The Ultimate Guide to Cheap Eats in Ho Chi Minh City

Who eats at cheap eats in Ho Chi Minh City?

Saigon has hundreds of foods including international and traditional Vietnamese foods served at different eateries. Prices vary and range between 10,000 VND (0.5 USD) and a few million VND (a few hundred USD). The minimum salary in Vietnam is around 4,000,000 VND (190 USD) per month. A large number of people in Ho Chi Minh City can only spend a maximum of 2 USD for their meal. Cheap eats are the choices of poor people in slum areas, porters, small vendors, pupils, students, teenagers, even officers. Sometimes, rich people and famous artists come to famous cheap eats for the famous foods in the city.

Is it safe to eat at cheap eats in Ho Chi Minh City?

You may have heard about poisoning and dirty food in Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City. It is right that you should be careful to eat in developing countries where the government can not control food safety as well as in developed countries. Many foreigners are aware of street foods so that they have missed this big part of the city. Here are some useful tips to eat well and safely at cheap eats in Saigon:

• Try to eat at famous or recommended cheap eats on trusted guide books, magazines, travel blogs, and TripAdvisor. In this Ultimate Guide to Cheap Eats in Ho Chi Minh City, I try my best to introduce to you the best places which have been carefully researched.
• See if there are many locals eating there. If the cheap eat is crowded and busy, it is worth eating there.
• See if the foods are fresh, cooks use gloves while preparing and making the foods.
• Check if there are insects such as ants and flies on the tables.
• Check if the eating utensils are clean. Sometimes, you can see they wash the utensils next to the food and cooking areas.

How to recognize cheap eats in Ho Chi Minh City?

Certainly, cheap eats are not located in shopping malls or multi-story houses on the streets. You can see them as:

• Moving food stalls such as vendor carrying baskets of foods,  street food shoulder poles, rolling carts made from metal and glass, food stalls on motorbikes or bicycles. It is interesting to see a few vendors try to carry a few small chairs for their customers. When they move to other places, they collect chairs and bring to new places. Experienced vendors know when to leave and where to sell the foods at the best. For example, they can stop next to the gates of schools or universities at break time.

• Small street food stalls on the pavements, at local markets, in food areas, on food streets, in narrow alleys. These eateries have enough space for the vendors and foods, a few small tables and chair or stool, most of which are plastic. Customers tend to buy and take away foods. These eateries can be outdoor or indoor, some are under canvas roofs.

• Small restaurants serve their foods in small houses and on the pavements. In facts, some Saigon people love to sit outdoor right on the pavements instead of in the house which is less cool.

What are the differences between cheap eats and the other eateries?

• At cheap eats in Saigon, you can see all of the ingredients, cooking utensils, and how to cook. It is an amazing part of cheap eats where you can learn more about Saigon rich cuisine. It is true that you can not reach cooking areas.
• The owners of cheap eats are also the cooks, sellers, sometimes waiters. At long-standing cheap eats, you can meet old owners and learn more about the stories of the eateries.
• Famous cheap eats are usually crowded with lines of people. Be patient and wait for your turn.
• Cheap eats may look dirty and messy. Tissues are everywhere under the tables on the floor or pavements. Some tables with leftover foods have not been arranged. Cooking and eating utensils are put around, sometimes washed next to cooking areas.
• Cheap eats may have small plastic tables, chairs, and stools.
• Eating utensils including plates, bowls, forks, spoons, chopsticks look cheap and old.

Because of the cheap price, they do not have enough money to rent more employee to make sure everything is clean and tidy. They also can not buy better tables and utensils.

Which foods to eat at cheap eats in Ho Chi Minh City?

Before sharing the best cheap eats in the city, I would like to give you some overview of great foods Saigon must to offer. The city has everything to satisfy your taste buds, from savory dishes to desserts, from noodle soups to dried foods, from seafood dishes to BBQ.

Saigon specialty foods such as Rice noodles with grilled pork, Grilled beef in wild betel leaf are highly recommended at cheap eats. If you are a seafood lover, you can find lots of seafood dishes and snail dishes at cheap eats. BBQ grilled on charcoal stoves on tables by diners is also a great choice in the city. If you would like to eat something warm and with a rich broth, you can choose Crab noodle soup or Crab soup cake.

The city has dozens of desserts, the best of which include Vietnamese sweet soup, Flan cake, Ice cream in coconut, Ice cream with longan, Coconut jelly, Jackfruit filled with steamed sticky rice. The best snacks in Saigon include Rice paper salad, Rice paper roll, Grilled girdle cake. If you are a foods fear factor lovers, the city offers Fertilized duck egg, Stewed organs (Pha lau), and Congee with pork organs, Rice noodle soup with fermented fish. Goat, frog, squid beak are strange but delicious foods that you should try and open your view of Saigon cuisine.

Should I tip at cheap eats in Ho Chi Minh City?

At most of the cheap eats, they do not charge for service charge. Tipping is optional in Ho Chi Minh City. However, a small tip is really appreciated. If you like the foods and services, you can tip them. The small amount can make the staffs happy and encourage them to work better. How much is enough? Prices are usually low, a portion costs around a few USD. A tip of 5 – 15% of the meal price is reasonable.

Are credit cards and USD cash accepted in Ho Chi Minh City?

I could say that most of the cheap eats do not accept credit cards and USD cash in the city. So that bringing VND cash to cheap eats is a must. They hate big money such as 500,000 VND and 200,000 VND, sometimes they do not have small changes and can refuse to serve you. They can accept and go around to exchange the smaller bank notes. Thus you waste your time waiting for the exchanging. Thus having some small bank notes is better. If you exchange the money at bank branches or gold shops, tell them to give you some small bank notes.

Check out the Ultimate Guide to Vietnamese Currency in Ho Chi Minh City

How to reach cheap eats in Ho Chi Minh City?

It is quite easy to reach upscale restaurants which are usually located in luxury buildings and skyscrapers or in houses on main streets. As mentioned above, many cheap eats are in narrow alleyways or local markets which can only be reached by motorbikes and on foot. To reach hidden cheap eats, you can take a taxi, bus, or motorbike taxi to reach the alleys, local markets, food areas, then walk to the eateries.

How to get around Saigon – Transportation in Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City Food Tour

If you go to cheap eats yourself, you can not eat many foods in the city due to lack of information and personal transportation. A Saigon Food Tour (Ho Chi Minh City Food Tour) is a good choice to taste lots of foods at great eateries within a few hours. I would like to recommend to do Night Saigon Food Tour on which you enjoy the nice view of the city at night, exploring night markets and food areas. If you like something adventurous, choose Saigon Food Tour by Motorbike. If you are aware of sitting on the back of a motorbike, just do a Saigon Walking Food Tour.

Where to find cheap eats in Ho Chi Minh City?

Cheap eats are everywhere in Ho Chi Minh City, you can find them on the main streets, hidden alleys, local markets, and food areas. It is not easy to list the best of cheap eats in Saigon because there are hundreds of great cheap eats around the city.

Best cheap eats in District 1

Ho Chi Minh City  (known as Saigon) offers tons of eateries which serve a wide range of foods. The city has hundreds of upscale restaurants and thousands of cheap eats in different districts. It is true that you can fill your stomach with 15,000 VND (~ 0.5 USD) in Saigon. District 1 is the city center where most of the tourists stay on their trips and expats choose to stay. Foods in District 1 are more expensive than foods in other districts because of the high costs of rent. It does not mean that there are not many cheap eats in District 1. You can find the best cheap foods at the following food areas. Let me share with you the best cheap eats in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. I have done my best to pick out the eateries offering great foods at reasonable prices based on my experience. The information including opening hours, prices, and menu are updated frequently.

