From Kō’s hushed seven-seat matcha house to Ba Hoa’s rowdy “Fun Dining” vibes, our latest guide to Saigon’s new spots has us pulling up to counters, rediscovering forgotten classics, and learning just how many ways you can cook chicken.
Fresh off our roundup of Hanoi’s newest spots, The Dot is back home to see what Saigon’s been cooking up, and it’s been a busy few months.
Some of the city’s most familiar names are behind this batch. Quince’s chef has gone Thai, The Enigma Mansion team is pouring Vietnamese-French classics, and Lost Birds’ founder has opened a sophisticated new bar downtown. Meanwhile, Bangkok and Seoul have sent over a couple of their own.
Big night or quiet one, here’s where to start.
aum.
Julien Perraudin has been quietly plotting a Thai restaurant for decades. Born in Burgundy, he spent two years in Phuket and Bangkok before Vietnam had other plans. He fell in love with the country, made it his home, and has run the kitchen at Quince Saigon since it opened in 2018.
Thailand never quite let go, though. His wife’s family is from Udon Thani, in Isaan, and he’s spent years soaking up everything he can about Thai cooking. Now aum. is, as he puts it, the “Thailand chapter I dreamed of twenty years ago.”
The name’s pronounced “am.” It’s the playful sound Thai parents make when spoon-feeding their kids, like the Vietnamese “măm măm,” and means “open wide.” As Julien explains, “At its heart, aum. is about the warm and simple joy of feeding your loved ones.”
Then there are the ducks. The logo’s a duck, and little yellow ones sit on the shelves. Partly that’s a nod to Udon Thani, where giant rubber ducks float on the park lake. It’s also a family quirk. Julien’s dad has been collecting ducks his whole life, and his son inherited the habit.
Most of the menu draws on Isaan cuisine, which means lots of charcoal grilling and barbecue. That suits Julien just fine. Cooking over live fire comes naturally to him, and he prefers it to conventional methods, so it’s at the core of both Quince and aum.
But Isaan isn’t the whole story here. You’ll find Central Thai curries, Southern heat, roti, and some Muslim-influenced dishes. And the chefs love digging through old Thai cookbooks for ideas, so expect a few dishes that rarely make everyday menus.
The Aged Duck Breast is their take on gaeng phed ped yang, a Thai-Chinese roast duck red curry — and a guest favorite. It’s normally made with grapes, but here they use golden berries instead, which lend it a sweet-sour kick. Get it with steamed rice or roti. Bigger group? Julien says go “full Isaan” with duck larb, gai yang, and sticky rice.
The restaurant sits inside an old office building around the corner from the Opera House. If you like watching the cooking, sit at the counter facing the grill and catch Julien and head chef Khoa, another Quince alum, in action. Otherwise, grab a spot in the snug front room, under the glowing “sabai sabai” (no worries) neon sign.
What: Fire-grilled Isaan plates and a 20-year Thailand dream
Where: 2nd floor, 71-73-75 Hai Ba Trung, District 1
When: Mon–Sat 5:30pm–10:30pm
How: Instagram | Facebook
Olivette Fine Drinking Cocktail Bar
Art Nouveau peaked around the turn of the 20th century, the same era when the Saigon Electricity Company was founded in 1896. Olivette now sits on part of the company’s old complex. Founder Will, also behind The Enigma Mansion, came up with the idea for his new venture during a European trip two years ago, when Art Nouveau buildings in Milan and Paris caught his eye.
A visit to Rémy Savage’s Bar Nouveau in Paris sealed it, inspiring him to bring the style to Vietnam. And the result is Vietnamese-French fine drinking, or, as they put it, “French discipline. Vietnamese ease.”
The name itself comes straight from cocktail history. The Olivette dates back to at least 1904’s Applegreen’s Bar Book, made with Plymouth gin, French vermouth, bitters, lemon peel, and an olive (so a close cousin of the Martini). It reappears in Harry Craddock’s 1930 The Savoy Cocktail Book, this time with syrup, orange bitters, and absinthe instead of vermouth.
