
Neighborhood Vibes and Modern Comforts Combine at Hotel Indigo Saigon The City
Staying in a local neighborhood means surrounding yourself with the sights, styles, routines, traditions, and history of a locale. Hotel Indigo Saigon The City, a new boutique lifestyle hotel, tells the stories of the iconic Ba Son area via its details, decor, atmosphere, and experiences, so checking in feels like taking part in a celebration of the city.

Hẻm Gems: In Huế, Cơm Hến Bé Liêm Is Breakfast With a Side of Warm Hospitality
One of the small joys in life is having a favorite dish readily available whenever you crave it. Ever since I discovered the little hẻm in Saigon where Cơm Hến O Thu lies, my life has been ever so uplifted by the comfort that, every fortnight or so, I can hop on my motorbike, sit for 15 minutes, and have cơm hến on the table in a blink of an eye for gulping pleasures. Cơm hến is one of my favorite things, so naturally, when I got a chance to visit Huế, the dish’s hometown, there was no way I could miss out on this small joy that packs big flavors.

Hẻm Gems: In a D3 Hẻm, 40 Years of Bún Ốc and Other Northern Treats
As a resident of Saigon, I’m well-acquainted with the city's vibrant food scene, which features cuisines from various regions of Vietnam, and how these dishes blend local recipes with flavors that resonate with Saigon locals. But Bún Ốc Thanh Hải is quite the opposite. Its dishes, snacks, drinks, and even atmosphere carry a distinct northern identity, so much so that upon visiting the place, I felt as if I was on a culinary adventure within my own city.

Huế's Palm-Sized Bánh Mì Chuột Is the Perfect Snack for Nibbling While Walking
Huế's culinary landscape is designed for snacking. From bánh khoái to bánh bèo to chè bột lọc heo quay , many of the...

Hẻm Gems: 3 Hào, a Retro Industrial Cafe in D7 for Night Owls on Deadlines
What do you think of when imagining a cafe? For me, it's plants in every corner, small and cute paintings that adorn the walls, or a light- and neutral-colored space that brings a sense of peace to customers. What would happen if a coffee shop attempted to subvert most of these elements? This is the case of 3 Hào Cafe, a combination of vintage industrial ambiance and, of course, good drinks.

5 Saigon Coffee Shops Based in Buildings With Southern Modernist Architecture
Saigon is a cafe enthusiast’s paradise. A decades-old coffee culture fostered by previous generations is still alive and well, in addition to the latest global trends brought over by the younger generation of baristas. When it comes to interior styles and vibes, there’s a little something for everyone, from gritty industrial to spartan Japandi chic to Saigon’s very own southern modernist architecture.

Hẻm Gems: A Bún Bò in Huế That Rivals Even Saigon's Best Bún Bò Huế
Plastic stools circling low metal tables. Staff wearing pajamas and street clothes that match patrons welcomed from all walks of life. Meagre and/or mismatched decor. Views of street traffic with motorbike engines as soundtrack. Brief menus sometimes consisting of a single dish. A strict cash-only policy (until recent years, at least). Minimal concern for health-safety regulations. No artifice of chef as artist or meal as a masterpiece. While we can quibble over a specific, all-encompassing definition for streetfood restaurant, there are many qualities most will agree they share.

Hẻm Gems: Chè Lâm Vinh Mậu Anchors the Last Remaining Hoa Vestiges of D1
Whenever I come back to Vietnam, it is a personal ritual of mine to visit locales of the past. As clichéd as it sounds, as I have been abroad in Singapore for six years, returning to Vietnam is almost synonymous with returning to places that once shaped my past selves, whose presence has been fading in my mind.

Celebrity Chef Nguyen Dzoan Cam Van Ordained as Buddhist Monk
Dubbed Vietnam's "national chef," Nguyen Dzoan Cam Van is a household name among many Vietnamese for her role as a cooking instructor on the hit cooking show Kheo Tay Hay Lam.

Each Vietnamese Consumes 3kg of Beef, 20l of Milk Annually, Minister Says
Despite the country’s rising wealth, Vietnam still consumes a modest amount of beef compared with the world average.

