This guide is based on a video

Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam Vlog 🇻🇳 | Best Food, Cafés, Shopping, Nails & Things to Do

Come with me to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam! This trip may have started with a little business, but this vlog is really about the important things: eating my way around Saigon, discovering cute cafés, trying different pho restaurants, getting my nails done and exploring some of the best things to

by All About Tiff · Watch on YouTube ↗

Top spots for noodles, specialty drinks, and spa care in Saigon

Ho Chi Minh City offers a dynamic mix of classic street-side stalls, inventive restaurants, and modern beverage spots. This itinerary outlines 13 places across District 1 and District 3, moving between local soup joints, serene spas, and some of the best cafes in ho chi minh city.

Along the way, the route incorporates shopping trips down Nguyen Trai Fashion Street and leisurely dining stops. Visitors will find authentic regional classics, specialty drinks, and relaxing spaces suited for a multi-day city stay.

The Pins

01

Start at CityHouse VIBE Abora (Ariosa) to set up a central base for exploring the city.

Hotel

CityHouse VIBE Abora (Ariosa)

4.3 (330) Rated 4.3 out of 5 on Google from 330 reviews

District 3, Ho Chi Minh City

07:00-22:00 daily +84 878 25 35 45

This serviced apartment serves as the central jumping-off point on the list, balancing residential quiet with easy transit to both District 1 spots and District 3 dining.

Go here if
you want apartment-style independence within quick reach of central stops
Skip if
you prefer a full-service hotel with extensive on-site dining and amenities
1 insider tip

All About Tiff · curator · CityHouse VIBE Abora (Ariosa)

This minimalist serviced apartment sits right beside the road for quick transport. Units fit two people and provide kitchenettes, storage, and clean bathrooms with bathtubs.

02

Head out into District 1 to find Bánh Canh Cua 87 for an early taste of local street food.

Vietnamese Cuisine

Bánh Canh Cua 87

4.4 (1,270) Rated 4.4 out of 5 on Google from 1,270 reviews

District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

11:00-20:30 daily +84 768 950 878

The fastest, most focused street noodle stop on the list, ideal when you want a rich seafood broth without sitting through a multi-course meal.

Go here if
you want a quick, savory street-side bowl before afternoon shopping
Skip if
you need air-conditioned comfort and a broad, multi-page menu
1 insider tip

All About Tiff · curator · Bánh Canh Cua 87

This busy neighborhood shop serves authentic bowls of thick crab noodle soup filled with fresh crab, shrimp, pork, and crispy crullers. Expect a lively crowd of local diners.

03

Continue to Mặn Mòi, Tao Đàn for a sit-down dinner of regional Vietnamese plates.

Mặn Mòi, Tao Đàn

4.5 (2,271) Rated 4.5 out of 5 on Google from 2,271 reviews

Ho Chi Minh City

10:00-22:00 daily +84 899 189 218

Among the traditional Vietnamese options here, this dining room is the most polished for long, multi-dish dinners spanning diverse regional recipes.

Go here if
you want an unhurried, comfortable dinner sharing plates across a group
Skip if
you are dining alone and just want a single fast bowl of noodles
1 insider tip

All About Tiff · curator · Mặn Mòi, Tao Đàn

The kitchen serves grilled pork, crab fried rice, shrimp salad, and fried spring rolls. Pair dinner with a fruity specialty cocktail flavored with passion fruit, dragon fruit, and mint.

04

Make your way next to the famous Cafe Apartments on the pedestrian walking street.

Landmark

Cafe Apartments

District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

08:00-22:00 daily

The most efficient vertical crawl on the itinerary, packing independent boutiques and tiny cafes into a single historic footprint on the walking street.

Go here if
you want to browse multiple indie shops and coffee spots in one place
Skip if
you dislike climbing stairs or navigating congested retro elevator lines
1 insider tip

All About Tiff · curator · Cafe Apartments

This multi-story residential building has been transformed into a vertical hub of small independent boutiques and distinctive beverage venues.

05

Take the stairs or elevator up inside the building to reach Nicotin Tearoom & Coffee.

Nicotin Tearoom & Coffee

Ho Chi Minh City

08:00–22:00 daily +84707523502

This venue pairs your midday beverage break with a creative ceramics workshop, making it the most interactive lifestyle stop on the itinerary.

Go here if
you want a creative, tactile pause between shopping runs
Skip if
you only have fifteen minutes to grab a quick drink and leave
1 insider tip

All About Tiff · curator · Nicotin Tearoom & Coffee

Step onto the balcony overlooking the walking street to enjoy drinks outdoors. The salted Vietnamese coffee and iced cocoa matcha are popular drink choices here.

06

Head over to Pizza 4P’s Hai Ba Trung for an early evening meal.

Chinese Cuisine

Pizza 4P’s Hai Ba Trung

District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Mon - Fri: 11:00-23:00, Sat - Sun: 10:00-23:00 19006043

The reliable reset button when you need a pause from local broths, offering polished wood-fired dining with a distinctly regional approach to dairy.

Go here if
you want a dependable, sit-down meal with house-made cheeses and pizza
Skip if
you are strictly focusing on local Vietnamese culinary traditions
1 insider tip

All About Tiff · curator · Pizza 4P’s Hai Ba Trung

Order their signature thin-crust burrata pizza topped with parma ham alongside creamy crab spaghetti. The restaurant also provides raincoats to diners caught in sudden downpours.

