Food
Phở, bánh mì, bún chả, regional cuisines, street-food etiquette.
Phở: Vietnam's National Dish
A clear noodle soup with deep beef or chicken broth — Vietnam's most exported food. How it's made, how to order it, and the north-south split.
Bánh Mì: The French-Colonial Sandwich That Became Vietnamese
A baguette filled with pâté, pork, pickled vegetables and herbs — colonial-era hybrid food, now Vietnam's defining street snack.
Bún Chả: Hanoi's Other Famous Dish
Grilled pork, rice vermicelli, a bowl of warm sweet-sour dipping sauce, and a pile of herbs. Lunch in Hanoi at its best.
Street Food Etiquette in Vietnam
How to order, where to sit, what to pay, what to avoid — a working set of conventions for the pavement food scene.
Northern Vietnamese Cuisine: Restrained, Aromatic, Cold-Weather
Hanoi food is the country's least sweet and most herb-driven. Subtle broths, freshwater fish, and dishes that suit a temperate climate.
Central and Southern Vietnamese Cuisine
Imperial-era court food in the centre; rich coconut and tropical produce in the south. Two distinct food cultures, both excellent.