Secret House: “Offers a stylish take on home-style Vietnamese cooking close to Ben Thanh Market … the main dining room features mud-and-straw walls and rustic lamps fashioned from fish traps, while outside tables overlook a herb garden … the extensive menu includes some countryside specialities, such as nuoc mam kho quet, a caramelised fish sauce used as a dip. Flavours and presentation are top-notch.” (Lonely Planet)
The Temple Club: “A chic bar and restaurant that is on the itineraries of visiting stars and globetrotters. Located in a converted Chinese Temple in a small alleyway off Pasteur Street, it’s easiest to find by using Saigon Centre Shopping Mall as a landmark, and those that do make the effort will be rewarded with a richly decorated dining room serving Vietnamese fusion dishes and a cocktail lounge with skilled bartenders and tapas style accompaniments.” (Vietnam Guide)
The Deck: “After a hard days work, play or sight seeing, a trip to The Deck will always cap the day off right and serve as the start to a fantastic night on the town … located outside of District 1, The Deck is my favorite place to unwind and enjoy a few cocktails or partake in some of Saigon's famous seafood dishes during a five-star dinning experience.” (AFAR)
Huong Lai: “Cocooned behind its colonial French facade, Huong Lai feels a long way from the uproar of Ho Chi Minh City's roads but the realities of the street are as near as the waitress or kitchen … staffed almost entirely by former street children and orphans (only the chef is professionally trained), Huong Lai is a philanthropic venture from owner-manager Jin Shirai. He provides education and training to his young staff -- several of whom now work in five-star hotel kitchens -- as well as some of the city's finest food to his patrons.” (Traveller)
La Villa French Restaurant: “Offers the chance to enjoy authentic and fine French cuisine in a colonial style villa … located on a quiet side street off Thao Dien in District 2, guests can enjoy lunch or dinner in the serene courtyard or refined interior, both bolstered with experienced and personable staff … if you’re looking for an even more peaceful setting, there is the option to dine in the middle of a romantic garden with a swimming pool surrounded by exotic species of flowers.” (The Culture Trip)
Monsoon: “Take a culinary tour of Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia within the confines of this stylish-yet-relaxed restaurant that offers authentic traditional dishes from all five Southeast Asian countries … the interior is part industrial chic, part Asian resort, and often used as a backdrop for art exhibitions.” (Fodors)
Nha Hang Ngon: “Thronging with locals and foreigners, this is one of HCMC's most popular spots, with a large range of the very best street food in stylish surroundings across three levels … set in a leafy garden ringed by food stalls, each cook serves up a specialised traditional dish, ensuring an authentic taste of Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese or Chinese cuisine.” (Lonely Planet)
Hum Vegetarian Cafe & Restaurant: “Hum’s excellent Vietnamese cuisine is creative and flavorful … the huge vegetarian menu includes an excellent range of salads, soups, hot pots and rice dishes, as well as teas and fresh juices.” (AFAR)
Pizza 4Ps: “Mr. Masuko’s holistic approach to pizza is reminiscent of farm-to-table enterprises in Europe and the United States, but is a rarity in Vietnam … in addition to fresh cheeses, his toppings include vegetables grown on five farms not far from the factory. The farms, which have contracts with the company, are scattered across the southern portion of the country’s Central Highlands, a hilly region with a temperate climate … the key to his success appears to lie in a technical precision honed during his previous career in finance, coupled with a quixotic instinct to engineer the perfect pizza experience. (New York Times)