The best Vietnamese restaurants in Singapore

The barbecue restaurant is the first Vietnamese-focused one in town. Special sauces are used to marinate the meats and seafood, and the food is cooked over charcoal stoves, just like the locals do in Vietnam. Even the decor mirrors the frenzied streets the country is known for. 

TRY Anything you can cook over the grill. Platters come loaded with meats and seafood and it pair best when dipped in Lang Nuong Vietnam’s specially concocted sauces. 

Hidden in the quiet neighbourhood of Pasir Panjang Road, Uncle Ho’s Tuckshop serves a hearty selection of Vietnamese grub. Pho, fresh spring rolls, crusty banh mi, and the usual suspects might rule the menu, but it’s the less-common bun cha that keeps people coming back for more. 

TRY Bun Cha ($12.90), which is a soothing alternative to the piping hot bowls of pho. It’s a dry-style noodle dish, with rice vermicelli and a bunch of vegetables served on the side. Dip it into the tangy-sweet broth – it comes swimming with bits of pickled vegetables and meat slices that make it a joy to slurp down. 

Many know Vietnamese cuisine for its food, but its coffee deserves a mention as well. The menu at La Saigon gives the beans the spotlight it deserves, with batches ordered from local Vietnamese farmers to produce the freshest brew possible. Order a cuppa, and pair it with crusty banh mi ($7) and the best-selling pho (from $14.90). 

TRY Vietnamese coffee, which is made with fine Robusta beans that are hand-picked and sun-dried. The owner’s dedication to using the best local beans comes through best in the drip coffee ($4.50 for black, $5.50 for white). 

At this Aussie-Vietnamese joint, you'll get hulking bowls of pho and rice dishes topped with the freshest meat and an interesting array of side dishes and snacks. Look out for its incredible sets meals which come with a main and a small bite – all below $16. 

TRY If you like your beef, take up the Beefeater Pho ($12.80), or if you need your rice fix, the signature pork strip ($12.80) is a must-try. Add on some Viet Nachos ($6.50) on the side or stick to a classic rice paper rolls with pork and prawn ($6.50/two) to complete the meal. 

If you’re looking for an affordable lunch, NamNam Noodle Bar is a good spot in the city. The chain is a casual spin-off from its more upscale cousin Annam Vietnamese Cuisine at Shaw Centre. Both belong to local F&B powerhouse Les Amis Group (they’ve long been the standard-bearers for French fine dining with restaurants like Au Jardin and Bistro Du Vin), but NamNam’s combination of affordable Viet favourites and ultra-accessible locations has proved equally popular.

TRY The food’s simple but satisfying – banh mi (from $8.90), Viet-style baguette sandwiches with a variety of fillings such as tofu and five-spice pork belly, and the staple pho – chewy rice noodles that comes in either traditional chicken/beef broth or modern variations like truffle wagyu noodle soup ($18.90). The lunch deal’s even better: $10.90 with gets you a sizable bowl of chicken/beef pho, two spring rolls and a cup of authentic Viet iced coffee. 

Head over to this quaint Vietnamese restaurant to satisfy your pho cravings and a hearty bowl of noodles. Though it might primarily be a pho joint, there are many other dishes on the menu as well for sides and extra snacks. 

TRY Bestsellers include the sliced beef pho ($8.90) and the beef combo pho ($9.90). Mrs Pho also serves up noodle variants like their signature Assam seafood noodle soup ($9.90) and chicken soup with glass noodles ($8.90).

Pho takes on a modern twist at Pho Stop. The main feature here – the pho – comes with a lighter broth than most joints but that doesn't mean it's bland. Plus, the servings are super generous and there is a lot of toppings and meat to go around. 

TRY Go fancy with a bowl of sliced ribeye pho ($10.70) or a combination of beef slices and balls ($13.90). Don't eat beef? Try the chicken pho ($10 instead). Then, end your meal with a cup of Vietnamese coffee flavoured ice cream, ($4.60). 

This Vietnamese eatery along Amoy Street is a favourite spot with hungry CBD workers when the lunch hour comes along. And for good reason. The menu is simple, making ordering authentic Vietnamese food a breeze during rush hour. 

TRY Its affordable bowls of pho (from $9.50) are authentic enough to skip a trip to Ho Chi Minh, while its com suon ($9) – that’s rice with either a pork, beef or chicken cutlet – and spring rolls with noodles ($9) makes for a light, but fulfilling, lunch.

This Vietnamese restaurant with an alfresco riverside dining area caters perfectly to the area. The restaurant also has a resident band to entertain diners as they tuck in fail-safe Vietnamese fare. 

TRY Popular with the crowds is the top-selling Dui Ech Cheng Bo (deep-fried frogs’ legs, $17) – but you can play it safe with a basic pho bo ($11) and selection of meats (from $11). 

Cheap food in Orchard? It's going to be quite a stretch. But somewhere in the risque nightclub central that is Orchard Towers sits Thiên Long, a quaint, frills-free and authentic Vietnamese eatery.

TRY Its signature is the noodle salad with stir-fried beef ($6), but a huge bowl of pho and assorted small bites makes for good late-night food – especially if you have been drinking and partying on the premises.