Vietnam Food Guide

Vietnam is not only a paradise of natural beauty and verdant landscapes but also a country with a uniquely rich gastronomic history and culture.

It is said that Vietnamese food “includes” people souls and trying their traditional dishes means that you take a “deep dive” in Vietnamese personalities, culture and temperament.

Vietnam Food Culture - Comprised of 54 ethnicities, divided into three geographic areas with different cultures and climates and strongly affected by the Chinese and French cuisines, Vietnamese gastronomy offers an unforgettable culinary experience serving rather simple, yet amazingly tasty dishes.

Vietnam Traditional Food - Given the huge variety of Vietnamese traditional cuisine is difficult to distinguish the best dishes, but an attempt of suggestion would surely include the following: Hue beef noodle soup, Hoi An Vermicelli, the indispensable sticky rice cake, Bamboo cooked rice and West Lake’s Shrimp cake.

Vietnam Food Prices - Vietnamese food is quite cheap and easy to make - it doesn't require complicated processes like Chinese food and it is not as appealing and ‘eye-catching’ as Japanese dishes are; however, it tastes so good, that you will never forget anything you try!

5 Interesting Facts about Vietnam food and wine

1 - There is no preferred meat in Vietnam, beef, pork, chicken, fish and seafood are used in most dishes. Vietnamese cooking methods utilize almost all parts of an animal for food, including meat, bone, internal organs and skin. 

2 - Snake wine is one of the most traditional wines in Vietnam which has its roots in China. It is believed that snake wine has restorative and invigorating properties, and it usually made of alcohol and snake, but it may often include herbs and spices for a more intriguing flavour.

3 - Rice is a key dish on Vietnamese cuisine and that’s why Vietnam’s rice paddles rank second in the world after Thailand.

4 - Even though Spring Rolls is the most popular Vietnamese food for social gatherings and family events, the most famous dish in the world as well as a must-try national food in Vietnam is Pho. It is a noodle soup consisting of flat rice noodles in a light, meat-based broth. You will find everywhere in Vietnam while it can be sampled all time of day.

5 – Herbs are a very important ingredient in the Vietnamese dishes. Locals use nearly 70 kinds of herbs including basil, mint, coriander, apricot leaves, and Chinese chives, to name a few.