Co Giang Food Street

Co Giang Food Area on Co Giang Street, Co Giang Ward, District 1 is one of the most famous paradises of foodies in Saigon. The area has lots of eateries serving the best foods in the city. Most of the restaurants and food stalls in Co Giang area are long-standing and familiar to lots of locals. Co Giang Street is only 1 km far from Bui Vien Backpacker Area and 1.7 km from Ben Thanh Market so that it is easy to reach this food area. I would like to recommend to come to this area at night when all of the eateries open.

Bun Thit Nuong Chi Tuyen

Address: 175 Co Giang Street, Co Giang Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;

Opening hours: 7:00 – 20:00;

What to eat? – Rice noodles with grilled pork and fried roll – a Saigon specialty food (highly recommended);

Prices:  42,000 – 55,000 VND;

Highlights: old-standing and very famous Bun thit nuong stall.

Bun Thit Nuong Chi Tuyen was named after the owner – Ms. Tuyen or Sister Tuyen. The eatery has been open for dozens of year and famous for Rice noodles with grilled pork or Bun thit nuong – a specialty food of Saigon. What makes the food at Ms. Tuyen’s eatery different? Bun thit nuong made by Ms. Tuyen consists of tender but a little chewy rice noodles, the extremely Fried roll, tender and smelling grilled pork, green onion oil, crushed peanuts, carrot and daikon pickles, fresh vegetables and herbs, sweet and sour fish sauce which blend perfectly. To eat, dinner pours the sauce onto the noodles and toppings, mix all so that the sauce plays off the others, then eat with chopsticks. A bowl of Bun thit nuong which is full of noodles and toppings costs 42,000 VND (~ 1.75 USD). The price is not expensive. It is a great choice to fill your stomach and satisfy your taste. Stainless steel tables and chairs are arranged in a house which is not very spacious but not small. Some electric fans are hung on the wall and make you feel cooler. They grill the pork on charcoal outdoor, its smell can make you mouth-watering when you have just reached the eatery.

Bun Rieu Da Lat or Crab Tomato Soup Da Lat

Address: 86 Co Giang Street, Co Giang Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;

Opening hours: 16:30 – 22:00;

What to eat? – Crab tomato noodle soup;

Prices:  28,000 VND.

If you are a seafood and noodle soup lover, you should not miss a bowl of Crab tomato noodle soup or Bun rieu cua in Saigon. The broth is cooked from crab so that it has a distinct taste and smell. The food is topped with various toppings including blood pudding, crab pie (crab cake), fried tofu, pork pie (pork cake), pork, and green onion. A bowl of Crab tomato noodle soup costs only 28,000 VND (~ 1.25 USD). I promise you will be full after eating a portion of Bun rieu cua at Bun Rieu Da Lat. The small and narrow house, small wooden tables and stool would be the minus of this eatery.

Hoa – Bo La Lot & Mo Chai

Address: 92 Co Giang Street, Co Giang Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;

Opening hours: 13:15 – 22:00;

What to eat? – Grilled beef in wild betel leaf, Grilled beef with fat;

Prices:  25,000 VND.

A portion of Bo lat lot at Hoa cheap eat costs only 25,000 VND (~1 USD). The portion consists of 6 Grilled beef in wild betel leaf, Rice vermicelli sheets, vegetables (lettuces, bean sprouts, slices of green banana), special sauce, and rice paper. You can get extra vegetables, sauce and rice paper for free. To eat, wrap the beef, vegetables, and Rice vermicelli in rice paper, then dip in the sauce. Eating Bo la lot with your hands is better 🙂 The average price of Bo la lot in Saigon is 50,000 VND so that this is one of the best places to eat this Saigon street food on the cheap. This cheap eat is outdoor, the vendor cooks and diners eat right on the pavement.

Che Co Giang

Address: 85 Co Giang Street, Co Giang Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;

Opening hours: 17:00 – 22:30;

What to eat? – A large number of sweet soups including Egg sweet soup, Cheung Bo Leung, Dried grape sweet soup, Lotus and water chestnut sweet soup;

Prices:  13,000 – 15,000 VND.

Most sweet soup desserts at this long-standing stall are in Chinese style. An iced dessert after eating main dishes in Co Giang area can make you refreshing. You can choose one from various kinds of sweet soups consisting of different ingredients such as beans, chestnuts, lotus seeds, dried jujubes, even eggs in sweet tea. I would like to recommend Cheung Bo Leung which is made from seaweeds, jujubes, job’s tears, lotus root and Egg and tea sweet soup which is very strange. Prices at the dessert stall are very cheap, a dessert costs around 0.5 USD. You can choose to sit on stainless steel tables and chairs in the house or in front of the house.

Xoi Mit Xi Gon

Address: 187/5/6 Co Giang Street, Co Giang Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;

Opening hours: 9:30 – 21:00;

What to eat? – Jackfruit filled with steamed sticky rice, shredded coconut meat, coconut milk sauce;

Prices:  35,000/5 avrils; 80,000 VND/12 avrils.

Sticky rice plays an important part in Vietnamese cuisine. They use this kind of rice to make a wide range of savory dishes and desserts. At Xoi Mit Xi Gon in Co Giang Food Area, you have a chance to try the perfect mix of jackfruit and steamed sticky rice cooked with different ingredients and having different colors. The jackfruit avril is skillfully stuffed with steamed sticky rice, topped with shredded coconut meat and peanuts. This is a takeaway food stall so that you must buy and eat later.

Kem Xoi Dua – Co Giang

Address: 89 Co Giang Street, Co Giang Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;

Opening hours: 16:00 – 22:00;

What to eat? – Ice cream in coconut or longan (recommended), Jackfruit and steamed sticky rice ice cream, Black glutinous rice yogurt, Khuc bach sweet soup, Coconut water with kumquat juice;

Prices:  10,000 – 30,000 VND.

This is a stop for various desserts and I promise any sweet lover will fall in love with the yummy foods there. I would like to recommend the colorful coconut ice cream which consists of ice cream, served in a half of peeled coconut, topped with coconut meat candy, sweet corn, sticky rice, etc. Ice cream with longan is another great choice. All the desserts cost about 1 USD. At this stall, you will sit on a small plastic chair around a small plastic table outdoor.

Pha Lau Nga

Address: 91 Co Giang Street, Co Giang Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;

Opening hours: 15:00 – 21:00;

What to eat? – Stewed animal organ, Fertilized duck egg (boiled or stir-fried with tamarind sauce) – foods fear factor in Vietnam (recommended), Stir-fried corn, Crab soup;

Prices:  10,000 – 25,000 VND.

If you dare to eat foods fear factor, you can give the Vietnamese stewed organ or Pha lau a try. Although they throw away pork and beef organs in many countries, these parts of animals are used to cook beloved foods in Vietnam. While some people like to eat something tender and smelling, Vietnamese people love to eat something crunchy and a little stinky or smelly. Pha lau is cooked from intestines, stomach, and other organs of beef and/or pork with coconut water, five-spice powder, black pepper, etc. It is usually served with crispy bread or instant noodles. A portion of Pha lau at Pha lau Nga costs about 25,000 VND or 1 USD.

Chao Long Ba Ut

Address: 193 Co Giang Street, Co Giang Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;

Opening hours: 6:00 – 14:00;

What to eat? – Congee with pork organs;

Prices:  43,000 VND (a bit expensive price);

Highlights: over 80 years old.

I would like to introduce to you another food made from animal organs. It is Chao long or Congee with pork organs which contains pig’s liver, lung, intestines, stomach, blood pudding and lean pork. A bowl of Chao long can fill and warm your stomach in the morning or evening. You can add vegetables (bean sprouts, basils), lime juice, red chili pepper, fish sauce to the congee at your wish. This Chao long stall was opened over 80 years ago. It has become familiar to thousands of Saigon people for dozens of years. I think this is one of the best Chao long in the city. The restaurant is small but clean and tidy. High stainless steel chairs and tables make you comfortable to sit.

