The Top 10 Soup Spots in Vietnam That Serve Comforting Bowls
It’s pretty amazing how versatile a bowl of soup can be — not just in ingredients, but in purpose. It makes comforting food when you’re sick, a quick fix on a chilly night, or a full, hearty meal after a long day.
What makes the soup in Vietnam special is the way it fits into the daily life of the people; it’s basically a staple in every household.
And when it comes to soup — no matter where you are in Vietnam — a good bowl of soup is never too far away. We can name a few great spots for you here!
1. A Taste of Saigon – Old Market – Hồ Chí Minh
Media credit: A Taste of Saigon Restaurant
Website: https://www.atasteofsaigon.vn/
Address: 42/6B Đ. Tôn Thất Thiệp, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh
Phone: +84922065555
Operating hours: Monday to Sunday 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
The food at this place is known to be flavorful and prepared with fresh local ingredients. They have everything here, from street food-inspired dishes to creative Vietnamese fusions.
While they’re not primarily a soup restaurant, their soup offerings – specifically the crab soup with corn and quail eggs — are a favorite among many frequent visitors.
The pumpkin soup is also a hit for foreign customers, often praised for its creamy and rich texture.
Pro tip:
If you love egg drop soup, we suggest trying their chicken soup with lotus seeds or the crab soup. It has a similar texture but deeper flavor profiles.
2. O Tinh House – Hồ Chí Minh
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Social media: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088343796522
Address: a36 bis, Đ. Cống Quỳnh, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Hồ Chí Minh
Phone: +84355583420
Operating hours:
- Sunday to Friday 11:00 am – 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm – 9:30 pm
- Saturday 11:00 am – 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm
One of their signature dishes here is the beef bone marrow noodles.
It’s a next-level twist to the traditional Bún Bò Hue: the broth is slowly simmered for 15 hours, fragrant with lemongrass, topped with tender beef shank slices, and a large chunk of bone marrow on the side.
It’s simple yet rich in beef flavor, making it perfect for people who usually don’t eat pork.
It’s also a classic place offering fusion flavors, and aside from the broth, there are other options as well, such as shrimp satay, king short ribs, and more.
If you ask around about the place, guests regularly mention the owner, who often chats with the diners and offers other food adventure spots in the country.
Pro tip:
Happy hour runs every Monday to Friday from 4 PM to 7 PM. During this time, the restaurant offers chicken wings in Hue beef noodles with a glass of beer for a discounted price.
3. Old Viet’s Restaurant – Hà Nội
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Website: https://oldvietnameserestaurant.vn/
Address: 50 P. Hàng Bè, Hàng Bạc, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội
Phone: +84947853658
Operating hours: Monday to Sunday 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
At Old Viet’s Restaurant, you can discover the rich culinary heritage of the country, with healthy and fresh local dishes for guests. They offer everything on their menu from meat and seafood to vegan and Halal food.
Their soup selection is one of their bestsellers, serving both local and Western options. Old Viet’s soup options are rich in flavor, generous in toppings, and beautifully presented — just like the pumpkin soup that’s served inside a carved large pumpkin.
They also offer hotpots, which many would describe as aromatic, creamy, and rich in flavor.
Pro tip:
Ask the staff for plating tips, especially if it’s your first time. The servers will walk you through the “how tos,” like wrapping the ingredients or the best sauce combination.
4. Phở Việt Nam – Hồ Chí Minh
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Website: https://www.phovietnam.vn/
Address: 14 Phạm Hồng Thái, Phường Bến Thành, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh
Operating hours: Monday to Sunday 6:00 am – 3:00 am
If you’re in Saigon and looking for a place to enjoy delicious phở, Phở Việt Nam offers a wide selection of this classic soup. Coming from an heirloom recipe, the phở offered here is renowned for its rich and full-bodied taste.
The restaurant is even featured in the Michelin Guide, recognizing its standout execution of Vietnam’s iconic soup.
Their ribbon noodles are made from scratch every day, and the delicious array of beef cuts allows customers to choose their preferred texture and flavor profile. There are well-done and raw slices, beef balls, oxtail, and more.
Pro tip:
If you prefer your phở hot until the last spoonful, ask for the “phở thố đá.” It’s the phở served in a hot stone bowl, keeping the broth hot for a long time.
5. Bún Bò Huế O Phượng – Huế
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Directions: https://maps.app.goo.gl/DZpQFXyWeSAqHMWE8
Address: 24 Nguyễn Khuyến, Phú Nhuận, Huế, Thành phố Huế
Phone: +84934810926
Business hours: Monday to Sunday 6:00 am – 1:00 am
Bún Bò Huế O Phượng is a humble roadside noodle soup restaurant that many locals recommend for their authentic Bún Bò Huế flavors. This specific spot has been serving this classic dish for decades.
It’s the kind of place that’s controversial for MSG-sensitive people, but is consistently commended by those who don’t care about it.
This Huế-style noodle soup has a strong beef bone flavor and is made more aromatic with lemongrass and shrimp paste. Toppings like beef, pork knuckles, and silky blood cake are served generously.
The taste becomes even better if you ask for a side of chili or other condiments!
Pro tip:
The restaurant opens around 6 AM and is quickly swarmed by locals looking forward to the hearty noodle soup. You can beat the morning rush by arriving early or in the early afternoon.
