“Vietnam†has developed cooking using rice based on its natural environment, which is a global granary region. Starting with the most familiar and familiar “Pho (Pho),†the sandwich “Bánh mì (Bánh mì),†which is a baguette made from rice and filled with various ingredients; “Bánhxèo (Bánhxèo),†which is made by putting vegetables and seafood in a half-moon shape with rice flour dough, “buhcha (buhcha)â€, where rice noodles are soaked in charcoal-grilled meat and rice noodle noodles soaked in oil on rice paper Typical examples include deep-fried “Nem (Nem).†It presents a variety of flavors using fresh vegetables and various spices, and has been evaluated as one of the top three Asian cuisines along with China and Thailand.
Foods with light and fresh sauces and Vietnamese foods that are easy to digest made from rice are loved by the Korean public regardless of the type. Vietnamese food restaurants in Seoul include Gyeongridan-gil Rehoi, Daehak-ro Depchai, Samcheong-dong Viet Nam, Yeonnam-dong Anh, Gyeongridan-gil Tintin, Dogok-dong Annam, Mapo Saigong Recipe, Insadong Plus 84, Mangwon From Hanoi, Garosu-gil Mai Hanoi, Yeouido Hanoi Breakfast, Hongdae Haebangchon, Hongdae Haebangchon Banmiri, Itaewon Quying, Toitoy Vietnam, Noryangjin Saigong-ri, Gwyn-ro, Yunyangjin Saigong-ri, Guyung-ro Nan rice noodles and Sinchon Mibundang are famous. Famous Vietnamese food restaurants across the country include Busan Seomyeon Buncha Lime, Bucheon Hwa Hoi Halong Hall, Bupyeong Vietnam Poda Pho Noodle Soup, Jeonju Bachang, Gimpo Poiu, Jinju Weheng, Busan Sasang Tuhien, Daejeon Ganamji, Busan Namcheon-dong Saigon Main Branch, and Daegu Sinchao. Franchise restaurants with several branches include Emma Yi, Buncharaboom, Le Verne Me, Miss Saigon, Little Papapo, Vietnamese Street Restaurant, Pho Main, Hello Vietnam, Hanoi Star, Saigon Square, Pomons, Hoa Binh, Little Saigon, and 72420. Let's take a look at the 5 best Vietnamese food restaurants in Seoul that perfectly recreate the local flavors of Vietnam.
1. Daehak-ro's “Depp Chai†made the most of its chewiness with raw noodles
Image source: dep_trai_korea's Instagram
Image source: dep_trai_korea's Instagram
“Depchai†draws attention with its green exterior and red signboard. You can enjoy dishes made based on local recipes by a chef from Hanoi, Vietnam. The signature menu, “Hanoi rice noodles,†is characterized by using fresh noodles picked directly from the store every day. The rich broth that has been simmered for 24 hours and the chewy yet soft noodles go in harmony. You can sprinkle lime juice on rice noodles and eat them with minced garlic and red pepper according to your preferences. The “honbap set,†which is sold only to single customers, is very popular because you can find the ingredients of rice noodles and nem (zajo) at a reasonable price. If you order the menu according to the number of people, you can get one refill of noodles.
2. Enjoy Gyeongridan-gil's' Rehoi 'in a local atmosphere
Image source: kiheso_d's Instagram
Image source: dain_1211 on Instagram
“Rehoy†is such a popular place that there are long waiting lines every time it's time to eat. The interior of the store is decorated with colorful lighting to recreate the local feel of Vietnam. The signature menu is the “Banmi Sandwich,†which is a baguette made from rice, split in half and contains the main ingredient, soft-boiled fried egg, and plenty of vegetables. The contrasting texture of freshly baked baguette, which is crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, is impressive. The rich texture and flavor of the savory baguette combined with various ingredients and sauces is appealing. Note that you can choose pork or shrimp as the main ingredient in the sandwich to suit your taste.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 5, Sowol-ro 38ga-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
▲Opening hours: 12:00 — 22:00 every day, B/T 15:00 — 17:00, closed on Mondays
â–²Price: Half rice sandwich (pork) 6,500 won, 12,000 won for a portion
â–²Testimonial (shikigami jjeo): There's always a wait. It's too inconvenient to go by public transportation, but there's also a friendly valet guy… I really recommend this place. It's delicious, the corn fritters are really good, and the half-rice… so delicious!! Even though the two of us ordered all 5 menus, we ate them all.