Ngõ Nooks: Come for the Coffee, Stay for the Aesthetic
Apparently, the owners of Chon want people to find their café. However, you wouldn’t assume as much when attempting to navigate the narrow, snaking alleyways that lead to their joint. You’ll find a do...

Hẻm Gems: In Saigon's First Shots Bar, Usain Bolt and Princess Peach in Test Tubes
Pham Ngu Lao Street, along with its sister street Bui Vien, has been known for almost two decades to foreigners as the perfect place to drink, bunk-in and conveniently repeat. In other words, a booze-...

Pizza 4P's Receives Investment From Mekong Capital
Vietnam-focused private equity firm Mekong Capital is injecting an undisclosed amount of investment into Vietnam's widely popular fusion pizza chain.

Hẻm Gems: Nhậu and Forming Friendships the Laotian Way in Saigon
“Here we go, I’m gonna do it,” I proclaim to a table of eight friends. On the tip of my chopsticks is a single ant egg, the “pearl of the forest” as some call it. Instead of ending in a dramatic burst...

Hoi An's Banh Mi Phuong Opens First Overseas Branch in Seoul
After Hanoi’s legendary Pho Thin Lo Duc, another culinary stalwart in Vietnam has brought its creations to East Asia.

Hẻm Gems: Coconut Coffee and Banana Bread in a Quiet Corner of Thao Dien
Thao Dien is known to some as a quiet neighborhood, despite its ongoing development projects. Upscale restaurants and fancy cafes are plentiful, serving a range of gourmet food and drinks. Yet, in bet...

Traditional Sushi Techniques on Full Display at Okome
For many years Saigon has been home to two distinct sushi scenes. First, the non-technical, low-cost options that occupied the same culinary space as all-you-can-eat hotpot and BBQ joints; and on the ...

Local Designers Put the Fun in Funky With Mắm Rebranding Project
Although the concept (and smell) might drive some sensitive noses away, fermentation has always been Vietnam’s favorite way to preserve the catch of the day, by turning it into a funky, savory paste.

Ngõ Nooks: The Deep-Fried Satisfaction of Steamy Bánh Gối
Thanks to being born and bred in Hanoi, I definitely have a love-hate relationship with the city. That said, there are more “loves” than “hates” on my list, and street food in Hanoi plays a huge part ...

Hẻm Gems: Finding Your Path at a Downtown Vegan Buffet
Peaceful music that chimes with joy, monks that greet you with smiles, and a delectable donation-based vegan buffet — it's a little heaven on earth. Well, heaven underneath a derelict building on Ton ...

Chinese Internet Is Upset That Italy Seized Hundreds of Century Eggs, Calling Them 'Unfit for Human'
The decision is not amusing to some Chinese citizens.

Chả Lụa Fit for a Kingdom: How Thailand Fell in Love With Vietnamese Ham
Instead of sunny Saigon, I found myself yet again in relentlessly sunny Bangkok. I had a convenient excuse though: attending a close friend’s wedding.

Hẻm Gems: A Bowl of Tripe Noodles That Takes You Straight to Hong Kong
In the public discourse surrounding beef and its culinary application, more often than not there’s barely any space for tripe.

A New Netflix Series Will Showcase Saigon Street Food and 8 Other Asian Cuisines
Food porn addicts rejoice! Street Food, a documentary series focusing on Asia's vibrant pavement cuisine is set to titillate this month on Netflix.

Burger King Pulls 'Racist' Ad of People Eating 'Vietnamese' Burger With Giant Chopsticks
Have it your way, but what if that way is exaggerated chopstick use with racist undertones?

Hẻm Gems: When a Saigon Cafe Gets Its Hanoi Quirks Just Right
There are three H’s that best encompass Vietnam: Hanoi, the capital; Hue, the ancient capital; and Ho Chi Minh City, the economic center. While I am still struck by Hue’s vibrant culture, my memories ...

Opinion: Bún Đậu Mắm Tôm Pizza? Thank U, Next.
“Never half-ass two things. Whole-ass one thing.” — Ron Swanson

Ngõ Nooks: Immerse Yourself in the Traditional Architecture of Cafe Nha San
Nestled deep in a dead-end street reached through a warren of alleyways from an almost impossible-to-see entrance is an ancient-looking building. This stunning traditional Vietnamese stilt-house is on...