7 Days Eating Through Vietnam: A Food Itinerary

Most one-week itineraries treat food as a stop between temples. This one is built the other way round, with the meals fixed first and the transport fitted around them. It follows the flavor change from Hà Nội’s salty, simple cooking to Sài Gòn’s sweeter, richer style, which we cover in Hanoi vs Ho Chi Minh City for food.

The 7-Day Food Route at a Glance

Days 1 and 2: Hà Nội

Start with phở at a plain Old Quarter shop; the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism’s list names Phở bò Khôi Hói on Hàng Vải Street. Read how to eat phở properly first. Eat bún chả at lunch, since it is almost exclusively a lunch dish. For dinner, bún đậu mắm tôm or, on day 2, chả cá, which is stirred at the table with dill and spring onions.

Day 2 begins with bún thang, a breakfast dish of ham, shredded chicken, and omelette in clear broth that began as Lunar New Year leftovers. The same list places cà phê trứng at Cà phê Giảng, in an alley off Nguyễn Hữu Huân Street. Mì vằn thắn, wonton noodles, is a good midday bowl.

Day 3 and the Morning of Day 4: Huế

Fly to Huế on day 3; Vietnam Airlines lists 1 hour 15 minutes. Vietnam Coracle’s Huế guide says most dishes here are snacks eaten in quantity, so graze instead of ordering a big meal. Cơm hến, rice with tiny clams, starfruit, and herbs, is a morning or evening snack, so save it for dinner; Coracle names Cơm Hến Hoa Đông on Ưng Bình Street.

Lunch is the royal cakes: bánh bèo, bánh nậm, and bánh lọc, eaten with a small spoon; Coracle lists Nhạn on Mai Thúc Loan Street. Our recipe covers bánh bèo. Bún bò Huế, a spiced beef and pork broth with lemongrass, is a breakfast or dinner staple and popular late; the guide names Bún Bò Đêm Bà Ty for night eating. See bún bò Huế calories before the second bowl.

In Huế I stop counting dishes. A plate of bánh bèo comes in a stack of tiny saucers, and the spoon is small enough that finishing a dozen feels reasonable. Then the next stall sells bánh ép, and you find room for that too.

Kelly Thuy — field notes, Huế

On the morning of day 4, try bánh canh cá lóc, tapioca noodles with turmeric snakehead fish, then leave for Hội An.

Days 4 and 5: Hội An

The road from Huế to Hội An is about 120 km and takes 3 to 4 hours over the 21-km Hải Vân Pass, according to Vinpearl, which advises against the pass in early morning, late night, or bad weather. Dinner is cơm gà, chicken on yellow rice with a leaf salad and broth.

Day 5 is the noodle day. Coracle’s Hội An food guide lists Mì Quảng Cô Ngư opening at 6:30 a.m. and selling out early. Eat mì Quảng first. Cao lầu is heavier than mì Quảng and, by the guide’s account, found only in Quảng Nam province. Save bánh vạc, a flower-shaped dumpling with a shrimp-paste filling, for dinner at White Rose Restaurant on Hai Bà Trưng Street. To cook these yourself, see our Vietnam cooking class guide.

Days 6 and 7: Sài Gòn

Fly Đà Nẵng to Sài Gòn on day 6, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Start with cơm tấm, broken rice with a grilled pork chop, and take a bánh mì in the afternoon. Migrationology’s Saigon guide lists Bánh Mì Huỳnh Hoa as open 3:30 p.m. to midnight; see bánh mì calories. At night, Vietnam Coracle points to Vĩnh Khánh Street for snails and grilled seafood.

Day 7 is hủ tiếu Nam Vang for breakfast, which Migrationology ties to Cambodian and Chinese cooking, then bánh xèo, and bánh canh cua on Trần Khắc Chân Street.

Flights, Roads, and How Much to Eat

Book flights ahead; BestPriceTravel suggests two to three weeks. Its route advice puts the best weather from November to April, and our best time to visit Vietnam for food lovers covers the seasonal dishes. For budget, see what food costs in Vietnam.

Restaurants named above come from guides that may be a year or more old, so check hours before you go. If your stomach objects along the way, read Vietnam food poisoning. With fewer days, drop Huế and give the time to Hội An. With more, add a night in Sài Gòn. Our best food in Vietnam guide has the wider list.

Frequently Asked Questions