Bún Thịt Nướng (Grilled Pork Vermicelli Salad)

One of Saigon’s best calling card dishes is this incredible noodle bowl.

Bún Thịt Nướng is an all-timer dish to get when visiting Saigon! An absolute must eat. There are a lot of good spots out there to choose from, but when it comes to me taking friends, these three are my go-to joints. I’m not sure who first paired fish sauce with salty, smokey bbq pork, but it is a HIT combination.

Combine that with the cool and refreshing noodles, veggies, pickled carrot and daikon, peanuts, and fried spring rolls and this is a no-brainer. Lots of BTN places will also do bánh hỏi, which I’ll cover in a different post. (Same same dish… but different. Isn’t it amazing how many shapes noodles can come in and how different they taste?!)

Bún Thịt Nướng Trương Tuyền

Hours: 6am-9pm everyday

Address: 209/10/4 Đ. Tôn Thất Thuyết, Phường 3, Quận 4

https://maps.app.goo.gl/NEVoVKQjeigiE5D86?g_st=ic

For a really wide selection of toppings, including some not usually offered for Bún Thịt Nướng, drop by this very popular sidewalk destination. It’s filled with takeaway motorbikes stopping in for every meal, so if you really want to try everything come by in the morning for the most variety. I usually get takeaway, but they have a couple seats.

Bún Thịt Nướng Chị Tuyền

Hours: 6am-9pm everyday

Address: 175c Cô Giang, Phường Cô Giang, Quận 1

https://maps.app.goo.gl/vrYjQrEHrs6jJwHu5?g_st=ic

Lots and lots of people (including me!) straight up swear by this place, although I’ve had a couple Vietnamese friends say the fish sauce is a bit too sweet. Personally I like it as it complements the pork and balances out what is otherwise a very savory dish with light chili sweetness. While this may be one of the more expensive bowls of Bún Thịt Nướng in the city, it’s worth every đong. Seating is super limited but they do a very vigorous takeaway business.

Bún Thịt Nướng - Nguyễn Trung Trực

Hours: 6am-8pm everyday

Address: 1 Đ. Nguyễn Trung Trực, Phường Bến Thành, Quận 1

https://maps.app.goo.gl/sdmFTzECcbwkSH9f8?g_st=ic

For a a meal located a bit more centrally, specifically just around the block from Ben Thanh Market, you can’t go wrong with this sidewalk institution. A near perfect bowl of Bún Thịt Nướng and especially convenient for tourists doing the District 1 rounds or office workers. Closes a bit early, but it’s a better breakfast and lunch stop anyway.

Few dishes show quite so explicitly how perfectly balanced Vietnamese cuisine tries to be. There’s sweet, umami, salty, crunchy, chewy, crisp, dry and somehow also wet… It’s really a perfect dish IMO and Bún Thịt Nướng is right up there with my beloved bánh mì on the list of easy local foods I could happily eat every single day.

Where’s your fav btn spot (I know you have one!)?

-Ben