Chuoi Nuoc Nuoc Dua & Che Thung

Address: 67 Co Giang Street, Co Giang Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;

Opening hours: 15:30 – 22:00;

What to eat? – Grilled banana or Grilled banana in sticky rice with coconut milk sauce and tapioca pearl, Che thung or Thung sweet soup;

Prices: 10,000 – 20,000 VND;

Highlights: over 80 years old.

This small eatery serves Vietnamese traditional desserts. Banana is famous and cheap in Vietnam so that they have created lots of desserts from this fruit. The greasy and sweet coconut milk sauce is used to top on smelling and crispy grilled banana or banana in sticky rice. This would be a new food from banana you have been tried. If you are a sweet lover, Thung sweet soup is cooked from seaweed, peanut, coconut milk, sweet potato, and other ingredients will win your heart. The price is very cheap, you can enjoy a dessert with less than 1 USD.

Tran Khac Chan Food Street

Tran Khac Chan Street in Tan Dinh Ward is located about 4 km from Ben Thanh Market. The street is famous for lots of favorite eateries of Saigon people.

Banh Canh Cua Tran Khac Chan

Address: 87 Tran Khac Chan Street, Tan Dinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;

Opening hours: 14:00 – 21:00;

What to eat? – Crab soup cake – a great dish with gelatinous broth, thick noodles, crab, shrimp for seafood lover;

Prices:  40,000 – 43,000 VND;

Highlights: one of the most famous Crab soup cake restaurants in Saigon.

Crab soup cake or Banh canh cua is a perfect choice for seafood lover because it is cooked from crab and shrimp. The soup cake consists of gelatinous broth, thick rice noodles, crab meat, peeled shrimp, crab pie (or crab cake), quail egg, and coriander. 40,000 VND or 2 USD is not too much for a bowl of hot Crab soup cake in Ho Chi Minh City. The eatery is not very spacious but the waiters and cooks serve the foods quickly.

Bun Cha Ngoc Ha

Address: 22C Tran Khac Chan Street, Tan Dinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;

Opening hours: 9:00 – 21:00;

What to eat? – Kebab rice noodles which Obama former president ate in Vietnam;

Prices:  40,000 – 45,000 VND.

Obama ate a bowl of Bun cha or Kebab rice noodles when he visited Vietnam in 2016. This is one of the most famous Vietnamese dishes. Although this food originated from North Vietnam, you have a chance to enjoy it at Bun Cha Ngoc Ha in Saigon. The highlight of Bun cha is the perfect blend of the slippery rice noodles, tender and tasty grilled pork, vegetables, herbs, kohlrabi, and dipping fish sauce. The eatery is indoor, it has wooden chairs and tables, and offer free Wifi.

Bui Vien Walking Street

Bui Vien Street is the heart of Saigon backpacker area. The prices were low in the past but they tend to increase the prices of everything in recent. Beers and snacks such as dried foods, fried chicken wings are cheap on this street. I do not recommend to try Saigon foods unless you want to chill out here.

Dau Hu Nong Bui Vien or Bui Vien Tofu Pudding

Address: 167 Bui Vien Street, Pham Ngu Lao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;

Opening hours: 16:00 – 22:00;

What to eat? – Warm tofu pudding with tapioca pearl, coconut milk sauce, ginger syrup;

Prices:  10,000 VND;

Highlights: mentioned in many trusted magazines.

This extremely tender tofu pudding with ginger syrup and coconut milk sauce (optional) is very cheap at Dau Hu Nong Bui Vien. Made by an old Saigonese woman, this small dessert stall attracts hundreds of locals and visitors every day. Many bloggers and magazines have written about this eateries so that it is worth a stop. The old vendor put everything including the pot of tofu pudding warmed on charcoal, eating utensils in 2 big baskets which also are called street food shoulder pole. There are a few small plastic chairs used to sit and place bowls of tofu pudding.

Lang Nuong Ba Sau Nho

Address: 135 Bui Vien Street, Pham Ngu Lao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;

Opening hours: 17:00 – 5:00 (on the next day);

Prices:  10,000 – 180,000 VND;

Highlights: reasonable prices and great grilled foods.

Beers in Bui Vien is very cheap but foods are a little expensive. Lang Nuong Ba Sau Nho offers grilled foods at reasonable prices. A portion of grilled pork/beef/seafood/chicken costs about 100,000 VND or 4 USD. A portion of grilled okra costs about 50,000 VND. Or you can choose skewers, each of which costs about 10,000 VND or 0.6 USD. At other cheap eats in far districts, the prices of grilled foods are cheaper. However, the prices offered by Lang Nuong Ba Sau Nho are acceptable and cheaper than in many BBQ restaurants in District 1. Although you can sit in the small area in the narrow house, I would like to recommend you to sit on the pavement to enjoy the maze of the street where people from all around the world have fun at night.

Ben Thanh Market

Ben Thanh Market is the most famous market in Saigon so that the prices of foods at the market are a bit expensive. However, there are some food stalls offering good prices.

Be Che

Address: Stall 1154 – 1130, Gate 7 on the West of Ben Thanh Market, Phan Chu Trinh Street, Ben Thanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;

Opening hours: 7:30 – 16:30;

What to eat? – A wide range of Vietnamese sweet soup (iced or hot), smoothies;

Prices: 20,000 – 35,000 VND (a little more expensive than sweet soups at other dessert stalls);

Highlights: old-standing and very famous dessert stall.

Be Che is an over 40-year-old dessert stall in food area of Ben Thanh Market. Be Che sells tens of sweet soups made from different kinds of beans, seeds, seaweeds, agar agar, chestnuts, etc. I would like to recommend to eat Mixed sweet soup (or Che thap cam) and Three color dessert (or Che ba mau). Both contain lots of ingredients, coconut milk and ice. If you do not like something cold, you can choose hot sweet soups such as Black-eyed bean sweet soup, Corn sweet soup. Another strange sweet soup is Pomelo sweet soup made from pomelo skin. Most of the desserts cost 27,000 VND or 1.25 USD. Because Be Che is located in Ben Thanh Market Food Area, it is not very spacious. There are some small chairs and tables where you can sit and enjoy the great desserts while seeing lines of people wandering one of most croweded market in Saigon.

Banh Beo Hue Cua Tay

Address: Gate 7 on the West of Ben Thanh Market, Phan Chu Trinh Street, Ben Thanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;

Opening hours: 8:00 – 16:30;

What to eat? – Mixed Hue cakes;

Prices: 20,000 VND; Highlights: 22-year-old stall.

This food stall has opened for over 20 years and been the favorite place to eat Hue cakes in Saigon. I would like to recommend a portion of various Hue cakes including Banh nam (Shrimp and pork rice dumplings), Banh loc (or Tapioca shrimp dumplings), Banh beo (Bloating fern shaped cakes), Beef pie, toasted ground dried shrimp eaten with fish sauce dip. The stall provides some tiny chairs around small tables for diners to sit and eat. Although the area around the stall is crowded and busy, many people still wait at this food stall for their favorite foods.

Tran Dinh Xu Food Street

The Gioi Tau Hu

Address: 122 Tran Dinh Xu Street, Cau Kho Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;

Opening hours: 11:00 – 22:00;

What to eat? – Tofu pudding with various toppings (recommended), lots of local snacks and desserts;

Prices: 17,000 – 29,000 VND.

Tofu pudding is not only delicious but also healthy so that it has won the hearts of many Saigon people. Coming to The Gioi Tau Hu which means The tofu pudding world, you can enjoy desserts from tofu pudding and different toppings such as grass jelly, coconut meat candy, etc. The prices are acceptable, they range between 17,000 and 29,000 VND (~ 1 USD). The Gioi Tau Hu’s wall is decorated attractively, the tables and chairs are made from wood and bamboo, the place looks clean and tidy. I guess you enjoy both the foods and the atmosphere there.

