Food & Drink
Dog, Balut and Field Rat: The Menu Words to Know Before You Order
Nobody is going to serve you dog meat by accident. A handful of dishes do surprise visitors, and knowing their names in Vietnamese is the whole of the precaution.
What to Bring Home from a Vietnamese Kitchen
What is worth the suitcase space, where to buy it, and what to check before you pack it.
Vietnamese Desserts and Sweet Things
Che, sticky rice, fruit and yoghurt coffee. Dessert here is mostly a street snack rather than a course.
Pho, Bun Cha and Banh Mi: What to Order
Three dishes you already know by name, and what actually distinguishes a good one from a bad one.
Vietnamese Food: A Guide for First-Timers
How the cuisine is organised, why it changes as you travel, and the dishes that cover most of it.
Vietnam's Markets: Which Ones Are Worth Your Morning
The famous ones and the working ones are different propositions. Where each kind is, and how to use them.
Street Food Tours in Hanoi and Saigon: Worth It?
Yes, and early in the trip rather than late. What a good one gives you that is hard to get on your own.
Street Food Safety in Vietnam
The cautious advice is to avoid street food. The better advice is to choose it well, and to get the right vaccinations first.
Bia Hoi: Vietnam's Fresh Beer, Explained
Draught beer brewed that morning, sold on the pavement at a price nothing else competes with. What it is, where it is, and why it belongs to the north.
Vietnamese Coffee: What to Order
The second-largest coffee producer in the world drinks it differently from anyone else. What the drinks are, and where to have them.
Eating in Vietnam with a Peanut or Shellfish Allergy
Peanuts and shrimp are everywhere in Vietnamese cooking and often invisible. A serious allergy does not rule out the trip, but it changes how you order, where you eat and what you carry.
Vegetarian and Vegan Food in Vietnam
Harder than it looks and easier than you fear. The com chay network is the answer, and fish sauce is the problem.