18 Best Vietnamese Breakfast Foods: A Local’s Guide

If you’re reading this, I bet you’re planning a trip to Vietnam. You’re going to have a fantastic time. The country is not just affordable, but the variety in its scenery and culture is astounding. One of the best ways to get to know this place is through Vietnamese Breakfast Foods, the first meal of the day.

Morning in Vietnam isn’t about toast or cereal. It’s a symphony of sounds and smells. Vietnamese Breakfast Foods are serious affairs, a hearty, savory meal that sets the tone for the day. What people eat changes dramatically as you travel from the mountains of the north to the deltas of the south. So, let’s get into what you should be eating for breakfast on your Vietnamese travels.

Popular Vietnamese Breakfast Foods

These are the titans of the Vietnamese breakfast scene. You can find them in just about any town or city you visit, from the bustling streets of Saigon to the quieter lanes of Hanoi. They’re popular for a reason: consistently satisfying and represent the core flavors of Vietnamese cooking.

Phở Bò

Phở Bò is a classic Vietnamese beef noodle soup. Many people consider it the national dish. The soup has flat rice noodles in a fragrant beef broth. Cooks simmer the broth for many hours with spices like star anise and cinnamon.

Vendors serve this comforting soup with thin slices of beef. You also get a plate of fresh herbs on the side. Common herbs include basil, bean sprouts, and a lime wedge. Adding these garnishes lets you customize the flavor to your liking.

Breakfast is just the beginning; for a broader look at the country’s cuisine, check out our list of essential Vietnamese Foods to Try

Bánh Mì

Bánh Mì is a well-known Vietnamese sandwich. It is a food that shows the influence of the French colonial period. The key component is a light and crispy Vietnamese baguette. The bread is soft on the inside with a crunchy crust.

A vendor slices the baguette open and fills it with many ingredients. A typical sandwich might have a smear of pâté and mayonnaise. Then the vendor layers it with Vietnamese cold cuts, pickled vegetables, and fresh cilantro. It makes a very satisfying and convenient meal.

While many of these breakfast dishes are found on the street, the heart of Vietnamese cuisine is often found in traditional Vietnamese family meals. If trying these dishes inspires you, you can learn more about the fundamentals of Vietnamese Home Cooking.

Cháo Lòng (Pork Offal Congee)

Cháo Lòng is a type of Vietnamese rice porridge, also known as congee. Cooks make this version with pork offal. The dish includes various organ meats like liver, intestines, and heart. Many locals favor this very hearty meal.

This congee has a thick and creamy texture. Cooks often season it with fish sauce and pepper. People top it with green onions and sometimes fried breadsticks for dipping. It is a warming dish, especially on a cool day. After enjoying a savory start to your day, you might want to look for a sweet treat from our guide to Vietnamese Desserts

Vietnamese Breakfast Foods In The North

Are you traveling to the northern part of Vietnam? The food here often has more subtle and balanced flavors. The capital city of Hanoi offers many distinct Vietnamese Breakfast Foods.

Phở Gà

Phở Gà is the chicken-based version of the famous noodle soup. It is particularly popular in Northern Vietnam. The soup features a light and clear chicken broth. The flavor is pure and clean compared to its beef counterpart.

Vendors serve this dish with tender shredded chicken meat over rice noodles. Cooks usually garnish the bowl with fragrant lime leaves and chopped green onions. Phở Gà provides a gentle and satisfying start to any day in Hanoi.

These breakfast dishes are enjoyed year-round, but for a taste of something special, discover the unique world of Vietnamese New Year Food.

Bún Riêu Cua (Crab Noodle Soup)

Another northern soup worth trying is Bún Riêu Cua. Cooks make this noodle soup with freshwater crab. The broth has a distinctive tangy taste from tomatoes and a savory flavor from crab paste. Its bright red color is very appealing.

Soft pieces of tofu and fluffy clouds of the crab and egg mixture float in the soup. Vendors serve the dish with a large helping of fresh vegetables. You might get shredded banana blossoms, mint, and lettuce to mix into your bowl.

Bánh Cuốn (Steamed Rice Rolls)

Bánh Cuốn are delicate steamed rice rolls. Watching a vendor make them is a fascinating process. A vendor spreads a thin layer of rice batter over a cloth stretched across a pot of boiling water. The batter steams into a thin sheet in just a few seconds.

The vendor then fills these soft rice sheets with seasoned ground pork and chopped wood ear mushrooms. The vendor places the finished rolls on a plate and tops them with crispy fried shallots. You eat them with a fish sauce-based dipping sauce called nước chấm.

Xôi Xéo (Sticky Rice with Mung Bean)

For a very common and affordable breakfast, look for Xôi Xéo. You will often see street vendors selling this dish from large bamboo baskets. It is a type of sticky rice popular with people on their way to work.

The dish starts with glutinous rice that gets its yellow color from turmeric. The vendor tops the rice with a layer of mashed mung beans. Finally, the vendor adds a generous amount of crispy fried shallots and some liquid fat. It is a simple meal that is quite filling.

Turmeric fish (Cha ca La Vong)

Cha ca La Vong is a famous grilled fish dish from Hanoi. While people can eat it at any time, some enjoy it for a special breakfast. Cooks make the dish from white fish and marinate it in turmeric and other spices.

The server brings the grilled fish to your table in a small sizzling pan. The restaurant serves it with a large amount of fresh dill and spring onions. You then create your own bowl using rice vermicelli, roasted peanuts, and a strong shrimp paste sauce.

