Top 5 the most famous street food in Ben Thanh market area

When mentioning Ben Thanh market (District 1, Ho Chi Minh City) - the historical and cultural symbol of Saigon - tourists will definitely not be able to miss it once. Famous for its stalls selling all kinds of souvenirs, cosmetics, shoes, jams, tea, coffee, etc. Ben Thanh market and the area around the market is also a street food paradise with rustic dishes that have been transformed when imported from many places to Saigon.

Let's "check out" the typical delicious dishes inside and around this famous market.

Top 5 famous street food in Ben Thanh Market area

1. Ms. Anh's Bánh Bèo from Hue

Ms. Anh's nearly 30-year-old bánh bèo stall towards the West gate of the market is an address that many Ho Chi Minh City visitors to Ben Thanh market have visited. The secret to making Miss Anh's bánh bèo so popular is that the bánh bèo is made from very soft and smooth sticky rice, the shrimp filling is rich and retains the original flavour of Hue cakes.

The owner said that there are days when the bánh bèo stall can sell up to 1,000 plates, and most of the customers are regulars. The stall is crowded from early morning but the peak time is at noon.

The most popular dish is the mixed bánh bèo, including bánh bèo, bánh bột lọc, bánh ít trần served with chả lụa. The bánh bèo is arranged evenly on the plate, covered with a layer of smooth shrimp and crispy fried bread, then chả lụa is placed on top and finally the fish sauce.

Ms. Anh's stall not only has bánh bèo but also many other typical Central region cakes such as bánh nậm, bánh bột lọc, bánh bò, bánh ít trần, nem chả… The stall is open almost every day from 6:30 am to 5:00 pm.

2. Chè Bé

Chè Bé is famous street food in Ben Thanh market not only for its delicious sweet soup, with a variety of Southern sweet soups that are very suitable for hot weather, but also because this shop has been around since 1968.

The menu of this more than half-century-old sweet soup shop has more than a dozen Southern sweet soups, from bean sweet soup, thưng sweet soup, mung bean sweet soup, floating rice balls, black beans, red beans, banana sweet soup, corn sweet soup, flan cake... The colourful and eye-catching sweet soups make anyone who passes by want to stop by and eat.

All kinds of sweet soups are cooked and sold during the day, each with a different flavour, so customers who come here often try a few types. The shop is crowded but the service is fast so customers don't have to wait long. In addition to sweet soup, you can order other dishes such as jelly, flan cake, coconut jam... for less than 40,000 VND.

Chè Bé is located in the same row as Ms. Anh's Hue Banh Beo, right on the main walking street of the food court in Ben Thanh market, stall number 1154 - 1130, Gate number 7. The shop is open daily from 6:00 to 16:00.

3. Mrs. Lien's crab noodle soup stall

Previously, Mrs. Lien's crab noodle soup stall opened opposite the East Gate of Ben Thanh Market, right at the corner of Le Loi Street and Phan Boi Chau Street, but in early 2022, the stall moved to a new address nearby, at 163 Le Thanh Ton Street, District 1.

No longer sold in the market area, but if you ask about crab noodle soup at Ben Thanh Market, people will immediately think of Mrs. Lien's stall. Mrs. Lien's crab noodle soup has existed since before 1975, with the broth cooked according to a traditional recipe that has conquered the fastidious local diners and tourists who have stopped by to eat.

Mrs. Lien's crab noodle soup stall has thin vermicelli noodles, blood pudding, crab patties, tofu cut into corners and tomatoes, with onions on top. The patties are big and firm, the blood pudding is soft and chewy, the hot and fatty tofu is very delicious. Another difference of this crab noodle soup is that it is served with tamarind fish sauce mixed with sliced ​​chilli and pure shrimp paste. A plate of clean, delicious raw vegetables with bean sprouts, water spinach, shredded banana flower, a little coriander and spicy basil is an indispensable part of a bowl of vermicelli soup.

At Mrs. Lien's restaurant, in addition to vermicelli soup, diners can order shrimp and pork spring rolls, and get more sausages placed right on the table if they like. The restaurant is open from 7am to 7pm every day.

4. Bún mọc Thanh Mai

When mentioning vermicelli soup, locals will immediately mention Thanh Mai restaurant at 14 Truong Dinh street, corner of Truong Dinh - Nguyen An Ninh, just a few steps from Silverland Ben Thanh Hotel. This is a favourite restaurant of many diners in Ho Chi Minh City and only sells one vermicelli soup dish.

The restaurant is open from early morning to about 2:30pm, serving breakfast and lunch. The bowl of vermicelli with meatballs at the restaurant is beautifully decorated with ribs, meatballs and a full range of typical sausages such as pork sausage, leaf sausage, cinnamon sausage... The broth has no MSG, is simmered from bones so it retains its sweet, rich taste.

Another plus point of the restaurant is the comfortable seating space, with high tables and chairs, which are regularly cleaned. The price of a bowl of vermicelli with meatballs here is about 80,000 VND. In addition, the restaurant also serves popular drinks such as iced tea, sugarcane juice, pennywort juice, coconut water, cold soy milk...

5. Bún Bò Nam Giao

It would be a mistake to mention street food addresses around Ben Thanh market without mentioning Bun Bo Hue Nam Giao. Although located deep in a busy alley at 136/15 Le Thanh Ton (District 1), Nam Giao Hue Beef Noodle Soup restaurant serves from morning to night, is an ideal place for every meal of the day, for everyone from family, friends, entertaining relatives, colleagues from far away to Saigon.

The restaurant has a space full of Hue, giving you a warm, close feeling. A portion of mixed Hue beef noodle soup has many high-quality toppings such as rare beef, beef balls, crab cakes, tendons... The broth is cooked very elaborate so it has a rich, fragrant, spicy taste of satay. Besides the famous beef noodle soup, the restaurant also serves a variety of dishes originating from Hue such as bánh nậm, bánh bột lọc, bánh bèo, cơm hến...Silverland Hospitality has two hotels very close to the famous street food in Ben Thanh market above, which are Silverland Ben Thanh Hotel and Silverland Yen Hotel. Just ask our hotel reception staff, they will be happy to show you the way to these culinary paradises.