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WHERE IS BEN THANH MARKET?
Ben Thanh Market, with a central location in District 1, located on Le Loi Street, Ben Thanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, is a destination that cannot be missed when mentioning Saigon City. Built in 1912 under the French colonial period, Ben Thanh Market has gone through more than 100 years of history full of ups and downs and development, becoming an indispensable cultural and commercial symbol of Saigon.
Ben Thanh Market - the immortal symbol of Saigon
With its long history and development, Ben Thanh Market is not only a traditional shopping place but also an attractive cultural and culinary destination with affordable prices. Tourists can find a variety of delicious dishes, from salty to liquid, from traditional to street snacks.
The food court of Ben Thanh Market is always bustling and crowded, with a series of eateries open from morning to night, attracting many tourists and locals. This is not only a place to enjoy delicious food but also an experience of the culture and lifestyle of Saigon people.
Below are 3 famous restaurants that you cannot miss when coming to Ben Thanh market:
Miss Anh's Hue Rice Cake
The banh beo here retains the original flavor of the Hue dish. The owner revealed that the rice must be sticky for the cake to be soft. The shrimp filling inside is considered rich by customers.
Hue specialties
The mixed dish here is colorful and attractively presented on a small plate, including banh beo, banh bot loc, banh it tran, and a piece of cha. Each ingredient is meticulously cared for and arranged evenly on the small plate, creating an attractive and interesting image. In particular, finely ground shrimp is sprinkled on top, along with some breadcrumbs to enhance the flavor and crispiness of the dish. Finally, fish sauce is added, playing an important role in creating the unique flavor of the dish.
Famous banh beo shop at Ben Thanh market, 22 years old, sells more than a thousand discs every day
When enjoying this dish, each piece of cake is soaked in fish sauce, giving you a harmonious feeling between salty and sweet taste in your mouth. The fish sauce is mixed in the Southern style with a mild spicy taste, perfectly combined with the crispiness and flavor of the bread crumbs. The sausage and spring rolls both have their own distinct flavors, made by Ms. Anh's family, creating a unique and different feeling compared to many other places.
This banh beo shop is open from early morning until after 3pm, with the peak at lunchtime when it is most crowded. There are no dining tables, customers will sit on plastic chairs, creating a cozy and intimate space. Around the shop are refreshment stalls, with a variety of options from fruit juice to sugarcane juice, helping you enrich your meal.
BA HAI'S RICE SOUP
Mrs. Hai's noodle soup not only attracts many tourists because of its delicious taste but also because of its affordable price, suitable for all customers.
The cheapest noodle soup shop in Ben Thanh market costs 50,000 VND a bowl.
With over 30 years of existence at the East corner of Ben Thanh Market, District 1, Mrs. Hai's noodle shop has become a familiar and favorite destination for many locals as well as traders in the market. Although the price of each bowl of noodle soup is only 50,000 VND, lower than the average price of 65,000 VND at the shops in the market, the quality and flavor of the dish are still guaranteed and highly appreciated.
Inside a full meal there is crab meat, a shrimp, a few large pieces of pork and a few slices of fish cake.
Mrs. Hai’s stall is not very big, just enough space for a table and a glass display cabinet. Every day, she prepares a small pot of broth, placing it in front of her so that customers can easily get more when needed. She especially pays attention to keeping the broth hot and delicious to serve customers every time they come.
Although Ben Thanh Market regularly welcomes many international tourists, Mrs. Hai’s customers are mainly locals and market vendors. However, sometimes there are also curious foreign tourists who stop by to try this famous dish. When you come to the restaurant, you will be served a plastic chair to sit comfortably.
The restaurant only sells one type of noodle soup, but customers can choose according to their preferences such as crab noodle soup, pork roll noodle soup, or a bowl full of all kinds of ingredients. In particular, a hot bowl of noodle soup will be delivered to customers right after ordering.
Mrs. Lien's Sour Soup Vermicelli Soup
After more than 40 years at Ben Thanh market, Mrs. Mai Thi Lien's vermicelli soup stall is not only a familiar culinary address but also a popular destination for tourists, especially foreigners and overseas Vietnamese.
Delicious restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City that famous people visit
The nickname "luxury crab noodle soup" is recognized by Mrs. Mai Thi Lien's crab noodle stall not only because of its quality but also because of its professional service and unique way of making the dish. Although it does not have snails, crab fat or ham like traditional crab noodle soup, her crab noodle soup still retains the characteristic and attractive crab noodle soup flavor.
A bowl of vermicelli with crab soup costs 60,000 VND, without meat.
Mrs. Lien's vermicelli soup with crab is known for its simplicity but no less attractive. Each bowl of vermicelli includes basic ingredients such as thin vermicelli noodles, blood pieces, crab meat balls, tofu corners and tomatoes, decorated with spring onions on top. What is special is that each ingredient in the vermicelli bowl is carefully selected and comes in large sizes, creating a delicious and full feeling after each bite.
Not only that, the broth in Mrs. Lien's noodle bowl is also the deciding factor in the deliciousness of the dish. The broth is rich, the natural flavor from the chili fish sauce and thick tamarind combined, creating a harmonious and full blend.
When enjoying this bowl of vermicelli with crab soup, you will not only enjoy the distinctive flavor of the dish but also experience the uniqueness and appeal of traditional Vietnamese cuisine.
