Apps to get

  • Grab - The main ride-sharing app. Can also be used for food delivery. You can get a car for an hour as well.

  • Gojeck - Similar to Grab.

  • Vietnammm - Food delivery. Very easy to use.

  • Chopp - Grocery delivery. Like

  • Lazada - Amazon-like on-line store

  • Organik - Organic veggies from Dalat. You can order a box of 2.5-3kg of veggies every week.

  • Sweego - Sort of like a groupon. You sign up for a monthly membership, and you get up to 50% discounts at a number of restaurants, bars and cocktail lounges in the city.

Groceries

  • Annam Gourmet - High-end grocery store. Multiple locations.

  • Phuong Ha Store - map - Lots of imported products at good prices. But quite crowded and unorganized.

  • Thai Hai Grocery - map - Right next to Phuong Ha. Good to check out both stores.

  • There is another imported grocery store right across the street from Thai Hai and Phuong Ha.

  • Naman Market - A few stores. Very attractive high-end grocery store. Also has a good wine and beer selection.

  • US Mart - Map - Not sure about this one. It’s a bit out of the way. But they seem to have a lot of US products. Including Dr. Pepper cotton candy, whatever that is.

  • Meatworks - High-end butcher. Expensive. They have grills as well.

  • Farmi - Grocery delivery. Owned by a Japanese-American couple.

  • Maman Deli - Facebook - From a Saigoneer-based American couple: “We use this company for our weekly meal delivery service. We chose them after trying several. The price is right, the food is good, they totally customized the menu and amounts to our preferences. The owner employees at risk youth and teaches them skills so they can have profitable jobs in the restaurant industry. Iny Tran is the owner.”

Restaurants in D1

Vietnamese

  • Secret Garden - Facebook - Cute rooftop garden

  • Rice Fields - Facebook - Traditional Vietnamese food

  • Propaganda - A Vietnamese Bistro - Fun, hip Vietnamese restaurant - can also order from Au Parc

  • My Banh Mi - If you are worried to try pavement banh mi places, then try this place for quality Vietnamese sandwiches.

  • Anan - Map - High-end Saigonese eatery. Located in a market. If you want to try a foie gras imperial roll, this is the place for you.

  • Quan Bui Garden - Facebook - Vietnamese home cooking. Multiple locations - two in D1 and two in D2.

Latin American

  • Sol - Very good Latin American restaurant (not really Mexican)

  • Bandidos - Tacos! Really good ones. Quac as well. Homemade tortillas and chips.

Burgers

  • Soul Burger - Great burgers. The single is about all that you need, unless you are really hungry. Don’t miss out on the truffle fries. When we went, the beer selection wasn’t great.

American

  • Wagon Wheel - Oklahoma home cooking (also known as American home cooking). Reportedly great steaks.

  • Scott’s Kitchen - Home cooking with renowned mac ‘n cheese.

  • Poke Saigon - Hawaiian-poke restaurant. Two restaurants in D1, one in Hanoi.

  • Stoker - Steak place. Good happy hour, tasty steaks. Also in D2.

Brunch

  • Vintage Emporium - Sydney-type cafe. Large selection of cuisines. But good brunch selection. Also in D2.

Mediterranean

  • Au Parc - cute Mediterranean/Middle Eastern restaurant - can also order from Propoganda

  • Kiba - Spanish tapas, with very good paella. Lots of great choices here, including croquettas to die for. Owner very nice.

  • Octo Tapas Bar - Another tapas place.

  • Ciao Belle - Highly-rated Italian

  • Al Sham - Map - Middle Eastern restaurant with traditional Syrian products. Tahina for just VND70k!

High end

Pizza

  • Pizza 4Ps - Many locations, reservations needed. It is a Japanese chain.

Korean

  • CocoDak - Chicken restaurant that attracts young Vietnamese hipsters. Don’t order too much - each plate can serve two (with an appetizer).

Japanese

  • Ippudo - Japanese ramen chain, one in D1, one in D7

  • Manmaru - map - Japanese street food and sushi. There are 2 restaurants in Vietnam. This link is to the one in D1.

  • Kasen Omakase - High-end sushi place. The omakase is VND1m, so not cheap.

  • Sushi Tei - Multi-floored sushi restaurant - the classics are just middlin’. Two locations in D1.

  • Shamoji Robata Yaki - map - If you want Japanese grilled meats, try this place.

Chinese

Vegetarian

Desserts

Restaurants in D2

  • L’Herbanyst - Vegan/vegetarian cuisine. Also has brunch.

  • Bootleggers - Wine bar. Also a wine store.

  • Eddie’s New York Diner - American-style diner with burgers and brunch. Looks kind of like a Johnny Rocket’s.

  • Stoker - Steak place. Good happy hour, tasty steaks. Also in D1.

    1. Vintage Emporium - Sydney-type cafe. Large selection of cuisines. But good brunch selection. Also in D1.

    2. Quan Bui Garden - Facebook - Vietnamese home cooking. Multiple locations - two in D1 and two in D2.

    3. District Federal - Map - Mexican and Tex-Mex food. Homemade tortillas.

      1. Pendolasco - Map - Italian restaurant with pizza and Italian classics. Been around since 1998.

    Japanese

  • Namara Hokkaido - Japanese chef, fresh sashimi and sushi. They have a good lunch set menu.

  • Hanabi - Former Japanese Consulate General's chef. Tempura and kaiseki restaurant. Reservations recommend. Menu changes monthly. Good with special occasion.

  • Roll Small cozy restaurant. They have special rolls (vegetarian ones too). They also deliver.

  • Uraetei - Japanese-style BBQ.

Cafes with playgrounds

  • Snap Cafe - Big playground with sandpit. Best to bring towels or changing clothes for small kids.

  • Jaspas - Roof-covered playground. Good selection of wine for parents!

  • Liliput - Good for little kids. They have merry-go-round!

Drinks

Cocktail bars

  • Summer Experiment - Experimental cocktail bar. They also have food.

  • Lost and Found - Facebook - Dark cocktail bar. They will deliver!

  • The Rabbit Hole - Bouncer can be pretentious but otherwise nice.

  • Tamarind - Map - A speakeasy-type place. Fun and old school decor. It calls itself a “hidden” cocktail bar, but it’s not that hard to find.

  • Broma - Rooftop bar - Below Whisky Bar was below it one floor, but they have re-merged.

    Breweries/Brewpubs

  • East West - Facebook - American-style brew pub with snacks

  • Winking Seal - Taproom and brewery

  • Heart of Darkness - Good brews and a wide selection.

  • Pasteur Street - Oldest microbrewery in Saigon. Good selection. Some locations called, so

Spas, etc

Nail Salons

  • Quynh nail salon - Map - Recommended. In Thao Dien.

    Spas

  • Villa Aesthetica Cosmedi Spa - Map - Twice-over recommended. Also do medical and non-medical treatments.

  • Moc Huong Spa Gallery - Map - Spa. Multiple locations. Check the website for hours of operation, because each location is open on different days.

Tailors

Phuong - Map - 100 Ly Tu Trong, District 1 - Recommended. Little English but Google translate was enough. Next to the An Phuoc store.