TimeOut lists Ho Chi Minh City among world’s 20 best cities for food

Boasting a range of tastes such as sweet, spicy, fragrant, and fishy, Vietnamese cuisine never compromises on flavour, meaning that food lovers all over the world can sample the very best of it when visiting Ho Chi Minh, the article wrote.

According to the British media outlet, beyond the streetside food stalls and bustling markets hawking banh mi, snails, broken rice, and offal stew are a clutch of Bib Gourmand and Michelin-starred restaurants serving up creative versions of classic dishes. However, by far the most mentioned dish in TimeOut’s survey was Phở, a type of local noodle soup.

The warming noodle soup in the south is typically heavily garnished with basil, coriander, chilli and hoisin sauce, whilst it is a Vietnamese staple that can be found across the city, TimeOut shared.

“Though Hanoi might be the birthplace of Vietnamese cuisine and culture, Ho Chi Minh City has emerged as the country's most exciting dining destination,” Ho Chi Minh City writer Dan Q Dao said.

TimeOut suggested a visit to Ănăn Saigon, chef Peter Cuong Franklin's ‘new Vietnamese’ restaurant that has nabbed the city's sole Michelin star; Bánh Mì Huỳnh Hoa, a 30-year-old street food institution specialising in French-influenced Vietnamese baguette sandwiches; and Tre Dining restaurant and gastro-focused wine bar Little Bear.

Topping the list is Naples with the must-eat dish Pizza margherita, followed by Johannesburg with Kota sandwiches.

Others cities to make the list include Lima in Peru, Beijing in China, Bangkok in Thailand, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, and Mumbai in India.