1. Binh Duong : Long Thanh beef hotpot and fresh milk
Fragrant beef hotpot with green vegetables at a riverside restaurant in Binh Duong. (Photo: Collected)
After merging with Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong is not only closer geographically but also more often "named" on the weekend culinary map. Driving for about 1 hour, you can visit Thu Dau Mot - a famous place for Ba Toa beef hotpot, banh beo bi, and Long Thanh fresh milk shops with cool farm flavors. Don't forget to visit Thu Dau Mot market to enjoy spring rolls, banh beo mien Dong or buy fresh garden fruit to bring home!
2. Ba Ria – Vung Tau: Fresh seafood and famous banh khot
A plate of crispy, golden banh khot, served with raw vegetables and sweet and sour fish sauce. (Photo: Collected)
Only about 2-2.5 hours drive, Vung Tau is always a "national" destination for Saigon people every weekend. And after the merger, the distance seems to be shortened even more! Here, you can start with a morning of Banh Khot Goc Vu Sua, then "bombard" fresh seafood at Xom Luoi market or restaurants such as Ganh Hao, Loc Duong, Thanh Phat... If you like a chill atmosphere, a cafe with a sea view along Ha Long street is a great choice.
3. Cu Chi: Enjoy hometown specialties just 1 hour from the center
Grilled beef with lemongrass and chili on a red-hot charcoal stove at a country restaurant in Cu Chi. (Photo: Collected)
Cu Chi – the land northwest of Ho Chi Minh City – is now known not only for its tunnels but also as a “treasure trove of rustic cuisine”. You can enjoy Trang Bang sun-dried rice paper, Cu Chi beef, or grilled chicken with lemon leaves in eco-zones such as Binh My Garden, Riverside Tourist Area... This is also an ideal place to combine dining and weekend picnics with family or friends.
4. Dong Nai: Long Khanh fruit garden and rustic dishes
A full rustic meal of braised fish, boiled vegetables, and crab soup at a homestay in Dong Nai. (Photo: Collected)
About 1.5–2 hours from the city center, Dong Nai , especially Long Khanh, is emerging as an ideal destination for those who want to “eat in the middle of nature”. In season, you can eat fruits such as rambutan, durian, mangosteen in the garden. In addition, don't miss Long Khanh fried chicken rice, sour snakehead fish soup, rice vermicelli with pig intestines – all rustic but extremely delicious dishes.
5. Nha Be - Can Gio: Eat seafood without going far
Attractive seafood platter with shrimp, crab, clams and snails in Can Gio. (Photo: Collected)
Want to eat seafood but don't want to go too far? Can Gio and Nha Be are familiar destinations for people who “crave shrimp and crab on weekends”. At Hang Duong seafood market, you can choose fresh squid, crab, shrimp, clams and have them prepared right on the spot. Specialties here also include sun-dried pineapple fish, garlic-sauteed cockles, salt-roasted mantis shrimp... Add a big glass of sugarcane juice and you have the full taste of the sea right near Saigon!
6. Tay Ninh: Pilgrimage and refreshing food
Hot Trang Bang noodle soup, full of toppings and fresh vegetables. (Photo: Collected)
Only about 2 hours from Ho Chi Minh City, Tay Ninh not only has the famous Ba Den Mountain, but also fascinates many people with its typical Southeast cuisine. Must-try specialties: tamarind rice paper, Trang Bang noodle soup, Tay Ninh shrimp salt with green mango. In addition, Sun World Ba Den Mountain also has a modern, clean food court, suitable for families or groups of friends with young children.
7. Eat for a change in Saigon: Cho Lon area, Thao Dien, Thao Cam Vien
Western-style breakfast at a brunch restaurant in Thao Dien – a slow-paced lifestyle in the heart of the city. (Photo: Collected)
Don't want to go far? There are still hundreds of weekend dining options near Saigon right in the city center:
- Cho Lon (Cho Lon Ward): Eat dim sum for breakfast, crab and fish maw soup, duck noodles.
- Thao Dien (Binh Thanh Ward): Western-style brunch, specialty coffee, wood-fired pizza...
- Thao Cam Vien – Tao Dan Park: Weekend picnic with food to bring + cool green view, extremely chill!
Weekends are no longer a headache for the question "what to eat, where to go?" - because now, with just 1-2 hours of travel, you can explore millions of extremely rich dining places near the center of Ho Chi Minh City . Whether you are a fan of fresh seafood, rustic countryside dishes or modern culinary experiences, the above list is enough to "save" your weekends!
Source: https://www.vietravel.com/vn/am-thuc-kham-pha/cuoi-tuan-an-gi-di-dau-ban-do-foodtour-around-tphcm-2025-v17502.aspx
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