Ho Chi Minh City, in southern Vietnam, is a metropolis of more than 10 million inhabitants that never stops. A city of contrasts, where you can move without warning from a saturated street to an almost secret address.
Where to eat
Pickles Eatery, Binh Thanh
In a vibrant neighbourhood, a place you enter out of curiosity and return to for pleasure. Mediterranean plates to share, sincere service, a local and international scene of discerning food lovers gathers here.
Cừu nướng Nhất Thủy Phong, Thao Dien
You arrive via a dark road, then the light dazzles: a few tables set out on the pavement, local beers, lamb from the family herd slowly roasted on a spit directly at each table. Locals and a few insiders gather here.
Bánh Mì Thiên Nga, Thao Dien
No flashy sign, no line of tourists, just those in the know. A bánh mì just as it should be: a crackling baguette, generous fillings, eaten standing on the pavement. One of those places that only exists if someone whispers it to you.
Phở Phượng, Binh Thanh
By the river, a family-run spot passed down through generations, and you can taste it in every bowl. The broth, simmered according to a closely guarded recipe, is rich and deep, with intense aromas. No fuss, just regulars. The kind of place Saigon families have been sharing for decades.
Where to drink
Cộng Cà Phê, District 1
A Saigon institution with a proudly retro-socialist décor: vintage posters, worn furniture, and an atmosphere steeped in nostalgia. Order a coconut coffee or a cà phê trứng, a creamy egg foam layered over an intense robusta, now part of the city’s heritage. A familiar place you never tire of returning to.
Where to wander
Bình Quới Peninsula
Just moments from Thảo Điền, the Bình Quới peninsula is one of Saigon’s best-kept secrets. You wander along shaded paths, lined with bamboo and lush vegetation, until you almost forget you are still in the city. A breath of fresh air, best explored on foot, unhurried.
Where to get inspired
Chợ Lớn, District 5
Saigon’s historic Chinese quarter, still beating strong. Lose yourself among century-old pagodas scented with incense, lively markets, and authentic dim sum shops, far from the usual paths. A district that moves to its own rhythm, unchanged for generations.
Lê Công Kiều, District 1
A street for collectors and the curious. Over a few hundred metres, dozens of antique shops follow one another: lacquerware, old ceramics, statuettes, clocks… You don’t come here with a list, you come to wander, to travel back in time, and leave with something you never meant to find.
