Vung Tau is easy to write off as a weekend beach town for Saigon residents, but the food scene here is quietly good and refreshingly cheap. If you know which streets to walk, you can eat three full meals a day without breaking 150,000 VND total.
Breakfast Under 20,000 VND
Banh Mi and Banh Cuon Carts on Truong Cong Dinh
The stretch of Truong Cong Dinh between the market and the roundabout wakes up around 6am with cart vendors selling "banh mi" stuffed with pate, cold cuts, and pickled daikon for 15,000–18,000 VND. Ask for banh mi trung if you want a fried egg added — still under 25,000 VND.
For something lighter, look for the "banh cuon" stalls around the same area. A plate of steamed rice rolls with minced pork and dried shrimp, drizzled with fish sauce and a few sprigs of herbs, runs 20,000–25,000 VND. It's a proper breakfast, not a snack.
Pho at Cho Vung Tau (Vung Tau Market)
The ground floor of the central market on Nam Ky Khoi Nghia has several "pho" vendors that open before 7am. A bowl with beef brisket or tendon is 30,000–35,000 VND. The broth here skews southern — slightly sweet, heavy on the star anise — and they pile on the fresh herbs. Eat at the plastic stools inside the market rather than taking it out; the bowls look better and the broth stays hotter.
Lunch: 30,000–45,000 VND
Com Tam on Hoang Hoa Tham
"Com tam" — broken rice — is Vung Tau (붕따우 / 头顿 / ブンタウ)'s default lunch. The stretch of Hoang Hoa Tham near the back beach has three or four com tam shops that compete hard on price and portions. The standard plate (broken rice, grilled pork rib, shredded pork skin, steamed egg, fish sauce) costs 40,000–45,000 VND. That price includes a small bowl of soup and unlimited pickled vegetables. Skip the places with laminated tourist menus near the front beach; the Hoang Hoa Tham spots are where delivery riders and construction workers eat.
Bun Bo Hue Near the Bus Station
A few noodle shops near the Vung Tau bus station on Nguyen Huu Canh serve "bun bo Hue" — the spicy, lemongrass-forward Hue-style noodle soup — from around 11am. A bowl lands at 35,000–40,000 VND with pork knuckle and blood cake. It's a bit more work to find than the beachside restaurants, but the broth is made fresh each morning and sells out by early afternoon.
Goi Cuon by the Fish Market
Down near the fishing pier on Ha Long street (not to be confused with Ha Long Bay (하롱베이 / 下龙湾 / ハロン湾) — Vung Tau has its own Ha Long road running the seafront), vendors sell "goi cuon" — fresh spring rolls — by the piece or by the plate. Four rolls with shrimp, pork, vermicelli, and plenty of mint cost around 20,000–25,000 VND with a small cup of hoisin-peanut dipping sauce. Light, filling, and genuinely fresh given the proximity to the boats.
Photo by Vuong on Pexels
Dinner: 40,000–50,000 VND
Banh Xeo at Evening Market Stalls
After 5pm, the area around the Vung Tau wet market fills with small stalls selling "banh xeo (반세오 / 越南煎饼 / バインセオ)" — the crispy, turmeric-yellow sizzling crepes filled with shrimp, pork belly, and bean sprouts. A full-sized crepe runs 40,000–50,000 VND and is meant to be torn apart, wrapped in rice paper with lettuce and herbs, and dunked in fish sauce. One is usually enough for a meal. These stalls are set up and packed away same-day, so arrive between 5:30pm and 7pm.
Hu Tieu Noodle Shops on Le Loi
For a proper sit-down dinner, the "hu tieu (후띠우 / 粿条 / フーティウ)" shops along Le Loi offer the best value after dark. Hu tieu is the southern noodle soup — lighter than pho, built on pork bone broth, typically topped with minced pork, shrimp, quail eggs, and fried shallots. A large bowl is 40,000–45,000 VND. Most shops stay open until 10pm, making it a reliable late option when the beach bars seem overpriced.
Cha Gio from Street Carts
If you just want something to eat while walking the front beach at night, the roving carts selling "cha gio (짜조 / 炸春卷 / チャーゾー)" — fried spring rolls — are hard to beat. Five pieces for 15,000–20,000 VND. They're fried to order in small batches and handed over in paper with a plastic cup of dipping sauce. Not a full meal, but paired with a cheap "bia hoi" from any plastic-stool beer stall, it works fine as an evening wind-down.
Photo by Pragyan Bezbaruah on Pexels
What to Drink
Coffee culture is strong here. A glass of "ca phe sua da (연유커피 / 越南冰咖啡 / ベトナムアイスコーヒー)" — iced milk coffee — from any local cafe or cart runs 15,000–20,000 VND. Avoid the tourist-facing cafes on the beachfront; the price jumps to 45,000–55,000 VND for the same drink.
Practical Notes
Most of these spots are cash only and don't have English menus — pointing and gesturing works fine. Prices quoted are as of mid-2024 and reflect standard portions; tourist-area surcharges can push the same dishes 20,000–30,000 VND higher, so the street and the market are always the better value. The market breakfast vendors and the evening banh xeo stalls move seasonally, so if a spot is gone, the stall next to it is usually the same quality.
Last updated · May 26, 2026 · independently researched, never sponsored.