Chuoi Nep Nuong Tran Dinh Xu

Address: 122/10 Tran Dinh Xu Street, Nguyen Cu Trinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;

Opening hours: 11:00 – 22:00;

What to eat? – Grilled banana in sticky rice, Grilled banana, Tapioca pearl cake, Stewed banana/cassava with coconut milk;

Prices: 16,000 VND.

This stall specializes in traditional Vietnamese foods made from banana. One of the highlights of the stall is Grilled banana wrapped in steamed sticky rice, topped with a special sauce made from tapioca pearl, toasted sesame, and coconut milk. A portion of any dessert at this stall costs 16,000 VND which is less than 1 USD. The food stall has some chairs and tables for diners who would like to eat at the stall. However, most of the customers buy and take away the Grilled banana in sticky rice and the others.

Tan Dinh Market Food Area

Tan Dinh Market in District 1 is known as the market for the rich because the prices are high at food stalls and restaurant in the market and neighboring areas. However, it does not mean there is no cheap eat in this famous food area.

Che Ba Muoi

Address: Stall 866, Tan Dinh Market, 48 Ma Lo Street, Tan Dinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;

Opening hours: 7:00 – 12:00;

What to eat? – Vietnamese sweet soup, Steamed sticky rice, Duc cake;

Prices: 10,000 – 15,000 VND.

A portion of sweet soup or steamed sticky rice at Ba Muoi stall is only 10,000 VND (~ 0.5 USD). The price is quite cheap. There are tens of sweet soup desserts for your choice. I guess you will be back to try different desserts at this cheap eats. Duc cake – a traditional Vietnamese cake is worth a taste at this stall. The cake is made from rice flour, tapioca flour and pandan leaf extract so that it is green, tender and chewy at the same time. The cake is cut into pieces and topped with coconut milk sauce. A portion of Duc cake costs only 15,000 VND. At this food stall, diners sit around the glass box in which the vendor arrange the ingredients for making desserts.

Yen Lan

Address: At the opposite of 111 Nguyen Huu Cau Street, Tan Dinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;

Opening hours: 7:00 – 19:00;

What to eat? – Rice noodles/Question cake/Wet cake with grilled pork;

Prices: 40,000 VND.

The grilled pork at Yen Lan stall in Tan Dinh Market Food Area is tender and smelling. You can choose rice noodles, question cake, or wet cake with the grilled pork, green onion oil, peanuts, vegetables, herbs, and dipping fish sauce. Question cake or Banh hoi is soft woven rice vermicelli sheets which are popularly served in important events in Vietnam. Wet cake is a thin rice sheet made by steaming rice batter on a cloth put on a pot with water being boiled on a stove. A portion of rice noodles or Question cake and grilled pork costs 40,000 VND (~ 1.75 USD), a portion of Wet cake and grilled pork costs 25,000 VND (~ 1 USD).

Com Tam Di Tam

Address: 331 – 319 Hai Ba Trung Street, Tan Dinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;

Opening hours: 18:30 – 23:00;

What to eat? – Broken rice with grilled pork and/or pork strips, pork pie, chicken organ;

Prices: 40,000 – 65,000 VND.

Broken rice is a specialty food of Saigon so that you should not miss the amazing food which contains steamed broken rice, carrot and daikon pickles, dipping fish sauce, grilled pork chop, and other toppings including egg and pork pie, pigskin strips, etc. A portion of broken rice with grilled pork costs 40,000 USD (~ 1.75 USD) at Com Tam Di Tam which is known as one of the oldest Broken rice stalls in Saigon. The food stall is hidden in a small alley next to Tan Dinh Market, and you will sit right on the alley to eat.

Best cheap eats in District 3

District 3 is located a few kilometers from District 1, District 3 offers lots of good cheap eats offering amazing foods at reasonable prices. The district has the famous Nguyen Thuong Hien Street, known as the paradise of Rice paper salad. Turtle Lake in District 3 is not only well-known as a piece of historical evidence but also a street food area. Vo Van Tan Street, Cao Thang Street, long-standing Ban Co Market and Nguyen Thien Thuat Apartment Buildings are favorite stops for eating street foods. Let me share with you the best cheap eats for Saigon street foods in District 3. I hope you will have enough time to wander the areas and eat all the amazing foods.

Nguyen Thuong Hien Rice Paper Salad Street

I would like to share with you the most famous Rice paper salad stall which does not provide any seat but sell takeaway Rice paper dishes. The most popular foods from Rice paper is Rice paper salad or Banh trang tron which contains rice paper strips, shredded green mango, Vietnamese mint, quail egg, beef jerky, squid jerky, dried cow liver. Before eating, you should mix all of the ingredients with a special sauce with chopsticks. Banh trang cuon or Rice paper roll consists of the same ingredients. They do not cut rice paper into strips but use it to wrap the fillings into a roll. Diner dips the roll into the special sauce and eat. Sometimes, the stalls are very busy and crowded, there are long lines of customers so that you must to wait for a few minutes.

Rice paper strips, shredded green mango, Vietnamese mint, quail egg, beef jerky, squid jerky, dried cow liver – Photo by Scooter Saigon Tour

Banh Trang Tron Long

• Address: 34 Nguyen Thuong Hien Street, Ward 5, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;
• Opening hours: 10:00 – 22:00;
• What to eat? – Rice paper salad, Rice paper roll;
• Prices: 10,000 – 35,000 VND.

Banh Trang Tron Chu Vien

• Address: 38 Nguyen Thuong Hien Street, Ward 5, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;
• What to eat? – Rice paper salad;
• Opening hours: 11:00 – 19:00;
• Prices: 20,000 – 35,000 VND.

Banh Trang Tron Co Thao

• Address: 90 Nguyen Thuong Hien Street, Ward 5, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;
• What to eat? – Rice paper salad;
• Opening hours: 8:30 – 20:00;
• Prices: 10,000 – 25,000 VND.

Turtle Lake Food Area

Turtle Lake is a special and one of the largest roundabout in the city, it has small lakes, spiral pedestrian paths, benches, and lots of green old trees. A tower in shape of a flower and a sword is the highlight of this place. President Nguyen Van Thieu of Republic of Vietnam built the octagonal lake and four spiral path in order to keep the dragon which represented for an invisible power against him from awaking. In recent, the turtle lake becomes a popular place for Saigon people to gather, walk around, relax, have some foods and drinks. At Turtle Lake, you have a chance to enjoy a wide range of street foods including Grilled quail egg cake, Grilled girdle cake, Rice paper salad, Fried corn, many drinks at very small stalls. All of them are extremely delicious, price range between 10,000 and 25,000 VND. Click here to view on Google Map.

Turtle Lake under the shade of old green trees – Photo by Scooter Saigon Tour

Fried corn with dried tiny shrimp and green onion – Photo by Scooter Saigon Tour

Vo Van Tan Food Street

Che Via He Co Diep

• Address: 241 Vo Van Tan Street, Ward 5, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;
• Opening hours: 18:00 – 22:00;
• What to eat? – Vietnamese sweet soup, Cow cake, Steamed sticky rice;
• Prices: 10,000 VND.

Che Via He Co Diep is a long-standing food stall which covers only 2 square meters in an alley. Most customers buy and take the foods away. However, you can sit on a small plastic stool next to the stall and enjoy the food quickly. Che Via He Co Diep sells traditional Vietnamese sweet soup made from bananas, sweet potatoes, beans, coconut milk. The sweet soups are usually served without ice. The airy, soft but a little chewy Cow cake is worth a try. The price is very cheap, a rice bowl of sweet soup costs 10,000 VND or 0.5 USD.

Bun Cha Ho Guom

• Address: Vo Van Tan, 135 Vo Van Tan Street, Ward 6, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;
• Opening hours: 18:00 – 22:00;
• What to eat? – Rice noodles with pork pie (kebab) and/or Fried shrimp and crab roll, Flan cake, Spring roll, Duc cake, Fried shrimp cake;
• Prices: 50,000 VND.

