Vietnamese Restaurants In Saigon
When I first arrived in Saigon I stayed with friends in An Phu district, a rather expensive district just across the Saigon Bridge.
On my first night in Saigon after flying in from Sydney, my friends took me 
to a restaurant within walking distance of their rather nice house.
We walked pass the tennis court next door, and then crossed the street and turned down a long driveway that opened out into a large courtyard.
On the far side of the courtyard was an open air dining area with a balustrade that overlooks one of Saigon's many tributaries.
And after 12 hours cupped up in an airplane from Sydney, a quiet meal in the fresh air was just what was needed.
The restaurant had the unimaginative name of Restaurant 13, but sitting down the three of us shared the fresh spring rolls and sauteed beef in a lemon grass and hot pepper sauce.
All washed down with Tiger beer of course!!
The main reason I have always enjoyed returning to Restaurant 13 though is the setting.
Sitting on the banks of one of Saigon's
many waterways, Restaurant 13 is a tranquil open air restaurant.
And with the ceiling fan circling lazily overhead, there's nothing better than just sitting back and enjoying dinner in the cool and quiet of the evening, and watching the reeds and the many river boats drift by on the water.
Situated away from the noise and pollution of the city, Restaurant 13 is where I go when I want a peaceful dinning experience away from the traffic, the crowds, the hassle, and the noise.
So naturally, when my parents first visited Saigon, Restaurant 13 was one of the first restaurants I took them to.
It was my way helping them acclimatize them to the Saigon way of life.
It gave them a little bit of breathing space after the hustle and bustle of downtown Saigon.
It was somewhere where they could organize their thoughts before tackling Saigon head on!
I don't whether it worked or not, but they certainly enjoyed the change of pace that Restaurant 13 offered.
It offered them the chance to dine outside in the cool without the motorbike fumes, and without the people constantly nagging them to buy something.
In other words, Restaurant 13 offers somewhere where you relax and dine in peace and serenity in what can be otherwise mad and hectic city.
23 Nguyen U Di, Thao Dien, Dist 2
Tel: 281 9970 - 744 4631
Other Mentions
Ba Ghien
Situated out towards the airport, Ba Ghien is where I usually go for lunch during my lunch breaks at work.
This restaurant is famous for its barbequed pork meals, and the reputation is well founded. A reputation supported by the fact that the restaurant is generally packed at lunch time every day of the week with hungry people.
Situated in an building that looks like an old sharing shed, there are no fancy frills at Ba Ghien, it is just a good basic Vietnamese dining experience.
A basic meal at Ba Ghien consisting of barbequed pork, egg, vegetables, and rice will cost you 21,000 dong.
84 Dang Van Ngu, Phu Nhuan District
Quan An Ngon
If you are ever walking along Nam Ky Khoi Nghia around lunch time, you might have seen the queues out side this Vietnamese restaurant.
Located in an old French colonial building, this restaurant is dirt cheap. The price of the food here is almost comparable with the price you would pay for street food.
In fact when I went there the a can of 7up, at 18,000 dong, cost as much as one of the main dishes.
The reason it is so cheap, is because the restaurant is actually a collection of street stalls brought together to form one restaurant.
When you walk through the entrance you will see, if you look left, a row of different cooking areas, these are the different stalls, and depending on what you order from the menu, the waiter will get the food you order from the appropriate stall.
By operating in this manner Quan An Ngon offers the opportunity to dine in lovely surroundings while sampling a wide variety of Vietnamese dishes and good service at Vietnamese prices. Try it!
138 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Dist 1
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