Ho Chi Minh City named top street food destination

Virtual Tourist, the leading free travel-oriented community, has named Ho Chi Minh City as one of the world’s top ten cities for street food in 2025. The city continues to gain recognition in various travel publications and was recently featured in Reuters’ Travel Picks column.

“Vietnamese cuisine has garnered significant acclaim in recent years, with culinary icons praising the rich flavors and vibrant dishes. A visit to Ho Chi Minh City’s bustling Ben Thanh or Binh Tay Markets illustrates why the city is celebrated for its street food,” the travel site remarked about Vietnamese culinary offerings.

The Virtual Tourist team commends the street food culture in Ho Chi Minh City for its unique blend of influences, notably its French colonial heritage combined with traditional Vietnamese ingredients and flavors. Dishes that received special accolades include Pho, Banh Mi (Vietnamese-style baguette), Bo La Lot (seasoned beef wrapped in betel leaf), Spring Rolls, and Com Tam (steamed broken rice topped with a fried egg).

Virtual Tourist also offers valuable tips for first-time travelers to the country. For those concerned about food hygiene, it is recommended to choose popular, busy stalls known for their high turnover of customers.

The other cities featured in this year’s list include Bangkok, Singapore, Penang, Marrakech, Palermo, Istanbul, Mexico City, Brussels, and Beachside Ceviche in Ambergris Caye. This recognition reinforces Ho Chi Minh City’s reputation as a premier destination for street food, as it was previously ranked among the world’s top ten cities for street food by the internationally acclaimed culinary magazine Food & Wine. Additionally, the esteemed travel guide Lonely Planet continues to highlight Banh Mi as one of the most delicious street foods globally.