Vietnamese Street Foods: There's really no "best" Vietnamese street food, there's just better.

1. Bánh mì:

Bánh mì is an extremely common snack in Vietnam. You can find them anywhere: from street vendors to high-end restaurants. Bánh mì is the perfect combination between a soft and crispy Vietnamese baguette and different types of filling depending on the place.

Unlike Bánh mì outside Vietnam, which is a variation of bánh mì with pickled radish, pate, meat, herbs, etc., Bánh mì in Vietnam is an umbrella term for all kinds of sandwiches that use Vietnamese baguette, with all kinds of fillings like char siu, meatballs, eggs, and of course, the classic style you see outside Vietnam.

Street food vendors selling Banh mi

2. Cà phê sữa đá:

Cà phê sữa đá has become a Vietnamese classic. The fact that it's easily made, and a tasty drink that helps you freshen up in the morning, making it a staple for every Vietnamese person. With some condensed milk, ice, coffee, a delicious drink is made to satisfy your caffeine cravings and sweet tooth.

3. Chè:

Chè is the most popular Vietnamese dessert. It can be a hot and sweet soup, or a cool, refreshing drink with different kinds of jelly, fruits, beans, and oftentimes, coconut milk. Depending on each region, chè is made differently. For example, in Huế, they have chè bưởi, chè khoai môn, chè sương sa hạt lựu. In the South, they have chè ba màu, chè khúc bạch. Finally, in the North, there's chè sen long nhãn, chè cốm, chè trôi nước.

4. Gà tần/ Herbal chicken:

Unlike the other snacks, gà tần, or herbal chicken, is with many health benefits and is a classic Vietnamese comfort food. The chicken is braised in Chinese herbs, jujube and mugwort for many hours, creating a delicious, hearty soup that also reaps health benefits. Usually, it is eaten with instant noodles or steamed sticky rice.

5. Trứng vịt lộn/ Balut:

One of the most popular dishes in South East Asia, and a classic breakfast dish in Vietnam, it is absolutely delicious. Balut, or Trứng vịt lộn, is basically the duck egg that has been fertilized, and has a duck fetus inside (sounds gross, but trust me, it's absolutely delicious), then boiled. It's a classic Vietnamese street food, and is usually eaten with Vietnamese coriander leaves and salt & pepper.

6. Bánh tráng/Rice paper snacks:

Bánh tráng trộn is a dish ingrained in every Vietnamese student's childhood. It's

the ultimate snack: crispy rice paper slivers, quail eggs, spicy Vietnamese beef jerky, and some green mango slices — just perfect in every way.

Another popular variety you should try is bánh tráng nướng: with just some buttered rice paper, an egg, add some cheese, hot dogs and beef jerky, you can make your own delicious Vietnamese treat!

Bánh tráng trộn

Bánh tráng nướng

7. Noodle soups:

Phở, bún, bánh đa are some of the most distinctly Vietnamese dishes. They are the perfect combination of springy rice noodles, umami, crystal clear broth, and delicious toppings such as meat, seafood, bean sprouts, herbs, etc. Though they are all different in many ways and come in many flavors, they're all similarly delicious!

Phở

Bún