3. The first sweet and sour rice noodle I tasted, Itaewon's' Kuing '
Image source: quynh_official's Instagram
Image source: quynh_official's Instagram
“Quying†showcases food from north-central Vietnam. The green plants scattered all over the store create a fresh atmosphere. The signature menu “Bunjiu†uses a broth made from tomatoes, freshwater crab, and shrimp, and is characterized by a sweet and sour flavor unlike regular rice noodles. The savory deep-fried tofu topped as a garnish adds flavor to the refreshing yet light soup. “Nemrui,†a Hoi An style wrapped dish made by putting minced meat and shrimp, vegetables, fruit, and rice noodle noodles in rice paper, rolled up with peanut sauce, is also a popular menu item. It's open 24 hours a day, so it's a great place to feel free to visit even when it's late.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 189 Itaewon-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
▲Business hours: 00:00 — 24:00 every day
â–²Price: Bunjiu 9,000 won, Nemrui 15,000 won
â–²Testimonial (Foxin Star): The store was very clean with pastel tones. I was surprised to think they would make rice noodles for 24 hours. It's a rice noodle shop that you can actually go to properly and with confidence. The flavors eaten in Vietnam are still very tasty when eaten with coriander and pak pak. I especially like direct-cooked rice noodles. NEM is delicious and a variety of other foods are also worth eating.
4. 'Plus 84' in Insa-dong, where the gentle scent of fire is charming
Image source: think__so's Instagram
Image source: eddieeddie9292's Instagram
“Plus 84†is run by siblings from Vietnam. It consists of a variety of spaces, from outdoor seating to an attic inside the store. The signature menu is “Buncha,†which you can enjoy in one bite by dipping charcoal-grilled pork, rice noodles, and vegetables in a refreshing yet sweet sauce. A faint aroma of fire spreads throughout the mouth, followed by a sour sauce and fresh vegetables to finish off the aftertaste. If desired, coriander can be added to add a pleasant flavor. The “Banmi Sandwich,†which contains plenty of meat with crunchy radish, cucumber, and carrots in a baguette, is also a popular menu. There are many types of pork, beef, eggs, etc., so it's fun to pick and eat.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 6, Insadong 16-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
▲Business hours: 11:00 — 21:30 every day
â–²Price: 11,500 won, grilled lemongrass fork 6,900 won â–²Review (you'll be reborn): Everything from the baguette bread to the filling is delicious… haha, I don't eat coriander very well, but the one in the banmi was fine.
5. Mapo's “Saigong Recipeâ€, a rich soup that fills the inside
Image source: gyungjinlee_ on Instagram
Image source: ssaigonrecipe's Instagram
“Sai Gong Recipe†is a Vietnamese food specialty store located at Exit 1 of Mangwon Station. This place offers a variety of rice noodles based on a broth made by adding various herbal ingredients and spices to beef bone broth. The signature menu, “Pervochin,†is a hearty serving of beef that has been thoroughly boiled, so you can enjoy the savory flavor of the meat to the fullest. After the bean sprouts are cooked once, they are placed under the noodles to further enhance the natural light flavor of the broth. There are many customers who like to eat the spicy yet sharp soup that contains plenty of Vietnamese pepper and has an attractive spicy yet sharp soup. A variety of Vietnamese coffees are also available, which are great to enjoy as a dessert after a meal.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 29-1 Seongmisan-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul
▲Opening hours: 11:00 to 21:00 every day (early closing when materials are exhausted), B/T 15:00 — 17:00 on weekdays, closed on Mondays
â–²Price: Pervoten 8,500 won, Bunbofe-steamed 9,000 won
â–²Review (Shikigin Munju): A place where the price is good and the taste is very satisfying. The rice noodle soup was cool, and the noodles were delicious when I ate hororoku!! Personally, I highly recommend the Vietnamese pork rice bowl called Gumseung! If you pour in the fragrant meat, fried egg, lettuce, and sauce, mix it in a whirlwind, and eat it, you'll really appreciate it!