10 places to eat the night away in Saigon

Broken rice with grilled pork – Dinh Tien Hoang Street, Binh Thanh District

Price: VND30,000 – 45,000 ($1.29 -1.93) for one plate Opening time: 4 p.m. – 4 a.m.

This diner is a familiar night food spot for Saigon eaters, especially late night workers. You can smell of barbeque ribs along the alley on Dinh Tien Hoang Street. The ribs are rich, tender and always served hot.

Pork stomach noodles – Dinh Tien Hoang Street, Binh Thanh District

Price: VND22,000 – 28,000 ($1 – 1.20) for one plate Opening time: 7 p.m. – midnight

Also on Dinh Tien Hoang Street is a noodle spot frequented by late workers. The pork stomach is carefully made and cooked, and adds an interesting flavor to the noodles, but is not recommended for people without strong teeth since it can be pretty chewy at times.

Pho – Nguyen Tri Phuong Street, District 10

Price: VND40,000 – 70,000 ($1.70 – 3) for one bowl Opening time: 3:30 p.m. – midnight

This 50-year-old pho spot is a great choice on late evenings in Saigon, especially on rainy days. The pho here is well known for its tasty broth and delicious meatballs. Just add a poached egg and it will warm any hungry stomach.

Crab noodles – Hau Giang Street, District 6

Price: VND25,000 – 40,000 ($1.07 – 1.72) for one bowl Opening time: 6 p.m. – 2 a.m.

Crab noodles or “bun rieu” has a very special place in Saigon. A bowl of crab noodles with tofu, blood pudding, pork pie and a dash of shrimp paste is irresistible for any food lover. Though some people run the risk of getting a tummy ache because of eating shrimp paste at late night, it is hard to resist the sweet and sour broth made from crab paste.

Cadé sticky rice – Tran Phu Street, District 5

Price: VND12,000 ($0.52) for one portion wrapped in banana leaf Opening time: 5 p.m. – 2 a.m.

This sticky rice spot has been filled with customers for 40 years, even at midnight. The highlight of the dish is “cadé”, a mixture of ingredients like eggs, sugar, coconut milk, mango or durian, which gives the sticky rice a rich, sweet taste.

Wonton soup – Ha Ton Quyen Street, District 11

Price: VND30,000 – 45,000 ($1.29 – 1.93) Opening time: 2 p.m. – 1:30 a.m.

Another choice for the night is wonton soup. This Chinese dish comes with many ingredients like shrimp wonton, meatballs and vegetables, which are served with soy sauce. The broth is light and tasty, and a touch of pungency from ground chili makes it perfect.

Rib congee – Tan Dinh Market

Price: VND15,000 – 35,000 ($0.64 – 1.50) Opening time:  5 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.

On a cool evening you might want to try this amazing rib congee for some warmth. There are so many aspects to this street dish: the smell of ground pepper, the richness of balut, the tenderness of ribs and the crispiness of fried churros quay.

Fried oyster with egg – Phung Hung Street, District 5

Price: VND60,000 – 70,000 ($2.58 – 3.01) Opening time: 6:30 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.

This opulent dish found on Phung Hung Street looks like a version of the Vietnamese pancake banh xeo with oysters and can be served with different kinds of sauce such as sweet and sour fish sauce, soy sauce or chili sauce. But if you’re not a fan of fried food you might feel a bit cloyed after a few bites, so make sure you have something to drink while enjoying this dish.

Pork cake soup (Banh canh) – Le Quang Dinh Street, Binh Thanh District

Price: VND30000 ($1.29) for one bowl Opening time: 6 p.m. – 12 a.m.

Although there is not much on the menu, this little food spot in an alley off Le Quang Dinh Street still attracts many customers regularly. The highlight of the dish is the pork served with a thick sweet and sour fish sauce, which is very addictive. You can also choose from various kinds of noodles on the menu.

Pork tripe congee – Phan Dang Luu Street, Phu Nhuan District

Price: VND15,000 ($0.64) for one bowl Opening time: 1:30 p.m. – 3 a.m.

The diner starts bustling with customers as the night goes on though it opens early in the afternoon. The congee is cooked in the traditional southern way. A little congee with a few slices of ginger will warm your heart on a chilly night.