In Search of the List of Michelin Star Restaurants in Vietnam
Curious about the list of Michelin Star Restaurants in Vietnam? The food scene in Vietnam varies from the north to the south of the country, leaving nothing less than a culinary delight. Here is the list that should entice every gourmet.
Vietnam has joined the list selected by Michelin’s dining inspectors, following its neighboring country of Thailand. The list, released on June 6 2023, celebrates a landmark moment when Vietnamese restaurants were recognized by a prestigious entity. The Michelin Star Restaurants in Vietnam include four businesses in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
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What is a Michelin Star?
There are over 3,000 Michelin-starred restaurants in nearly 40 countries across the globe. According to Michelin itself, a Michelin star is awarded to restaurants offering outstanding cooking. They present five criteria: (1) the quality of the ingredients, (2) the mastery of cooking methods and flavors, (3) the chef’s personality, (4) the value for money and (5) the consistency across the menu and over time.
Why are Michelin stars so important? As not easy to achieve, the stars reflect the best part of the restaurants that are awarded. Let’s take a closer look at how the star rating system works:
⭐One star: awarded to restaurants using top-quality ingredients;
⭐⭐Two stars: the personality and talent of the chef are evident in their expertly crafted dishes;
⭐⭐⭐Three stars: the cooking of the chefs is elevated to an art form.
In Vietnam, there are four restaurants awarded a Michelin Star, including three in Hanoi and one in Ho Chi Minh City. Also, 29 establishments – 13 in Hanoi and 16 in Ho Chi Minh City were awarded a Bib Gourmand.
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Michelin Star Restaurants in Vietnam
Gia Restaurant – Ha Noi
Gia should come first when it comes to fine dining in the capital city of Vietnam. While Hanoi is well-known for budget-friendly street foods, Gia adds a fancy touch to the culinary picture. At Gia, diners can enjoy local dishes from a totally different angle – simpler and more delicate with respect to traditional ingredients.
Across the street from the Temple of Literature, Gia appreciates the old vibes of the time-enduring temple. Every decorative detail and every carved lotus is inspired by the Temple of Literature.
Unlike ordinary à la carte, the tasting menu at Gia offers a unique opportunity to try 10 different foods along with drinks. The menu is altered every three months – that’s why diners are always exposed to new dining experiences.
What makes the most of the dishes at Gia is the ingredients that are collected from many regions of the country, such as sat bamboo shoots from Yen Bai and H’mong chicken. Chef Sam also includes her own experience and feelings to tell the stories of classic foods at the places she has been to. “Through each dish at Gia, I want to tell the story of Vietnamese culture,” said Sam Tran, the chef and co-founder of the high-end restaurant.
📍Address: 61 Van Mieu Str, Dong Da Dist, Hanoi
🌟 Opening hours: Tuesday – Saturday: 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. | Sunday: 11.30 a.m. – 1.30 p.m. & 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. | Closed on Monday
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Hibana by Koki – Ha Noi
This is the only Japanese restaurant in Vietnam that obtained one star Michelin for teppanyaki (a style of Japanese cuisine that uses an iron griddle to cook food). The restaurant welcomes Japan’s finest ingredients and raw elements of contemporary Japan.
Located inside the opulent 5-star Capella Hanoi, Hibana by Koki is more like a “private hall” where 14 seats are only available upon reservation. The chef of Koki is Yamaguchi Hiroshi, who is extremely meticulous in selecting the ingredients, from fresh vegetables to quality meat flown in twice weekly from Japan.
The menu stands out with delicate yaeyma kyori beef. In order to maintain the highest standards of the dishes, the chef gets involved in every step, including cutting. That is to say the high value does not come from the food itself but the passion and flair of the chef who is a true performer in his kitchen stage.
As for the selection of seafood, size is crucial. The medium size is ideal for preparing and the cook’s style. With sea perch from the Sea of Japan and crab from the cold waters of Hokkaido, Chef Yoshida and his team ensures all diners have a culinary symphony with a focus on Japanese culture and authenticity.
📍Address: 11 Le Phung Hieu Str, Hoan Kiem Dist, Hanoi
🌟 Opening hours: Tuesday – Saturday: 10 a.m. – 1.30 p.m. & 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. | Closed on Sunday & Monday
Tầm Vị – Ha Noi
Michelin Guide describes, “This vintage tea house feels distinctly North Vietnamese with its nostalgic collection of Chinese furniture, hand-written signs and an antique gramophone and telephone.” The old-school vibe of one of Michelin star restaurants in Vietnam may suit those who are in search of peace and traditional flavors.
Set in a two-story wooden house, Tầm Vị serves up to 100 diners with 20 tables. From the wall accents, ceilings, stairs to bamboo chopsticks, everything is reminiscent of an image of an ancient house.
Northern Vietnamese cooking dominates but the Central and Southern treats are also worth raising. Either braised fish or crab soup with malabar spinach says a lot about Vietnamese traditional cuisine, not to mention boiled water spinach. Each dish sounds like nothing special but the most special touch lies in simplicity. The owner of the restaurant‘s original idea is to open a restaurant that serves family-style dishes.
Compared to casual eateries, Tầm Vị offers a bit higher prices, it is, however, a lot more affordable than other fine dining restaurants on the list. Tầm Vị is a well-balanced destination for a variety of ordinary dishes but at a higher level.
