# The best Vietnamese dishes to try

The Vietnamese dishes every food guide recommends, from northern pho and bun cha to Hoi An's cao lau and Saigon's com tam.

- 36 votes · 15 items
- Nov 15, 2025 · Ankit Desai
- https://even.best/en/l/211/the-best-vietnamese-dishes-to-try

## Top 15

1. **Pho** (4 · ▲4 ▼0) — Beef or chicken rice noodle soup with a broth simmered for hours with star anise and cinnamon; Vietnam's national dish.
2. **Bun cha** (4 · ▲4 ▼0) — Hanoi's grilled pork patties and belly in fish sauce broth with vermicelli and herbs.
3. **Cha ca La Vong** (4 · ▲4 ▼0) — Hanoi turmeric fish fried at the table with dill and spring onion.
4. **Banh mi** (3 · ▲4 ▼1) — Baguette with pâté, grilled meats, pickled vegetables, herbs and chilli; CNN Travel named it one of the world's best sandwiches.
5. **Banh cuon** (3 · ▲3 ▼0) — Steamed rice rolls filled with minced pork and wood ear mushrooms.
6. **Goi cuon** (2 · ▲3 ▼1) — Fresh rice paper rolls with shrimp, pork, herbs and vermicelli, with peanut sauce.
7. **Banh xeo** (2 · ▲2 ▼0) — Crispy turmeric rice crêpe with shrimp, pork and bean sprouts, wrapped in lettuce.
8. **Ca kho to** (2 · ▲2 ▼0) — Caramelised fish braised in a clay pot.
9. **Che** (2 · ▲2 ▼0) — Sweet dessert soups of beans, jellies and coconut milk.
10. **Com tam** (1 · ▲2 ▼1) — Saigon broken rice with grilled pork chop, egg meatloaf and fish sauce.
11. **Bun bo Hue** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Spicy lemongrass beef noodle soup from the former imperial capital.
12. **Mi Quang** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Turmeric noodles with a little broth, shrimp, pork and peanuts, from Quang Nam.
13. **Ca phe trung** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Hanoi egg coffee: robusta topped with whipped egg yolk and condensed milk.
14. **Cao lau** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Hoi An's chewy noodles with char siu pork, crackling and greens.
15. **Bun rieu** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Crab and tomato noodle soup.

How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.