Ben Thanh Market Food Court 2025 Complete Vietnamese Cuisine Guide & Pricing

Ben Thanh Market's renowned food court serves as your gateway to authentic Vietnamese cuisine, offering an incredible diversity of traditional dishes in a vibrant, cultural setting. From aromatic Pho to fresh tropical fruits, the market provides an immersive culinary journey through Vietnam's rich gastronomic heritage at remarkably affordable prices.

Signature Vietnamese Dishes & 2025 Pricing

Pho (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup) - 50,000 to 100,000 VND: The crown jewel of Vietnamese cuisine, featuring tender beef slices, fresh herbs, and aromatic broth simmered for hours. Each bowl comes with bean sprouts, lime wedges, and Thai basil for customization.

Banh Mi Vietnamese Sandwiches - 17,000 to 30,000 VND: Crispy French baguettes filled with grilled pork, pâté, pickled vegetables, and fresh cilantro. These portable delights represent the perfect fusion of French and Vietnamese culinary traditions.

Goi Cuon (Fresh Spring Rolls) - 40,000 VND for 4 rolls: Delicate rice paper wrapping fresh shrimp, pork, lettuce, and herbs, served with aromatic peanut dipping sauce. A refreshing, healthy option perfect for Ho Chi Minh City's tropical climate.

Vietnamese Iced Coffee - 15,000 to 25,000 VND: Rich, aromatic coffee brewed through traditional aluminum drip filters, sweetened with condensed milk. Experience Vietnam's coffee culture, second only to Brazil in global coffee production.

Regional Specialties & Traditional Favorites

Banh Beo (Steamed Rice Cakes) - 20,000 to 50,000 VND: Delicate rice cakes topped with dried shrimp, scallions, and fish sauce. This Central Vietnamese delicacy showcases the subtle flavors and artistic presentation of Vietnamese cuisine.

Bun Bo Hue (Spicy Beef Noodle Soup) - 60,000 to 80,000 VND: A robust, spicy soup from the former imperial city of Hue, featuring thick rice noodles, beef, and lemongrass. This dish offers a more complex, aromatic flavor profile than traditional Pho.

Com Tam (Broken Rice) - 50,000 to 70,000 VND: A beloved Southern Vietnamese dish featuring grilled pork, pickled vegetables, and broken rice, often served with a fried egg. Particularly popular during the night market hours (6:00 PM - 11:00 PM).

Tropical Fruits & Fresh Produce

Dragon Fruit Smoothies - 20,000 to 30,000 VND: Refreshing tropical fruit beverages perfect for Ho Chi Minh City's warm climate. The market offers an extraordinary variety of exotic fruits including durian, dragon fruit, mangosteen, and rambutan at prices significantly lower than tourist areas.

Premium Vietnamese Coffee Beans: Purchase authentic Vietnamese coffee by weight (prices typically quoted per 100 grams). Vietnam's unique Robusta coffee beans, including the famous Weasel Coffee (Cà Phê Chồn), make excellent souvenirs. Vietnam maintains a long and special tradition of coffee and tea serving, with loose specialty coffees available alongside prepackaged varieties.

Traditional Vietnamese Desserts

Che (Vietnamese Sweet Soups) - 20,000 to 50,000 VND: Multi-layered desserts featuring coconut milk, mung beans, tapioca pearls, and tropical fruits. The famous three-color che at Stall 7 has become a market institution, offering a perfect conclusion to your culinary adventure.

Traditional dried fruits and nuts make excellent snacks, while coconut shreds and milk create refreshing desserts. Banana and coconut combinations, sprinkled with peanuts or toasted sugar, provide sweet yet refreshing tropical treats.

Food Court Experience & Dining Culture

The hot cooked food stalls toward the back of the market serve both locals and tourists, offering authentic dishes at counter seating or as take-away. Many vendors and stall holders within the market gather here for lunch during busy working days, creating an authentic atmosphere where you'll see delivery trays navigating narrow passages and shop holders enjoying bowls of Bánh canh or Vietnam's specialty Phở.