This restaurant specializes in foods which are popular in Hanoi. Kebab rice noodles (Bun cha) containing rice noodles, grilled pork, dipping fish sauce, kohlrabi is a must-eat food at this place. A bowl of Bun cha costs 52,000 VND. You may know about the famous Vietnamese spring roll which is crispy outside, tender, a little chewy, and very tasty inside. Bun Cha Ho Guom offers another version of Vietnamese fried roll – Square shrimp and crab fried roll which costs 25,000 VND or 1 USD. Duc cake is a tender cake made from rice flour, topped with a mix of ground pork, wood ears, fried shallots, coriander, and eaten with dipping fish sauce. The restaurant is rather spacious with lots of stainless steel chairs and tables.

Bot Chien Dat Thanh

• Address: 277 Vo Van Tan Street, Ward 5, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;
• Opening hours: 14:00 – 21:00;
• What to eat? – Pan-fried scrambled egg rice cake, Dim sum, Bo pia roll;
• Prices:  20,000 – 30,000 VND.

The cook was frying Bot chien – Photo by Scooter Saigon Tour

A portion of Bot chien – Photo by Scooter Saigon Tour

Dumplings topped with Vietnamese mint and fried onion – Photo by Scooter Saigon Tour

Bot Chien Dat Thanh is one of the oldest and best restaurants serving Pan-fried scrambled egg rice cake or Bot chien in Saigon. The food is very simple, it consists of pieces of boiled rice flour, fried until crispy with egg, then served with shredded green papaya and dipping soy sauce. A plate of Bot chien costs 30,000 VND, it can fill your stomach and satisfy your taste.

Hung Phat – Banh Mi Kep Cha Bo

• Address: 323 Vo Van Tan Street, Ward 5, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;
• Opening hours: 6:30 – 22:30;
• What to eat? – Vietnamese bread with beef pie, Savory steamed sticky rice with mixed toppings or chicken;
• Prices: 17,000 VND.

Bread filled with beef pie (beff roll) – Photo by Scooter Saigon Tour

I guess that you have heard or eaten Vietnamese bread – one of the top Vietnamese must-eat foods. Let me share with you a great place to eat this amazing food in Saigon. The highlight of this eatery is that it serves Vietnamese bread filled with beef roll (or Cha bo) instead of the popular pork roll. Warm crispy bread freshly baked at the eatery, chewy and tasty beef pie, coriander, daikon and carrot pickles, cucumber, patee, and special sauce. The price is reasonable, a bread costs only 17,000 VND (~0.75 USD). Hung Phat also sells Steamed sticky rice with pork roll, pork floss, and Steamed wheat flour cake. All foods cost less than 20,000 VND but can fill your stomach and satisfy your taste incredibly.

Nguyen Thien Thuat Apartment Buildings Food Area

Nguyen Thien Thuat apartment buildings were built in the 1960s and have been home to Saigon people for over 60 years. Everything is old in this area. So that there are lots of long-standing food stalls and restaurants offering great foods at shophouses in the area around these buildings. Just troll into the old Saigon, and eat Saigon to its fullest in the area of Nguyen Thien Thuat buildings and Nguyen Thien Thuat Street. There are countless of great eateries but I can only pick the best from the list.

Pho Chua Lang Son

• Address: 242/101 Nguyen Thien Thuat Street, Ward 3, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;
• Opening hours: 11:00 – 21:00;
• What to eat? – Sweet and sour Pho noodles (recommended), Pyramidal rice cake;
• Prices: 25,000 – 55,000 VND.

 

Pho perhaps is the most famous Vietnamese food which is popular in Vietnam and other countries. The most well-known version of Pho consists of flavorful broth, slippery flat rice noodles, beef (rare and/or medium, ball). The version of Pho at Pho Chua Lang Son – Nguyen Thien Thuat does not consist Pho noodles, topped with chicken, shrimp crackers, herbs, peanuts, fried shallots, sweet and sour sauce. The food is called Sour Pho or Pho chua. When eating, dinner mixes everything well until the sauce play off the others. You can add a mix of lemongrass, chili pepper, and deep-fried pork fat. They also serve the broth in a separate bowl. A portion of Sour Pho costs 50,000 VND (~1 USD). Pyramidal rice cake topped with crispy deep-fried shallot, coriander, and eaten with dipping fish sauce is worth trying at this eatery. It costs only 22,000 VND (~1 USD).

Chao Vit Lien

• Address: 21/3 Nguyen Thien Thuat Street, Ward 2, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;
• Opening hours: 7:00 – 22:00;
• What to eat? – Duck congee, Duck salad, Cellophane/rice noodle soup with duck;
• Prices: 20,000 – 100,000 VND;
• Highlights: 60-year-old.

Rice congee with duck – Photo by Scooter Saigon Tour

Congee with duck or Chao vit is a strange food to foreigners. The congee is cooked from whole ducks so that it is very rich. The cooked duck is cut into pieces and served with shredded cabbage salad, bean sprouts, shredded banana blossom and morning glory. The dipping sauce at this stall is very special, it is made from fish sauce and ginger which goes well with duck meat. Instead of congee, you can order cellophane noodle soup with bamboo shoot to eat with duck meat. A bowl of congee without duck meat costs 17,000 VND (~0.75 USD), a bowl of congee/bamboo shoot cellophane with duck meat costs 44,000 VND (~ 2 USD),

Banh Mi Chao Co Le

• Address: 003 Block D, Nguyen Thien Thuat Apartment Buildings, Alley 213 Nguyen Thien Thuat Street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;
• Opening hours: 7:00 – 12:00;
• What to eat? – Vietnamese pan bread;
• Prices: 20,000 – 35,000 VND.

You and most foreigners are familiar with Vietnamese bread filled with meat, vegetables, sauces, patee, etc. At Banh Mi Chao Co Le, the nice vendor serves the bread with fillings including sausage, cheese, omelet egg, canned fish, sausage, pork roll, onion, fried in a small pan, pickles and vegetables in a plate. The diner can eat the bread with the fillings or stuff it with the fillings, then eat the stuffed bread. All the fillings are homemade at this stall so that everything is perfect to go together. The eatery is outdoor and very simple with some plastic chairs and stools. The wall drawings and a poem about Ms. Le, foods, and shippers are nice to see at the stall. The stall has another name – Banh mi be due which means Gay bread. The name comes from the omelet egg which is rare cooked.

Oc Loan

• Address: 012 Block C, Nguyen Thien Thuat Apartment Buildings, To Hien Thanh Street, Ward 1, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;
• Opening hours: 16:00 – 22:00;
• What to eat? – Snail, clam, scallop dishes;
• Prices: 50,000 – 150,000 VND;
• Highlights: 60-year-old.

Oc Loan snail restaurant could not be missed in the list of the best cheap eats for Saigon street foods in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City.  is located in a small alley in the area of Nguyen Thien Thuat Apartment Buildings. The eatery has been opened for over 60 years and one of the top places to eat snail and seafood dishes in Saigon. The menu has more than 100 dishes for your choice. Snails are favorite ingredients to make favorite foods in Vietnam. Snail meat is tender and crunchy. It may be smelling or smelly to you. According to Vietnamese people, the smell of snails are sweet. You can choose the snails grilled, roasted, stir-fried with various spices such as lemongrass, salt, chili pepper, black pepper or tamarind sauce, coconut milk, etc. My favorite dishes at Oc Loan include Roasted ocean crab with salt and chili pepper (60,000 VND ~ 2.5 USD), Steamed clams with lemongrass (50,000 VND ~ 2.25 USD), and Grilled scallops with green onion oil (50,000 VND ~ 2.25 USD). The eatery is alway crowded and busy but they serve customers the dishes quickly.

