Where to eat in Vietnam: a guide to standout tables in 2025

Vietnam's restaurant scene has matured beyond the street-food narrative. Across Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and coastal towns, a new generation of chefs—many trained abroad—are building serious dining destinations that marry Vietnamese ingredients and culinary heritage with global technique.

In Ho Chi Minh City, which dominates the country's fine-dining map, the range is striking. Aiii pairs avant-garde presentation with refined Vietnamese cooking under chef Alain Phạm. AKUNA, led by chef Sam Aisbett, anchors its menu in Vietnamese produce but operates without borders—a philosophy the kitchen calls "unlimited." Ănăn Saigon, named Tatler's 2025 Restaurant of the Year, takes traditional French discipline into contemporary Vietnamese territory. For those seeking European classicism, Anh The Albion by Kirk Westaway applies British culinary heritage to Vietnamese ingredients, whilst Le Corto interprets French cuisine within Ho Chi Minh City's iconic architecture.

Japanese dining has found a confident foothold. MAGURO Studio stages live cutting performances alongside omakase, and Noriboi Omakase frames Japanese technique in conversation with Vietnamese flavours. Yakiniku Yazawa Saigon brings tableside grilling to the city centre.

The seafood-focused and Mediterranean sides show equal ambition. Quince Saigon specialises in wood-fired cooking with an Italian accent, earning Tatler's 2025 Best Innovation award. ORYZ Saigon, helmed by chef Chris Fong, treats East Asian ingredients as a continuum—fermentation, local produce and modern vision intersect across the menu. Nephele positions itself as a high-altitude dining experience (its name references a cloud), while The Monkey Gallery Dining blends French technique with contemporary Vietnamese sensibility.

Outside the capital, the picture fragments into smaller, quieter ambitions. Chapter Dining in Hanoi sits within the old quarter's narrow streets, focusing on premium grilled fare. Coastal Vietnam has La Maison 1888 in Da Nang—a French-fusion house designed by architect Bill Bensley—and Si Dining, which translates Italian cooking into Vietnamese cultural space. HISPANIA in Nha Trang brings flamenco-inflected Mediterranean mood to the coast.

For Vietnamese-focused dining, Gia in Hanoi cycles through seasonal menus rooted in Vietnamese and Spanish traditions, whilst Mặn Mòi in Ho Chi Minh City keeps heritage cooking close—understated plating, clear flavours, no pretence. ST25 by KOTO, opened by chefs Bao La and Heath Gordon, stakes a claim as modern Vietnamese fine dining without apology.

Many of these restaurants opened or earned recognition within the past two years, signalling a market maturing quickly. Reservations often require advance notice, particularly at the smaller, chef-driven venues. Most operate in the mid-to-premium price bracket by Vietnamese standards; a tasting menu typically ranges from 1.5 to 2.5 million VND (USD 60–100) before drinks.