The bar serves a modern version: Lady Triệu Contemporary Gin, St-Germain elderflower liqueur, dry vermouth, and the requisite olive. They call it “balanced, dry and quietly aromatic.” Fitting, since they chose the name to reflect the discipline behind the whole operation.
The French side shows in the drink-making — think precise ratios and restraint. The Vietnamese influence comes through in warmth and hospitality, along with local spirits like Sông Cái added to the classics.
Start with a welcome glass of house fizz, a seven-day ferment of apple-based wines and Charles Mignon Champagne. Will’s picks include the Olivette itself. Pair it with anchovy olives. Then comes the Champagne Colada, a Piña Colada riff made with Vietnamese Sampan agricole rum.
The room leans into the same turn-of-the-century theme, with curving wood screens, bellflower chandeliers, and gold swirls painted on the walls. Art Nouveau took its cues from nature, so they see the space as a garden, with the bartenders as its gardeners, tending to classic flavors. A long marble bar lets you chat with Will and bar manager Jason Le Quang Truong, who run things day to day. If you’d rather chill and think, sit at the window counter, where the city lights shine in.
It’s worth keeping an eye on their Instagram, too. Workshop14 and Erik Lorincz have already guested, with bartenders from Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Bangkok still to come.
What: Art Nouveau glamour and a cocktail with 1904 roots
Where: 6th floor, 6 Nguyen Sieu, District 1
When: Daily 4pm–2am
How: Instagram | Facebook
Ba Hoa – Born to “Cheers”
There’s a Vietnamese saying about what happens after a few rounds: “Rượu vào lời ra, ba hoa thiên địa.” The team translates this as “When the wine flows, the words spill, leading to endless high-flying banter.”
“Ba hoa” itself means lively, lighthearted exaggeration over drinks, the tall tales that get bigger as the night goes on. This is meant to be a place for “Fun Dining,” where people can open up, drop their guard, and show their loudest selves. That explains the second half of the name, too: Born to “Cheers.”
The mastermind here is Lại Chính Trực, founder of design firm Red5 Studio and the man behind cocktail bars Emme and Lai La Modern Cocktail Club. No surprise then that the space does a lot of the talking. Out front, an oversized pair of lips greets you, a cheeky wink at “chém gió,” literally “slashing the wind,” Vietnamese slang for shooting the breeze. The interior features a striking sky-blue palette — a reference to the idiom “khoác lác lên tận mây xanh” (boasting all the way to the blue clouds) — with clashing coral-pink walls. LED lighting that shifts through the night cranks the volume up even further.
Pull up a stool, and you’re part of the show. One continuous counter, seating up to 36, wraps around the open kitchen, built for a raucous night of socializing. A DJ keeps the vibe moving while executive chef Hoang Viet and sous chef Bao Ngoc work the grill. The team calls Gà Mờ, one of their most-ordered skewers, “the perfect opening act.” Boneless chicken wings go over charcoal, glazed with mắm ruốc (fermented shrimp paste). The Chắc Bắp — sticky and sweet corn with shrimp crumble, salted yolk, and caramelized fish sauce — is a solid second pick. In their words, “a whole Vietnamese street food conversation… on a stick.”
The cocktail menu, “The Ba Hoa Show,” is themed around history’s great illusions and flamboyant storytellers, like The Boy Who Cried Wolf and Buggy the Clown. Among the signatures is The Trojan Horse: all smoke, wood, and dry spice. The warmth is the surprise inside, while the pineapple on its back is the innocent-looking facade.
The Vietnamese drinking toast is “một, hai, ba, dzô!” (one, two, three, cheers!), but here you’ll find yourself yelling out “1, 2, Ba Hoaaa!”
What: Charcoal skewers and tall-tale cocktails at “Saigon’s loudest table”
Where: 12 Street 38, An Khanh
When: Wed–Mon 5:30pm–12am
How: Instagram | Facebook
the Pi
We’ll admit it: the Pi isn’t new. We first covered this cozy, neighborhood-style cocktail bar in 2022, when it was on Huynh Khuong Ninh. Now, it’s got a new home on leafy Nguyen Van Thu, in the part of old Da Kao that’s now Tan Dinh ward.
