Is it possible for a vegetarian/vegan to go on a Ho Chi Minh food tour? The answer is definitely yes, vegetarian travelers can join group vegetarian food tour with fixed itineraries and vegetarian menus or join private food tours so tour operators can arrange special eateries and local dishes for them. Vegans do not eat any foods made from animals while some vegetarians can eat eggs and/or milk. Food tour operators in Saigon can accommodate both vegans and vegetarians. From now on, we will use only one word vegetarian.
Is it possible for a vegetarian/vegan to go on a Ho Chi Minh food tour?
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Which are the best and must-try vegetarian local dishes in Ho Chi Minh City?
Vietnamese pancake (Vietnamese sizzling pancake, Bánh xèo)
Vietnamese pancake is one of the most popular and favorite savory cakes in Saigon and Mekong Delta in the Southern region of Vietnam. The highlights of the cake are the crispy round yellow crust with special smell from turmeric and special taste from greasy coconut milk. The cakes are filled with shrimps, pork, mushrooms, bean sprouts, beans, sometimes seafood and fish cake. To make vegetarian Bánh xèo, they replace meat and seafood toppings with tofu. Instead of sweet and sour fish sauce dip, they serve vegetarian dinners soy bean sauce dip.
Vietnamese mini pancake (Bánh khọt)
Vietnamese mini pancake is as small as a tennis ball. Similar to Bánh xèo, Bánh khọt has a bright yellow color and a crispy crust. Fillings of Bánh khọt are pretty similar to fillings of Bánh xèo. In some eateries, they top Khot cake with greasy sweet and salty coconut milk sauce when serving. Fresh and green leaf vegetables and herbs are must accompaniments.
For more information, in order to eat these two cakes in a proper way, dinners should wrap some pieces of Banh xeo or a whole Banh khot, veggies and herbs in mustard greens, large-sized leaves, or rice paper before tucking in.
Steamed riced with mixed vegetables, especially lotus rice
Rice, diced veggies and chopped mushrooms, vegetarian meat are cooked until well-done and smelling. They can wrap all ingredients including lotus seeds in one or two lotus leaves, then steam the wrap until receiving a delicious vegetarian food called lotus rice.
Lotus root salad
Lotus roots, carrots, cucumbers, Vietnamese mint, mint is mixed with a special dressing made from lime/kumquat juice, sugar, salt,… The dish is usually topped with peanuts before serving.
Is it possible for a vegetarian/vegan to go on a Ho Chi Minh food tour? Lotus root salad. Image: Facebook Phạm Nghiêm Trai Restaurant
Fried roll (Chả giò)
Fried roll is one of the must-try Vietnamese dishes so you should not miss it on your trip to Saigon. The roll is crispy outside and tender inside, served with vegetables, dipping soy bean sauce, sometimes rice noodles or rice vermicelli sheets.
Spring roll (Gỏi cuốn)
Shredded cucumbers, carrots, sliced fried tofu, cooked mushrooms, tofu skin, chives, rice noodles are wrapped into a cylindrical roll called Gỏi cuốn. The special dip made from peanut and fermented soy bean sauce is used as a staple accompaniment.
Rice noodle salad
Rice noodle salad consists of rice noodles, shredded vegetables such as cucumbers, lettuces, herbs, bean sprouts, fried rolls, and fried tofu. Before eating, dinners must mix noodles with all toppings and sweet-sour soy bean sauce.
Braised tofu
Braised tofu with soy bean sauce and garlic is perfect for serving with steamed rice and some fresh vegetables or soup.
Braised straw mushroom with soy bean sauce and green pepper (optional)
Straw mushrooms are grown on rice straw beds and very popular in Vietnam. Local people love to eat straw mushroom dishes thanks to the smooth, velvety, and tender texture and the mild, earthy, and musky flavor of the mushrooms.
Is it possible for a vegetarian/vegan to go on a Ho Chi Minh food tour?
Fried tofu with lemongrass
Similarly, the smelling and crispy Fried tofu with lemongrass is great for serving with steamed rice or eating with nothing.
