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Four Vietnamese restaurants receive Michelin stars for the first time.
Out of 103 selected restaurants, three in Hanoi and one in Ho Chi Minh City were awarded a "one Michelin Star" for their excellent cooking quality and outstanding culinary experience, making them worthy choices for visitors to Vietnam. On the evening of June 6th, the Michelin Guide announced the list of the first Michelin-starred restaurants in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, including: Anăn Saigon in Ho Chi Minh City; Gia, Hibana by Koki, and Tầm Vị, both in Hanoi.
Anan Saigon is a contemporary Vietnamese restaurant. Chef Peter Cuong Franklin of Anan Saigon has applied modern cooking techniques to street food recipes, creating delicious and appealing flavors that have earned the restaurant a Michelin Star.
Gia (Hanoi) is a contemporary Vietnamese restaurant by Chef Sam Tran. The restaurant has been awarded a Michelin star for its seasonal menu, inspired by Vietnam's culinary heritage.
Four Vietnamese restaurants receive Michelin stars for the first time.
Hibana by Koki (Hanoi) offers an impressive visual experience with its 14-seat dining counter in the basement of the Capella Hotel, where Chef Hiroshi Yamaguchi demonstrates his skillful and meticulous teppanyaki cooking, delivering dishes with rich and delicious flavors. The menu features luxurious dishes made from premium ingredients imported directly from Japan twice a week, including abalone, spiny lobster, sea urchin, Yaeyama Kyori beef, and Hokkaido hairy crab.
Tam Vi (Hanoi) is a restaurant with a classic tea house style, reflecting the authentic Northern Vietnamese atmosphere with a collection of antique Chinese-style furniture and couplets carved on wooden boards. The restaurant primarily serves home-style Northern Vietnamese dishes, but diners can also choose some Central or Southern Vietnamese dishes.
The Michelin Guide is currently considered the world's most prestigious culinary guide, ranking restaurants using a "star" system. One star is awarded to a restaurant that "offers delicious food and is worth a visit." Two stars indicate "an excellent restaurant with food that deserves a return." Three stars (the highest) signify "a superb restaurant with food that is worth planning a visit to."
The late Master Chef Joël Robuchon once stated in Food & Wine magazine: “With one Michelin star, you grow your business by about 20%. Two stars, about 40%, and with three stars, it’s about 100%.” The presence of the Michelin Guide and its star rating system has also led to an 80% increase in the workforce at Michelin-starred restaurants. Statistics and expectations from culinary establishments around the world demonstrate that the Michelin Guide and its list of star-rated restaurants are a “boost,” not only for the development of the culinary industry but also for the economy and tourism of nations.
Anh Vu fish cake, Cham Yen Ninh chicken pho, Obama bun cha... have been shortlisted by Michelin.
In addition to the four Michelin-starred restaurants, 103 restaurants in Vietnam made the list across three categories: Michelin Selected (Michelin-recommended); Michelin Guide Special Awards; and Bib Gourmand (affordable and delicious restaurants).
The list includes 70 Michelin-selected restaurants, comprising 32 in Hanoi and 38 in Ho Chi Minh City. Restaurants such as Anh Vu Fish Cake, Huong Lien Bun Cha (Obama's Bun Cha), Cham Yen Ninh Chicken Pho, Au Trieu Beef Pho, Prime Kitchen, and Vietnam House are among those featured.
The Bib Gourmand list includes 29 restaurants, 13 of which are in Hanoi and 16 in Ho Chi Minh City, with some notable examples such as 1946 Cua Bac, Bun Cha Ta, Cha Ca Thang Long, Chao Ban, Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su, Pho Chao, Pho Minh, Xoi Com, etc.
Châm Yên Ninh, the owner of a chicken pho restaurant in Hanoi, said that being named on the Michelin Selected list is a great honor for her restaurant. She plans to hold a free food sale to express her gratitude to customers who have supported and loved her restaurant.
Ms. Ngo Thi Phi Nga, owner of Au Trieu Beef Pho restaurant (right) and owner of Pho Chao restaurant. These are two of the 29 restaurants in the Bib Gourmand category.
Ms. Ngo Thi Phi Nga, owner of Au Trieu Beef Pho restaurant - one of the 29 restaurants in the Bib Gourmand category - sees this as an opportunity to promote the image of her restaurant to a large number of domestic and international tourists, thereby introducing Vietnamese cuisine.
Mr. Ahmad Faiez Mohamed Pisal, CEO of Michelin Vietnam, stated that restaurants included in the Michelin list are recognized not only as the best in the city and region but also in the world. Through anonymous visits and rigorous evaluations, the assessors ensure that only the most exceptional and outstanding culinary experiences are recognized and worthy of being honored on the first Michelin list in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
103 restaurants/eateries were honored across 4 award categories, including 4 Michelin-starred restaurants, 70 Michelin Selected restaurants, 29 Bib Gourmand restaurants, and 3 Michelin Guide Special Award winners.
Ms. Nguyen Vu Quynh Anh, General Director of Sun Hospitality Group, affirmed: "We understand that this historic milestone has only just been set, and the journey ahead, for Vietnam to win even more Michelin awards in the future, will require a great deal of effort. But with the presence of the Michelin Guide and the efforts of chefs and those working in the culinary industry throughout Vietnam, we believe that very soon, Vietnam will be a world-class culinary destination that every international traveler should visit at least once in their lifetime.”
Furthermore, Michelin representatives emphasized that there are five criteria for evaluating restaurants, including product quality, culinary skill, flavor harmony, the chef's personality reflected in the dishes, and consistency of the dishes over time and across the entire menu.