The move wasn’t exactly planned, but in the words of Chun, the Pi’s owner and bartender, “When life gives you lemons, make a Caipirinha.” Leaving was still tough after nearly five years in the old space, which held “probably a little piece of everyone’s soul.”
But change is built into the name. The number pi never ends and never repeats, and as Chun puts it, “it would be quite ironic if we stayed exactly the same forever.”
So what made the trip over? “We brought you guys,” Chun laughs, along with “pretty much everything that made the old Pi, Pi.” “I’d say we scooped up our old space and laid it into this one,” he adds. The one thing they still haven’t brought back is their legendary Wi-Fi password, “tequilashotplease,” and asking for it the first time got you an actual tequila shot.
For an early drink, Chun suggests heading upstairs to the atrium, with its high ceilings, natural light, and a balcony for fresh air — “a rather nice place to watch the day slowly turn into night.” But really, it’s all about the bar, “always the bar.” The signature blue terrazzo counter remains the “heart and soul” of the place. They’ve also built a second, more intimate counter for an upcoming secret menu, but Chun stops there because “that’s all I’m allowed to say about that for now.”
What else defines the place? Never just one person: each team member brings “their own personality, curiosity and perspective.” They hope to host international guest shifts monthly, and so far, the lineup includes Seoul’s Try-Cycle and A.K.A. (Awesome Korean), as well as Shanghai’s The Tuxedo. But they don’t want each one to feel like a once-in-a-lifetime event, just part of everyday bar culture. In Chun’s words, they’re all “just bartenders visiting other bartenders.” And Flash Clash, the fast-paced cocktail competition Chun launched, returns next spring, giving up-and-comers the chance to experiment and challenge themselves.
As for the drinks, the aim is simple: “to make a damn good drink.” And sometimes that means serious technique. The Sand in the Mouth of a Movie Star is homogenized and clarified so its delicate herbal aromas come through. The Ultimate Martini, meanwhile, skips the fancy stuff altogether. It’s silky, savory, “crazily boozy,” and served at −23°C. As Chun warns, “Whether you remember the rest of your evening is another conversation.”
What: The same terrazzo bar, a leafy new home, and global guest shifts
Where: 39 Nguyen Van Thu, District 1
When: Daily 4pm–2am
How: Instagram | Facebook
Kō Tea House & Sake Bar
Back in 2023, Khai Vu told us his ambition for Prime Steak Boutique & Chill was “to create the biggest and best steakhouse in Saigon.” With his latest project, he’s gone smaller and shifted his focus. Kō seats just seven and runs on matcha.
For that, he’s teamed up with Hailee Nguyen, founder of Kyōcha, a US-based matcha brand that works directly with Japanese family farms. Khai oversees day-to-day operations, while Hailee handles the tea, from sourcing to whisking. As she puts it, “The work begins with the farmers and continues right down to the bowl we serve.”
Kō is Japanese for “fragrance,” and here it refers to the aroma that hits you the moment you lift your bowl. They picked the name because “it reflects the small details we want people to notice here.”
It’s built for quiet moments, “a place to pause” in a city that’s always moving. Tea defines the daytime, with private sake evenings by reservation. As Hailee jokes, there’s “no sake for breakfast!” You don’t need to be a tea connoisseur either. Just tell them what you like, and they’ll guide you. Curiosity, she says, is part of the experience.
Kō’s matcha is single-origin from Uji, near Kyoto, and it’s first-harvest, shade-grown, and stone-milled. The star of the show is Honzu Asahi, grown on a 10th-generation family farm using the traditional Honzu shading method. The team says it accounts for less than 0.01% of Japan’s annual matcha production.
Hailee’s pick for a first visit is the Signature Latte: freshly whisked matcha, milk, and a little organic blue agave. She’s “particular about the balance,” so the matcha stays “clear and expressive, even with milk.” If you already love matcha, she’d pour usucha, which is just tea and water. Fancy something cold? Order the “bright, crisp, and quietly refreshing” Matcha Cider.
