When I moved to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) in 2018 I was astonished by the variety of vegan food. Whenever I go back to visit, I am amazed at how the vegan scene has continued to grow. It is also great to see so many of the same businesses still thriving.
You may notice that a few of these are located in Thảo Điền, an area of District 2 that is popular with expats. But don’t worry, there is still plenty of vegan food in the more touristy Districts 1 and 3.
It is a true haven for vegans. You can expect anything from vegan cheese and sourdough pizza, to vegan versions of Vietnamese classics. I’m certain you are going to love it here! So, let’s not waste any more time. Here is my favourite vegan food in Saigon.
Kashew Cheese
- Location: Thảo Điền and District 7
- Diet: Vegan
- Recommended dish: La Vita Bella Panini
My all-time favourite place in Vietnam is Kashew Cheese. They make all of their vegan cheese from scratch using locally grown cashew nuts. The business has grown over the past few years and they now have three outlets where you can enjoy their cheese inside sandwiches and bagels, as well as with pasta.
Their original deli is a great place to grab a glass of wine (from their fully vegan wine list) and a cheese platter. I also really enjoy visiting their garden villa at the weekends, for a relaxed brunch.
If you are gluten-free then fear not, they also have a gluten-free bagel option which I’ve eaten multiple times and enjoyed just as much as their other sandwiches.
Zeroism
- Location: Thảo Điền
- Diet: Vegan
- Recommended dish: French Toast
When I’m in Saigon I spend the majority of my time at Zeroism. The food is clean and packed full of flavour, the staff are super friendly and welcoming, and the space itself is calming. For me, it is the perfect remote work spot. You can go for breakfast and stay throughout the day.
All of the dishes I’ve had at Zeroism have been made to a high quality. They make their sourdough bread from scratch and use it to create pizzas and sourdough banh mi.
If you don’t fancy bread, they have plenty of noodle dishes, like their Pad Thai, which is the best I’ve had throughout the whole of Asia. Yes, even Thailand.
Rawberry
- Location: Thảo Điền
- Diet: Vegan
- Recommended dish: Banana Coconut Caramel Popsicle
You know that a city has a thriving vegan community when it has 100% vegan cake shops. Rawberry is a beautiful little cafe with a great selection of vegan desserts. The majority of it is raw, but you really wouldn’t know. I’m not usually a fan of raw desserts, but these are something else.
Rawberry also has regular specials like cookies and pies, as well as a selection of delicious coffee drinks and shakes. Their upstairs space is small but worth a visit.
You will also find their cakes at a few other places around the city, like at Kashew Cheese.
La Moi
- Location: District 1
- Diet: Vegan
- Recommended dish: LAMOI Plant-Based Rice
La Moi is a plant-based restaurant located in the heart of District 1. It is a busy spot with the locals and it is easy to see why, the food is delicious! They have a great variety of Asian food, including plenty of local dishes.
Every time I eat there I go for their LAMOI Plant-Based Rice, which is like their vegan take on Hoi An chicken rice. The rice is lovely and crispy and the vegan chicken salad is herby and tangy. It is true comfort food!
It is a bit more upmarket, but not fancy. So it is a great place for a casual meet up with friends, or even a nice dinner out at the weekend.
21 Grams
- Location: District 1 and Thảo Điền
- Diet: Vegetarian
- Recommended dish: Mixed Mi Quang
21 Grams is a vegetarian restaurant with places in Saigon and Da Nang (it is also one of my favourite vegan spots in Da Nang). Their menu is pretty basic, with just a few vegan-friendly dishes, but everything is fresh and well-executed.
Their District 1 spot is on the 4th floor of the famous cafe apartment building. It is a tourist hot spot with plenty of photo opportunities. I love that there is now also a vegan-friendly spot there to eat!
The Green Box
- Location: SOMA, Thảo Điền
- Diet: Vegan-friendly
- Recommended dish: TAHINI TAHINI
This is the only non-vegan/vegetarian restaurant mentioned here, but I do think it is worthy of its place. The Green Box is a pop-up restaurant currently housed in SOMA bar. They sell a variety of salad bowls, many of which are vegan!
The salads are packed full of grains and vegetables with quite a few vegan protein options. And the sauces are delicious. I enjoy making my own bowl from scratch and topping it with their gochujang tofu (I hope this is on the menu when you visit), which is what dreams are made of.
Pho Chay Nhu
- Location: District 3
- Diet: Vegan
- Recommended dish: Mi Quang
If you are looking for cheap and cheerful vegan Vietnamese food, then this is your spot! Phở Chay Như is a family-run business selling a variety of noodle soups, wontons and spring rolls. It is an affordable lunch spot that you may find yourself living in if you are situated nearby.
All of their soups are delicious but my personal favourite is their Mì Quảng (pronounced mee wang). The broth is tasty and the contents of the soup are well cooked. Plus you get the opportunity to eat like a local!
This is by no means all of the vegan food on offer in the city. Saigon is the most vegan-friendly city in Vietnam with well over 100 vegan restaurants. So you really won’t be going hungry. Look out for any signs that say ‘chay’, this means vegetarian, but most small local eateries don’t use egg or dairy. To be extra sure, make the most out of my handy Vietnamese phrases.
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