Oc Xuyen

• Address: 174/43 Nguyen Thien Thuat Street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;
• Opening hours: 12:00 – 22:00;
• What to eat? – Snail, clam, scallop dishes;
• Prices: 50,000 – 180,000 VND.

Oc Xuyen is located next to Oc Loan in the area of Ban Co Market. Highlights of this cheap eat include big snails, secret recipes, and good services.

Ban Co Food Market

• Banh Beo Cho Ban Co, Ban Co Market, 51/73 Cao Thang Street, Ward 2, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 9:00 – 19:00;  What to eat? – Hue cakes; Prices: 35,000 VND.
• Chao Tieu Co Ut, 51/33 Cao Thang Street, Ward 3, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 15:30 – 22:30;  What to eat? – Teochew congee with ground pork/mushroom/snakehead/liver/organs/mixed; Prices: 27,000 – 80,000 VND (rather high price); Highlights: 70-year-old.

• Bun Bi Tu Loan, Ban Co Market, 664/14 Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, Ward 3, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 11:30 – 17:00;  What to eat? – Spring roll, Rice noodles with grilled pork/pork patties, Pork patty roll, Fried roll; Prices: 8,000 – 35,000 VND.

Cao Thang Street – Grilled girdle cake street

Cao Thang is known as the street of Grilled girdle cake or Banh trang nuong. It has many street food stalls serving Banh trang nuong which consists of rice paper, topped with various ingredients such as sausage, pork floss, dried small shrimp, quail egg, green onion, mayonnaise, chili sauce, grilled on charcoal until crispy. One of the best cheap eats to enjoy this amazing food is Banh Trang Nuong Da Lat. The price is very cheap, a girdle-cake costs only 21,000 VND (~1 USD).

• Banh Trang Nuong Da Lat, 53 – 57 Cao Thang Street, Ward 3, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 17:00 – 22:00;  What to eat? – Grilled girdle cake with various toppings; Prices: 21,000 VND.

Vietnamese pizza – Photo by Scooter Saigon Tour

Are you mouth-watering when reading this post? The best cheap eats for Saigon street foods in District 3 should not be missed when you are in Ho Chi Minh City. I would like to recommend you to join a Saigon Food Tour by motorbike or a Walking Saigon Food Tour to eat all of the must-eat Saigon street foods within a few hours with a local who is experienced on eating the city.

Best cheap eats in District 4

District 4 is a tiny island is separated from other parts of the city by waterways. In the past, this area was the former mafia hotspot run by Nam Cam criminal boss. In recent, it has become one of the most favorite places of Saigon foodies by day and by night. Although cheap eats are everywhere at any corner, in any alley and street of the district, I would like to share with you 2 most crowded and busy food hotspots: Xom Chieu Market and Vinh Khanh Street. District 4 is less than 2 km from Ben Thanh Market, District 1 so that you can reach it easily and quickly. You can call a taxi or book a Grab Car or Grab Bike ride to reach the food areas in District 4. The fare is less than 50,000 VND or 2 USD. Or you can simply book a Saigon food tour on which the local guide takes you to the eating places and serve you a wide range of foods at the best eateries in Saigon, including District 4. The price of a Saigon food tour is from 35 USD, depending on tour route, foods, and transportation (walking or by motorbike). What and where to eat in District 4? The following is a list of the best cheap eats for Saigon street foods in District 4, Ho Chi Minh City

Xom Chieu Food Market

Xom Chieu Food Market (or Xom Chieu Food Area, Alley 200 Food Area) is known as one of the favorite place of Saigon foodies. There are dozens of eateries serving hundreds of exotic Saigon street food in this area.  In this post, I would like to share with you the best cheap eats in Xom Chieu Food Market.

Mi Oc Hen Di Lan

• Address: 2/4 Ngo Van So Street, Ward 13, District 4, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;
• Opening hours: 7:00 – 19:00;
• What to eat? – Rice noodle soup with snail and/or baby clam;
• Prices: 27,000 – 32,0o00 VND.

Rice noodle soup with snail and/or baby clam (Bun oc hen) may be a strange food to many locals and foreign visitors but it is worth a try. The noodle soup consists of rice noodles like other kinds of Vietnamese rice noodle soups. The broth of this food is cooked from snails and baby clams so that it has a special smell and taste. The noodles are covered with the rich broth, snail meat, and/or baby clam meat, and Vietnamese coriander. A bowl of Mi oc hen can fill and warm your stomach. Instead of rice noodles, you can order instant noodles or Pho. You can also order octopus to top the noodle soup. A bowl of Rice noodle soup with snail, baby clam, and octopus cost 32,000 VND or 1.5 USD. A bowl of Rice noodle soup with snail and baby clam costs 28,000 VND or 1.25 USD. The eatery is located in a small house, the chairs and stools are small so that it is not very comfortable to sit eat at Mi Oc Hen Di Lan. However, it is always crowded thanks to the great foods and reasonable prices.

Pha Lau Co Oanh

• Address: 200/44 Xom Chieu Street, Ward 14, District 4, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;
• Opening hours: 17:00 – 22:00;
• What to eat? – Stewed organs, Beef jerky salad, Stir-fried fertilized duck egg with tamarind sauce;
• Prices: 10,000 – 22,000 VND.

To cook Pha lau, they stew Beef organs with coconut water, five-spice powder and other secret ingredients in many hours. Pha Lau Co Oanh is one of the best places to eat Pha lau in Saigon. The organs are tender but crunchy, the sauce is sweet and salty at the same time. Especially, it has no bad smell after cooking. Saigon people love to dip bread in the sauce and eat the bread with the organs. A rice bowl of Stewed organs costs only 20,000 VND (~1 USD). You can also eat Spring roll (10,000 VND or 0.5 USD), Beef jerky salad (20,000 VND or 1 USD), Stir-fried fertilized quail egg (20,000 VND or 1 USD).

Oc To

• C218 Xom Chieu Street, Ward 15, District 4, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;
• Opening hours: 12:00 – 23:00;
• What to eat? – Snail, clam, scallop dishes;
• Prices: 50,000 VND.

Oc To literally means Bowl of Snail, the restaurant was named as Oc To because the snail dishes are not served in plates like in other snail restaurant but in medium-sized bowls. Each bowl of cooked snail, clam, ocean crab, scallop costs 50,000 VND (~2.25 USD). The prices are cheaper in comparison to the prices at other snail eating places. Because the place is not very spacious, tables and stools are arranged close together.

Sup Cua Hang

• Address: C200/18 Xom Chieu Street, Ward 15, District 4, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;
• Opening hours: 16:00 – 21:00;
• What to eat? – Crab soup (mixed, with pig brain, century duck egg);
• Prices: 20,000 – 45,000 VND.

Crab soup in Saigon style has a viscous broth and contain crab meat, shiitake, coriander, corn, chicken meat, etc. A rice bowl of crab soup costs 20,000 VND. If you would like to add pork brain to the food, you will pay 23,000 VND. A portion of crab soup with pork brain, century egg costs 30,000 VND. This soup is amazingly delicious and healthy so that it is a favorite of people at all ages in the city. And I hope you will love it at for the first time. Similar to most cheap eats, Sup Cua Hang eatery is very simple with old stools and tables.

Che Ha Tram

• Address: C200/8 Xom Chieu Street, Ward 15, District 4, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;
• Opening hours: 13:00 – 21:00;
• What to eat? – Snail, clam, scallop dishes;
• Prices: 100,000 – 200,000 VND.

Che Ha Tram serves not only desserts such as Vietnamese sweet soups, Flan cake but also some savory dishes including Crab soup cake, Crab tomato noodle soup. A glass of sweet soup dessert costs only 14,000 VND (~0.5 USD) at this stall. I would like to recommend to eat Iced mixed sweet soup consisting of beans, jelly, agar agar, coconut milk sauce. If you would like to try something strange, you can order a portion of water coconut fruit meat which is crispy and tender at the same time. Che Ha Tram provides small plastic chairs and tables for diners to sit and eat.

