Saigon expands, specialties also "expand"
From July 1, 2025, Ho Chi Minh City officially expanded with the merger of Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau, bringing with it the diversity of Saigon specialties. (Photo: Saigon Giai Phong Newspaper)
The merger of Binh Duong and Ba Ria – Vung Tau into Ho Chi Minh City has created a new look for the expanded Ho Chi Minh City cuisine . No longer separate, Saigon specialties now blend with many new flavors from neighboring regions. This has made the culinary picture in Ho Chi Minh City even richer, attracting many domestic and foreign diners.
Binh Duong specialties with rich flavors of the Southeast region
Nem Lai Thieu – Binh Duong specialty has become an indispensable part of food tours around Saigon. (Photo: Collected)
Binh Duong brings to Ho Chi Minh City cuisine a wide range of specialties with rich flavors of the Southeast region. Among them, Nem Lai Thieu is known as an unforgettable culinary symbol with a delicate blend of sweet and sour flavors. In addition, grilled beef with tiles and banh beo bi are also delicious dishes loved by many people. These dishes are not only enjoyed in Binh Duong but have quickly appeared on the menus of many restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City, contributing to enriching Saigon's specialties.
Vung Tau offers fresh seafood and crispy banh khot
Fresh seafood and crispy banh khot from Vung Tau are new highlights of Saigon specialties. (Photo: Collected)
Ba Ria – Vung Tau is famous for its fresh seafood and attractive specialties such as mai fish salad, Vung Tau pancakes, and stingray hotpot. When becoming a part of Ho Chi Minh City, these delicious dishes were warmly welcomed by the city's residents. Saigon specialties are now supplemented with salty sea flavors, bringing a more diverse and attractive culinary experience than ever.
A longer, more flavorful food tour around Saigon
The extended food tour around Saigon helps you discover a variety of specialties from Binh Duong to Vung Tau. (Photo: Collected)
With the change in administrative boundaries, the food tour around Saigon becomes more interesting with a longer journey, experiencing more diverse dishes. Instead of just exploring the central wards, diners can now enjoy the typical delicacies of Binh Duong and Vung Tau right in the heart of the expanded Ho Chi Minh City. This is a great opportunity to fully enjoy the flavors of Saigon's specialties from many regions, experiencing a richer culinary culture in the same trip.
The expanded cuisine of Ho Chi Minh City is not only a blend of dishes from many regions but also a symbol of the integration and diverse development of the largest city in the country. Traditional Saigon specialties are now "renewed" when combined with flavors from Binh Duong and Vung Tau, creating a vibrant and unique culinary picture. Food lovers can easily find delicious, fresh dishes right in this dynamic and ever-changing city.
Suggested places to eat for a food tour around extended Saigon
Whether you are in the center or turn towards Binh Duong - Ba Ria Vung Tau, the expanded cuisine of Ho Chi Minh City always has delicious dishes waiting for you to discover. (Photo: Collected)
Below are some suggestions for "delicious" places for new-age Saigon specialty lovers :
Binh Duong specialties
- Nem Lai Thieu Ut Thang – 36 Nguyen Van Tiet: Light sour taste, super clean spring rolls, great with pickled papaya.
- 3 Hoa Grilled Beef on Tiles Restaurant – 269 Binh Duong Boulevard: Fresh beef grilled on clay tiles, served with authentic Eastern fresh vegetables.
- Ut Xi Banh Beo Bi – Near Phu Cuong Market: Small, cute cake, poured with salty, fatty coconut milk, served with standard mixed pork skin.
Specialties of Ba Ria - Vung Tau
- Banh Khot Goc Vu Sua – 14 Nguyen Truong To: Famous for many years, crispy pancakes, fresh shrimp, special dipping sauce.
- Stingray Hotpot Truong Cong Dinh – No. 40, Street of the same name: Just the right amount of spicy and sour hotpot, fresh stingray, and side dishes with authentic Southern seafood flavor.
- Oc Hien Grilled Oyster Restaurant – Long Hai: Fresh seafood, processed on the spot, reasonable price, windy sea view.
Place to eat specialities right in the center of Ho Chi Minh City
- Thu Duc Market – Eastern snack area: A place with many Binh Duong-origin dishes, affordable prices, and crowded.
- Foodcourt Vung Tau Style – Binh Thanh: Newly opened restaurant, specializing in seafood dishes such as raw anchovy salad, grilled dried squid with salt and chili.
- Pham Van Hai Market – Tan Binh: Be surprised with dishes like Ba Ria pork intestine rice vermicelli or “original” Binh Duong rice cake.
Tips for you when going on a food tour around extended Saigon
- You should go in groups of 2-4 people to eat many dishes and share them.
- Go in the cool morning and afternoon, avoid harsh sunlight or rush hour.
- If you go far (Long Hai, Phuoc Hai), you should combine it with a weekend vacation!
Since the expansion of its administrative boundaries, Ho Chi Minh City has not only “expanded its map” but also opened up its palates for those who love food. Saigon specialties are no longer limited to a few familiar dishes, but have become richer with the flavors of the East from Binh Duong, the taste of the sea from Vung Tau, creating a colorful and multi-experienced culinary picture of Ho Chi Minh City .
So with just one food tour around Saigon, you can go from the mountains to the sea, from rustic grilled dishes to fresh seafood, from Lai Thieu spring rolls to famous banh khot. Who says you have to go far to eat delicious food?
Now, you just need to... get in the car, have an empty stomach and a little curiosity. Saigon is "full", how about you?
Source: https://www.vietravel.com/vn/am-thuc-kham-pha/dac-san-sai-gon-gio-co-them-gi-v17484.aspx
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