides to discover the best places to visit in the city.

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The bustling and vibrant city of Ho Chi Minh City is the busiest and most populated area in the whole of Vietnam. Named after the late leader of Vietnam, people flock to this colourful city for its friendly people, incredible street food and rich history. For foodies like ourselves, our quest for the best food in Ho Chi Minh City started from the streets.

It is in the streets that you find the best of their street food with the most authentic flavours. Everywhere you stroll in Ho Chi Minh City, you will see a variety of road-side vendors dishing out tasty street food and passing them on to busy motorists or see groups of people sitting on tiny plastic stools enjoying their street food by the sidewalk.

We’ve tasted some of the best street food in Ho Chi Minh City but in our adventures, we also stumbled upon pretty disappointing ones. Here’s our Ho Chi Minh City Street Food Guide to help you find the best street food.

THE CLASSIC PHO BÒ (BEEF NOODLE SOUP)

When you think of Vietnamese food, most people will have pho on their minds. It is the country’s national dish after all.

You can find Pho in just about every street corner in Vietnam. The most common Pho is Pho Bo, or Beef Pho but you can easily find other variations such as Pho Ga (Chicken Pho). While we tried our best to find the best Pho Bo in random alleyways and street corners, our favourite Pho was still the one at Pho Phuong 25, a pho joint just beside the famous Lunch Lady.

Besides the tender cuts of beef and generous portions of other beef parts such as tendon and beef balls, the broth of their pho bo is just sensational. The slightly darker clear broth brimmed with flavour and each mouthful bore an intense meaty quality. Your trip to Ho Chi Minh City will not be complete without a trip here.

Our favourite Pho in Ho Chi Minh City:
Pho Phuong 25
25 Hoàng Sa Da Kao, Quan 1, Ho Chí Minh, Vietnam

Verdict: #1 must-try street food Ho Chi Minh City.

BÁNH MÌ (VIETNAMESE SANDWICH)

Whenever you need a quick and satisfying bite on the go in Vietnam, people go right for a Bahn Mi, a Vietnamese baguette sandwich popular all over the world. Like Pho, Bahn Mi is found is every street corner, available in fancy food joints and street stalls any where in Ho Chi Minh City.

Bahn Mi usually features a baguette sandwich with pork paté, a variety of cooked meats, Vietnamese hams and sausages, pickled vegetables, chilli, coriander and more. You can also customise your own Bahn Mi in most places. While we thoroughly enjoyed the Bahn Mis we had in Ho Chi Minh City, nothing really stood out for us.

Verdict: Worth a try just for the experience. .

BÁNH TRÁNG NUONG (RICE PANCAKE)

While strolling around in the city, we passed by a couple of road-side stalls offering the Bánh Tráng Nuong. It is a type of rice cracker more commonly found in Ho Chi Minh City (in Southern Vietnam). A rice paper sheet is toasted over a charcoal fire to a nice crisp before being topped up with ingredients such as diced vegetables, cream cheese, quail eggs, minced meat and a variety of sauces.

For just about S$1, this pancake was one of the highlights of our trip. Each bite was an explosion of savoury, umami flavours and each bite came with a pleasant crunch. If you see a stall like this around Ho Chi Minh City, do not hesitate!

Verdict: Extremely satisfying, a must to try if you see it around.

COLOURFUL GLUTINOUS RICE

When strolling around the Phan Boi Chau Night Market, we were privy to a street cart offering gorgeous colourful glutinous rice desserts topped with coconut cream and desiccated coconut. We quickly ordered up a serving without first asking for a price. We chose a mix of colours and the total came up to about S$9 for a pathetically small portion.

The sticky rice was hard and not cooked well and the coconut cream made the taste one dimensional. We quickly tossed the dessert away after a bite or two because it was that bad. These street carts hang around the night market and serve tourists exclusively to trick them into buying a portion. You have been warned!

Verdict: Do not try unless you’re recommended by a local. Check the prices beforehand.

VIETNAMESE SPRING ROLLS

You can find Goi Cuon or Vietnamese Spring Rolls every where in Vietnam. In Ho Chi Minh City, you can find street vendors offering them and restaurants serving them as a start or side. On our trip to Ho Chi Minh City, we realised that many locals enjoy this dish as a full-fledged meal. They would gobble up 4 to 6 of these rolls before going about the rest of their day.

We are huge fans of Vietnamese Spring Rolls and each refreshing bite really whets our appetites for more food. Each roll features rice wrappers stuffed with shrimp, Thai basil, mint leaves, coriander, lettuce and more. Dip it in some hoisin sauce and you’re good to go.

Verdict: Must-try street food, easy to consume and great for any time of the day.

For more recommendations, read our Ho Chi Minh City’s guides to discover the best places to visit in the city.