Michelin adds 13 newcomers in Vietnam’s 2 biggest metropolises

Michelin has announced the addition of 13 new eateries in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the two largest metropolises in the country, to its updated Bib Gourmand list.

In the second edition of the Michelin Guide in Vietnam, the Bib Gourmand selection for Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City features a total of 42 establishments - including 18 eateries in Hanoi, of which there are five newcomers, and 24 in HCMC, of which eight are newcomers.

This illustrates a significant increase, compared to 29 entries in the inaugural edition last year.

In total, the 2024 Bib Gourmand selection for Hanoi and HCMC encompasses a diverse range of seven cuisine types: Vietnamese, noodles, European contemporary, street food, vegetarian, Cantonese, and Latin American. This is a testament to both cities’ vibrant culinary scene, where different good-quality cuisine is available at affordable prices.

In Hanoi, the five new entrants are: Bun Cha Chan, a small shop serving not only the typical caramelized pork meatballs on rice vermicelli, with a tangy, sweet broth; but also offering grilled pork belly or minced beef in betel leaf as options; Luk Lak, a restaurant serving traditional Vietnamese fare with a unique character - such as Sapa's pork belly dipped in herbal sauce grilled to perfection and served with mac mat leaves that cut through the richness and enliven the flavors.

The three others are Mien luon Dong Thinh, a 40-plus-year-old shop that offers a menu revolving around eel -- as in eel noodles, eel congee and eel soup; Mr Bay Mien Tay, a small shop well-known for its signature crispy banh xeo pancake with various fillings, and also offering hot pot, spring roll, rice noodles and barbecues as its strong suits; and Pho Khoi Hoi, a street food eatery offering pho, or beef noodle soup, with many cuts to choose from, including rare cuts like beef heel muscle.

In HCMC, the eight newcomers on the Bib Gourmand list are: Banh Xeo 46A, a restaurant famous for its huge Vietnamese signature crêpes stuffed with mung beans, bean sprouts, pork and shrimp; Bo Kho Ganh, a street food venue offering its famous beef stew, known as bo kho, served in a stone bowl, with an option to pair with either bread, noodles, or rice; Bun Bo Hue 14B, a take-out only stall specializing in noodle soup topped with sliced beef, beef tendon and fish fillet; Man Moi, a Vietnamese restaurant, offering an extensive menu spanning regional specialties from all over Vietnam.

There are also Nha Tu, a Vietnamese restaurant offering home-style cooking rarely found elsewhere - such as steamed snails stuffed with minced pork; Tiem Com Tho Chuyen Ky, a Cantonese eatery that prides itself on its double-boiled silkie chicken soup; Vi Que Kitchen, a restaurant offering modern Vietnamese vegan dishes; Sol Kitchen & Bar, a restaurant serving Latin-American recipes.

The Bib Gourmand restaurants for Danang, the latest Vietnamese destination to have recently joined the Michelin Guide portfolio, will be unveiled on June 27 during a ceremony to be hosted in HCMC.