6. The Noodle House – Hội An
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Website: http://www.thenoodlehousehoian.com/
Address: 13 Đ. Bạch Đằng, Cẩm Châu, Hội An, Quảng Nam
Phone: +84839912212
Operating hours: Monday to Sunday 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
The Noodle House is a popular restaurant (and a proud one!) that serves authentic noodle soups in Hội An. Their mission is to introduce the rich noodle culture of Vietnam to the world.
Here, they serve all types of rice noodles that go well with their rich soup base, typically made with beef, chicken, pork, and vegetable bases. They offer various types of noodle soup, including phở, bún, miên ngan, and more.
Frequent visitors are big fans of the Cao Lầu, made with chewy rice noodles and topped with pork and various vegetables. Everything here is a taste of local lore, inspired by Vietnam’s rich history with rice.
Pro tip:
If you don’t know which one to choose from the menu, we suggest looking for the dishes with the “Chef’s pick” stamp.
7. Gánh Hà Nội Vietnamese Restaurant & Vegetarian Food – Hà Nội
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Website: https://ganhhanoirestaurant.com
Address: 115 P. Hàng Buồm, Hàng Buồm, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội
Phone: +84904528191
Operating hours:
- Monday to Thursday 10:00 am – 10:30 pm
- Friday to Sunday 10:00 am – 11:00 pm
Gánh Hà Nội Restaurant is inspired by Vietnam’s history of street vending, especially throughout the eras of Hà Nội, where street vendors are prominent.
The restaurant is named after these “Gánh” vendors, who ventured through the streets of Hà Nội to sell goods.
Just like these renowned vendors, the restaurant also offers simple dishes but carries the unique flavors of the city.
Their menu offers everything from street food to classic spring rolls and a wide selection of vegetarian dishes.
For soups, they offer these thick and creamy soups topped with chicken, prawn, or mushrooms. They have a menu for bún phở noodles as well!
Pro tip:
According to the restaurant, the time window between 2 PM to 4 PM is the sweet spot if you want to enjoy a quieter time with your meal since most shops are closed due to the traditional Vietnamese siesta.
8. Vietnamese Lantern Restaurant – Hà Nội
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Social media: https://web.facebook.com/Vietnameselanternrestaurant/
Address: 4B P. Đinh Liệt, Hàng Bạc, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội
Phone: +84333505473
Operating hours: Monday to Sunday 10:00 am – 11:00 pm
Visiting this restaurant will feel like you’re wrapped in colorful lights. The place is adorned with hundreds of colorful lanterns inside, making it a perfect spot to take those aesthetic photos.
They offer a wide variety of classic Vietnamese dishes, including soups like phở and other noodle soups. You can also enjoy a serving of hot vegetarian hotpot, good for sharing among groups of two or four.
Aside from being flavorful, every dish here is fragrant, fresh, and beautifully presented.
The place is also considerate when it comes to allergies and diet restrictions, so guests are encouraged not to hesitate to make specific requests.
Pro tip:
Locals recommend visiting during lunch hours when the crowd is lighter. So if you want to enjoy a calmer ambiance while in the restaurant, schedule your visit accordingly.
9. Ngõ Saigon Street Food – Hồ Chí Minh
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Website: http://nhahangngo.com.vn/
Address: Crescent Mall, 101 Đ. Tôn Dật Tiên, Tân Phú, Quận 7, Hồ Chí Minh
Phone: +842836222850
Operating hours: Monday to Sunday 10:30 am – 10:00 pm
Ngõ Saigon introduces a diverse menu of classic dishes in Saigon with flavors inspired by the street food scene in the city.
This kind of setup allows locals and tourists to enjoy these local street favorites without the usual outdoor chaos. Even though prices are slightly higher, patrons can still enjoy a full meal at an affordable price.
The menu includes some classics such as grilled sausage skewers, mixed rice paper salad, and a variety of noodle soups like phở and bún. Their signature dish is the phở đuôi bò, or the oxtail noodle soup.
Pro tip:
Ngõ Saigon also offers vegetarian-friendly and vegan options. These dishes are marked on the menu, or you are welcome to ask the staff to adjust the dishes to fit your needs.
10. Madam Tran Restaurant – Hà Nội
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Website: https://madamtranrestaurant.vn/
Address: 42B P. Đào Duy Từ, Hàng Buồm, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội
Phone: +84916400858
Operating hours:
- Monday to Saturday 10:00 am – 12:00 am
- Sunday 10:00 am – 11:30 pm
Madam Tran Restaurant offers both Vietnamese and vegetarian dishes that span from countryside classics to platters that are best enjoyed with company. The place is known for its affordable prices, yet high-quality and beautifully plated dishes.
For the soup, Madam Tran serves a classic variety of phở and bún. These noodle soup bowls are rich and generously portioned.
Their bestseller is the Special Mix Hanoi Noodles Soup, a bowl of phở where three kinds of proteins (beef, prawns, and chicken) are tossed in.
If you prefer something cleaner, they also have a selection of món súp, which is something similar to a vegetable soup with minimal meat toppings.
Pro tip:
If you want to experience what goes on behind the scenes at Madam Tran, you can take up one of their cooking classes. You’ll learn everything from buying the ingredients to preparing the broth.