Discover the culinary delights of Saigon and Hanoi through 7 iconic restaurants.

HOME -Warm and cozy like home.

A feeling of familiarity and warmth is what many diners experience when visiting Home restaurant. The restaurant is designed in a unique architectural style, impressive with its sophisticated yet elegant rustic decor, harmonizing with the French-style architecture of the nearly 100-year-old villa.

With 12 salads and spring rolls, along with over 50 other Vietnamese dishes, the chefs meticulously prepare each dish, paying attention to even the smallest details to ensure authentic Vietnamese flavors while still catering to international tastes. Some of the restaurant's signature dishes include four-season spring rolls, fried prawns with crispy rice flakes, soft-shell crab in tamarind sauce, lobster stir-fried with tamarind, grilled pork with galangal and fermented rice, Hanoi-style vermicelli with grilled pork, and Hanoi-style fish cakes. Home also serves a selection of wines carefully chosen by experts to complement Vietnamese cuisine. After a long flight, Home is the perfect place for your first dinner in Hanoi.

Home Restaurant

34 Chau Long Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi

Tel: 024. 3939 2222.

MADAME HIEN -Enjoy Vietnamese cuisine and explore old Hanoi.

Located in charming old French villas on two central streets of Hanoi, Madame Hien is a familiar destination for international tourists visiting the capital. Besides the authentic Vietnamese dishes prepared by Didier Corlou – head chef of the Sofitel Metropole Hanoi – and his team, few know that the restaurant's names, Madame Hien and Madame Hien, were personally chosen by him after his wife's grandmother and mother to honor Vietnamese women. His wife's family is a great source of inspiration for him in cooking Vietnamese cuisine.

With a deep love for Vietnam, he always wanted to infuse the essence and culture of the Vietnamese people into the restaurant's decor, from the dark brown wooden tables and chairs, just like the dining tables of traditional Vietnamese families, to the display cabinet with oil lamps and salt jars, and the black and white photographs of Hanoi, images of gentle grandmothers and mothers. Instead of using modern items, he wanted to introduce simple, rustic elements to diners, from the blue cups, the rustic wooden chopsticks, the blue porcelain bowls… All of these things pique the curiosity and interest of foreign tourists, while making Vietnamese diners feel a sense of closeness and familiarity.

Didier Corlou's passion lies in Vietnamese spices and street food. Therefore, when you visit the restaurant, take the time to enjoy dishes like bun cha (grilled pork with vermicelli), cha ca (fish cakes), nem (spring rolls), papaya salad, banana blossom salad, and many other delicious options in a traditional Vietnamese setting.

Madame Hien

15 Chan Cam Street, Hang Trong Ward, Hanoi. Tel: 024. 3938 1588

Madame Hien

18 Ngo Van So Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi. Tel: 024 3938 1589.

NAM PHUONG RESTAURANT -A familiar address for international tourists.

Launched in Hanoi in 1996, Nam Phuong is one of the most renowned restaurants in the city. Located in the heart of the capital, the restaurant boasts a peaceful setting within a charming old French villa. Its distinctive architecture and gentle decor create a relaxing atmosphere for diners. The space is enhanced by the soothing greenery of the small courtyard in front of the house and the decorative details in the rooms, creating a warm and familiar ambiance.

Visiting the restaurant in October, diners will have the opportunity to enjoy a special menu including: Shark soup with crab meat, Nam Phuong's fragrant vegetarian spring rolls, seafood salad, crab meat in tamarind sauce, smoked black grouper, asparagus stir-fried with shrimp, stir-fried vegetables with garlic, steamed rice, sweet caramel cream cake, for 1,100,000 VND per person.

Nam Phuong Restaurant

19 Phan Chu Trinh Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi

Tel: 024. 3824 0926.

CHAM CHARM RESTAURANTThe castle features Cham cultural architecture.

With its pristine white exterior, the restaurant evokes the sacred Taj Mahal in India, while the warm, inviting light illuminating the interior space brings to mind the majestic, red Cham towers bathed in the setting sun. Cham Charm Castle exudes an irresistible charm from the very first step. Its luxurious and opulent ambiance makes it unsurprising that it attracts many diners seeking delicious food on weekends.

Cham Charm's menu is sophisticated, offering flavors from Asia to Europe, primarily featuring fresh seafood in various variations. Japanese scallops, Tandoori chicken and Indian lamb curry, or American Angus beef and Australian fillet… all contribute to Cham Charm's distinctive culinary collection.

The restaurant is open from 10 AM to 2 PM and from 6 PM to 9 PM. The buffet here costs around 700,000 VND.

RestaurantCham Charm

02 Phan Van Chuong Street, Phu My Hung Ward, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City

Tel: 028. 5410 9999

government:www.khaisilkcorp.com/restaurants/cham/

SECRET GARDEN -Hidden beauty

Secret Garden is a hidden garden located on the rooftop of an old apartment building right in the heart of Saigon. Upon entering the restaurant, you'll feel immersed in a tranquil, peaceful world, completely separate from the bustling atmosphere outside. The space is designed with abundant greenery, featuring various climbing plants, trees, and sometimes neatly planted clumps of taro. If you look closely, you'll see that even the tables, chairs, rice bowls, and plates reflect the warm and familiar culture of your hometown.

Secret Garden's uniqueness lies not only in its ambiance but also in the flavors of its dishes, such as baby squid simmered in fish sauce, basa fish braised with onions and chili, crispy fried catfish with mango sauce, and coconut heart salad with shrimp and meat… Once you come here, you'll be captivated by the rustic countryside atmosphere in the heart of the city.

Opening hours are from 8 AM to 10 PM. Prices here are quite reasonable, around 65,000 VND per dish.

Secret Garden

Rooftop, 158 Pasteur Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Tel: 090 990 46 21

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/secretgarden158pasteur/

BUSTIER RESTAURANT -Authentic Vietnamese flavor

Located on a street known for its culinary scene attracting many international diners, the restaurant's exterior isn't particularly striking, but upon entering, one is immediately struck by the ambiance reminiscent of old Saigon. From the design details to the wall paintings, everything exudes a captivating "Indochine" style. This nostalgic feel is further enhanced by the classic Vietnamese music, featuring timeless love songs by Trinh Cong Son, Pham Duy, and Ngo Thuy Mien.

The restaurant's menu isn't overly elaborate, but each dish is meticulously prepared, offering a variety of Northern, Central, and Southern Vietnamese flavors. Therefore, the dishes are familiar to Vietnamese diners and appealing to Western customers. Opening hours are from 8 am to 11 pm, with an average price of around 150,000 VND per meal.

Quan Bui Restaurant

17A Ngo Van Nam Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Tel: 028. 3829 1515

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/quanbuirestaurant/

CHỊ HOA RESTAURANT - Authentic Vietnamese Meals

Located on the bustling Le Thanh Ton street in the heart of the city, the restaurant impresses with its open design. The restaurant boasts a sophisticated and elegant decor with unique decorative motifs on ceramics, bowls, and plates. The space is cozy and intimate, not overly ornate but still maintaining its distinctive character.

The dishes here are prepared simply, like a Vietnamese family meal, using fresh ingredients imported daily. In particular, the dishes are beautifully presented and have a pleasant taste that appeals to both Vietnamese and Western diners. The restaurant is open from 7 am to 10 pm, with prices ranging from 100,000 to 150,000 VND per person.

Ms. Hoa's Restaurant

31A Le Thanh Ton Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Tel: 028. 3827 3155

government:www.chihoacuisine.com.

Article by: Bao Khuyen & Titany

The Thanh