Christmas is not a public holiday in Vietnam. That means planning a festive dinner in Saigon requires choosing a venue early and securing a reservation before tables vanish. The obvious answer for visitors staying near the center is The Refinery on Hai Ba Trung in District 1. Meanwhile, the strongest cluster of Christmas tables sits across the Saigon River in Thao Dien. Still, the other ten picks line the streets and riverbanks. This guide covers all eleven editor-chosen venues for christmas in saigon 2026 dining and drinks. It gives concrete details on cuisine and setting so you can plan accordingly.
Christmas in Saigon 2026: What to Know Before Booking
December 24, 2026 falls on a Thursday, and Christmas Day lands on a Friday. Ten of the eleven picks featured here sit in Thao Dien, which spans District 2 and Thu Duc City. The Refinery holds down District 1. You should book your table by early December and confirm set menu details directly with each venue.
The Refinery: The Classic District 1 Christmas Dinner
The Refinery occupies a courtyard space that once served as the city’s opium manufactory, built in 1881. An archway provides access from Hai Ba Trung in District 1. It leads into a French brasserie and wine bar. This is complete with a large covered outdoor terrace and an indoor dining room. The historic building retains its original architectural elements, recalling a traditional Paris bistro style. The kitchen prepares classic French bistro cuisine like steak frites, pâté de campagne, and onion soup. It also serves cheese and charcuterie platters. The bar provides an extensive wine list featuring both Old and New World selections, with many available by the glass.
What to expect: last year’s festive menu
The Refinery’s 2025 Christmas menu ran alongside the regular menu, and every guest received a complimentary amuse-bouche of cheese puff pastry. Starters included scallops in garlic and shallot cream, plus fresh oysters served gratinée, with lime, red onion relish or olive oil, in sets of 3 or 5. Mains ranged from a 24-hour slow-cooked beef short rib with red wine and Robusta coffee sauce to Beef Wellington, smoked pigeon farci with morel sauce, confit tuna with lemon froth, and a beetroot risotto with goat’s cheese for vegetarians. Desserts were a white chocolate millefeuille with blueberry compote and a pistachio Paris-Brest with salted caramel. The 2026 festive menu has not been announced yet, and this section will be updated once The Refinery releases it.
French Christmas Tables in Thao Dien: La Villa and Lupin
La Villa French Restaurant operates inside a converted ✦colonial-style residential villa on Ngo Quang Huy, surrounded ✦by a leafy garden and an outdoor swimming pool. Opened in 2010 by French chef Thierry Mounon and his wife Tina, the Michelin-selected venue prepares classical French haute cuisine. It uses traditional techniques. Diners select artisan French cheeses directly from a roaming cheese trolley. The cellar stocks more than four hundred wine labels from premier French vineyards.
Lupin Bistrot et Vins combines a retail wine boutique with a classic Parisian-style bistro on Nguyen Cu street. It was co-founded by the El Willy Hospitality Group and French wine merchant Gilles Faëlens. The venue focuses on authentic French bistrot cooking. It also offers exclusive wine imports from the South of France. Guests can purchase bottles from the retail entrance to drink ✦with their meal, or settle into the warm interior for ✦slow-roasted Poulet Rôti, duck confit, and house-made charcuterie including pâté and rillettes.
Riverside Christmas Eve on the Saigon River: The Deck, Coastal, BAIETA and Clay
The Deck Saigon provides waterfront dining on Nguyen U Di with views of the Saigon River from an open-air wooden deck. The kitchen serves a Pan-Asian menu combining fusion concepts with Western techniques, featuring items like marinated tuna spring rolls and miso-marinated black cod alongside signature martinis.
Coastal Saigon operates on the riverbank within the Riverside Apartments residential complex on Vo Truong Toan street. The contemporary coastal restaurant provides indoor seating and an outdoor garden area with direct river views, serving a menu focused on seafood items like Hokkaido scallop ceviche and crab tartlette.
