Southern Vietnamese Cuisine: Top 10 Delicious Dishes Must Try

Vietnamese cuisine is extremely abundant and diverse, each region has its own unique features and Southern Vietnamese cuisine is famous for the rich and fresh flavors but also very rustic and familiar. From Crab noodle soup and southern dumpling to Tay Ninh heifers. In this hospitable land, each dish tells a story about tradition, innovation and local ingredient selection.

Let’s join Hanoi Voyages to discover the diverse dishes of Southern Vietnam with the list of the top 10 delicious Southern Vietnam cuisines that food lovers cannot miss.

Best Southern Vietnamese cuisine must-try

Southern Vietnam is not only famous for its vibrant culture and breathtaking landscapes but also for its rich culinary heritage. Many Vietnam tours in this region offer visitors a chance to savor authentic dishes like crab noodle soup, southern dumplings, and fish sauce hot pot while exploring the unique local traditions behind each dish

Crab noodle soup (Bánh canh cua)

Crab noodle soup is a special Southern Vietnamese cuisine that comes from the coastal region of Vung Tau. Crab noodle soup is famous for its soft, chewy noodle soup and fresh, nutritious crab meat, which visitors cannot miss. In particular, the hot, rich broth with an eye-catching yellow color from crab bricks is the soul of this attractive dish.

When enjoying this dish, diners will feel the fresh, rich sweetness thanks to the wonderful blend of ingredients. A few hot, crispy quiche cakes will also help you fully enjoy the delicious taste of this famous cuisine.

📍Where to eat:

• Bánh Canh Cua 14 – 221 Tran Binh  Street, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City

• Bánh Canh Cua Tran Khac Chan – 87 Tran Khac Chan Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

• Bánh Canh Cua Ut Le – 210 To Hien Thanh Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City

Southern dumpling (Bánh bột lọc)

Southern dumpling is a famous Southern Vietnamese cuisine that you must try when you come to Sai Gon. This is a land that blends many cuisines but still retains its own unique qualities in the way it is prepared and seasoned. Dumpling is originally a Chinese dish, but when it was introduced to Saigon, it was modified to suit the taste of the people here.

Most dumplings are prepared by Chinese chefs. These experienced chefs have kneaded each grain of dough to create thin-skinned crusts with extremely rich shrimp and meat fillings. The broth of this dish is stewed from bones and white radish, so it brings a gentle and lingering sweetness.

📍Where to eat:

• Chợ Bến Thành (Ben Thanh Market) - Ho Chi Minh City

Tay Ninh heifers (Bò tơ Tây Ninh)

Tay Ninh heifers with firm, soft, chewy meat is a famous Southern Vietnam cuisine that you cannot miss when coming to Tay Ninh. Heifers is cleaned, marinated with a few spices and then grilled over charcoal, emitting an extremely attractive and persistent aroma.

This dish has captivated diners from near and far with its rich, succulent meat flavor mixed with sweet and sour dipping sauce. The eye-catching piece of red-pink meat inside the charred skin along with the fresh scent of the accompanying vegetables, creates an unforgettable highlight for the cuisine.

📍Where to eat:

• Bò Tơ Năm Sánh - National Highway 22B, Tay Ninh Province

• Bò Tơ Quán Mộc - District 3, Ho Chi Minh City

Trang Bang noodle soup (Bánh canh Trảng Bàng)

Another delicious Southern Vietnam cuisine that must be tried, the Trang Bang noodle soup of Tay Ninh is extremely attractive with broth simmered from pork bones, vegetables and a cloth bag containing onions, coriander, and grilled dried squid. These ingredients are stewed for many hours and blended to bring a rich sweetness that is difficult to create anywhere else.

Another special feature that makes this dish attractive to many tourists is that it is eaten with fish sauce, wild vegetables, and dried rice paper. Visitors can enjoy this dish as part of a Vietnam holiday through Tay Ninh, where local guides also introduce them to other regional specialties like Ba Den mountain lizard.

📍Where to eat:

• Bánh Canh Trảng Bàng Bé Năm - 45 National Highway 22, Trang Bang, Tay Ninh

• Bánh canh Trảng Bàng 168 – 59 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Tay Ninh

Rice noodle soup (Hủ tiếu)

Hu tieu is one of the most iconic dishes in Southern Vietnam, beloved for its comforting flavors and versatility. Originating from the Mekong Delta and influenced by Chinese and Cambodian cuisine, hu tieu is typically made with clear rice noodles, a savory pork or seafood-based broth, and a variety of toppings such as minced pork, quail eggs, shrimp, and squid.

Unlike pho in the North, hu tieu is lighter and can be enjoyed either as a soup or a dry version with a flavorful sauce. In Saigon, the Nam Vang style (Hu Tieu Nam Vang) is especially popular, while in Sa Dec (Dong Thap Province), the dish features a sweeter broth and more local herbs. Affordable, delicious, and available around the clock, hu tieu is a must-try when exploring Southern Vietnamese cuisine.

📍Where to eat:

• Hủ Tiếu Nam Vang Thành Đạt - District 5, Ho Chi Minh City

• Hủ Tiếu Sa Đéc stalls - Dong Thap

Broken rice (Cơm tấm)

Com tam, also known as broken rice, is a famous and popular dish in the South, especially Ho Chi Minh City. This dish is made from very simple ingredients but creates a unique flavor that is difficult to mix with any other rice dish.

