Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City moves at a pace that can feel overwhelming at first, but families who slow down find the city's layers revealing themselves quickly, from the Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theatre to the quiet energy of Ben Thanh Market in the early morning. Com tam, broken rice topped with marinated pork and fried egg, is the kind of meal you order at a plastic-stool sidewalk stall and immediately want to repeat for breakfast. Mekong Delta day trips turn a morning into something that feels genuinely remote. FamiVentura's Ho Chi Minh City guides cover activities, food, and excursions into the delta and beyond.

10 activities3 free 15 food spots3 free 10 excursions3 free 10 hidden gems3 free 5 neighbourhoods1 free 1 Itinerarie0 free

Food & Restaurants

Where to eat with kids

Anan Saigon Fine Dining

Anan Saigon works for a group with mixed ages when the older end drives the agenda. Teens will get the most from the tasting menu's conceptual approach; younger school-age children will appreciate that the dishes, however elevated, are rooted in Vietnamese flavors they've encountered on the street. The setting on Nguyen Hue Boulevard is relaxed enough that a long meal doesn't feel oppressive, though the per-person cost makes this firmly an occasion rather than a casual dinner.

Address: 237 Nguyen Hue Boulevard, District 1
Hours: Lunch 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM, Dinner 5:30 PM - 10:00 PM
Price: 800,000-1,200,000 VND per person
Duration: 2.5-3 hours
Booking required: Yes

Tips

Book the lunch sitting if younger children are part of the group — the pace is slightly faster and the atmosphere less formal than dinner.
The menu changes with market availability; checking recent reviews before going helps manage expectations.
At 800,000-1,200,000 VND per person, this is a special-occasion budget — factor it in against the rest of the week's food spending.

Fine diningVietnameseChef drivenTasting menu

Pho at the Street Stalls

Pho from a sidewalk stall is the essential Saigon breakfast. The broth has been simmering since before your alarm went off. The garnish plate is the map of the meal. Eat it fast, while the noodles are still firm.

Address: Multiple locations throughout Districts 1, 3, 5, 10
Hours: 6:00 AM - 2:00 PM (most stalls close mid-afternoon)
Price: 40,000-80,000 VND per bowl
Duration: 30 minutes
Booking required: No

Tips

Eat it fast: Vietnamese noodle soups are designed to be consumed immediately; the broth softens the noodles quickly.
Pay at the table when you're done; don't try to pay first.
40,000-80,000 VND per bowl; a family of four eats breakfast for under $15.

SoupStreet foodVietnameseBreakfast

Find the best picks for your family

Select your children's ages and we'll personalize Ho Chi Minh City for you

Tap an age group, then select your children's ages

Banh Mi from Street Vendors

Bánh mì is the easiest, cheapest, and one of the best things you'll eat in Ho Chi Minh City. Keep small bills ready, pick a cart with a queue, and eat it immediately — the bread is best in the first five minutes.

Address: Bánh mì vendors throughout city, especially Ben Thanh area, Districts 1, 3, 5
Hours: 6:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Price: 20,000-50,000 VND per sandwich
Duration: 10-15 minutes
Booking required: No

Tips

Queue = quality signal. If there's a line, join it.
Tell the vendor dac biet (special) for the full combination, or specify if you want something simpler.
Eat within five minutes for peak texture; packed bánh mì that travels in a bag becomes a different and lesser thing.

SandwichStreet foodBreakfastBudget

Food & Restaurants

Where to eat with kids

Anan Saigon Fine Dining

Address: 237 Nguyen Hue Boulevard, District 1
Hours: Lunch 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM, Dinner 5:30 PM - 10:00 PM
Price: 800,000-1,200,000 VND per person
Duration: 2.5-3 hours
Booking required: Yes

Tips

Book the lunch sitting if younger children are part of the group — the pace is slightly faster and the atmosphere less formal than dinner.
The menu changes with market availability; checking recent reviews before going helps manage expectations.
At 800,000-1,200,000 VND per person, this is a special-occasion budget — factor it in against the rest of the week's food spending.

Fine diningVietnameseChef drivenTasting menu

Pho at the Street Stalls

Address: Multiple locations throughout Districts 1, 3, 5, 10
Hours: 6:00 AM - 2:00 PM (most stalls close mid-afternoon)
Price: 40,000-80,000 VND per bowl
Duration: 30 minutes
Booking required: No

Tips

Eat it fast: Vietnamese noodle soups are designed to be consumed immediately; the broth softens the noodles quickly.
Pay at the table when you're done; don't try to pay first.
40,000-80,000 VND per bowl; a family of four eats breakfast for under $15.

SoupStreet foodVietnameseBreakfast

Find the best picks for your family

Select your children's ages and we'll personalize Ho Chi Minh City for you

Tap an age group, then select your children's ages

Banh Mi from Street Vendors

Address: Bánh mì vendors throughout city, especially Ben Thanh area, Districts 1, 3, 5
Hours: 6:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Price: 20,000-50,000 VND per sandwich
Duration: 10-15 minutes
Booking required: No

Tips

Queue = quality signal. If there's a line, join it.
Tell the vendor dac biet (special) for the full combination, or specify if you want something simpler.
Eat within five minutes for peak texture; packed bánh mì that travels in a bag becomes a different and lesser thing.

SandwichStreet foodBreakfastBudget