07

Wind down the night by heading to Momo Spa massage & nails 모모마사지.

Momo Spa massage & nails 모모마사지

4.7 (630) Rated 4.7 out of 5 on Google from 630 reviews

District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

10:00-23:30 daily +84 36 580 6400

This parlor functions as the practical mid-trip pit stop for grooming and scalp care, positioned right next to prime central market browsing.

Go here if
you want focused head therapy or nail grooming between walking tours
Skip if
you are looking for a sprawling, silent destination day spa retreat
1 insider tip
08

Begin the next morning by stopping in at OKKIO Caffe.

Coffee

OKKIO Caffe

4.6 (521) Rated 4.6 out of 5 on Google from 521 reviews

Ho Chi Minh City

07:30-22:00 daily +84816888955

The sharpest specialty coffee perspective on this list, offering balcony street views and serious espresso craft tucked above the city center bustle.

Go here if
you want balcony views over the center paired with dialed-in specialty brews
Skip if
you need ground-floor access or wide workspace tables for laptop hours
1 insider tip

All About Tiff · curator · OKKIO Caffe

Try the cafe's whipped Vietnamese egg coffee, topped with chocolate powder to temper the custard flavor. The thick topping makes it a unique sweet drink.

09

Travel over to District 3 to visit Mardoll House - Nail - Cn QUẬN 3.

Mardoll House – Nail – Cn QUẬN 3

4.5 (383) Rated 4.5 out of 5 on Google from 383 reviews

District 3, Ho Chi Minh City

09:30-20:00 daily +84 70 458 2497

The dedicated neighborhood pick for creative nail artistry, suited for detailed custom manicure work rather than a generic express touch-up.

Go here if
you want intricate, personalized nail design work in an alley studio
Skip if
you are short on time and only need an express polish change
1 insider tip
10

Proceed to Cuc Gach Restaurant for lunch in a traditional heritage setting.

Cuc Gach Restaurant

Vietnamese Cuisine · Ho Chi Minh City

Mon-Sun: 9:00 AM - 11:30 PM +84 28 3848 0144

Contrasting with the straightforward street stops, this heritage house delivers an atmospheric, homestyle family meal surrounded by tranquil architecture.

Go here if
you want a relaxed, nostalgic family-style spread in a characterful home
Skip if
you are in a hurry or want an inexpensive street-counter bite
1 insider tip

All About Tiff · curator · Cuc Gach Restaurant

Order the fried soft-shell crab, fresh pork and shrimp spring rolls, and brown rice seafood fried rice. Pair the savory courses with a glass of their iced soybean milk.

11

Return toward District 1 to find between us - hidden crafted matcha & drinks.

Coffee

between us – hidden crafted matcha & drinks

4.9 (602) Rated 4.9 out of 5 on Google from 602 reviews

District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

08:00-23:00 daily +84 91 703 32 26

The dedicated green tea counter of the guide, offering focused matcha craft that stands apart from the typical Vietnamese robusta cafe stops.

Go here if
you want carefully prepared Japanese green tea rather than standard drip coffee
Skip if
you want food plates or traditional sweet condensed-milk iced coffee
1 insider tip
12

Walk over to Saigon Heritage Spa & Massage club for an afternoon treatment.

Saigon Heritage Spa & Massage club

4.6 (2,214) Rated 4.6 out of 5 on Google from 2,214 reviews

District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

10:00-23:30 daily +84 28 6684 6546

The downtown massage option to book when long hours on foot call for targeted bodywork right in the central sightseeing core.

Go here if
you need firm pressure bodywork or foot therapy steps away from central landmarks
Skip if
you prefer a quiet suburban setting far from the noise of central streets
1 insider tip
13

End the route near Bitexco Tower with a comforting bowl at Phở Hải Triều.

Vietnamese Cuisine

Phở Hải Triều

4.1 (427) Rated 4.1 out of 5 on Google from 427 reviews

District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

00:00-24:00 daily +84 93 141 1236

The straightforward morning or late-night soup counter on the list, serving northern-leaning bowls steps from the downtown skyscrapers.

Go here if
you want a fast, clear broth bowl while watching downtown street traffic
Skip if
you want an air-conditioned dining room with extensive banquet seating
1 insider tip

All About Tiff · curator · Phở Hải Triều

Sit at the roadside tables and order the bestseller special chicken pho noodle soup. The broth carries a rich, savory herbal profile reminiscent of comfort soups.

Questions about this guide

Can I walk between all the stops on this itinerary?

Most District 1 places like Cafe Apartments, OKKIO Caffe, and Phở Hải Triều sit within easy walking distance of one another. For District 3 spots like Mặn Mòi, Tao Đàn, or Mardoll House, booking a short ride-hail trip is much quicker and keeps you out of the afternoon heat.

Which places require advance reservations?

Dinner tables at Cuc Gach Restaurant and Mặn Mòi, Tao Đàn fill up during peak evening hours and should be reserved ahead of time. The nail appointments at Mardoll House and treatment slots at Saigon Heritage Spa also run smoother with prior notice, whereas the noodle stalls and coffee shops are strictly walk-in.

Where should I base myself to follow this route easily?

District 3 offers quieter residential streets while keeping you within a five to ten minute ride of the downtown core. If you prefer stepping directly out into the walking streets and dense retail, the eastern pocket of District 1 near Bến Nghé is the most practical base.

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