Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
STREET FOOD
Informal local eating-houses, makeshift street kitchens and market food stalls offer the
cheapest, most authentic dining experience; those packed with locals are your best bet. At
night, the stalls around Ben Thanh Market buzz with life, as locals and foreigners alike tuck into
steaming bowls of soup, barbecued meat skewers and delectable seafood dishes. For street
food in more refined surroundings, Nha Hang Ngon (160 Pasteur; mains 55,000-100,000VND)
is the perfect place to sample local specialities; pick and choose your dishes from the dozens
of food stalls scattered through the leafy courtyard of this lovely old colonial villa, and they'll
be delivered to your table; alternatively, you can order off the extensive menu. The nearby
Quan An Ngon (138 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia; mains 45,000-115,000VND) has a similar setup.
DRINKING AND NIGHTLIFE
The area around Pham Ngu Lao is lined with lively, cheap
bars, while Dong Khoi and around plays host to most of the
city's nightclubs, which shut in the early hours of the
morning; take care of your bag when leaving, and be
aware that quite a few bars have upfront prostitution.
Acoustic Café 6E1 Ngo Thoi Nhiem; map p.897. Leave the
backpackers behind and join Saigon's student population
to see the seriously un-acoustic local rock bands perfor-
ming predominantly American covers every night in this
heaving live music hub at the end of a narrow alleyway.
Daily 7pm-midnight.
Allez-Boo 187 Pham Ngu Lao; map p.899. Pham Ngu
Lao's busiest bar, popular for its classic tunes, Thai food and
selection of cocktails; there's seating on the street outside
and backpackers show what they're made of on the
dancefloor upstairs. Daily 7am-late.
Apocalypse Now 2c Thi Sach; map p.899. One of the
original Saigon nightspots, attracting travellers, locals,
expats and a few “nymphs of the pavement” with its party
atmosphere and eclectic mix of music. Always heaving and
apocalyptically busy on weekends. Daily 9pm-late.
GO2 Bar 187 De Tham; map p.899. Fabulously cheesy
backpacker hangout, with Vietnamese and Western snacks
served late into the night in the neon-lit downstairs bar to
a soundtrack of classic pop tunes. The upstairs dancefloor
hosts a nightly DJ and you can chill out with a hookah on
the roof terrace. Open 24hr.
AROUND DONG KHOI AND THI SACH
Anh Ky 80 Le Thi Hong Gam; map p.899. This roadside eatery
is a local favourite for wonton noodle soup (40,000VND),
which is all it serves. Daily 6.30am-midnight.
Elbow Room 52 Pasteur; map p.899. Elbow room can be
di cult to find at this popular American-style bistro,
serving ample breakfasts of pancakes, bacon, eggs and
more. If you're homesick, the giant burritos, hot dogs,
pizza and burgers may dull your pain. Mains from
120,000VND. Mon-Sat 8am-10pm, to 5pm Sun.
La Nicoise 56 Ngo Duc Ke; map p.899. Cosy French
restaurant that serves well-executed dishes such as steak
au poivre, moules mariniéres and French onion soup; the
lunchtime plat du jour is particularly good value. Mains
from 100,000VND. Daily 8am-11pm.
Lemon Grass 4 Nguyen Thiep; map p.899. Located off
Dong Khoi, this stylish three-floor restaurant serves highly
rated southern Vietnamese food (mains from 80,000VND)
to the strains of traditional music recitals every night. Daily
11am-10.30pm.
Pho 24 71-73 Dong Khoi; map p.899. Leading pho chain
in Vietnam, serving large bowls of flavourful beef or
chicken noodle soup for 45,000VND. Daily 7am-late.
Quan Nuong 29-31 Thon That Thiep; map p.899.
Convivial rooftop restaurant, where groups of locals,
expats and visitors alike barbecue their own shrimp,
beef, pork and vegetables on individual tabletop grills
(120,000-180,000VND/person). Round off your meal with
a sundae from Fanny on the ground floor. Daily 5-11pm.
11
Hoa Vien 18bis/28 Nguyen Thi Minh Kai; map p.899.
The best microbrewery in town, with a spacious yet cosy
interior and an attractive garden, three kinds of beer on
tap (the dark is particularly good) and Czech-inspired food.
Daily noon-late.
Lion Brewery 11C Lam Son Square; map p.899. This large,
German-style beer is centrally located, serves numerous
bottled beers as well as two of its own to a good mix of
expats and locals, and the menu features some German
exotica, as well as Vietnamese dishes. Daily noon-late.
Vasco's 74/7D Hai Ba Trung; map p.899. One of several
bars hidden away in a secluded courtyard, this refined
little place is a long-time favourite with the expat crowd.
With happy hour from 4-7pm, downstairs is a good spot
AROUND DIEN BIEN PHU
Banh Xeo 46a Dinh Cong Trang; map p.897. Enormous,
cheap and filling Vietnamese pancakes stuffed with shrimp,
pork, beans and egg for around 60,000VND are the speciality
at this streetside place off Hai Ba Trung. Daily 10am-9pm.
Pho Hoa 260c Pasteur; map p.897. Heaving with locals and
decorated with striking bamboo murals, this restaurant
serves up generous portions of pho (55,000VND) with slivers
of beef or chicken and piles of fresh greens. Daily 7am-10pm.
Quan Minh Bo Minh 107/P Truong Dinh; map p.897.
Lau (steamboat) and pho (30,000VND) are the staples at
this streetside, no-frills restaurant. Daily 6am-11pm.
 
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