BAIETA Restaurant Saigon sits on Nguyen Van Huong in Thao Dien, offering a spacious outdoor patio area directly by the river with views of the Landmark 81 tower. The kitchen centers its European and Mediterranean menu on wood-fired pizzas, such as the signature Pizza La Baieta with truffle mushroom ham and burrata, alongside charcuterie boards and creative cocktails.
CLAY – Cocktails & Cuisine occupies a multi-level space on Duong So 6 with terraces, an indoor lounge, and a rooftop overlooking the river and the city skyline. Operated by Momentum Hospitality Asia Group, the venue serves Asian-inspired, wood-fired fusion dishes created by Chef Benoit Leloup, featuring grilled seafood and slow-cooked short ribs.
Wine, Tapas and Paella: Little Bear and Casa Maria
Little Bear Wine Bar reinterprets Vietnamese food culture through contemporary sharing plates on Nguyen Ba Huan. The Michelin-recommended gastro-bar features an open kitchen and pairs its seasonal menu with organic, biodynamic, and natural wines available by the glass.
CASA MARIA brings genuine Spanish tastes to Ngo Quang Huy under the direction of Spanish chef and artist Ignacio de Grado. The restaurant functions as both a dining room and an art gallery, serving traditional tapas, Iberian ham croquetas, and Valencian-style paellas with a thin, crispy rice crust alongside Spanish wines and sangria.
A Different Kind of Christmas: Omakase Tiger and The Brix
Omakase Tiger delivers an intimate Japanese omakase experience inside a traditional Vietnamese wooden house known as a Nha Ruong Hue on Tran Ngoc Dien. Chef Hiro leads counter seating sessions featuring creative sōsaku sushi that blends traditional Japanese methods with modern ideas, utilizing seasonal seafood sourced from Japan and local suppliers.
THE BRIX – Eatery & Bar Lounge centers its open-air terrace around a swimming pool on Tran Ngoc Diện street, creating a resort-like setting with extensive tropical greenery. Chef Phong Nguyen’s menu blends European and ✦Asian styles with wood-fired main courses and ✦shared plates, making it well-suited for warm December weather.
Getting Between District 1 and Thao Dien on Christmas Eve
Thao Dien sits across the Saigon River from District 1. Grab cars and bikes remain the standard way to cross over. Streets around District 1 landmarks like Notre Dame Cathedral Saigon draw massive crowds on the evening of December 24. You should allow extra travel time if you are heading out from the center. For a sensible route among the Thao Dien spots, start at BAIETA Restaurant Saigon Thao Dien. Walk 180 meters in about two minutes to Lupin Bistrot et Vins. Continue another 180 meters to Little Bear Wine Bar, then walk 510 meters to La Villa French Restaurant. Step just 60 meters next door to CASA MARIA. From there, walk one kilometer to THE BRIX – Eatery & Bar Lounge. Head 250 meters to Omakase Tiger. Walk 150 meters to CLAY – Cocktails & Cuisine, then continue 470 meters to The Deck Saigon. Finish 240 meters away at Coastal Saigon.
Choosing your Christmas destination early ensures you secure a table before the holiday rush takes over the city. Whether you opt for a historic courtyard ✦brasserie in District 1 or a breezy ✦riverside deck in Thao Dien, Saigon delivers. It offers an unhurried festive season. That is for those who plan ahead.
Frequently asked questions
Are the Thao Dien Christmas venues within walking distance of each other?
Yes, once you arrive in Thao Dien, many spots like BAIETA, Lupin, Little Bear, La Villa and Casa Maria sit within a short walk of a few hundred meters.
Do I need to book in advance for Christmas Eve in Saigon?
Yes, because Christmas is a normal working day in Vietnam and popular restaurants run special menus, booking by early December is strongly advised.
Which venue offers views of the Landmark 81 tower?
BAIETA Restaurant Saigon provides direct views of the Landmark 81 tower from its riverside location on Nguyen Van Huong.
Can I travel to The Deck or Coastal by boat from District 1?
Yes, both The Deck and Coastal offer boat transport services for guests traveling from the city center.
What kind of seating does Omakase Tiger provide?
Omakase Tiger features counter seating hosting a limited number of guests per session inside a traditional Vietnamese wooden house.