Being vegetarian is never easy to backpackers. Especially, being vegetarian is more difficult when travelling to Vietnam – the country with only 10% residents eat vegan everyday.

Is it possible to find a good vegetarian restaurant in Ho Chi Minh city? And what are the best vegetarian restaurants i should visit?

All your questions will be answered in this writing.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO FIND GOOD VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT IN HCMC?

It’s pity to say sorry to Vietnamese street-food lover that vegan food can’t found on the street. There is hardly no street vendors serving vegetarian food around the Sai Gon street.

But don’t worry, guys.

In come-back years, vegetarians in Vietnam is more popular. Vietnamese young people choose vegetarian menu because it’s good for their health. Secondly, to save environment while environment issue become hot issue those days. And to show their love to animals. Therefore, vegetarian restaurant appears everywhere in Ho Chi Minh city nowadays. 

In practice, not at all vegetarian restaurants is clean and hygiene. You can easily find the restaurant 10 000 – 15 000 VND on the street. Don’t be fool to come in if you don’t want stay in toilet all day or worse, in hospital. Researching and noting good vegetarian restaurants carefully before going out is top of list thing should do in Vietnam for vegans.

TOP 5 OF BEST VEGETARIAN RESTAURANTS 

Santorino coffee & veggies

Address: 74 Nguyen Ngoc Phuong street, ward 19, Binh Thanh, HCMC.

Opening hours: 8:30 a.m until midnight all days, closed Monday.

Website: santorino or facebook: santorino coffee & veggies

The various menu for vegan. Source: santorino food

Here is the ideal place for backpackers Vietnam to enjoy the vegetarian food as well as Vietnamese coffee. Santorino restaurant adapts the variety of customers’ demand from meat-eaters to vegetarians, Vietnamese to Europe coffee and even wine.

Santorino highly pay attention to coffee bean quality. And the owners always try to define what it is. Source: santorino drink

The Santorino coffee & veggies is appreciated by the fresh material, high nutrition and hygiene. Owners don’t stop to improve menu day by day. They have all good vegetarian options for you. The atmosphere are comfortable and peaceful, suitable for working, reading book or meeting friends.

Banh mi chay – Vietnamese vegan baguette with lemongrass tofu, avocado, cucumber, vegetables and homemade veggies sauce

Especially, the staff and hosts here are Vietnamese young girls. They’re good in English and willing to give you some helps. The restaurant is located on the underground of an apartment, so look carefully to find it. 

The outdoor restaurant

I believe that this place far exceeds your expectation during the time you travel through Sai Gon.

San May restaurant

Address: 771 Le Hong Phong street, ward 12, district 10, HCMC. Or visit 155 Nguyen Van Thu street, KaDao ward, district 1, HCMC.

Opening hours: 8:00 a.m to 9:00 p.m everyday 

Web: sanmayrestaurant.com or facebook: san may restaurant 

Number phone: 028 3507 1628 or 028 3910 3939 (the second address) 

In Vietnam, the vegetarian cuisine is more and more diversal in cooking and manners. Almost Vietnamese dishes can become vegan food by replacing meat with some vegan materials while retaining the name. For example, most of backpackers Viet Nam know “banh xeo” – Vietnamese pancake with the some meats and shrimp on it. However, Vietnamese vegetarian pancake includes carot, green bean, tofu, mushroom.

Fish sauce is replaced with vegetarian sauce but retain the traditional taste

San may vegetarian restaurant is suitable for someone who’d like to find the vegan food in very Vietnamese style and taste.

Backpackers will never feel bored when visiting here because of the variety of dishes. The restaurant serves many different vegan dishes such as spring roll, noodles, banh mi, curry…

Rice noodle with vegetarian spring roll

If you are planing a warm dinner with your friends or family, San May vegetarian restaurant is an ideal destination for vegan in Vietnam.

An garden restaurant

Address: 19 Tran Quoc Thao street, ward 8, district 3, HCMC.

Opening hours: 9:00 a.m to 10:00 p.m everyday 

Web: Angardenrestaurant.com or facebook: an garden restaurant 

Number phone: 0785 728 007

An garden restaurant is new in Vietnamese vegetarian restaurants but it’s welcomed by many Vietnamese vegans. The important of vegan cuisine is that the chef must always create the new recipe to make many different dishes. That’s what you can find in An vegetarian restaurant.

Vegetarian spring roll

Begining by salad as appertizer, you can choose rice, noodle or hot pot for main dish and finish meal with some drinks. Especially, An vegetarian restaurant divides dishes according to breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Fresh vegetable, reasonable price, clean and peaceful environment here is highly appreciated.

ROU vegetarian restaurant & coffee

Address: 567A Tran Hung Dao, Cau Kho ward, District 1, HCMC

Opening hours: 10:00 a.m to 10:00 p.m everyday

Web:  rou.vn  or fanpage: ROU vegetarian restaurant & coffee

Number phone: 0903 624 807

“ROU” vegetarian restaurant is surely not strange to almost Vietnamese professional vegan eaters. People can call ” ROU” as an international restaurant by the way they serve vegetarian food. “ROU” build the various menu with many vegan dishes coming from different coutries such as Thailand papaya salad, Indian curry, Hong Kong salty fried mini tofu, Italian spaghetti, Singapore noodle,… and Vietnamese dishes, of course. 

“ROU” vegetarian restaurant is where Vietnamese discovers vegan culture of other countries. Backpackers can also easily try Vietnamese vegan food here. Or order your country’s dishes if you’re homesick after the long journey. 

Special decoration of Tofu in ROU vegetarian restaurant.

Vinh Nghiem vegetarian restaurant

Address: 339 Nam Ki Khoi Nghia street, ward 7, district 3, HCMC

Opening hours: 7:00 a.m to 9:00 p.m everyday 

Web: vinhnghiemchay.vn 

Number phone: 028 3848 1829

Vinh Nghiem temple. Source: itourvn.com

Vinh Nghiem is name of one of the top Buddhism ancient temples in Sai Gon. Located in the campus of temple, Vinh Nghiem vegetarian restaurant is a familar place of Buhha child as well as visitors. 

Restaurant is the combination of the Buddhism ancient and modern in architecture and manners. In particular, backpackers Vietnam will find it excited by the special names of here which bring deeply Buddhism style such as “Khai tam kien nguyen” soup – open mind to enjoy the beauty, “Long nu tien ngoc” rice – a story in Buddhist book about a girl with noble heart give gem to Buddha,… 

On the first day and middle day of lunar calendar, Vinh Nghiem vegetarian restaurant set up the vegan buffet to serve the customers.  

Backpackers Vietnam

Visit us to find more information about Vietnam: Untold rules when having meals with a host family for backpackers,  tips for religion & culture in Vietnamese pagodas