5 delicious dishes you should try when visiting Chinatown, District 5.

1. MIXED RICE PAPER SNACK

When visiting Saigon, you can't miss mixed rice paper salad (banh trang tron). It's jokingly called the "king" of street food because you'll find vendors selling it on almost every street, even hidden in small alleys throughout Saigon. District 5 alone has no shortage of famous mixed rice paper salad stalls.

Here are two highly-rated mixed rice paper salad (banh trang tron) stalls that banh trang tron ​​lovers should try.

Thanh - Mixed Rice Paper Salad

This is a well-known and frequently visited rice paper roll shop. Most customers praise the shop for its delicious rice paper rolls and affordable prices. In particular, the service here has made it a favorite spot for many young people, especially because of its cleanliness.

“Delicious and hygienic. They use gloves to mix the batter and handle the ingredients. There's a glass display case to protect against dust. You don't use your hands to handle money or the food,” said Ha, a regular customer.

Address: 579 Nguyen Trai Street, Ward 7, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City

Opening hours: 11:30 AM - 9:30 PM

Reference price: 10,000 VND - 40,000 VND

Thap Nhat Mixed Rice Paper Salad

Compared to Thanh's rice paper shop, Thap Nhat offers a wider variety of rice paper types and toppings. Notable options include rice paper with scallion oil and pork cracklings, rice paper with finely ground salt and fried onions, mixed rice paper salad, and rolled rice paper.

Address: 892 Nguyen Trai Street, Ward 14, District 5

Opening hours: 09:00 - 21:00

Reference price: 10,000 - 70,000 VND

2. Dim Sum

In Chinese, dim sum (or "dim sum") means to touch the heart. It's a type of light meal consisting of over 100 dishes, including sweet and savory options, prepared by frying or steaming.

The defining characteristic of dim sum is its thin outer layer of dough, encasing a generous filling of shrimp, meat, seafood, and vegetables. Not only are dim sum diverse in preparation methods and ingredients, but it also boasts a wide variety of shapes. The wrappers are skillfully crafted with unique pleats, flower bud designs, fan shapes, and more.

When visiting District 5, you should try these dim sum restaurants:

Hoc Lac Dimsum

This dim sum restaurant meets all the criteria: quality, delicious, and affordable. They offer a wide variety of dim sum, averaging 30,000 VND per plate. While you're here, you should try the various types of dumplings such as shrimp, crab, and scallop; and the crab stick wontons, etc.

Address: 38B Hoc Lac Street, Ward 14, District 5

Opening hours: 06:00 – 11:00

Reference price: 8,000 – 45,000 VND

BAOZ Dimsum

This is a popular and delicious dim sum restaurant in District 5. The dim sum here has a thin wrapper, but the filling is incredibly generous and high-quality. Shrimp dumplings are one of the most popular dishes here. They also have lotus leaf sticky rice with salted egg yolk filling and mixed shumai, which are definitely worth trying.

Address: 82-88 Nguyen Tri Phuong Street, Ward 7, District 5

Opening hours: 06:30 – 14:00; 16:00 – 23:00

Price: 50,000 – 200,000 VND

Minh Ky Dimsum

One of the most famous snack shops in District 5 that you absolutely must visit at least once. The shop opens around 4 PM, but the food sells out very quickly. Most people buy takeout because the shop is always crowded, making it difficult to find a seat.

While you're here, you absolutely must try a plate of mixed dumplings, including shrimp dumplings, pork dumplings, chive dumplings, siu mai, etc. The wrappers are soft, chewy, and just the right thickness, and the fillings are firm and very flavorful. There are also custard buns, custard buns, and chocolate buns that are well worth trying.

Address: 76 Nguyen Thoi Trung Street, Ward 6, District 5

Opening hours: 16:00 - 21:00

Reference price: 5,000 VND - 50,000 VND

3. FLAN

When mentioning delicious food in District 5, you can't forget flan. Some places to enjoy delicious flan in District 5 include:

Sister Mười's Flan

This is a popular spot for young people in Saigon every evening. The menu is very diverse, with many flavors to choose from, such as egg custard, chocolate, durian, green tea, cheese, etc. Most people rate this place as selling delicious flan, but some people say the service here isn't very pleasant. You can consider this before trying it and giving your own review.

Address: 14 Tran Binh Trong Street, Ward 1, District 5

Opening hours: 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Reference price: 5,000 – 10,000 VND

Flan Restaurant 223 Tran Binh Trong

The shop's signature dish is the delicious green tea flan. The flan is very soft, smooth, and creamy, with a perfectly balanced sweetness that isn't overpowering. You can easily eat two or three without feeling satiated. The flavor is sure to make many people want to come back a second time to enjoy it.

Address: 233 Tran Binh Trong Street, District 5

Opening hours: 16:00 – 21:00

Reference price: 15,000 – 22,000 VND

4. ICED COCOA AND BREAD

Mrs. Tam's shop is located at the very end of alley number 14 Tran Binh Trong. The space isn't very large, with seating on the sidewalk and parking right in front. The shop is situated under an apartment building, giving it a simple and airy feel, making it an ideal spot for chatting with friends. The iced cocoa paired with bread might seem unusual, but it's surprisingly delicious. The cocoa isn't too bitter, has a refreshing taste, and goes well with the bread – a unique and delightful combination.

Besides that, Mrs. Tam's shop also offers many other sweet treats such as kumquat tea, shaved ice syrup, tamarind ice, etc., for you to choose from.

Gummy: “This is my first time trying this dish, and I think the combination of bread and cocoa is perfect, delicious, and unique. For something like this, 15k is very reasonable. If you haven't tried it yet, go try it, it's really good!”

Address: Alley 14 Tran Binh Trong Street, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City

Opening hours: 07:00 - 22:00

Reference price: 10,000 VND - 20,000 VND

5. Stinky Tofu

Stinky tofu, as the name suggests, has a rather distinctive and not-so-appetizing taste. But those who can eat it often become addicted, because the tofu is naturally fermented, giving it a rich, creamy, and nutty flavor. Le Gia Hong Kong Street Food is famous for this dish in District 5.

Besides that, you can also choose other dishes from the menu at Hong Kong Street Food Le Gia such as fish balls, curry, hot pot... at quite affordable prices and very delicious too.

Address: 623-625 Nguyen Trai Street, Ward 11, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City

Opening hours: 17:00 – 22:30

Reference price: 15,000 VND – 30,000 VND

The ideal time to visit the street food spots in District 5 is in the late afternoon. What could be better than sitting and watching the city lights come on, while enjoying and savoring the famous delicious dishes of the area?

Bi Le