Vietnamese Breakfast Foods In The Central

Central Vietnam is known for its imperial history, and its food reflects that with intricate, flavorful, and often spicy dishes. The cooking here is bold, using a generous amount of chili and spices that set it apart from the cuisines of the North and South.

Bún Bò Huế (Spicy Beef Noodle Soup from Hue)

First things in my mind, Bún Bò Huế is a spicy beef noodle soup from the city of Hue. The soup’s broth is a powerful mix of beef bone, lemongrass, and fermented shrimp paste. This combination creates a savory and aromatic base with a noticeable spicy kick from chili oil.

The noodles in Bún Bò Huế are thick and round, different from the flat phở noodles. The vendor fills the bowl with sliced beef and sometimes pieces of pork knuckle. It often includes cubes of congealed pig’s blood, which have a firm, savory texture.

Mì Quảng (Quang Style Noodles)

What about a noodle dish that is not a soup? Mì Quảng comes from Quang Nam province. It features wide, flat rice noodles tinged yellow with turmeric. There is only a small amount of strong broth at the bottom of the bowl.

The dish comes with various toppings. These can include shrimp, pork, chicken, or fish. It also includes hard-boiled quail eggs and a sprinkle of roasted peanuts. A large, crispy sesame rice cracker is served on the side for you to break into the noodles.

Bún Chả Cá (Fish Cake Noodle Soup)

In coastal cities like Da Nang, you will find a light and pleasant noodle soup. This dish is called Bún Chả Cá. Its main feature is the wonderful fish cakes and the clear broth made from fish bones.

The fish cakes are the star of the soup. They can be either steamed or fried, and sometimes you get both in one bowl. The cakes are bouncy and savory. Vendors serve the soup with fresh herbs and some chili paste so you can add extra flavor.

Cao Lầu (Hoi An’s Speciality Noodles)

Cao Lầu is a noodle dish you can only find in the town of Hoi An. Local story says the noodles get their special texture from water from a specific ancient well. They are thick and chewy, similar to udon noodles.

This is a “dry” noodle dish with very little broth. The vendor serves the noodles with slices of seasoned pork that taste like char siu. Crispy fried croutons and fresh greens from a local village complete this unique meal.

Bánh bèo (Water Fern Cake)

Have you ever eaten a cake for breakfast? Bánh bèo are small, steamed rice cakes from the Hue area. They are shaped like little water ferns and served in individual saucers.

A savory mixture tops each small cake. This topping usually includes dried shrimp, scallion oil, and sometimes crispy pork skin. The dish comes with a sweet and tangy fish sauce. You use a spoon to scoop each little cake from its dish.

Vietnamese Breakfast Foods In The South.

The food in Southern Vietnam tends to be sweeter and bolder. Cooks in this region make generous use of fresh herbs and ingredients like coconut milk. The food here is as vibrant as the southern metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City.

Cơm Tấm Sườn Bì Chả

Cơm Tấm is a classic Saigon breakfast made with broken rice. The broken rice grains have a unique texture that many people love. A standard plate of Cơm Tấm comes with a variety of toppings.

The most common combination is a grilled pork chop (sườn), shredded pork skin (bì), and a steamed egg meatloaf (chả). The vendor serves the dish with pickled vegetables and a sweet fish sauce for you to pour over the rice. It is a complete and satisfying meal.

Many southern breakfasts are staples of the city’s vibrant food scene, which you can read about in our guide to Vietnamese Street Food Saigon.

Hủ Tiếu Nam Vang

Hủ Tiếu Nam Vang is another popular noodle soup in the South. This dish has Cambodian and Chinese influences. The pork-based broth is clear yet very flavorful. It often comes with a wide array of toppings.

A bowl might contain sliced pork, shrimp, minced pork, and quail eggs. You can choose from different types of noodles. Some people prefer to eat it “dry,” with the soup served in a separate bowl for dipping.

Bò Kho (Vietnamese Beef Stew)

For something closer to a Western stew, you can try Bò Kho. This is Vietnam’s version of a rich beef stew. Cooks slow-cook chunks of beef and carrots until they are very tender. The broth is fragrant with spices like star anise and lemongrass.

There are two main ways to eat Bò Kho for breakfast. You can have it with a crusty baguette on the side for dipping into the flavorful sauce. The other option is to have the stew served over rice noodles, which turns it into a hearty noodle soup.

Bánh Canh Cua (Crab Thick Noodle Soup)

The star of this dish is the noodles. Bánh canh are thick, round noodles made from tapioca flour, rice flour, or a mix, giving them a delightfully chewy texture. The soup is a thick, slightly viscous broth made rich with crab meat and roe. The color is a vibrant orange-red, and the flavor is intensely oceanic. It’s a decadent and satisfying soup that’s perfect for crab lovers.

Bún Mắm (Fermented Fish Noodle Soup)

The last dish on this list is Bún Mắm, a soup with a very powerful aroma. This is a specialty from the Mekong Delta region. The broth is made from fermented fish, which gives it a pungent and deeply savory flavor.

This soup is not for everyone due to its strong smell. If you try it, you will find a complex bowl filled with toppings like seafood, roasted pork, and eggplant. It is served with a large platter of fresh herbs to balance the strong flavors.

Final Thoughts

I hope this list gives you a good starting point for your morning food adventures in Vietnam. Be curious, try things from the small street-side stalls, and you’ll discover a world of flavor you never knew existed. If you want a guide to help you find the best local spots, you can always check out one of our food tours.

FAQ About Vietnamese Breakfast Foods​