Vinh Khanh Snail Street

The street is called snail street because it is lined with dozens of snail restaurants and stalls. On 30th March, 2018, Ho Chi Minh City threw a grand opening for Vinh Khanh Food Area. It is open from 4:00 PM every day. At night, Vinh Khanh Street is always full of people coming to eat snail dishes, BBQ, and other street foods as well as drink some beers. The street is known as the snail destination because there are dozens of snail restaurants in the street. Below is the list of the best snail eateries in Vinh Khanh as well as Saigon:

Oc Oanh 1

• Address: 534 Vinh Khanh Street, Ward 8,  District 4, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;
• Opening hours: 16:00 – 23:00;
• What to eat? – Snail, clam, scallop dishes;
• Prices: 100,000 – 300,000 VND.

Oc Dao 2

• Address: 232/132 Vinh Khanh Street, Ward 10,  District 4, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;
• Opening hours: 16:00 – 23:00;
• What to eat? – Snail, clam, scallop dishes;
• Prices: 60,000 – 110,000 VND.

Oc Thao

• Address: 383 Vinh Khanh Street, Ward 8,  District 4, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;
• Opening hours: 10:00 – 1:00 (at night);
• What to eat? – Snail, clam, scallop dishes;
• Prices: 25,000 – 200,000 VND.

Oc Vu

• Address: 37 Vinh Khanh Street, Ward 8,  District 4, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;
• Opening hours: 15:00 – 22:00;
• What to eat? – BBQ (beef, pork, wild boar, seafood);
• Prices: 30,000 – 160,000 VND.

If you would like to eat BBQ in this food area, I would like to recommend Quan Khoi which offer the greatest BBQ at reasonable prices.

Quan Khoi Sai Gon

• Address: 122/37/9 Vinh Khanh Street, Ward 8,  District 4, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;
• Opening hours: 16:00 – 00:00 (at night);
• What to eat? – BBQ (beef, pork, wild boar, seafood);
• Prices: 35,000 – 120,000 VND.

There are hundreds of choices including marinated seafood, beef, pork, chicken, frog, organs, vegetables, and many more on the menu of Quan Khoi Saigon. After ordering the foods, you can grill the foods on charcoal oven yourself, then eat with special sauces.

At cheap eats in Vinh Khanh, beers are not very expensive. A can or bottle of beers costs around 20,000 VND or 1 USD. So that you can chill out with a few hundred thousand VND. The above snail and BBQ restaurants are spacious but they arrange plastic, stainless steel, or wooden tables and chairs close together in order to have seats for as many customers as possible. The staffs work well and you will not wait for so long.

Besides cheap eats in Xom Chieu and Vinh Khanh Food Areas, there are countless of good cheap eats, some of which are listed as following:

Thi Thi Che – Ton Dan

• Address: 233 Ton Dan, Ward 15, District 4, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map;
• Opening hours: 14:30 – 23:00;
• What to eat? – Flan cake, Mixed fruits;
• Prices: 15,000 – 30,000 VND.

Entering Thi Thi Che, you will be lost in the world of colorful sweet desserts. The eatery serves lots of desserts, my favorites include soft and lightly sweet Flan cake topped with ice and black coffee (20,000 VND or 1 USD/2 cakes), Iced mixed fruits (25,000 VND or 1 USD), Khuc bach dessert (30,000 VND or 1.5 USD).

Best cheap eats in District 5

In District 5 which is home to many Chinese people, you can find lots of delicious Vietnamese foods and Chinese foods.

Thu Do Food Market

Thu Do Food Market or Phung Hung Market is located at 220 Phung Hung Street, Ward 14, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City. The market is one of the best places to eat Saigon street foods including Stuffed vegetables (Kho qua ca ot), Crab soup, Dim sum (Kieu Ki stall), Fried young oyster and egg, Stewed organ at Tam Ky stall, Vietnamese cendol, Agar agar and mock pomegranate. Click here to view Thu Do Food Market on Google Map.

An Duong Vuong Food Area

An Duong Vuong Food Area is located near Saigon Ho Chi Minh City Pedagogical University. In fact, there are lots of food areas are located around universities and schools in Saigon. There you can find tons of things to eat: Grilled octopus/squid/chicken lizard/chicken feet (the most popular), Bo pia roll, Dimsum, Fertilized duck/quail egg, Fried corn, sugarcane juice. Click here to view An Duong Vuong Food Area on Google Map;

Nguyen Kim Food Area

Nguyen Kim Food Area is next to Hung Vuong Plaza, 126 Hung Vuong Street, Ward 2, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City. They offer hundreds of amazing street foods at cheap prices, around 15,000 VND. Coming there, you can wander and choose some great foods such as Rice paper salad, Flan cake, Jelly, Spring roll, Stir-fried rice pasta, Stewed organs, Stir-fried rice. Click here to view Nguyen Kim Food Area on Google Map.

Nguyen Tri Phuong Food Street

Nguyen Tri Phuong Street is lined with dozens of eateries serving a wide range of foods. You can choose to sit in restaurants or on the spacious pavement.

• Nguyet Hy Hotspot, 466 Nguyen Tri Phuong Street, Ward 4, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 17:00 – 22:00; Prices: 5,000 – 50,000 VND; What to eat? – Grilled meat or seafood, Hot pot with meat, seafood, vegetables; Facebook: Nguyet Hy; Highlights: cheap skewers.

• Che Thai Y Phuong, 380 Nguyen Tri Phuong Street, Ward 4, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 10:00 – 1:30 (at night); Prices: 18,000 – 33,000 VND; What to eat? – Sweet soups, Flan cake, Mixed fruits, Steamed sticky rice in jackfruit, Spring roll, Beef jerky salad, Smoothies; Highlights: one of the most famous dessert restaurants in Saigon.

• Banh Canh Ghe Muoi Ot Xanh, 484A Nguyen Tri Phuong Street, Ward 9, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 11:00 – 23:59; Prices: 45,000 – 85,000 VND; What to eat? – Ocean crab soup cake, Shrimp soup cake.

• Com Ga Hai Nam, 379 Nguyen Tri Phuong Street, Ward 6, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 10:00 – 23:00; Prices: 44,000 – 60,000 VND; What to eat? – Steamed rice with steamed/roasted chicken/pork/seafood/duck/pork organs.
• Banh Bao Tho Phat, 78 Nguyen Tri Phuong Street, Ward 7, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 5:00 – 23:59; Prices: 15,000 – 33,000 VND; What to eat? – Steamed wheat flour cake, Dimsum, Vietnamese bread, Savory steamed sticky rice, Wet cake.

Tran Binh Trong Food Street

• Banh Canh Cua 14, 215 – 223A Tran Binh Trong Street, Ward 9, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 11:00 – 23:59; What to eat? – Ocean crab soup cake, Shrimp soup cake; Prices: 45,000 – 55,000 VND; Website: http://banhcanhcua.vn/.

• Chao Muc 175, 175 Tran Binh Trong Street, Ward 9, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 11:00 – 21:00; What to eat? – Congee with squid (recommended) or beef ball/blood pudding/organs/mixed; Prices: 19,000 – 33,000 VND.

• Banh flan 223, 223 Tran Binh Trong Street, Ward 9, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 11:30 – 21:00; What to eat? – Flan cake with chocolate/blueberry/matcha/durian; Prices: 12,000 VND.

