Pho in Hanoi, Cao Lầu in Hội An, bánh mì in Saigon — how to eat your way through Vietnam like a local.
Vietnam has one of the great food cultures of the world — and it's highly regional. What you eat in Hanoi is quite different from what you find in Hội An or Ho Chi Minh City.
Hanoi: The North
Pho bò (beef pho) was born in the north and Hanoi remains where it is made best. The northern version is clean and spare — a clear, long-simmered broth seasoned with star anise and ginger, flat rice noodles, thin slices of beef, and a handful of herbs on the side.
Hội An: The Centre
Hội An's culinary isolation as an ancient trading port gave it dishes uniquely its own. Cao Lầu is the most famous — thick chewy noodles with crispy pork crackling, soy-braised pork, bean sprouts, and fresh herbs. Authentic cao lầu is only made in Hội An.
Ho Chi Minh City: The South
Southern food is bolder, sweeter, and more herb-laden than the north. The city's bánh mì is legendary — a French baguette filled with pâté, cold cuts, pickled vegetables, fresh chilli, and coriander. The best are eaten standing up at a street cart for about 50 cents.