Ho Chi Minh City, full of life, chaos, energy, and flavours. For any traveller with an appetite, it’s a paradise. And for those embracing a plant-based lifestyle, District 1 offers a delightful array of vegan options that capture the essence of Vietnamese cuisine without compromising on taste or authenticity. Discover all in our vegan food guide: Ho Chi Minh City.
Over the five months I spent in Vietnam, I found myself wandering in and out of Ho Chi Minh City (or Saigon as many locals still call it) many times. Eating all (vegan) I could get my hands on. The city, every single time, filled me with joy and excitement. I can’t quite put my finger on what exactly it is, but it’s something, something incredibly special.
District 1 or none?
District 1 is the main tourist spot, but with 9.5 million residents in the HCMC, it’s never going to feel overwhelmingly touristy… well beside Bui Vien Street, that’s always buzzing, especially after dark. Bui Vien is the backpacker street, the Khaosan Road of South Vietnam. It’s loud, busy, and a bit of craic.
I have to admit, while my party days are numbered, I do enjoy a good session of people-watching on Bui Vien. I even have a favourite spot, a plastic chair outside Hớt Tóc Hair Salon. The beer is cold and cheap, and there is the slightest reprieve from the blaring speakers of other establishments. The owner, an absolute boss of a woman, stays out front seating customers, taking orders, and carrying a wad of cash as thick as my arm. With speed, she grabs all the chairs off the road at the first sight of the police doing their rounds. In the back is a man of similar age but hunched at the shoulders, who I assume is the husband, he cooks, cleans, and stays out of the way.
I couldn’t spend the night on this street but spending a couple of hours sipping beer, taking it all in after you’ve just landed in Vietnam, that I’d highly recommend.
We’ve tried to stay in other parts of HCMC, but it just never panned out. One time we even rocked up at our pre-booked hotel in District 3, to find out that it was booked out, but the receptionist’s friend could put us up in District 1. There’s so much to see and do in District 1 and buses are so cheap that it didn’t matter where we stayed. We’ve slept in dorms, hotels, tiny flats, and 2-bed apartments with friends all over D1.
Sleeping Beauty
One of my favourites was Duc Tai Gallery apartment, just off Bui Vien st. The location was an accidental booking over Christmas 2023, but thankfully it was surprisingly quiet (relative to the area). It was a comfortable 2-bed apartment that we shared with friends while passing through on our way to Phu Quoc. The host was a lovely middle-aged woman who didn’t bat an eyelid when we locked ourselves out, and she had to come rescue us.
Actually, scratch that – the Hotel Majestic was my favourite place to stay in Ho Chi Minh City. BF and I decided to treat ourselves to a suite for 2 nights before we left for Cambodia. We didn’t know at that point that we’d be back in Vietnam later in the year for 3 months, so we decided to splash out. The suite for the two nights was cheaper than a basic room in Ireland for one night. Why not?There’s nothing quite like walking into a 5* hotel feeling a bit smelly after travelling half the length of the country carrying a backpack the size of yourself and handing it to the concierge. Fair play to the receptionist; she treated us no differently from anyone else, even though we were in desperate need of a wash. Probably helped that my credit card didn’t get declined.
Coffee a Go Go
HCMC is full of things to do and “must sees”. Every blog and guide book has told you to go to the War Remnants Museum, you should, it’s great, balled my eyes out. The Saigon Central Post Office, lovely, sent my parents a Christmas card, they got it in February. Haggle in Ben Thanh Market, you’ll pay more than you should, but it’s good fun. Organise a tour to the Mekong Delta and the Củ Chi Tunnels, we did this the night before from a tour agency on Phạm Ngũ Lão. Our tour was tailored towards Southeast Asian tourists rather than Westerns. Let’s just say our tour tastes differ. Next time, I’d double-check, the price should have given it away but again, we’d have fun.
All your guide books will have told you this before and for good reason, they are great things to do in HCMC. But there is more.
Indulge in vegan chocolate and sip cashew milk cappuccinos in Maison Marou Chocolate shop. As it’s only a five-minute walk from the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts, it’s the perfect stop off after a morning of viewing Vietnam’s finest art works. In the Museum, admire not only the art, but the stunning colonial-era building housing it. On one of my visits here, there was a temporary exhibition on and the artists invited us to have wine with them while they talked us through the art works.
Cà phê Linh is another gem for coffee and people-watching. The building has a vintage feel that would make Thomas Fowler feel right at home. While there’s seating upstairs and downstairs, it’s the balcony where you want to be, watching the world go by below.
Maybe I’ve read too much Graham Greene, but I love sipping a daiquiri outside the Continental Hotel. So much is happening on the streets to observe, with the Opera House across the way looking gorgeous, and the cocktails are simply delicious! Pop inside to use a 5* loo, you deserve it after living a backpacker’s life for months.
The actual vegan food guide: Ho Chi Minh City.
Ok, Ok, this is a vegan food guide for Ho Chi Minh City so onto food! The best way to experience vegan local food, or any local food for that matter, is on a food tour. We went with Saigon Kiss tours for an evening around the city on the back of scooters. The guides showed us what was vegan and veganisble on local menus. Bánh xèo, Vietnamese pancake, soon became one of my favourite dishes that I could easily order vegan throughout the country. It’s a crispy-stuffed rice pancake that you crush up and roll up in rice paper along with a selection of greens. Phenomenal!
Being on the back of scooters on busy roads in HCMC is f*ing terrifying, I’m not going to sugar coat it, do it, you’ll be thrilled to be alive after.
Eating cheaply is no bother in HCMC. You can get a massive bowl of broth and noodles for less than €2. Tué Tín Chay Quán, a vegan restaurant down a side alley in D1 serves up just that. Everything on the menu is 40,000VND, about €1.50, and it’s all so good!
Chay means vegetarian and Quán is café/diner, so anywhere you see Chay Quán you’ll be grand.
Female run Bon’s Vegan has two locations in HCMC. We stopped at the smaller premises for a Banh Mí on our first visit to HCMC. I was delighted to come back and find a larger sit in space further down the street. The food is vegan and healthy!
Rau Oi Vegetarian is another spot you shouldn’t miss. We visited here a number of times because the food was unreal. The owner was feeding Frontliners delicious, healthy vegan food during the COVID-19 pandemic, and they begged her to open a restaurant. Last I checked, she had two locations. Go with a group if you can and order the whole menu so you can taste it all!
Lads she’s left D1!!
Down in Chinatown you’ll find Quán Chay – Sushi XC. Go here. Just do, I promise you, you won’t regret it and if you do, you can slam me in the comments. We ordered dumplings, sushi, a rice plate, and a noodle broth. We over ordered as usual, but we decided to walk back to D1 after demolishing it all. It was not a short walk. Crossing the road in Vietnam is a bloody hoot at the best of times, but with traffic lights out at rush hour, HA! that’s a new ball game. At one point we were waiting so long to cross that a local man shouted “No light, go, just go”. And honestly, if I can give you one bit of advice for Saigon/HCMC, that would be it. No light, go, just go.
Vegans can eat as healthily or indulgently as they choose in Ho Chi Minh City. Greasy fried food stalls, mock meats, crusty, fluffy bread, and pastries, organic fresh vegetables, crunchy salads, pure fruit juices – anything you want, you’ll find it here. The city truly has it all.
Have you anything to add to our vegan food guide to Ho Chi Minh City? Let me know in the comments.
Read more of my wanderings in Vietnam here.
