In the sprawling streets of our beloved Saigon, a new wave of restaurateurs and bar owners are experimenting. Some of them are reimagining traditional cuisines, others are blending unexpected flavors, others are just having wicked fun. Anyway, each is carving out a small piece of the city’s evolving culinary identity. Naturally, we’re right here, recapping it all just for you.
In the sprawling streets of our beloved Saigon, a new wave of restaurateurs and bar owners are experimenting. Some of them are reimagining traditional cuisines, others are blending unexpected flavors, others are just having wicked fun. Anyway, each is carving out a small piece of the city’s evolving culinary identity. Naturally, we’re right here, recapping it all just for you. These spaces defy expectations. A rooftop izakaya pulses with neon and nostalgia. A rum bar deconstructs a spirit’s mythology. Cocktail menus become culinary adventures. Jazz collides with Asian fusion.
From Detroit-style pizza crafted by a street artist to a French bistro breathing new life into classic techniques, Saigon’s drinking and dining scenes are anything but ordinary.
Nephele
One of the rising stars in Vietnam’s culinary world, Chef-Patron Francis Thuan, has, with the team, taken over a villa in Binh Thanh, creating a refined cocktail bar downstairs, called Ethereal, where vinyl records are spun and Martinis are stirred.
Then dapper front-of-house bon vivant Paul Vo leads you up into the odd dining space, with a recycled paper-covered ceiling and an open kitchen at one end, where you sit in wonder as plate after plate delivers on the young chef’s promise.
Masterful and mature, here, together with his team, Francis is diving deeper into age-old cooking techniques, rediscovering lost culinary arts, and highlighting the unique local flora and fauna in every dish, some of them freshly taken from the restaurant’s herb garden and mushroom grow-room. He’s still obsessed with cooking over coals, but his obsession with smokey flavors has softened, allowing the subtle, well-balanced flavors of each dish to shine.
“But think of Nephele as the house of a close friend more than that simply a restaurant,” Francis instructs us. “Because Nephele is a cloud nymph in Greek mythology, and also the Goddess of hospitality, generosity, loyalty and peace. And that sums up just about everything about who we are,” he adds with a contented smile.
Location: 125/12 Nguyen Cuu Van Street, Ward 17, Binh Thanh District
In Short: Mythological hospitality meets herb garden-infused cuisine.
DẠ 夜 & HỢP 合
It’s double the drama, double the fun atop Saigon’s Centec Tower with the announcement of a couple almost as elegant and enigmatic as Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung in Wong Kar Wai’s ‘In The Mood For Love.’
That’s no coincidence since that oft-referenced movie inspired DẠ 夜 downstairs. It’s all clandestine supper club vibes, with moody lighting and snatched views of the city, as performers take to the stage behind the expansive bar, which, for now, serves up on-point classics with signatures coming soon.
“Start there, at DẠ 夜 Dining (pronounced “za”), where modern Chinese dining meets Wong Kar-Wai romance – think moody chinoiserie, panoramic views, and dishes that blend heritage with haute cuisine,” the team concur. Their modern take on duck, for example, is likely to have you questioning everything you thought you knew about Cantonese classics.
Then climb up to HỢP 合 (pronounced “hop”), where the night shifts into overdrive. This isn’t your typical rooftop bar – it’s a high-intensity playground inspired by the electric energy of ’90s Hong Kong, where house music meets experimental cocktails, and the city lights frame the pulsing, flashing beacon of the DJ booth.
So, whether you’re splitting duck and vintage wines in DẠ 夜’s dining tables, or catching the sunset with tap cocktails at HỢP 合’s buzzing bar, these sister venues prove that the best nights in Saigon are all about contrast: traditional meets modern, intimate meets electric, refined meets raw.
Location: Level 26 and Rooftop of Centec Tower, 72-74 Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai, District 3
Contact DẠ 夜: Facebook | Instagram Contact HỢP 合: Facebook | Instagram
In Short: One building, two dreamlike, movie-inspired moods.