It is prepared from broken rice grains and has a delicious taste and unique aroma. A traditional plate of broken rice includes rice, grilled pork chops, shredded pork skin, fried eggs and dipping sauce.

If you have the opportunity to visit Vietnam, don’t miss the opportunity to try the delicious and unique broken rice dish. The distinctive flavor, meticulous preparation and variety of ingredients make broken rice an important part of Vietnamese cuisine.

📍Where to eat:

• Cơm Tấm Ba Ghiền - 84 Dang Van Ngu, Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City

• Cơm Tấm Kiều Giang -74 Suong Nguyet Anh, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Fish sauce hot pot (Lẩu mắm)

Referring to famous Southern Vietnamese cuisines, we cannot ignore fish sauce hot pot. The reason this dish has left its mark in the hearts of culinary enthusiasts is because of its very unique flavor, making many tourists excited to enjoy it.

Take a sip of the broth from the fish sauce hot pot, you will definitely never forget this wonderful flavor. The rich hot pot is made from fish sauce and the sweet and fatty taste of fresh coconut water. The dishes served with a hot pot are very diverse: shrimp, pork belly, squid, shrimp, eggplant and most especially fish sauce. Fish sauce hot pot is often eaten with bitter vegetables, water lily, water spinach,… typical vegetables of the South.

📍Where to eat:

• Lẩu Mắm Dạ Lý - 89 Tran Phu, Can Tho City

• Lẩu Mắm 444 - 375 Le Quang Dinh, Binh Thanh, Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnamese sizzling pancake (Bánh xèo)

The sizzling sound when pouring the cake and the golden, crispy crust are the most special things about this special Southern Vietnamese cuisine, which is the top best dish in winter. Inside the fragrant crust is a filling with a variety of ingredients.

The ingredients that visitors will often see in the filling are pork, shrimp, minced duck meat, bean sprouts, shredded papaya, etc. Banh xeo is eaten rolled with wild vegetables and dipped with sweet and sour fish sauce is a delicacy that no one can refuse.

📍Where to eat:

• Bánh Xèo 46A - 46 Dinh Cong Trang, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

• Bánh Xèo Ăn Nghiền - 74 Suong Nguyet Anh, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Ken vermicelli (Bún Kèn)

The next delicious Southern Vietnamese cuisine that we will introduce to you is Ken vermicelli. This is a specialty dish of the pearl island of Phu Quoc. Previously, Ken vermicelli was sold at sidewalk stalls in Can Tho with broth made from snakehead fish. However, when present in Phu Quoc, Ken vermicelli cooked with noni fish and silverfish will produce a more delicious and sweeter broth.

When cooking broth, coconut milk will be added along with some spices such as five spices and curry powder to make the broth more eye-catching. The fish meat of this vermicelli dish will be pureed and stir-fried with lemongrass and chili to increase the aroma. A standard bowl of Ken vermicelli will have a few herbs, bean sprouts, grated papaya, fresh chili, soft minced fish meat, rich broth and indispensable fresh, super chewy vermicelli.

📍Where to eat:

• Bún Kèn Út Lượm - 87 30/4 Street, Duong Dong, Phu Quoc

• Bún Kèn Dì Hồng - 4 Nguyen Trai Street, Duong Dong, Phu Quoc

Drain cake (Bánh Cống)

Drain cake is a delicious Southern Vietnamese cuisine that you must try when coming to this land. This type of cake has the shape of a small drain because when frying, the seller will submerge the entire drain in hot oil. This unique dish is a combination of flour, green beans, cassava, minced meat, and shrimp, bringing an extremely attractive flavor.

The crispy yellow cake is cut into many small parts, rolled with vegetables, and dipped in a bowl of fish sauce with a little chili. When you eat, you will feel the fleshy taste of green beans and taro, the aroma of shrimp and meat, and the crispy crust mixed with vegetables and dipping sauce.

📍Where to eat:

• Bánh Cống Cần Thơ - 14 Le Lai Street, Can Tho City

• Chợ An Lạc (An Lac Market) - Can Tho City

Ready to experience the best of Southern Vietnam? Let Hanoi Voyages craft a tailor-made Vietnam tour that combines vibrant cities, cultural highlights, and idyllic beaches — designed just for you.

Vietnam family tour 10 days Explore the best of southern Vietnam with visits to Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong Delta, and the paradise island of Phu Quoc.	Vietnam tour 15 days beach extension Vietnam tour 15 days, featuring a relaxing beach extension in Phu Quoc. Discover vibrant culture, stunning landscapes, and serene shores	Vietnam tour 21 days  Vietnam tour 21 days, from the peaceful North to the bustling South. This classic tour highlights the country's beautiful and rich cultural heritage

Tips for exploring Southern Vietnamese cuisine

• Start with local markets: Traditional markets in Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, and Soc Trang are some of the best places to try authentic Southern Vietnamese cuisine at affordable prices.

• Follow the locals: If a food stall is crowded with local diners, it’s usually a sign of quality and authentic flavor.

• Pair with local drinks: Enjoy your meal with sugarcane juice, iced tea, or Saigon beer to complete the Southern Vietnamese dining experience.

Southern Vietnamese cuisine is more than just food—it’s a cultural journey through bustling cities, peaceful countryside, and the vibrant Mekong Delta. Ready to taste these incredible dishes for yourself? Let Hanoi Voyages design your perfect Vietnam journey, combining authentic culinary experiences with cultural discoveries. Contact us today to start planning your tailor-made trip to Vietnam!