Sweet and sour soup
The comfortable and healthy Sweet and sour soup is cooked from pineapples, Colocasia gigantea (giant elephant ears), basils, tomatoes, okras, tofu,… They usually use lime juice, tamarind sauce, tamarind leaves, dracontomelons to make the soup sour naturally.
Vietnamese sandwich
Vietnamese sandwich is a crispy and airy bread filled with stir-fried fried tofu, jicamas, carrots, other veggies, crushed peanuts, fake meat, and seasoned with soy bean sauce. Because Vietnamese sandwich is the most famous street food in Vietnam, you should not miss a vegan Vietnamese sandwich.
Hot pot
Hot pot culture is worth experiencing in Vietnam. Dinners put raw ingredients including vegan meat and veggies into a cooker with boiling broth on a portable stove and wait until they are well-done, then eat them with .
Stir-fried morning glory
Stir-fried mixed vegetables
Which are the best vegetarian restaurants for locals in Saigon?
Fine dinning vegan restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City
Phạm Nghiêm Trai, 199 Nguyễn Trãi, P. Nguyễn Cư Trinh, Q.1, TP.HCM (Pham Nghiem Trai Restaurant, 199 Nguyen Trai, Nguyen Cu Trinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City)
Be An Vegetarian Bistro, GF, Saigon Garden, 99 Nguyễn Huệ, Quận 1, TP.HCM (Be An Vegetarian Bistro, GF, Saigon Garden, 99 Nguyen Hue, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City)
Metta Vegetarian, 25C Tú Xương, P. Võ Thị Sáu, Quận 3, TP.HCM (Metta Vegetarian, 25C Tu Xuong, Vo Thi Sau Ward, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City)
Tuệ, 76 Mai Thị Lựu, Phường Dakao, Quận 1, TP.HCM (Tue Restaurant, 76 Mai Thi Luu Street, Dakao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City)
Hum Vegetarian, 32 D10, Thảo Điền, Quận 2, TP. Thủ Đức (Hum Vegetarian Restaurant, 32 Street 10, Thao Dien Ward, District 2, Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City)
Casual dinning vegan restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City
Vajra Restaurant, 711 Le Hong Phong, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City (at the opposite of Vietnam National Pagoda)
Veggie Saigon Restaurant, 42 De Tham Street, Ong Lanh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Nhà hàng chay Ba Lá (Three Leaves Restaurant), 32A Cao Ba Nha, Nguyen Cu Trinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Nhà hàng chay Vĩnh Nghiêm (Vinh Nghiem Restaurant), 339 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Ward 14, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City (right in the campus of Vinh Nghiem Pagoda)
Nhà hàng Chay Sen (Lotus Restaurant), 171 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Pham Ngu Lao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Nhà hàng chay Phương Mai (Phuong Mai Restaurant), 86F Vo Thi Sau, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Ngộ Quán (Ngo Restaurant), 6A Le Quy Don, Ward 6, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
Nhà hàng chay Mộc Nhiên (Moc Nhien Restaurant), 391/4 Su Van Hanh, Ward 12, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City
How to do if you are the one who eat vegetarian food in your group?
It is recommended to book a private tour for your group and let the tour operator know when booking so they can arrange everything for you and other members of the group. They can customize the tour itineraries, make reservations, order suitable food at local restaurant. For example, at a restaurant, you will eat vegan Vietnamese sizzling cakes and others eat Vietnamese sizzling cakes filled with shrimp and pork.
Group tour or private tour, which is the best choice?
As mention above, private tours have many advantages such as personalization, tailor-made itinerary, vegan local dishes, vegan restaurants so they are good choices for vegetarian travelers. In fact, private food tours are not too expensive and not luxurious choices for rich people or VIP. For your information, vegetarian food is not cheaper than non-vegetarian food in Ho Chi Minh City. Prices of Saigon vegetarian food tours are not cheaper than normal Saigon food tours.
You can book a high quality and reasonably priced Ho Chi Minh Vegetarian Food Tour HERE.
Scooter Saigon Tour is one of the oldest and best food tour company in Ho Chi Minh City. Please contact Tracy Do & Bill Bui at +84938314386 (Whatsapp/iMessage/Viber/SMS) for detailed information about food tours in Ho Chi Minh City and best prices for your group.