The Albion by Kirk Westaway
Twenty-three floors above the swirl of Saigon’s streets, in the MGallery Hotel des Arts, chefs Kirk Westaway and Chris Clarke are writing a new chapter in their culinary journey. The Albion, Kirk Westaway’s first casual concept, takes its name from William Blake’s ancient term for Britain – a word that would later inspire Pete Doherty’s sweeping ode to English identity.
“My mission is to showcase the best of British dining to the world,” says Westaway, whose Singapore restaurant Jaan, holds two MICHELIN stars. “Vietnam, with its exciting and rapidly emerging food scene, presents an exciting opportunity for the casual concept I’ve long been wanting to embark upon.”
The 60-seat dining room marries antique and modern sensibilities, where rich wallpapers and varied textures create depth around a refined British bar. Yet despite these traditional touchstones, Westaway’s ‘Modern British’ philosophy shines through in plates that showcase Dalat’s organic produce alongside premium seafood from Japan.
Here, in a space that bridges Saigon’s colonial past with its dynamic present, Albion offers a fresh perspective on British cuisine – one that’s beautiful, refined, and perfectly at home in Vietnam’s evolving culinary landscape.
“So come away, won’t you come away, we could go to…Deptford, Catford, Watford, Digberth, Mansfield. Ahh, anywhere in Albion,” Pete sang. To that list, he can now add MGallery Hotel des Arts.
Location: 76-78 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, District 3
In Short: Down in Albion, British stars shine 23 floors above the city’s streets.
Bodega Saigon
“Nah,” the Bodega team shrugs when we ask them to describe the place, with the insouciance you’d expect from the proprietors of this kind of boundary-breaking, double-header of a venue. “You have to come through and see for yourself what’s inside the grocery store or through the storage door.”
As a preamble, expect the Bodega shelves to be stuffed with imported American candies, cheese sticks, and cheetos, and between the aisles Wean Le might be wandering, picking at the produce before launching into a mini show. Or, at the cashier’s station, a DJ set might be starting up. And Tuesday, Fridays and Saturdays they open the storage door to guests, revealing a lounge-space called Tudo – which means freedom in Vietnamese.
But even without a preview, Bodega, with its splashy hand-painted signage draws you in through the doors at this otherwise drab end of Thi Sach street to discover much more than a neighborhood grocery store. “Bodega Saigon welcomes everyone to explore, engage and celebrate…and embrace freedom,” they tell us finally.
Location: 2 Thi Sach, District 1
In Short: Part grocery, part performance space, mostly party.
Bar Biang Biang
The sound of hand-pulled noodles slapping against the wooden board – biang! biang! – echoes through the Tinto space, where Chinese-American chef Mendy has found a home for her regional Chinese cuisine. After a series of successful pop-ups across Saigon, collaborating with industry favorites like Mami Cocktails, Bambino, and Okra, Bar Biang Biang has emerged as a month-long (for now) love letter to China’s diverse culinary landscape.
The namesake Biang Biang Mian, a thick, chewy noodle from Shanxi province, stars on a menu that spans from Yunnan to Sichuan, Shanghai and beyond. Here, old school hip-hop provides the soundtrack to a relaxed evening where dishes arrive at an unhurried pace. “Even though food is important,” Mendy reflects, “the main reason I go out to eat is to enjoy the company of friends and loved ones.” And Bar Biang Biang is all about encapsulating that mood.
So, on any given night, you might find yourself by the open window, which channels Parisian bistro vibes, or in the warmly lit dining space, while diving into Sichuan dumplings and beef tartare. Mendy’s own perfect order? “Okra salad to start, Biang Biang beef noodles just for me, and a peanut crème brûlée to finish – all paired with either a glass of Pet Au Casque or a Shiso Martini.” It’s a menu that brings the breadth of regional Chinese cuisine to Saigon’s vibrant dining scene, where both locals and expats have embraced its bold, authentic flavors.
“I always suspected the Vietnamese could handle their spice, but I was pleasantly surprised to see all the expats and travelers handling it as well. We haven’t had many requests at all to reduce spice levels. Everyone enjoys the heat it seems,” Mendy adds happily.
Location: 24 Tran Ngoc Dinh, Thao Dien, District 1
In Short: Noodles that slap.
