Street food is one of the factors that attract tourists to Vietnam. So today, we will introduce the top 14 Vietnamese street food for you to experience when coming to this Asian country.
1. Vietnamese Bread (Banh mi)
Banh mi is one of the most popular street food in Vietnam. If you go around Vietnam, you can see many shops selling banh mi on the big streets or alleys. And Vietnamese can eat this dish at any time of the day. Because each region of Vietnam has a different way of making bread, Vietnamese bread has many flavors.
Generally, Vietnamese people often eat bread with cucumber, herbs, omelets, and pate. Until now, bread is well-known worldwide, and this dish is on the list of the most attractive dishes on the planet.
2. Mixed Rice Paper (Banh Trang Tron)
Another street food that is also very attractive to tourists is mixed rice paper. This dish is unique and strange to foreign tourists because this dish is a combination of many different ingredients
When eating Vietnamese mixed rice paper, visitors will experience the salty taste of salt, the sour taste of mango, the fatty smell of dried onions, and the spicy taste. All mixed to create a delicious dish for everyone.
Mixed rice paper is more prevalent in the South than in the North. In Ho Chi Minh City, young people especially love this dish because of its unique taste. This dish, which is equally famous as other street foods, is listed by CNN as one of the best dishes in Asia.
3. Balut (Trung Vit Lon)
Balut is a dish that scares many tourists. However, that’s when they haven’t tried it yet. Because if they can eat a balut, they will want to eat more
Although Balut Vietnam is indeed scary in the eyes of foreign tourists, this dish is highly nutritious and attractive to Vietnamese people. Northerners often eat balut with laksa leaves, soup powder, and sliced ginger. Sometimes, they put balut in the hot pot to make the broth sweeter.
In the central and South Vietnam, people eat balut other-style. They put eggs in a small bowl, then use a spoon to knock on the other end and eat with salt, pepper, and laksa leaves.
4. Vietnamese Spring rolls (Goi Cuon)
Many foreign tourists come to Vietnam and are very interested in this rustic dish because of its freshness. And foreigners often call Goi Cuon “Vietnamese Salad rolls” or “Vietnamese Summer Rolls.”
When eaten with soy sauce or seasoning fish sauce, this dish impresses diners with the harmonious combination of fresh vermicelli, boiled pork, peeled boiled shrimp, and raw vegetables impress diners.
Goi Cuon is a delicious Vietnamese dish loved by many travelers and artists. Stars like Rose of Blackpink or Park Bogum have also promoted this attractive dish. Goi Cuon is also included in the top 50 best dishes by CNN and chef Gordon Ramsay.
5. Vietnamese Offals (Pha Lau)
Vietnamese Offals, known as “Pha Lau,” is a unique and adventurous street food found in Vietnam. This flavorful dish is made from various types of offal, such as tripe, intestines, and other organ meats, cooked in a rich and aromatic curry-like broth.
Pha Lau is well-loved by locals for its bold and intense flavors, combining the earthy taste of offal with the fragrant spices of the curry sauce.
Served as a popular street food, Pha Lau offers a truly authentic culinary experience, inviting both locals and travelers to savor the diverse and adventurous side of Vietnamese street cuisine.
6. Vietnamese Sweet Soup (Che)
The dish next on the list of street food in Vietnam is sweet soup. In addition, it is also one of the popular Vietnamese desserts. This dish is often served with shaved ice to create a more refreshing feeling. It is sold in markets, sidewalk shops, or at school gates.
A cup of sweet soup quenches thirst and the heat and helps your stomach when hungry. You can enjoy many kinds of sweet soup in Vietnam, such as black bean sweet soup, corn sweet soup, and Thai sweet soup.
7. Vietnamese Fried Banana Cake (Bánh Chuoi Chien)
Banana is a very popular fruit in Vietnam. Therefore, this ingredient is often used to make delicious and attractive cakes. Long banana chips dipped in flour and rice flour after frying will have a crispy golden crust but are soft and sweet inside. This dish is simple and easy to make but tastes excellent when enjoyed.
8. Hu Tieu
Hu Tieu is a familiar street food at night for many Vietnamese people in the southern region. This dish is so famous that many newspapers praise it. It appeared as a test subject for the US program “King of Chefs” program.
The ingredients for making “Hu Tieu” include noodles, lemon, chili, pork, and raw vegetables such as bean sprouts, herbs, and basil. This unique dish with a sweet and hot soup, mixed with the sour taste of lemon the spicy flavor of chili and, creates a great attraction with many foreign tourists
9. Vietnamese Pizza (Banh Trang Nuong)
Vietnamese pizza is famous street food, no less than other dishes such as mixed rice paper, Vietnamese bread, and Balut. Although it just started appearing five years ago, it has become a popular dish for many young people in Vietnam.
This type of cake is unlike the mixed rice paper I shared above. Vietnamese pizza is made using a spoon to spread the ingredients such as eggs, dried onions, chili sauce, minced meat, fried onions, sausages, and shredded chicken all over the cake, then bake it on a coal fire. Enjoying the cake while it is still hot is best because it will be crispy.
10. Vietnamese Mini Pancakes (Banh Can)
Vietnamese mini pancakes is a street food many Vietnamese people live in coastal cities of Vietnam like Da Nang, Phan Thiet, Vung Tau, and Nha Trang loved. The crispy crust hugs the hot egg, squid, or shrimp filling.
When eating, add a little onion fat and then eat it with spicy and sour fish sauce or fish sauce, making this dish “excellently delicious.”
Vietnamese mini pancakes bring a feeling of fullness for a long time, so it is a popular choice for lunch or dinner in Vietnam.
11. Jerky Beef Salad
Jerky Beef Salad, known as “Nom Bo Kho” in Vietnamese, is a popular and flavorful street food found throughout Vietnam. This delectable snack features thinly sliced, air-dried beef that is seasoned with various spices, creating a savory and slightly sweet taste.
Nom bo kho is often served as a portable and satisfying on-the-go snack, making it a favorite choice among locals and tourists exploring the bustling streets of Vietnam. Its irresistible blend of textures and flavors offers a unique.
12. Vietnamese Fermented Pork Roll
Vietnamese fermented pork roll is a dish that has existed for a long time. This Vietnamese street food is popular in the Northern region of Vietnam, especially Thanh Hoa province. This is a unique dish, from the way to the taste when used.
This food is made from ground pork and microfiber skin. People mix them with the spices well and wrap them in plastic. Finally, people will roll the plastic with the outer layer of banana leaves and leave it for about 3-5 days before using it.
Vietnamese fermented pork roll is usually grilled then served with chili sauce to create a delicious and attractive spicy taste. It is a street food that much Vietnamese love very much, and they often drink Vietnamese beer when eating this dish.
Vietnamese street food is a delicious and essential part of the local food culture. Exploring these street foods not only satisfies your taste buds but also offers a unique insight into the vibrant culinary traditions of Vietnam.