We will meet here.

Wander through the lively Ban Co Market, a true local market far from the tourist crowds. We'll explore colorful produce, fresh herbs, tofu, mushrooms, spices, and traditional Vietnamese ingredients while learning how locals shop and cook. Along the way, you'll taste seasonal tropical fruits and discover the plant-based ingredients that make Vietnamese cuisine naturally rich and flavorful.

Step inside one of Ho Chi Minh City's oldest apartment complexes and discover a neighborhood that most visitors never see. We'll wander through narrow alleyways, meet local residents, learn about the history of these unique buildings, and experience everyday life beyond the city's tourist attractions. Along the way, I'll share stories about the community, local culture, and how generations of families have lived here.

Stop 1: BBQ, Dumplings & Central Vietnamese Bites We’ll kick things off at a little family-run spot where you can dig into some seriously good vegan Vietnamese food Try smoky vegan BBQ, handmade dumplings, and soft steamed rice cakes from Central Vietnam... all the kind of everyday food locals actually love. Nothing fancy here. Just good food, a tiny local spot, and a chance to start the tour the Vietnamese way: eat first, talk later.

Stop 2: Vietnam’s Wild Fruit World Vietnam has so many fruits you probably won’t recognize .. so let’s fix that! We’ll visit a family-run fruit shop and taste a colorful mix of tropical and exotic fruits, depending on what’s fresh that day. Some will be sweet, some sour, some strange… and there may be a few where you have absolutely no idea what you’re eating even if you are asians. I’ll show you how locals actually enjoy them and introduce you to a side of Vietnamese food culture that most visitors completely miss.

Stop 3: The Old Chè Stop Time for sweets… We’ll stop at a little street-food spot for a selection of traditional chè: the colorful sweet desserts Vietnamese people grew up eating. You might try chè bà ba, banana chè, chewy taro chè, sweet corn chè, or white bean chè, depending on what’s available.

Stop 4: Noodles, Crispy Bánh Cống & Homemade Juice We also try comforting Vietnamese vegan street food. We’ll have bún thịt nướng chay, a fresh noodle bowl with grilled vegan “meat,” alongside crispy bánh cống chay. And then there’s some juice if you want The auntie running the place makes it herself, so we will sit down for a bit, and enjoy the simple neighborhood atmosphere. Basically: good food, friendly people, zero touristy vibes.

Dumpling time! We’ll visit another family-run spot and try a few different kinds of vegan dumplings. But this stop isn’t just about eating. While we snack, I’ll tell you a little about Saigon’s Chinese community and how their food, traditions, and culture became such an important part of the city It’s one of those little corners of Saigon that you could easily walk past without ever knowing the story behind it.

Bột Chiên, Drinks & Just Chilling We’ll grab a plate of crispy bột chiên, one of Saigon’s classic street-food snacks, and pair it with a cold beer or whatever drink you’re into. We’ll sit around, eat, chat, laugh, and soak up the everyday Saigon street vibe. Because I think some of the best travel moments happen when you stop trying to see everything and just enjoy where you are.

Chè Hiển Khánh: A Taste of Old Saigon Now we’re going somewhere with a bit of history. At Chè Hiển Khánh, we’ll try some classic Vietnamese sweets that have been enjoyed for generations: like fragrant lotus seed chè, soft bánh cốm, and delicate bánh đậu xanh. It’s a completely different side of Vietnamese dessert culture: less flashy, more traditional, and wonderfully old-school. Think sweet treats, a little Saigon history, and the feeling of stepping into another era for a few minutes.

Note: I’m very flexible The itinerary is just a starting point : depending on what’s fresh, what’s open, and what we feel like that day, we might totally change things up and discover something completely different. That’s part of the fun but I promise you will be very full so you can sleep well