Bebop
Like its namesake – the revolutionary 1940s jazz movement – this wine bar and Asian fusion restaurant aims to bridge past and present, bringing fresh energy to a genre traditionally reserved for Vietnam’s older generation.
The ground floor already pulses with the spirit of innovation, where Mediterranean meets Asian cuisine in unexpected compositions. Here, Vietnamese Bò Kho finds its way into Italian Caramelle pasta, while the beef tartare explodes with oriental flavors. The wine program, set to expand to 365 bottles, promises a different pour for every day of the year, complemented by what founder Steve and the team confidently claim will be “the best Sangria cocktail Saigon can offer.”
December will see the launch of the second-floor jazz club, where a New York music director will curate weekend performances that promise to transcend the city’s typical acoustic offerings.
Whether you choose to watch Saigon’s rush hour unfold from a street-facing table or retreat to a more intimate corner, Bebop channels the revolutionary spirit of its musical namesake – fast-paced, innovative, and utterly transformative.
Location: 38 Ly Tu Trong, District 1
In Short: Where jazz crashes into cuisine.
Savor Cocktail Club
Behind SAVOR Cocktail Club is something of a bartending dream team, Stir – Modern Classic Cocktail and Enigma Mansion have joined forces. They’ve strategically chosen a spacious first-floor venue on Bui Thi Xuan, an area known for its touristy charm. “The location is kind of the point,” Stir’s Lam Duc Anh muses, surveying the space.
From two of Saigon’s pioneering bars, naturally the excitement centers on their innovative signature menu, structured like a sophisticated dinner experience. The cocktail “courses” offer a playful culinary journey.
Appetizers tempt with a drinkable fruit salad and the sweet-sour Peach, Please – a vibrant opening act. The “mains” boldly step up, featuring strong, full-bodied concoctions like the Santorini Breeze. And the menu concludes with some elegant finales – a creamy Choco Sherry and a kicking Coffee Tini.
Just as we delve into exploring these liquid chapters, a live band beside the door strikes up, momentarily drawing our attention away from the mesmerizing menu.
Location: Level 1, 60 Bui Thi Xuan, District 1
In Short: Cocktails as a gourmet journey, soundtracked live.
LUPIN Bistrot & Vins
In a city where French influence lingers, good bistros are surprisingly rare. So, LUPIN Bistrot & Vins emerges as something especially fresh – a contemporary interpretation of the classic bistrot where tradition meets playful innovation.
Here, dishes like Artichauts à la Grecque invite tender artichokes to dance with creamy stracciatella, while nutty buckwheat and semi-dried tomatoes add texture and depth, all brightened by a salted lemon vinaigrette.
And the place comes with good pedigree – created by the renowned El Willy Fun F&B Group and the French Marchand du Vin Gilles Faëlens. “Papi Tomatito has been running things while his boys Bandido and LUPIN are the young new additions to the family! Two little bandits that enjoy life and fun,” Martijn, one of the group’s founders laughs.
The wine program, curated by Gilles Faëlens, reads like a love letter to the South of France. “Wines with the personality of their birthplace and the soul of those who made them,” Gilles Faëlens elaborates.
And so, these bottles – available as pairing with cuisine like their signature rôtissoire chicken in the bistrot, or as a takeout bottle with a few dishes to go too – which have been imported exclusively for LUPIN, speak of sun-baked vineyards and Mediterranean breezes, each one carefully chosen to complement the kitchen’s contemporary approach to French classics.
“Or dine on our Confit de Canard with a bottle of Pouderoux, Terre Brune, Roussillon 2019,” Martijn suggests, helpfully, either at Gilles Table des Amis by the entrance or for a unique culinary adventure, art LUPIN’s Table des Chefs tucked away in a semi-secret dining space at the back of the kitchen on the second floor.
“We’re simply dedicated to delivering an authentic, rustic experience of the French terroir, working with small suppliers in France and embracing traditional, time-honored recipes,” Martijn suggests, in summary.
Location: 17 Nguyen Cu, Thao Dien
In Short: French tradition with a mischievous twist.
