Vietnamese Food: 34 Traditional Dishes to Try in Vietnam

When we visited Vietnam we often found it difficult when ordering food (besides Pho) as we didn’t really know what the traditional Vietnamese dishes were. So, to help you make the dining experience easier we put together this list of the best Vietnamese food and traditional Vietnamese cuisine to help you eat well. We’ve also included links to our favorite Vietnamese recipes so you can try to make them at home.

Traditional Vietnamese Cuisine

Did you know that Vietnamese culture is one of the oldest in all Southeast Asia? This impressive feat has given the Vietnamese people plenty of time to master their art of cooking. Today, the best Vietnamese food staples are in restaurants in many major cities around the world.

In this article, we’ll be exploring famous Vietnamese dishes from noodle soups to popular Vietnamese street food. You’ll have the opportunity to find out not only what ingredients are in each dish, but also the history and tastes behind every dish. To start off our discussion, we’ll begin with Bun Cha, a flavorful and simple dish and also a very popular food in Vietnam.

1. Bun Cha (Vietnamese Meat Balls)

Bun Cha has roots in Hanoi, which is the capital of Vietnam. If you’ve ever visited Hanoi, you may know that you can find bun cha on any street you pass. It is a traditional Vietnamese dish that remains a popular Vietnamese street food today.

Bun Cha is essentially a noodle dish filled with meatballs, broth, herbs, and spices. The dish is made by making flat patties out of ground pork in a mixture of fish sauce, sugar, and spices. You then grill the pork until it is caramelized and slightly charred. The pork meatballs are then served with a bowl of rice vermicelli noodles, fresh greens, and sometimes herbs, along with a dipping sauce made from a mixture of fish sauce, sugar, garlic, and vinegar.

What I love about Bun Cha is it has this great taste, with a balance of sweet, salty, sour, and spicy flavors. It is no wonder that it is considered one of the most delicious traditional Vietnamese dishes. Make these at home with this delicious recipe!

2. Banh Mi (Vietnamese Baguette)

Banh Mi is another popular food in Vietnam and could easily be mistaken for a baguette by the untrained eye. What gives away its origins is that it is significantly shorter than a traditional French baguette. This similarity is not a coincidence since it is a product of the French introducing baguettes to the Vietnamese during the 1800s. 

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