Have you ever visited Saigon and heard about the bustling Ho Thi Ky market? While most travelers tend to stick to the well-known spots in District 1, the Mekong Delta, and the Cu Chi Tunnels, there is a hidden gem that awaits you in Ho Thi Ky street and its alleys. This market is home to Saigon's largest flower market and also houses the vibrant Cambodian market within its bounds.
Imagine immersing yourself in a world of colorful flowers, their fragrance filling the air, while also indulging in the delightful flavors of the Cambodian market. Join me on a thrilling Saigon street food tour in the enchanting Ho Thi Ky flower market, where you'll encounter a variety of uniquely tasty dishes that are worth every bite.
1. Beef Hot Pot (Lẩu bò)
Parts of cows at Beef hot pot restaurant in Vietnam
When you order Beef Hot Pot, you'll be presented with a mini gas stove equipped with a pot of flavorful broth, accompanied by lean beef, beef organs, beef balls, garlic chives, onions, and daikon. This hot pot is served with an array of noodles, mushrooms, vegetables, tofu, and tofu skin.
Where to eat?
- Lẩu bò cô Thảo restaurant at 84/10 Ho Thi Ky, District 10; Open time: 1:00 AM - 12:00 PM; Price range: 100,000-220,000 VND
Lau Bo Co Thao beef hot pot restaurant in an alley of Ho Thi Ky Street, Saigon
- Lẩu bò Hoàng Thu restaurant at 84/1 Ho Thi Ky, District 10; Open time: 10:00 AM - 2:00 AM; Price range: 40,000-200,000 VND
Lau Bo Hoang Thu beef hot pot restaurant in an alley of Ho Thi Ky Street, Saigon
Both Lẩu bò cô Thảo and Lẩu bò Hoàng Thu offer an assortment of stir-fried beef dishes, as well as delicious grilled options. For a unique experience, you can order marinated beef, beef breast, pork organs, or even wild pork and grill them right at your table.
2. Clear Rice Noodle Soup with Snail (Hủ tiếu ốc)
Hu tieu with snail in Ho Thi Ky Food Street
Similar to other Vietnamese rice noodle soups, Clear Rice Noodle Soup with Snail features thin and chewy rice noodles in a rich, clear, and smooth broth. Toppings include boiled snail meat, steamed clams, slices of Vietnamese pork roll, minced pork and wood ear meatballs, green onions, and herbs. This comforting dish is sure to satisfy your taste buds and warm your soul.
Where to eat?
- Hủ tiếu ốc chú Tũn restaurant at 57/21 Ho Thi Ky, District 10; Open time: 2:00 PM - 9:00 PM; Price range: 15,000-30,000 VND
Hu tieu Oc chu Tun in an alley of Ho Thi Ky Street, Saigon
At Hủ tiếu ốc chú Tũn, every ingredient is carefully selected to ensure the broth and toppings are simply delicious. Apart from Clear Rice Noodle Soup with Snail, they also serve Phá lấu ốc, a dish cooked with snail, curry, and coconut milk. The broth of this dish is rich, greasy, sweet, salty, and hot, and is served with aromatic Vietnamese mint and crispy warm plain bread.
3. Stir-Fried Worm-Like Rice Flour Jelly (Bánh lọt xào)
Droplets of worm-like rice flour jelly are the key component of various delicious desserts in Vietnam. In Ho Thi Ky flower market, you can find a unique dish made from this jelly: Stir-Fried Worm-Like Rice Flour Jelly. It's a simple recipe – stir-fried jelly droplets with bean sprouts, creamy egg, and tender garlic chives. However, the art lies in the experience and skill of the cook. The perfect balance in textures and flavors is achieved when the jelly is sticky, chewy, the bean sprouts are juicy and crunchy, and the egg blends everything together. This flavorful dish is served with a sweet, salty, and hot soybean sauce dip – a perfect combination of all the ingredients. If you're feeling adventurous, give it a try! You won't find it anywhere else.
Where to eat?
- Bột chiên Phụng street food stall at 87/23 Ho Thi Ky, District 10; Open time: 2:00 PM - 8:00 PM; Price range: 15,000-25,000 VND
Bot chien or Panfried scrambled egg rice cake
At Bột chiên Phụng, you'll also find the famous Pan-Fried Scrambled Egg Rice Cake, made by frying steamed rice flour pieces with egg in a flat pan until crispy. It's served with pickled shredded green papaya, sweet and sour soybean sauce, and minced chili pepper. The crispy outside and tender inside of the rice flour pieces perfectly complement the creamy egg and the sauce.
4. Grilled Beef on Lemongrass Stick (Nem bò nướng sả)
As you pass by a street food stall at 57/27B Ho Thi Ky, you won't be able to resist the enticing aroma of Grilled Beef on Lemongrass Stick. A mixture of ground pork, beef, minced onion, and spices is wrapped around lemongrass sticks and grilled over charcoal until well-done, brown, crispy on the outside, and tender on the inside. Instead of using bamboo or wooden skewers, the unique lemongrass stick enhances the flavor of this grilled dish. It is served with morning glory pickle, Vietnamese mint, and chili sauce.
Where to eat?
- 57/27B Ho Thi Ky, District 10; Open time: 2:00 PM - 8:00 PM; Price: 10,000 VND
5. Green Papaya Salad (Gỏi đu đủ)
A Saigon Street Food Tour in Ho Thi Ky Flower Market
Green Papaya Salad is a favorite snack made from shredded green papaya, Mắm ruốc fermented shrimp paste, peanuts, herbs, minced long yard beans, limes, chili peppers, and shallots. This refreshing salad is bursting with flavors and will surely whet your appetite.