For dessert, Kō Flan with Koicha caught our eye — think soft custard and caramel under a pour of thick, concentrated matcha. Enjoy it as you please, because “each spoonful can be a little different depending on how much koicha you take with it.” There’s also a Koicha Affogato and a daily house option, but they keep the list small on purpose so that everything fits the tea.
It’s a short walk into the Oishi Town complex, which Hailee sees as part of the appeal. You leave the busy street behind before you even reach the door. Inside, dark wood, paper globe lanterns, and shelves of tea bowls fill the room. Get close to the stone counter to watch the whisking.
Feel free to enjoy this little sanctuary on your own. As Hailee says, “Hospitality doesn’t always require a conversation.”
What: Rare Uji matcha in a seven-seat tea house
Where: Unit 18, Oishi Town, 28 Thao Dien, An Khanh
When: Tue–Sun 10am–6pm
How: Instagram | Facebook
Bar Piccolo
From Jackie Le and Huy Vu, the founders behind cozy Phu Nhuan favorite Mellow Bar & Café, comes this self-described Tiny Bubbles Social Club, where European aperitivo culture meets Saigon’s laid-back social life.
The team sees Mellow as the venue for relaxed, soothing vibes, while its little sister — just turned one — embraces the “more spontaneous and fun part of the day.”
Whereas sidewalk staples like spritzes, sparkling wine, and Picon Bière capture the feeling of a Mediterranean summer, drinks like tắc xí muội, me đá, sâm bí đao, ổi, and mít are inseparable from the sweltering Saigon streets. Piccolo’s founders recognized that these drinks share many similarities with aperitifs: bright, refreshing, playful, and easy to share. On the street, though, sugar and ice smooth over the rough edges. Add a base spirit and every element shows, so the real challenge was balancing those familiar flavors against the booze.
The wine side has its own story, and Piccolo has become a place for novices to experiment. Jackie and Huy shared an anecdote with us about a spirits-loving local who decided to venture into wine territory. Nervous to ask for a recommendation, she played it safe and chose the most powerful bottle on offer — only to have her worst wine experience in a bar. So the team poured her a casual rosé instead, and she found herself just as enamored with it as with her usual whisky on the rocks. As they explain, “That’s the kind of moment we want to create more of.”
Arrive around opening time to catch their Aperol Spritz deal from 5–7pm. Look for the quaint blue wooden door and window, with stools spilling out into the alley. Jackie and Huy suggest grabbing a seat at the tiled counter, where they can chat and learn your tastes. You’ll be served a welcome drink to cleanse your palate and set the mood, followed by an Aperol Spritz — “always a good way to start the night.” For something funkier with a local twist, the Tắc Xí Muội Spritz is the call. Peckish? Try the chili-roasted cashews or beef jerky.
Beyond the drinks and snacks, they love to talk about the surrounding area, from places to explore to little things to do. “Hopefully, you come for one drink and end up discovering a little more of the neighborhood along the way.”
What: Saigonese street-drink cocktails and sidewalk spritzes
Where: 26B Thao Dien, An Khanh
When: Daily 5pm–1am
How: Instagram | Facebook
Close Kitchen Saigon
Most restaurants expand to conquer new markets. Chef Wonseok Cheon came to Saigon and stayed to learn. He started Close Kitchen in Seoul, but his family lives here, which is what first brought him over.
Once here, he was drawn to the city’s “energy, the people, and the mix of cultures.” But what surprised him most was the food: “I didn’t expect Saigon to have such a sophisticated and diverse Western dining scene.” So, bringing Close Kitchen here wasn’t just about expansion. As he puts it, “It was about challenging myself, discovering new ingredients and cultures, and continuing to grow as a chef.”
Saigon also gave him the chance to build what he couldn’t in Seoul. So this time, he decided to take a much bolder approach. The entire ground floor centers on the kitchen, and the moment you step in, you’re right in the mix and “nothing is hidden.” You can watch the chefs work, hear the pans hiss, and take in the aromas.
Hence the name, which for Mr. Won — as he likes to be called — is about “bringing the people who create the food and the people who enjoy it closer together.” Their tagline says as much: “You may come closer. It’s close to you.”