Many dishes are served with hot spicy sauces, or with sliced red Chilies either pickled or fresh.  Ask for them on the side if you do not like spicy food.

Southern style food is mostly served but there are also Central and Northern dishes.   Noodles in soup are popular all over the county and with dishes like Bún b� Huế or literally Beef Noodles from the city of Huế, it is the special soup/stocks and condiments that really make it a unique experience.

Eaten normally with chopsticks and a spoon you can of course ask for a fork though not all stalls have them.

Desserts are very popular as well and include a variety of sweet dumplings in chilled soups with green, black and mung beans. Coconut shreds and milk make for refreshing desserts.

Banana and coconut is a particular favorite combination.  Sprinkled with peanuts or toasted sugar it is a sweet yet refreshing snack.

While both hot and cold soups can be eaten at the stalls you can also take away the cold soups which are packed into transparent plastic bags which you can pour out into a bowl at your convenience.

Many of the food stall holders have been operating the same stall in Ben Thanh Market for many years, or even since their family or parents ran the stores before them.

Canned and bottled drinks of international brands are readily available.

Names and pricing of items available are written in English characters so it is easy to order, though pointing at a dish you like the look of is the best way to order.

Combine eating and shopping on your visit!

Vietnamese Street Food Authority Guide 2025

Ben Thanh Market serves as Ho Chi Minh City's premier Vietnamese street food destination, featuring authentic dishes that represent centuries of culinary tradition. The market's food court offers an immersive introduction to Vietnam's diverse regional cuisines, from Northern-style Pho to Southern specialties like Bánh Xèo, providing visitors with a comprehensive taste of authentic Vietnamese street food culture in a comfortable, safe environment.

Regional Vietnamese Specialties

Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese Sizzling Pancakes) - 80,000 to 150,000 VND: These golden, crispy rice flour pancakes sizzle fresh on the griddle, filled with succulent shrimp, tender pork, and crunchy bean sprouts. Each pancake arrives with fresh lettuce leaves, aromatic herbs (mint, cilantro, perilla), and traditional nuoc cham dipping sauce. The interactive eating experience involves wrapping pieces of pancake with herbs in lettuce and dipping into the sweet-tangy fish sauce – a perfect introduction to Vietnamese dining culture.

Bún Thịt Nướng (Grilled Pork Noodle Bowl) - 60,000 to 100,000 VND: This refreshing Southern Vietnamese dish features perfectly grilled marinated pork served over rice vermicelli noodles with fresh herbs, pickled vegetables, crushed peanuts, and sweet-and-sour fish sauce. The combination creates a perfect balance of smoky, sweet, sour, and fresh flavors that exemplify Vietnamese cuisine's complexity and harmony.

Bún Riêu Cua (Crab Noodle Soup) - 40,000 to 70,000 VND: This unique Vietnamese soup features a distinctive tomato and crab broth – unusual in Vietnamese cuisine, making it especially interesting for food enthusiasts. Served with rice vermicelli noodles and fresh herbs, this specialty represents Central Vietnamese cooking traditions and offers a fascinating alternative to traditional Pho.

Authentic Vietnamese Cooking Methods

Traditional Preparation Techniques: Watch skilled vendors prepare dishes using time-honored methods including clay pot slow-cooking, charcoal grilling for optimal flavor development, and hand-grinding spice pastes with traditional mortar and pestle. The aromatic spice blending process creates complex flavor profiles that distinguish authentic Vietnamese street food from tourist adaptations.

Fresh Ingredient Philosophy: Vietnamese cuisine emphasizes incredibly fresh ingredients with vendors sourcing daily from local markets. Herbs are picked fresh each morning, broths simmer continuously throughout the day, and proteins are prepared to order ensuring optimal taste and safety. This commitment to freshness explains Vietnamese cuisine's reputation for both incredible flavors and nutritional benefits.

