Michelin has presented the very first restaurant selection of the Michelin Guide Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh City.

Among the 103 recommended restaurants (48 in Hanoi and 55 in Ho Chi Minh City), four are recognised with one Michelin star for their high-quality cooking.

This include three in Hanoi and one in Ho Chi Minh City.

At the same time, 29 establishments – the inspectors’ best value-for-money - receive a Bib Gourmand for offering good food at moderate prices.

“We’re very proud to finally present the first restaurant selection in Vietnam, with a total of 103 restaurants in the guide, highlighting four restaurants awarded with one Michelin Star,” said Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guide.

“The first selection in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City highlights the differences and variety in what these two cities have to offer.

“Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, offers a very laid back and relax vibe with small shops and restaurants found mostly in the old quarter.

“Traditional Vietnamese cuisine with northern flavour is prevalent in this city, with a clear presentation of natural flavour, enhanced with different types of spices and herbs for complexity.

“Ho Chi Minh City, on the other hand, is a bustling and rapid-growing city that offers a unique energy to all travellers and has a diverse variety of cuisine.

“Both modern and traditional cooking techniques are well seen, and there is also a great mix of talents and young local chefs eager to present their ideas and creations on the plate.”

This is just the beginning of the Michelin journey in Vietnam, and our inspectors have been more than pleased to have discovered many gastronomic spots in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and I am sure, many more in the coming years,” added Poullennec.

Amongst the 103 restaurants in the selection, one Michelin star is awarded to three restaurants in Hanoi and one restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City, for offering high quality cooking and outstanding culinary experience that is worth a stop when travelling to Vietnam.

Anăn Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), a Vietnamese contemporary restaurant, whose chef Peter Cuong Franklin applies modern cooking techniques to street food recipes to create enticing flavours, earned the one Michelin Star recognition.

Whether you order the fresh tuna tartare, a roasted duck-mozzarella-herb mini pizza, shrimp and pork tacos, or bone marrow wagyu beef phở, every dish is a masterclass of well-balanced flavours and textures.

Gia (Hanoi) is a Vietnamese contemporary restaurant, run by chef Sam Tran, receiving one Michelin star recognition for its menu that changes with the seasons and is inspired by Vietnamese culinary heritage.

Deceptively complex, the beautifully crafted dishes showcase well-judged combinations of subtle flavours, with acidity and texture playing prominent roles.

Hibana by Koki (Hanoi) presents a theatrical experience at a 14-seat counter in the basement of Capella Hotel, with chef Hiroshi Yamaguchi skilfully and precisely cooked teppanyaki dishes rich in complex flavour.

The menu features a distinctly opulently edge, epitomized by the premium ingredients flown in twice a week from Japan, such as abalone, spiny lobster, sea urchin, Yaeyama Kyori beef and Hokkaido hairy crab.

At the helm of Hibana by Koki culinary prowess is the esteemed head chef Yamaguchi, a visionary force in the creation of extraordinary Teppanyaki and Japanese cuisine.

With unrivalled expertise and a wealth of experience over 20 years, Yamaguchi orchestrates a symphony of flavours using only the freshest, meticulously sourced ingredients from Japan.

His visually stunning creations are exquisitely gratifying to the palate, reflecting the harmonious union of umami, kansha and omotenashi embodying profound mastery of the culinary arts.

“I, myself, am a perfectionist in of Japanese cuisine.

“I focus on the harmony throughout the process, and the time to finish the dish to match with the rhythm of the guest.

“I applied the same standard for ingredients, as it must be in the most perfect condition, and served at the appropriate time.

“For me personally, having a flexible grasp of time is also the key to giving customers their own unique dining experience,” said Yamaguchi.

The location also took the title of Vietnam’s Best Hotel Restaurant at the World Culinary Awards in 2022.

Tầm Vị (Hanoi) a vintage tea house that feels distinctly northern Vietnamese with its nostalgic collection of Chinese furniture and hand-written signs.

They serve northern Vietnamese dishes with some central and southern options.

The Vietnamese ham with periwinkle Chả Ốc (snails) comes with fresh herbs, vegetables and rice vermicelli with fish sauce. The crab soup with Canh Cua Mừng Tơi (malabar spinach) has a subtle crab flavour in a clear broth.

Special Awards

In addition to recommending quality restaurants, the guide also aims to highlight talented individuals who contribute to enhancing the gastronomic dining experience.

By doing so, it also acknowledges the diversity of jobs and know-hows involved in the restaurant industry.

For the inaugural edition of the Michelin Guide Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh City, the inspectors have found three worthy recipients.

The Michelin Service Award aims to highlight and encourage skilled and talented front-of-house professional who dramatically adds to the customer experience.

This award goes to Thi Nu Nguyen from Michelin Selected restaurant Vietnam House in Ho Chi Minh City.

Nguyen is very pleasant, she has good knowledge about food, wine and tea, with good recommendations for guests.

With good understanding of the menu and the restaurant, she is happy to offer information during engagement with guest with a bright smile and the right service pace.

The Michelin Sommelier Award recognises the skills, knowledge, and passion of talented sommelier of the industry, and is given to Yu Yamamoto from Michelin Selected restaurant Lửa in Ho Chi Minh City.

Coming from Japan with great passion in wine, Yamamoto is well equipped with excellent wine knowledge.

Managing around 70-100 labels with regular updates on the wine list, he is always fascinated to share quality wine as a daily special with diners.

Not only that he will make sake on his own way, but also a will to promote wine culture in Vietnam.

Finally, the Michelin Young Chef Award recognises a young chef working in a restaurant of the selection and whose exceptional talent and great potential have impressed the inspectors.

This year’s award is given to Sam Tran from one Michelin Starred restaurant Gia in Hanoi.

Tran is a talented chef, as a Vietnamese chef at the age of 30, possessing smart cooking where Vietnamese culture is well incorporated into Western cooking.

Her cuisine is impressive and filled with personality with precise preparation and accurate execution.

More Information

Vietnam was recognised with the title of Asia’s Leading Destination at the World Travel Awards.

Hanoi took the title of World’s Leading City Break Destination, while Ho Chi Minh City was honoured with Asia’s Leading Business Travel Destination.