Top Vietnamese dishes shine on global culinary map in 2023
Bánh mì (bread), phở (noodle soup), and cà phê (coffee) all earned high marks from international travel magazines in 2023, reaffirming the nation’s growing reputation as a global culinary attraction.
Vietnam was named the Best Culinary Destination in the Bucket List Places in Asia in 2023, as published by US magazine Travel+Leisure. According to the magazine, if there’s one cultural cuisine that bursts with umami goodness, then it’s Vietnamese cuisine. The country, apart from its beautiful landscapes, is renowned for its food.
Boasting distinctive cuisine and incredible flavours which are particularly popular with international friends, Vietnam ranked fifth among the top 10 countries in the world with the best food by readers of the Canadian magazine The Travel.
Ho Chi Minh City is one of the top Asian destinations for street food, according to Canadian publication The Travel. Calling the southern city the second most attractive destination in Asia for foodies, the magazine said, "street food is a way of life in Vietnam," where many locals prefer to consume their meals whilst sat on plastic seats and tables on the pavement.
Australian travel magazine Traveller listed Banh Cuon, Vietnamese steamed rice rolls, among the top 10 best meals from around the world that visitors should sample in 2023. (Photo: Ngoc Anh Hoang/laodong.vn)
Vietnamese cuisine secured the 22nd spot on the 100 “best cuisines in the world” list with an average score of 4.44/5, as voted for by readers of food magazine TasteAtlas.
Coming in at 45th position in the 100 Best Dishes category or 100 most delicious dishes in the world, the seventh position in the list of 50 most famous street food in the world, Vietnamese phở (noodle soup) proves its attraction among global food lovers.
TasteAtlas, a website dedicated to discovering fresh ingredients, traditional dishes, and authentic restaurants around the world, recognises the Vietnamese baguette, known locally as Bánh mì, as one of the best street foods anywhere in the world.
Three Vietnamese dishes named among the “100 Best Rated Dishes With Pork”, by TasteAtlas include bún bò Huế (Hue breakfast noodle soup), chả giò (Vietnamese fried spring rolls), and cơm tấm (broken rice).
The nation’s unique ice coffee was also hailed as one of the best rated coffees in the world. According to TasteAtlas, Vietnamese iced coffee is a drink that combines strong coffee, condensed milk, and ice. “It is traditionally made with medium or coarse ground Vietnamese-grown coffee, typically the Robusta variety, which is brewed using a drip phin filter—in which the coffee is brewed and then slowly dripped in the cup,” says the website.
Lemongrass chicken, chicken curry, shredded chicken salad, and boiled chicken are among the 65 best chicken dishes in Asia, according to global food review website TasteAtlas. The four dishes are ranked 36th, 39th, 57th, and 60th, respectively.