📍Address: 4B Yen The Str, Dong Da Distr, Hanoi
🌟 Opening hours: Tuesday – Saturday: 11 a.m. – 2.30 p.m. & 5 p.m. – 9.30 p.m. | Closed on Sunday & Monday
Ănăn – Ho Chi Minh City
One of the best Vietnamese restaurants in Ho Chi Minh, Anan is located in a wet market in the heart of Saigon. Chef Peter breaks all typical definitions of fine dining by setting the restaurant right next to casual shops. Inside the restaurant, traditional values and modern touches make it always vibrant. They use decorative details moderately enough to generate cozy feelings.
Also on the 3rd floor is the cocktail bar Nhau Nhau where you can tap into Vietnam’s nhau (drinking culture). The interior highlights a striking mural of a Vietnamese singer and a sign saying “Don’t go home ‘til you’re drunk.”
Prior to the Michelin star award, Anan Saigon is Viet Nam’s best restaurant in 2021 and 39th in Asia by the website theworlds50best.com on the ‘Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants’ list. The signature dish at Anan is ‘caviar bánh nhúng’, a fusion of Vietnamese and French cuisine. The Vietnamese rosette pastry provides a delicate and flaky base, while the salmon caviar and smoked salmon add a touch of luxury. The crème fraiche provides a touch of creaminess and acidity, which helps to balance out the flavors.
The menu at Anan also shines with Đà Lạt Pizza, Bánh Xèo Taco, Crab Fried Rice, Lemongrass Pork Chop and Angus Shaking Beef. Especially the iconic $100 Pho is a must-try with the finest ingredients cooked for 12 hours and 7 different types of beef.
📍Address: 89 Ton That Dam Str, Ben Nghe Ward, Distr 1
🌟Opening hours: Tuesday – Sunday: 5 p.m. – 11 p.m. | Closed on Monday
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Michelin Star Restaurants in Vietnam | Bib Gourmand Establishments in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City
The Bib Gourmand in the Michelin Guide is an award for restaurants with quality foods at reasonable prices. In fact, Bib or Bibendum is the company’s nickname for the Michelin Man, who has been the backbone of the company for more than a century.
13 Bib Gourmand Establishments in Hanoi
1946 Cua Bac – highlighting Hanoi’s history, ancient vibes and rustic cuisine, best known for the north-style menu.
Bun Cha Ta – serving Vietnamese grilled pork with noodles, a staple of Hanoi
Cha Ca Thang Long – stir-fried fish cakes made from fresh ingredients combined with unique cooking
Chao Ban – a lovely bistro preparing traditional and contemporary Vietnamese cuisine in a cozy space
Don Duck Old Quarter Restaurant – creative duck recipes including pho, hot pot and grills
Habakuk – specializing in single-origin beans along with contemporary dishes, especially decorative brunches
Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su – one of the most famous restaurants in Hanoi, serving different styles of pho Vietnam in a lively dining room
Pho Bo Au Trieu – a traditional pho restaurant with two signature dishes of half-done and well-done beef
Pho Ga Nguyet – a long-standing eatery serving chicken noodles with the best seller is the mixed pho
Pho Gia Truyen – hearty dishes of pho in casual styles, best served with fried dough sticks and extra golden egg yolk
The East – tempting Eastern food cooked and delivered to customers from small streets to upmarket setups
Tuyet Bun Cha 34 – fried noodles with fresh herbs and pork served with tasty dipping sauce
Xoi Com – a vintage restaurant offering a taste of Northern Vietnam in the 1980s and 1990s
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16 Bib Gourmand Establishments in Ho Chi Minh City
Bep Me In – a combination of the old Vietnam vibes with traditional food making diners feel like eating at home prepared by mama.
Chay Garden – a culinary space emphasizes the quality of ingredients and intricate preparation of vegetarian cuisine
Com tam Ba Ghien – Vietnamese broken rice establishment in Ho Chi Minh City since 1990 strongly favored by the locals
Cuc Gach Quan – Familiar wooden furnishings, rustic decoration with gentle green patches serving healthy and delicious food
Dim Tu Tac – authentic flavors of traditional Cantonese cuisine and dim sum, with gentle emphasis on little details
Hong Phat – one of the oldest restaurants in Saigon combining the culinary culture of Chaozhou and Khmer Kuey Teow Soup with the tastes from the south of Vietnam
Hum Garden – Southeast Asian cuisine with natural ingredients handpicked to deliver a delicate balance of flavors
Pho Chao – a family-run restaurant with unique recipes, especially the signature Pho tine, a creative Western-style take on pho
Pho Hoa Pasteur – Vietnamese traditional noodles with a wide range of quality toppings and delicious broth
Pho Hoang – beef noodle soup with side dishes like tendon, flank, minced beef or raw eggs
Pho Huong Binh – a traditional restaurant since 1958, only serving beef pho and chicken pho
Pho Le – Southern style pho loved by generations of diners in Saigon, crowded from morning to late night
Pho-Mien Ga Ky Dong – noodles and rice vermicelli in rich, aromatic chicken broth
Pho Minh – nestled in a narrow alley of Saigon, opened in 1945 with a pho menu still keeping its traditional flavors
Pho Phuong – exceptional beef broth boiled for 20 hours with fresh ingredients daily taken from the local markets
Xoi Bat – a little eatery with a contemporary design and creative menu of steamed sticky rice
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That more restaurants are internationally recognized is a good acknowledgment of the local food scene. The list of Michelin Star Restaurants in Vietnam will encourage more tourists to choose Vietnam as a food paradise on their Vietnam bucket list.
© Maika Tours
Written by Trinh Tran