Vegetarian & Dietary Options

Buddhist Vegetarian Dishes - 30,000 to 60,000 VND: Vietnam's Buddhist traditions have created sophisticated vegetarian cuisine including Gỏi Cuốn Chay (vegetarian fresh spring rolls), Phở Chay (vegetarian pho with mushroom broth), and Bánh Mì Chay (vegetarian sandwiches). These dishes demonstrate that Vietnamese vegetarian cuisine offers complex flavors and satisfying textures that appeal to all diners.

Seafood Specialties: Fresh seafood dishes include grilled squid with tamarind sauce, steamed fish with ginger and scallions, and prawns in coconut curry. Vietnam's extensive coastline ensures exceptional seafood quality, and Ben Thanh Market vendors excel at preparing fresh catches with traditional Vietnamese seasonings and cooking techniques.

Vietnamese Dessert & Sweet Treats

Chè Variations (Vietnamese Sweet Soups) - 20,000 to 60,000 VND: These multi-layered desserts showcase Vietnam's creative approach to sweets, featuring combinations like Chè Ba Màu (three-color dessert) with coconut milk, mung beans, and red beans, or Chè Thái featuring tropical fruits, coconut jelly, and condensed milk. Each vendor often specializes in specific variations, creating unique family recipes passed down through generations.

Tropical Fruit Innovations: Experience exotic Vietnamese fruits including dragon fruit, rambutan, mangosteen, and durian prepared in creative ways. Vietnamese vendors excel at creating fruit salads with salt, chili, and lime combinations that enhance natural fruit flavors and provide refreshing relief from Ho Chi Minh City's tropical climate.

Vietnamese Coffee Culture Experience

Traditional Coffee Brewing Methods: Vietnamese coffee culture centers around the distinctive phin filter brewing method, where hot water slowly drips through coffee grounds creating intensely flavorful, aromatic coffee. Watch the meditative brewing process while learning about Vietnam's position as the world's second-largest coffee producer after Brazil.

Regional Coffee Varieties: Sample Vietnamese coffee from different regions including robust Dalat highland coffee, smooth Buon Ma Thuot varieties, and unique Weasel Coffee (Cà Phê Chồn) processed through civet digestion. Each region produces coffee with distinct flavor profiles reflecting Vietnam's diverse agricultural microclimates and processing techniques.

Food Safety & Vendor Selection Tips

Choosing Quality Food Stalls: Select vendors with high customer turnover ensuring fresh food preparation, observe cooking methods to confirm food is prepared to order, and choose stalls where you can see the cooking process. The central food court area maintains higher hygiene standards and provides climate-controlled comfort, making it ideal for visitors seeking authentic Vietnamese cuisine with added safety assurance.

Spice Level Management: Vietnamese cuisine can be quite spicy, particularly dishes with fresh chili or chili-based sauces. Request spices "on the side" if you have low spice tolerance, and remember that Vietnamese "not spicy" may still be moderately spicy by Western standards. Coconut water or Vietnamese iced coffee provide excellent cooling relief from spicy foods.

Cultural Dining Etiquette

Vietnamese Dining Customs: Vietnamese meals emphasize community sharing with dishes typically ordered for the table rather than individual portions. Use chopsticks and spoons appropriately – spoons for soups and rice, chopsticks for noodles and solid foods. Tipping is not traditional in Vietnamese culture but small amounts (5-10% or rounded up bills) are increasingly appreciated by vendors serving international tourists.

Interactive Eating Experiences: Many Vietnamese dishes involve interactive elements like wrapping Bánh Xèo in lettuce, adding herbs to Pho, or customizing Bún Bò Huế with condiments. Don't hesitate to ask vendors for demonstrations – most are delighted to share their culinary traditions and proper eating techniques with interested visitors.

Ben Thanh Market - The Definitive Guide - Getting Here - Opening Times - Attractions - Staying