Walk into any street food stall in Hanoi or Saigon and you'll find a plate of fresh herbs sitting on the table before you've even ordered. This is "rau thom" — literally "fragrant greens" — and understanding what's on that plate changes the way you eat in Vietnam (베트남 / 越南 / ベトナム) entirely.
Why the Herb Plate Matters
In Vietnamese cooking, herbs aren't decoration. They're structural. A bowl of "pho" without fresh basil and saw-leaf coriander is technically complete but experientially flat. "Banh xeo" eaten without a lettuce wrap and a handful of herbs is just a greasy pancake. The herbs carry bitterness, menthol, anise, and citrus notes that balance fat, salt, and fermented fish sauce. Once you know what you're grabbing, you stop picking randomly and start eating intentionally.
Below are the herbs you'll encounter most often, region by region and dish by dish.
Rau Ram — Vietnamese Coriander
Narrow, pointed leaves with a dark chevron marking down the center. The flavor is sharp — peppery, with a lemongrass-adjacent edge and a faint funkiness underneath. It's not subtle.
Where it shows up: Most famously with "ga luoc" (poached chicken) in central and southern Vietnam, where a plate of rau ram and ginger salt is the standard accompaniment. You'll also find it with "goi cuon" (fresh spring rolls) and certain seafood dishes, particularly snails and clams. In the Mekong Delta (메콩 델타 / 湄公河三角洲 / メコンデルタ), it's almost always on the table.
What to know: Rau ram wilts fast. At markets it's sold in loose bunches and should look perky and deeply green. Avoid anything yellowing at the edges — the flavor turns soapy.
Ngo Gai — Saw-Leaf Coriander (Culantro)
Long, serrated leaves that look like they'd cut you if you grabbed too fast. The smell is unmistakably coriander — actually more concentrated than the round-leafed variety. People who claim to hate coriander often find this one even more polarizing.
Where it shows up: Essential with pho (쌀국수 / 越南河粉 / フォー) in the north, particularly "pho bo" (beef pho). It's a core herb in "bun bo hue" and appears regularly alongside "bun rieu". Because it holds up better under heat than soft-leaf herbs, vendors sometimes drop a leaf directly into a hot bowl.
What to know: Also called "ngo ta" in some southern dialects. At 5,000–8,000 VND per bunch at wet markets, it's one of the cheaper herbs and widely available year-round.
Photo by Hồng Quang Official on Pexels
Kinh Gioi — Vietnamese Balm (Lemon Balm)
Soft, slightly fuzzy leaves with scalloped edges. The aroma is lemony and faintly minty — closer to lemon verbena than to peppermint. It's gentle compared to rau ram or ngo gai, which makes it one of the more approachable herbs for first-timers.
Where it shows up: Northern cooking uses it heavily with "cha ca" (turmeric fish) and cold noodle dishes. It's a standard herb alongside "bun cha (분짜 / 烤肉米粉 / ブンチャー)" in Hanoi — you'll find it in the herb basket that comes with the grilled pork and noodle broth. Also pairs well with steamed freshwater fish.
What to know: Rarely seen in the south in the same way. If you're eating in Hanoi (하노이 / 河内 / ハノイ) and notice a soft-leafed herb that smells faintly citrusy, this is probably it.
Tia To — Vietnamese Perilla
Broad, ruffled leaves — green on top, deep purple-red underneath. It looks dramatic and tastes that way too: somewhere between mint, anise, and basil, with a slight bitterness on the finish. In Japan, a nearly identical herb is called shiso; the Vietnamese version tends to be more pungent.
Where it shows up: A standard addition to "bun cha" herb plates and to "banh cuon (반꾸온 / 蒸米卷 / バインクオン)" (steamed rice rolls). It's used in certain northern soups and with grilled meats where its anise note complements charred fat. Southern cooks use it less, but it appears occasionally with "mi quang" in Da Nang and surrounding areas.
What to know: The purple underside is a reliable identifier. Don't confuse it with basil ("hung que"), which has smaller, darker leaves and a more purely anise flavor.
Rau Ma — Pennywort
Tiny, round leaves on thin stems — looks like something that escaped from a terrarium. Unlike most herbs on this list, rau ma is consumed primarily as a drink rather than a table herb. Blended with water, ice, and a little sugar, it becomes a pale green juice sold at street stalls across Vietnam for around 10,000–15,000 VND a glass.
Where it shows up: As a fresh juice ("nuoc rau ma") in virtually every city, most common during hot months. In cooking, it occasionally appears in salads and light soups in central Vietnam.
What to know: The flavor is cooling and faintly grassy — medicinal in the traditional sense. It's considered good for heat and digestion in Vietnamese folk medicine, and plenty of locals drink it daily. Worth trying on a 37-degree afternoon in Hue or Saigon (사이공 / 西贡 / サイゴン).
Photo by Pew Nguyen on Pexels
Hung Lui and Hung Que — The Two Basils
Vietnam uses two distinct basil varieties that are worth distinguishing. "Hung que" (Thai basil) has small, dark leaves and a strong anise punch — it goes into the pho herb plate in the south and into many Mekong dishes. "Hung lui" (spearmint) is the mild, rounded mint that often appears alongside "goi cuon (고이꾸온 / 越南春卷 / ゴイクオン)" and fresh spring rolls.
In Hoi An, "cao lau" traditionally comes with its own specific herb mix including local greens not easily found elsewhere — a reminder that even a familiar herb plate can be regional.
How to Use the Herb Plate
There's no fixed rulebook. The general principle: tear larger leaves rather than stuffing them whole, layer into the bowl or wrap progressively, and taste as you go. Some combinations work better than others — rau ram with fatty grilled meat, kinh gioi with broth-based dishes, tia to with anything tangy. The plate is interactive, not prescriptive.
If you're buying herbs at markets like Dong Xuan Market in Hanoi or Ben Thanh Market in Saigon, most vendors sell them loose by the handful. Point, hold up fingers, and you'll get something workable for 5,000–10,000 VND.
Practical Notes
Most herb plates at restaurants are included in the dish price — you won't be charged separately. At casual street stalls, the plate refills automatically if you're eating a noodle dish. If you want to explore further, a wet market visit early in the morning (before 8 a.m.) gives you the best selection and the freshest stock.
Last updated · May 26, 2026 · independently researched, never sponsored.
