Traditional Vietnamese cuisine boasts over 500 specialties varying from the world famous spring rolls and much adored Pho to tamarind crab. The cuisine of Vietnam comes as a pleasant surprise to many visitors and is definitely a part of the Vietnam experience not to be missed. The particular culture of Vietnam has given rise to three distinctly different types of Vietnamese cuisine.

Cuisine in the North:

The preparation of food is simpler than the rest of the country. Cuisine of Vietnam herein and the food habits of the people here have been influenced by Chinese cuisine. Stir-fries with soy sauce or fish sauce are very popular in this region. A history stricken with poverty has curtailed the region from experimenting with different food varieties. Meals are generally not spicy while making use of a wide array of interesting sauces. Typical Vietnamese dishes you can expect to try including “pho”or “bun”, a type of rice noodle soup eaten for breakfast, “cha gio”, deep-fried spring rolls and “goi ngo sen”, a delicious salad made with lotus stems, shrimps and peanuts.

Cuisine in the South:

In sharp contrast to the northern cooking, southern Vietnamese cuisine indulges in extensive use of fresh food. They use abundant vegetables, fish and seafood. The cuisine here has a vast influence of French cuisine.

Cuisine in the Center:

The most unique, spiciest and the most colorful of all is the central Vietnamese cuisine. It has been strongly influenced by the Vietnamese food as prepared in the royal kitchens and this has led to the introduction of an array of small side dishes. It is believed that the status of a person is determined by the number of dishes on the table. The more the dishes the wealthier he is.
Common Vietnamese cuisine includes roasted vegetable and meat soup, rice, meat, and stir-fried vegetable. Bo 7 Mon, seven courses of beef, is a popular Vietnamese dish mostly served at weddings. Ca 7 Mon is seven courses of fish. These dishes are common among the higher end Vietnamese. Other popular food in Vietnam include Banh Bao, Banh Chung, Banh Mi Thit, Banh xeo, Bun Bo Hue, Com tam, Bun thit nuong, Bun Cha Gio, Nem Nuong, Chao tom, Goi, and Goi Du Du. Another favorite with the Vietnamese are the different types of spring rolls like Bi cuon, Bo bia, Ca cuon, and Bo la lot.

A characteristic feature of soups in Vietnam is that they are rich but clear which have originated from different corners of the country. Pho is a famous beef or chicken noodle soup from Vietnam, which is prepared after hours of boiling bones and different herbs. It is a delicacy to be feasted on for breakfast. In other countries people enjoy it with lunch or dinner.

The popularity of Vietnamese cuisine can be judged from their availability and huge demand in different parts of the world like United States, Canada, France, Australia, Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Russia, South Korea, Laos and Thailand.