Where to eat?
- 57/15 Ho Thi Ky, District 10; Open time: 3:00 PM - 8:00 PM; Price range: 15,000-20,000 VND
6. Steamed Pumpkin Dessert (Chè bí chưng)
Che Co Huoi Sweet soup stall in Ho Thi Ky and Cambodian markets, Saigon
Steamed Pumpkin Dessert is a delightful treat that's filled with a mixture of coconut milk, condensed milk, egg yolk, and steamed until perfectly cooked. Each piece of pumpkin has tender, yellow flesh, while the creamy, opaque white filling adds a smooth, flavorful element. I recommend trying the version that includes palmyra fruit pulp, jelly, durian, tamarind white kernel, and coconut milk sauce. For the best experience, visit Chè cô Huôi, a stall that has been serving delicious desserts in Ho Thi Ky market for about 40 years.
Where to eat?
- Chè cô Huôi at 57/21A Ho Thi Ky, District 10; Open time: 3:00 PM - 8:00 PM; Price range: 15,000-20,000 VND
At this stall, you can also enjoy Steamed Sticky Rice with Durian Sauce and Coconut Milk Sauce, Grilled Banana and Coconut Milk Dessert, Tamarind and Coconut Milk Dessert, all made with love and expertise.
7. Num Bo Choc Rice Noodle Soup (Bún num bò chóc)
A Saigon Street Food Tour in Ho Thi Ky Flower Market
Num Bo Choc Rice Noodle Soup is a must-try dish in Ho Thi Ky market. It boasts a unique taste, an intriguing name, and a perfect combination of ingredients. As you approach a stall or restaurant serving this dish, the mouthwatering aroma of the boiling broth engulfs you. A bowl of Num Bo Choc Rice Noodle Soup consists of white rice noodles, flavorful yellow broth, snakehead fish, a plate of vibrant vegetables, and a plate of aromatic herbs. The colorful presentation alone is enough to make your taste buds dance with joy. It's been said that consuming colorful food provides a range of health benefits and can even affect your happiness.
The soul of this dish lies in the rich and aromatic broth, made from snakehead fish, turmeric, lemongrass, autumn crosscus, kaffir lime, pro hok fermented fish, and more. Cooking the broth can be quite challenging due to the distinct fishy aroma of snakehead fish. Only an experienced and skillful cook can masterfully blend these spices to create a flavorful, clear, and fragrant broth. The tender and slippery rice noodles, along with the sweet-tasty and firm snakehead fish, combine harmoniously to create an exceptional culinary experience. Fresh vegetables and herbs, such as water lily stems, river hemp, banana blossom, enhance the overall flavor. Some even prefer to order snakehead fish head to savor alongside the rice noodle soup.
Where to eat?
- Tư Xê food restaurant at 57/27 Ho Thi Ky, District 10; Open time: 6:00 AM - 10:00 AM; Price range: 40,000-65,000 VND
8. Canh Bun Rice Noodle Soup (Canh bún)
Canh Bun Rice Noodle Soup is a traditional Vietnamese delicacy that's particularly popular in Saigon. It features rice noodles swimming in a clear, rich broth cooked from pork bone, dried shrimp, onion, crab meat, and more. Toppings include blood pudding, fried tofu, Vietnamese pork roll, Vietnamese beef roll, crab cake, and morning glory. You can customize the taste by adding fish sauce, lime juice, and minced chili according to your preferences. A bowl of Canh Bun Rice Noodle Soup is guaranteed to satisfy your hunger and warm your heart.
Where to eat?
- In an alley at 382 Le Hong Phong, District 10; Open time: 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM; Price range: 23,000-25,000 VND
9. Grilled Rice Cracker (Bánh tráng nướng)
Imagine watching as vendors expertly grill Vietnamese pizza, known as Grilled Rice Cracker, over hot charcoal. This delectable treat consists of thin slices of Phan Rang rice cracker topped with quail egg, sausages, corn, pork floss, deep-fried shallots, and optional cheese. The flavors mingle perfectly as it grills to a crispy perfection. The grilled cake is then cut into pieces, topped with mayonnaise and chili sauce, and served right away to preserve its crispiness. The best part? It only costs 10,000 VND.
Grilled Banana Girdle Cake at Ho Thi Ky Flower Market
10. Vietnamese Stuffed Pancake (Bánh cuốn)
Vietnamese Stuffed Pancake, also known as Banh Cuon, is a famous delicacy made by stuffing ground pork, minced black fungus, and shallots into a thin, wide, and translucent sheet of steamed fermented rice batter. In Ho Thi Ky market, you can enjoy it with Vietnamese pork pie, bean sprouts, various Vietnamese herbs, sliced cucumber, deep-fried chopped shallot, and a dipping fish sauce.
Where to eat?
- Banh Cuon Banh Uot Chau at 77 Ho Thi Ky, District 10; Open time: 3:00 PM - 9:00 PM; Price: 27,000 VND
So, are you ready for an exciting culinary adventure through the vibrant streets of Ho Thi Ky Flower Market? Indulge in the diverse flavors, relish the unique ingredients, and immerse yourself in the rich culture of Saigon's street food scene. Get ready to create lifelong memories with your taste buds as you embark on this unforgettable journey. Happy eating!
