Vietnamese food is now recognized as a global cuisine and famous for its street food. However, lesser known to the general public are the sweet and savory snacks. We share five popular Vietnamese snacks you should try when you’re visiting Vietnam. Most snacks will have the word ‘banh’ in front of it. Banh means ‘cake or bread’ which can be savory or sweet. The interesting thing about Vietnamese snacks is that there are not only originally Vietnamese but also some that are adapted from French and Chinese pastries. There are countless number of Vietnamese snacks because each region and city have their own specialty. This article will introduce you to four common snacks that you will find in most cities in Vietnam.
Banh Mi
The most popular snack in Vietnam and known worldwide is the Banh Mi which can mean just ‘bread’ or in this case referred to as a baguette sandwich with comes with pate, cold cuts, herbs, pickled carrots and daikon. Not very Banh Mi will taste the same and its dependent on the bread, the pate and mayonnaise and meats whether it’s homemade or not. The portion and price also varies depending on the volume of meats. Read more about the different types of Banh Mi sandwich.Price: 20,000-50,000 vnd
Banh Gio
You’ll recognize this snack by its pyramid shape, wrapped in banana leaves, and most times you’ll see it in a steaming pot or in some cases, in the bakery display. It’s made of rice flour and the tapioca flour gives it its jelly-like texture. Inside is a pork, onion, and mushroom filling with a quail egg in the middle. Because it’s wrapped in banana leaf, when you open it, it smells fragrant and ‘green’. If you purchase it from the steaming pot, the Banh Gio will be really hot inside. It normally comes with a small spoon which you can scoop directly from the banana leaf once you open it. It’s a great snack to have in between meals and convenient to bring along on a road trip. Although it originated in northern Vietnam, you can find this in central and southern Vietnam as well. You’ll most likely find this at a deli which sells other foods like banh mi.Price: 8,000-15,000 vnd
Banh Bao
Banh Bao is a pork bun, adapted from the Cantonese Baozi buns. It comes in a steamed and deep fried version. The typical Banh Bao is mostly flour and in the middle is a meat filling with quail eggs. There are numerous varieties with options of dried pork sausage and roasted pork and more modern versions have chicken and even cheese added. The steamed Banh Bao is usually sold alongside Banh Gio but can also be easily found around the city. The deep fried Banh Bao is not as common and are normally sold by street sellers who are making other deep fried snacks like Banh Tieu, a Vietnamese version of a donut (without the hole).Price: 15,000-30,000 vnd
Banh Pate Chaud
This is a French-influence savory pastry and is like a mini-meat pie. The pastry is light textured and flaky and inside it’s stuffed with ground pork, onion, and mushrooms – similar ingredients to the Banh Gio and Banh Bao. Most Vietnamese snacks are steamed or deep fried, the baking method is the French influence.Price: 10,000-15,000 vnd
Banh Flan
Another French adaptation is the Flan or also known as creme caramel. It’s an egg pudding with a thin layer of sugared caramel sauce on top. The Vietnamese version has condensed milk which gives it a dense texture. Flan is normally sold in small plastic containers per portion. You can find flan at the markets and delis.This is a brief introduction to Vietnamese snacks. If you go to a Vietnamese deli like Nhu Lan in Saigon or shops that sell Banh Mi sandwiches, you will see a lot of different snacks that are not mentioned here. Be adventurous and try something new. Who knows, you might discover your new favorite Vietnamese food! You can taste these snacks and more on our food and culture walking tours. Contact us for more information.