RŌNIN Izakaya
As dusk settles over District 1, neon lights flicker to life atop 13 Pasteur Street, where RŌNIN’s rooftop sanctuary offers a slice of Neo Tokyo amid Saigon’s concrete jungle. The space reads like a cyberpunk dream: strings of lanterns bob overhead while the yakitori grill sends waves of heat and savory aromas across the dining floor.
For founder Linh, who returned to Vietnam after years in the UK, RŌNIN represents more than just Saigon’s premier rooftop izakaya. “When I returned to Vietnam, I felt like I was wandering. I felt like an outcast,” he reflects, simultaneously explaining why his other cavernous event space was called Saigon Outcast.
“I didn’t quite fit in while in the UK and wasn’t entirely settled back here in Vietnam.” That sense of displacement led him to create spaces where nomads could feel at home, culminating in this ambitious rooftop venture.
And Linh cultivated this home for loners with Khoa, the former GM of ROGUE (RŌNIN’s former identity) back in 2018, and who has since then consulted and evolved several venues throughout the city, including Pasteur Street Brewing and 7 Bridges, FUME—Japanese Modern Cuisine, and Omakase Tiger.
Here, the concept resonates deeply with Saigon’s dining culture. “The idea of ‘izakaya’ is very close to our own ‘quán nhậu’ or ‘quán ốc,'” Linh explains. At RŌNIN, this manifests in a menu of exceptional yakitori skewers and fresh sushi, accompanied by frozen mugs of Sapporo and classic Lemon Sours. Signature dishes include the MOMO YUZU KOSHO – chicken thigh nuggets kissed with yuzu chili salt – and crispy TORI KARAAGE.
Whether you claim the central dining area with its panoramic city views or seek out the intimate side seating, RŌNIN offers that rare commodity in bustling District 1: space to breathe, to gather, to belong. As Linh puts it, it’s “the entertainment factor! It’s the neon lights, the decor, the music, the vibe!”
Location: 13 Pasteur Street, District 1
In Short: Neo-Tokyo meets Saigon rooftop.
Vesou
Vesou, In the alleys of Ho Chi Minh City’s Nguyen Trai Street, is setting about changing how Vietnam thinks about rum. Founded by Remy, a French IT project manager turned rum enthusiast, the bar boasts an impressive collection of over 350 bottles from around the world.
But if you find him there, he might be miles away, at least in his mind, thinking about rum cocktails around the world. “Like The Cable Car,” he announces, as we jog him from his daydream. “It’s a cocktail that originated in the Starlight Room in San Francisco. Tony Abou-Ganim created it as a tribute to San Francisco’s iconic cable cars passing by the bar…”
“Rum is incredibly versatile,” Remy continues. “Many people associate it with a harsh alcohol taste, but it’s actually a complex spirit with incredible range.” Unlike other spirits with strict regulations, rum offers an endless playground of flavors—the only rule is that it must be made from sugarcane or its by-products. “And that you should slow down and savor the experience,” Remy adds.
The bar’s team—Đại, Hảo, and Vương—bring a distinctly Vietnamese approach to mixology. Hảo and Vương craft everything from signature cocktails to bespoke drinks, while Đại ensures guests feel welcome, embodying the warm hospitality rum is known for.
Remy’s rum journey began during a trip to French Guiana, where he discovered the spirit is more than just a drink—it was a social connector. At Vesou, that philosophy continues. Whether you’re sipping a Ti’Punch or exploring their curated rum selection, the experience is about more than just alcohol. It’s about storytelling, culture, and connection.
Practical details matter too: the bar’s logo hints at the careful approach to rum tasting, and the spirit swirling around the bottom of a tulip glass, and their menu reflects a deep understanding of the spirit’s nuanced world. From unaged whites to complex aged varieties, Vesou is proving that rum deserves serious attention in a market dominated by whisky, vodka, and gin.
For those looking to expand their spirits horizon, Vesou offers more than just drinks – it’s an education in rum’s rich, complex universe. “Which bottle would I save if the bar was about to disappear?” Remy asks. “Come on. Don’t make me do that, it’s too hard to choose!”