The menu brings Seoul a little closer, too, though Mr. Won is easing in for now. He uses Korean ingredients sparingly, or only when they come “naturally,” though he plans to use more over time. When asked for his Korean-leaning picks, Gochujang-Glazed Fried Chicken is the first name that pops up. It’s pretty much like it sounds, with a little lemon mayo and lime zest to round out the dish. Others include Grilled Pomfret with Kimchi Beurre Blanc and Hwachae, a refreshing dessert inspired by traditional Korean watermelon punch. Coming soon, there’s Yukhoe Tartare, Mr. Won’s interpretation of Korean-style beef tartare.
A few staples made the trip from Seoul, namely the Cuttlefish Butter Rigatoni (lemongrass oil, grilled cuttlefish) and the gnocchi, plates he sees as connecting the two restaurants. The A3 Wagyu steak, meanwhile, was inspired by a steak that mixed martial artist Choo Sung-hoon made famous in Korea. To go with it all, they strongly encourage wine, offering free corkage on certain nights and a two-for-one deal on house wine; Mr. Won recommends the Marrenon Chardonnay Les Grains Finement Boisé with the rigatoni.
Lunch or dinner? It depends on your mood, as the chef sees his restaurant as having “two very different personalities depending on the time of day.” Lunch is bright and relaxed, with sunlight pouring in through the windows, while evenings are warmer and softer, creating a more intimate atmosphere. For Mr. Won, “dinner is really the heart of Close Kitchen.”
What: Seoul-meets-Saigon cooking, up close
Where: 18B Street 9, An Khanh
When: Daily 11:30am–3pm, 6pm–11pm
How: Instagram
Torinoa 鳥のあ
Bangkok’s Torisawa22, Chef Daiki Kondo’s Michelin-listed yakitori counter, now has a Saigon offshoot. The story began in Japan before Torisawa opened in Thailand in 2022. Torinoa carries its spirit into Vietnam while building “its own identity” here. Even the name has family in it: “tori” means “bird” in Japanese, and Noa is Chef Daiki’s daughter.
That spirit shows up in the details: how they handle each cut, control the charcoal fire, and season. As they explain, these aspects “may appear understated, but they require considerable knowledge and consistency.”
Here, you’ll enjoy a 15-course omakase menu built around chicken. That might sound like a lot of poultry, but the team is clear that it’s not “the same ingredient fifteen times.” It’s “discovering just how different one ingredient can be.” They use more than 30 chicken parts, well beyond the cuts most people know. The tare, a soy-based glaze, stands out. Fermented for over 12 years, it adds depth “without taking away from the character of the chicken itself.”
Look out for skewers like the Chochin (unlaid egg yolk), designed to “melt instantly on your tongue.” The Reba (liver) brings intensity, and the Bonjiri (tail), richness. As they remind us, “something as familiar as chicken can still surprise you.”
It all happens right in front of you. Twelve seats surround the grill, with no kitchen door hiding the cooking. You can smell the charcoal and hear the sizzle. But it isn’t meant to feel “like a formal demonstration.” Just relax, have a drink, and chat. Head chef Kai is friendly and approachable, so feel free to talk to him while he cooks.
As for that drink, sake is the natural pairing. Brewed from rice, it goes well with the dishes on offer. Dassai 39 is their “never-fail recommendation.” Elegant and versatile, it’s “just as enjoyable over the first few skewers as it is as the evening continues.” Iraka Silver Black is a clean, rice-forward alternative for those who prefer a little restraint.
Either way, there’s no rush. The team wants Torinoa to be somewhere you can “settle in after a long day” and “let the evening unfold at its own pace.”
What: A 15-course chicken omakase from a Michelin-listed lineage
Where: 6th floor, 71-73-75 Hai Ba Trung, District 1
When: Tue–Sun, seatings at 6pm and 8:30pm
How: Instagram | Facebook
Coucou
Kelvin Lin is a Dutch chef and culinary consultant whose Voorschoten restaurant, Nayolie, was named the Netherlands’ best Asian restaurant by GaultMillau in 2020.
