Best bars in Ho Chi Minh City: rooftop drinking spots that show Saigon in all its glory
- Ho Chi Minh City’s bar and restaurant scene is booming, and one of the best ways to take in the city is from its charming rooftop bars
- Many were opened by young, innovative immigrants to the city and serve up food that is the match of the eclectic, innovative drinks
Vietnam’s northern capital, Hanoi, might have hogged the limelight since US President Donald Trump and his North Korean counterpart, Kim Jong-un, met there in February.
But Ho Chi Minh City in the south, or Saigon as it is still often called, charms the visitor with its distinctive French-Indochine flavour, growing sophistication and lively dining and nightlife scene.
Bolstered by foreign – particularly Chinese – investment of late, a property boom in Vietnam has seen many new skyscrapers rise in Ho Chi Minh City, while landmarks such as the War Remnants Museum and the Reunification Palace still provide significant reminders of its history.
Once you have had your fill of fresh street-side pho and banh mi, there is a great contemporary food and drinks scene to discover.
“Vietnam has become one of the most progressive countries in Asia, and Saigon is its most cosmopolitan city,” says former Hongkonger Mark Joyce, who relocated to Vietnam years ago and has now co-opened a three-storey restaurant and bar in Ho Chin Minh City called Knick Knack.
“The city has a fascinating F&B [food and beverage] dynamic, where its pioneering people are hungry for new experiences and restaurateurs can access exciting home-grown flavours and affordable start-up costs.”
One of the best ways to take in the city is from its rooftops, where a number of charming alfresco spots overlook gleaming new buildings jutting between colonial-style architecture and bustling city streets. Here are five of our favourites.