Location: 150/7/3 Nguyen Trai, District 1
In Short: A rum bar that’s less about drinking and more about storytelling, 350 bottles at a time.
Sinner Saigon
Behind a velvet red curtain on 23 Dong Khoi Street, Saigon’s newest nightlife destination beckons the bold. Sinner Saigon, inspired by old church architecture, transforms this slice of classic downtown into something way more provocative. Here, a “catwalk” entrance sets the stage for what lies beyond: a sultry, red-lit sanctuary where inhibitions are checked at the door.
The dual-level space accommodates 180 guests, split between the dance floor below and the voyeuristic comfort of the mezzanine above. Premium bottles flow alongside crafted cocktails while DJs spin an eclectic mix of pop, K-pop, V-pop, and house remixes. The real spectacle comes from the weekly shows featuring Sinner’s exclusive Gogo Boys and Drag Queens, where death drops and six-pack displays have jaws dropping too.
“What happens in Sinner, stays in Sinner,” the venue proclaims, establishing itself as a judgment-free haven for self-expression. This is where “being bad means letting go, enjoying yourself, and leaving the stress of life behind.” Whether you’re claiming a spot at the bar to watch the scene unfold, or joining friends at a sofa for bottle service, one thing’s certain – on this sacred ground of the profane, being good is fine, but being bad is divine.
Location: 23 Dong Khoi, District 1
In Short: Where being bad is divine, and inhibitions check themselves at the velvet curtain.
Lamie Pizza
On any given evening in Saigon, you might find Suby One crafting Detroit-style pizzas with the same precise attention he once brought to painting Paris’s underground metros. “I usually take the rainy season off from painting,” the Strasbourg born French-Vietnamese artist and pizza connoisseur admits. Back then, his father was a baker, so it’s kind of in the DNA.
Suby One, initially took a different route, tagging walls at 13. Now he’s turned his creative energy to his second pizzeria, Lamie, proving that art takes many forms.
“The street art is from the streets, it belongs to no one, or it belongs to everyone,” says Suby, who settled in Saigon drawn by its rebellious spirit and vibrant development. This democratic approach to art seems to inform his take on pizza too – bringing Motor City’s beloved square slices to the masses in Vietnam’s most dynamic city.
From graffiti ambassador to contemporary gallery owner, Suby’s journey from subway cars to pizza ovens might seem unexpected. But in Saigon’s evolving culinary landscape, Lamie represents another form of street culture, where the precision of Detroit pizza meets the creative energy of Thao Dien.
“Look at that,” he exclaims, raising a slice up for inspection, revealing the satisfyingly crunchy cheese that’s caught the corner of the pan, as happy as he would be adding the final touches to an artwork.
Location: 14 Street 11, Thao Dien
In Short: Detroit squares meet street art in a pizzeria where every slice is a canvas.
1914 Bar
Globally, perhaps fueled by the obsession with agave spirits, homegrown liquors are having a moment. Even in Vietnam, rượu gạo is shaking off some of its dusty image, with better branding and a younger consumer base. 1914 Bar is embracing the moment with a menu full of local spirits. And it has a name and concept inspired by Saigon’s iconic central market, Ben Thanh, that opened in 1914.
“Much like the lively market that has welcomed countless traders and travelers over the years, 1914 Cocktail Bar brings together the cultural essence of Vietnam. We take pride in serving signature flavors from across the country, with each cocktail telling a unique story of Vietnam’s heritage and people, all within a modern and dynamic Saigon setting,” the team explain.
“And the signature cocktail menu is crafted exclusively with Vietnamese spirits, each telling a story of the country’s unique flavors and traditions,” they add. That means drinks infused with: Black Sticky Rice Wine, Vietnamese Wild Apple Spirit infused with Jasmine Flower, Yen Tu Apricot Wine, Go Den Spirit, Ha Noi Yellow Flower Rice Wine, Bau Da Dau Xanh Spirit, and Ha Giang Corn Spirit. “Every drink at 1914 Bar is an invitation to discover Vietnamese cultures in a glass,” they add finally.
In Short: A throwback to 1914, with nostalgic cocktails full of local spirit.
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