A busy first half of 2026, plus work in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, left him needing a couple of weeks off. A friend suggested Saigon, advising him to “go on some food tours, explore the culture, and get some rest.” His Airbnb was directly across from a quiet Thao Dien wine bar, and on his last day, he serendipitously got chatting with the owner, Thi. They talked about what the bar could become, and before long, they teamed up. As Kelvin puts it, “suddenly, my two-week holiday had turned into a completely different project.”
He pushed back some consulting work, flew to Switzerland and the Netherlands to source equipment, and was back in Saigon within three days. Coucou opened just three and a half weeks later. “It was never part of a master plan,” Kelvin admits. Thi came up with the name, a friendly, informal, slightly playful word: “the kind of thing you say when you walk into a place and feel welcome.” That’s exactly the atmosphere she wanted to create. In Kelvin’s words, “the spirit is simple: come as you are, eat well, and enjoy yourself.”
Back at Nayolie, Kelvin made his name with a dry tom yum. At Coucou, though, he doesn’t want to be “known for just one dish.” Not that he’s done reworking Thai classics — the Tom Kha Kai 2.0 is a deconstructed take on the chicken soup.
He mixes Japanese techniques and Southeast Asian flavors with the precision he honed in kitchens across Asia. Expect careful textures and surprising combinations. The aim isn’t complication for its own sake; it’s to create “something that tastes immediately exciting, while giving you little details to discover as you eat.” A case in point is the “Big Mac” dessert, which pairs macadamia and vanilla ice cream with miso crème anglaise, Vietnamese robusta, and olive oil.
The best seat? Whatever fits your mood. For those curious about how a chef thinks, Kelvin always recommends grabbing a stool at the bar, though the banquette is perfect if you’re dining with friends or out on a date. A sharing menu for two is available at 750,000 VND per person. To drink, expect rule-bending wine pairings and chilled Junmai Ginjo sake, and perhaps Kelvin’s own Iki Beer “in the near future.”
What: Japanese-meets-Southeast Asian plates, born from a two-week holiday
Where: 39 Nguyen Cu, An Khanh
When: Tue–Sun 6pm–11:30pm
How: Instagram
Ellington Cocktail & Whisky Bar
You’ve probably walked past this place without a second glance — the entrance gives little away. But the stairs, tucked inside an aging apartment block on Pasteur, still carry old Saigon’s quiet charm. At the top you’ll find high ceilings, crystal chandeliers, candlelight, vintage mirrors, and exposed brick.
The Ellington is the work of TA, the low-profile founder behind Thao Dien cocktail bar Lost Birds. She designed it herself without a professional plan, adding and adjusting as she went. As she describes it, it’s “a bit like painting a picture; everything gradually comes together as you work on it.”
The name nods to jazz legend Duke Ellington, her all-time favorite artist. Beyond the music, they loved how it sounds: “timeless, elegant, and full of character.”
And the soundtrack extends beyond jazz into soul, funk, disco, and R&B. While the interior feels old-world, the “atmosphere is quite contemporary,” and the music brings energy while still allowing conversation.
The drinks are classic at their core, with plenty you don’t come across much anymore. In TA’s words, “Sometimes the simplest recipes are the ones worth rediscovering.” The Pink Squirrel blends amaretto, cocoa, berry, and cream into something lush and milky. For something more spirit-forward, the cognac-and-amaretto French Connection makes a proper after-dinner sipper.
A six-drink signature menu is also in the works. Head bartender Nguyễn Hoàng Bảo Long leads the creative side, with Nguyen Khuyen Duc adding a few drinks of his own. For whisky, they’re busy building up their Macallan selection. Although they’re primarily drinks-focused, they also offer fries, sausages, popcorn chicken, and pizzas if you want something more filling.
Long oversees the bar day to day. From the counter seats, you can watch him at work alongside Duc and fellow bartender Nguyen A Qui. Elsewhere, the leather sofas are made for groups. Or grab a seat by the big window, where fringed pink lamps glow beside fresh flowers, and you can look out over Pasteur’s treetops.
What: Forgotten cocktails under crystal chandeliers
Where: 44E Pasteur, District 1
When: Daily 5pm–2am
How: Instagram | Facebook