Best cheap eats in District 6

Minh Phung Food Street

• Banh Canh Vit Cai Lay, 347/5 Minh Phung Street, Ward 2, District 11, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 6:30 – 13:00; 15:00 – 21:00; What to eat? – Congee/Cellophane noodle soup with duck/duck blood pudding, Duck and cabbage salad; Prices: 32,000 – 47,000 VND.
• Thanh Vy – Bo La Lot & Ga Nuong, 267A Minh Phung Street, Ward 2, District 11, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 16:00 – 22:00; 15:00 – 21:00; What to eat? – Grilled beef in wild betel leaf; Prices: 35,000 VND.

• Xoi Binh Tien, 88 Minh Phung Street, Ward 5, District 11, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 13:30; What to eat? – Sweet/savory steamed sticky rice; Prices: 15,000 – 25,000 VND.

Best cheap eats in District 10

Ho Thi Ky and Cambodian Food Market

Ho Thi Ky Street and Alleys, which are home to Saigon’s biggest flower market and Cambodian market, are crowded and busy all day and nights. Trolling into the wonderland of flowers and eating exotic foods at cheap prices are great things to do in the city.

• Nem Bo Nuong Sa, 57/23B Ho Thi Ky Street, Ward 1, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 14:00 – 22:00; What to eat? – Grilled beef on lemongrass; Prices: 10,000 VND.

• Che Co Huoi or Quan Che Campuchia, 57/21A Ho Thi Ky Street, Ward 1, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 15:00 – 20:00; What to eat? – Sweet soup desserts; Price: 15,000-20,000 VND.

• Bot Chien Phung, 87/23 Ho Thi Ky Street, Ward 1, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 14:00 – 20:00; What to eat? – Pan-fried scrambled egg rice cake; Price: 25,000-30,000 VND.

• Banh Beo Hue – Ho Thi Ky, at the opposite of 57/27 Ho Thi Ky Street, Ward 1, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 14:00 – 18:30; What to eat? – Hue cakes; Price: 30,000 VND.

• Banh Trang Nhat Quynh, 78/10 Ho Thi Ky Street, Ward 1, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 10:00 – 21:00; What to eat? – Rice paper salad, Green mango salad; Price: 10,000 – 20,000 VND.

• Hu Tieu Oc Chu Tun, 57/21 Ho Thi Ky Street, Ward 1, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 14:00 – 21:00; What to eat? – Clear rice noodle soup with snail, Stewed snail; Price: 25,000 – 32,000 VND.

• Tu Xe – Bun Num Bo Choc, 57/27 Ho Thi Ky Street, Ward 1, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 6:00 – 22:00; What to eat? – Num bo choc rice noodle soup; Price: 45,000 VND.

• Banh Trang Nuong – Ho Thi Ky, 57/19 Ho Thi Ky Street, Ward 1, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 14:00 – 18:30; What to eat? – Grilled girdle cake; Prices: 15,000 – 20,000 VND.

• Pho 38, 38 Ho Thi Ky Street, Ward 1, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 17:00 – 22:00; What to eat? – Pho noodle soup; Prices: 40,000 VND.

• Canh Bun – Ho Thi Ky, 38 Ho Thi Ky Street, Ward 1, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 16:00 – 19:00; What to eat? – Canh bun noodle soup; Prices: 25,000 VND.

• Lau Bo Co Thao, 84/10 Ho Thi Ky Street, Ward 1, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 10:00 – 23:59; What to eat? – Beef hot pot; Prices: 100,000 – 200,000 VND.

• Sup Cua Thao, 68/5 Ho Thi Ky Street, Ward 1, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 13:00 – 22:00; What to eat? – Crab soup with/without pork brain, century duck egg; Prices: 100,000 – 200,000 VND.

To Hien Thanh Food Street

• Da Lat Quan – Kem Bo, 266 To Hien Thanh Street, Ward 14, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 17:30 – 23:00; What to eat? – Avocado ice cream; Prices: 30,000 VND.
• Trai Cay To A Bo, 268 To Hien Thanh Street, Ward 15, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 7:00 – 22:00; What to eat? – Bowl of mixed fruits; Prices: 30,000 VND.

• Goi Vit Ba Lam, 343/2 To Hien Thanh Street, Ward 12, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 11:00 – 23:00; What to eat? – Congee with duck, Duck salad; Prices: 40,000 – 100,000 VND.
• Bun Dau Mam Tom A Chanh, 175 Thanh Thai Street, Ward 14, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City (next to To Hien Thanh Street); View on Google Map; Opening hours: 10:00 – 22:00; What to eat? – Rice noodles with Fermented shrimp paste; Prices: 57,000 VND.

• Oc Quang Anh, 189 To Hien Thanh Street, Ward 13, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 13:00 – 23:00; What to eat? – Snail, clam, scallop dishes; Prices: 50,000 – 80,000 VND.
• Chim Cut Chien Bo Co Nam, 212 To Hien Thanh Street, Ward 13, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 16:00 – 21:00; What to eat? – Fried quail with butter; Prices: 15,000 VND.

Su Van Hanh Food Street

• Sup Cua Hanh, 549 Su Van Hanh Street, Ward 13, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 6:15 – 22:30; What to eat? – Vietnamese crab soup; Prices: 22,000 – 44,000 VND; Highlights: fresh crab.

Ngo Gia Tu Apartment Building Food Area

• Bò Kho Gánh, 029 Block H, Ngo Gia Tu apartment buildings, Su Van Hanh Street, Ward 2, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 16:00 – 23:00; What to eat? – Coconut ice cream (recommended), Vietnamese stewed beef; Prices: 5,000 – 35,000; Highlights: since 1975.

• Che Mam Khanh Vy, 242B Su Van Hanh Street, Ward 2, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 15:00 – 23:00; What to eat? – set of 16 Vietnamese sweet soups, flan cake, Vo steamed sticky rice served on a tray; Prices: 13,000 VND/dessert, 265,000 VND/tray of 16 desserts; Highlights: the sweet soup stall has been passed over 3 generations.

• Kim Anh – Banh Xeo & Bo La Lop, 020 Block H, Ngo Gia Tu apartment buildings, Su Van Hanh Street, Ward 2, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 15:00 – 23:00; What to eat? – Vietnamese pancake, Grilled beef in wild betel; Prices: 6,000 – 30,000 VND.

Best cheap eats in District 11

Rice Paper Street in front of Binh Tay Market

Coming to Binh Tay Market at night, you can see tens of moving stalls selling many kinds of rice paper salads.

Ha Ton Quyen Wonton Noodle Soup

• Sui Cao Thien Thien, 195 Ha Ton Quyen Street, Ward 4, District 11, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 14:00 – 13:30; What to eat? – Wonton noodle soup, Fried wonton; Prices: 50,000 – 55,000 VND.
• Sui Cao Ngoc Y, 187 Ha Ton Quyen Street, Ward 4, District 11, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 11:00 – 1:00 (at night); What to eat? – Wonton noodle soup, Fried wonton; Prices: 48,000 – 63,000 VND.

Binh Thanh District

Van Kiep Food Street

• Ha Cao An La Ghien, 159 Van Kiep Street, Ward 3, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 17:00 – 21:00 (at night); What to eat? – Dim sum; Prices: 22,000 VND.

• Sinh To Van Kiep, 33/1 Van Kiep Street, Ward 3, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 17:00 – 23:00 (at night); What to eat? – Mixed fruits, smoothies; Prices: 28,000 VND.
• Com Ga Xoi Mo Ba Ngon, 63 Van Kiep Street, Ward 3, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 9:00 – 21:00 (at night); What to eat? – Steamed rice with pork chop/chicken drumstick; Prices: 30,000 – 60,000 VND.

Binh Chanh District

• Panda BBQ Nguyen Tri Phuong, 157 Street 9A, Binh Hung Ward, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City; View on Google Map; Opening hours: 17:00 – 23:00; Prices: 5,000 – 50,000 VND; What to eat? – Grilled meat or seafood, Hot pot with meat, seafood, vegetables.

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