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Banh cuon with Vietnamese ham.
Banh cuon with Vietnamese ham.
Thien Huong

Where to Find Vibrant Vietnamese Food in San Diego

Your guide to finding delicious Vietnamese cuisine, ranging from Michelin-recognized modern dishes to traditional pho and banh mi.

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Banh cuon with Vietnamese ham.
| Thien Huong

Though banh mi and pho might be the most commonly known Vietnamese dishes, the cuisine has a rich depth of regional variety, and a number of San Diego-based Vietnamese restaurants stand out by specializing in a signature, sometimes lesser-seen dish, from bun bo hue to banh cuon and bun mang vịt.

Our local Vietnamese culinary scene contains plenty of casual spots for comforting noodle soups, vermicelli bowls, and other home-cooked dishes but the cuisine’s fresh flavors and ingredients have also made their way into modern fine dining.

While there’s a concentration of fantastic Vietnamese restaurants in City Heights and Mira Mesa, you’ll also find gems across San Diego in Golden Hill, the Convoy District, and plenty of other neighborhoods so you’ll never be too far from a Vietnamese food fix.

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Bale French Sandwich Mira Mesa

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The small take-out shop makes its own Vietnamese-style pate that goes into its banh mi. Based on baguette rolls that are springy with a crunchy crust, popular items are the dac biet, or special combo, and the barbecue pork, but there are also vegetarian options filled with tofu or egg. Wash down the sandwiches with a durian or strawberry smoothie with or without boba. 

Special combo banh mi sandwich at Bale French Sandwich.
Special combo banh mi sandwich at Bale French Sandwich.
Helen I. Hwang

Pho Cow Cali

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Look for the long queues in front of the Mira Mesa standby. It’s worth the wait for pho that comes with just the right proportions of protein, onions, and cilantro. Try the filet mignon pho with the steak on the side so you can add the meat yourself to the steaming delicious broth to make it just the way you like it.

Thien Huong

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The first U.S. location for a family-run restaurant with a handful of branches in Vietnam, this friendly establishment specializes in Vietnamese breakfast, from cast iron pans of eggs served with Vietnamese meatballs, steak, or pate paired with fresh baguette to plates of delicately-steamed banh cuon, rice rolls that might be filled with ground pork and topped with fried shallots.

Banh cuon with Vietnamese ham.
Banh cuon with Vietnamese ham.
Thien Huong

Bolsa Vietnamese Restaurant

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Named after the street where the owners started their first Vietnamese restaurant, this Mira Mesa outpost has been welcoming diners for over two decades. Favorites include the pho ga, a chicken-based soup with noodles, and the refreshing vermicelli rice noodle dishes topped with grilled shrimp. 

Vermicelli noodle dish with grilled shrimp at Bolsa Vietnamese Restaurant.
Vermicelli noodle dish with grilled shrimp at Bolsa Vietnamese Restaurant.
Helen I. Hwang

Cali Baguette Express

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With locations in Mira Mesa as well as City Heights, the banh mi here are made with baguettes baked fresh throughout the day. Try the Cali Special with the traditional cold cuts of pork, Vietnamese meatloaf, and ham or the tender lemongrass beef with a sweet tang.

Lemongrass beef banh mi sandwich at Cali Baguette Express.
Lemongrass beef banh mi sandwich at Cali Baguette Express.
Helen I. Hwang

Ngon Ngon To Go

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Slotted in the corner of Vinh Hung Supermarket, this mostly-takeout spot offers a wide array of dishes, ranging from traditional entrees like Ha Noi grilled pork on vermicelli to cubed vermicelli with fried tofu and boiled pork. On certain days, they offer specials like spicy grilled chicken with sticky rice.  

Vietnamese vermicelli dish at Ngon Ngon To Go.
Vietnamese vermicelli dish at Ngon Ngon To Go.
Helen I. Hwang

Phở Duyên Mai

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When customers land at this Vietnamese establishment on Kearny Villa Road, it’s hard not to fall in love with the complex depth of this pho broth simmered for hours with bones and star anise. The pho filet mignon is a house special. Add on a side of stewed beef ribs that tenderly falls off the bone without a trace of chewiness.

Kitchen Special rack of beef rib bones at Pho Duyen Mai.
Kitchen Special rack of beef rib bones at Pho Duyen Mai.
Helen I. Hwang

Phuong Trang

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One of San Diego’s most beloved longtime Vietnamese restaurants, this Convoy Street establishment offers over 200 dishes to choose from. There is something that will satisfy any craving from broken rice entrees to pho noodle soup and its famous garlic butter chicken wings. Try the seven-course beef dish for two that includes vinegar fondue with beef, grilled beef, and ground beef in grape leaves.

Phở Time

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The spacious establishment with ample parking has drawn loyal followers in Pacific Beach. Start off with the Vietnamese crispy egg rolls, filled with pork and taro. The deeply satisfying pho broth is a dependable base for add-ons like thin slices of eye-round steak and Vietnamese meatballs. 

Pho with beef balls and steak at Pho Time.
Pho with beef balls and steak at Pho Time.
Helen I. Hwang

Mien Trung Restaurant

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This cheery longstanding Linda Vista establishment serves traditional dishes, like the tomato-based bun bo hue with pork trotters and spicy beef. Another specialty is the hen xuc banh trang, which features a black sesame seed-studded cracker that diners use to scoop up mouthfuls of scrumptious spicy baby clams.

Spicy clam dish with black sesame seed pancake at Mien Trung Restaurant.
Spicy clam dish with black sesame seed pancake at Mien Trung Restaurant.
Helen I. Hwang

Minh Ky Restaurant

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The corner restaurant has been serving up Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine since 2004. Owner Phat Vuong produces his own housemade egg noodles that feature in dishes like roast duck noodle soup and beef sate egg noodles, served dry with a bowl of scallion-filled broth on the side. He also marinates his own duck and makes his own dumplings, adding TLC to every dish. 

Roast duck noodle soup.
Roast duck noodle soup at Minh Ky.
Helen I. Hwang

Hoài Huế Restaurant

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This cozy restaurant serves cuisine from Hue, a city in central Vietnam, where a popular soup features a tomato-based broth and noodles with pork beef flank, ground shrimp meatballs, and ground pork meatballs. Try the banh loc appetizer — glutinous tapioca with dried shrimp and pork steamed in a banana leaf. You can also bring your own pot to take the broth home.

Tomato-based noodle soup, bun tam hoai, and banh loc appetizer steamed in banana leaf at Hoai Hue Restaurant.
Tomato-based noodle soup, bun tam hoai, and banh loc appetizer steamed in banana leaf at Hoai Hue Restaurant.
Helen I. Hwang

A Chau Restaurant

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Primarily a takeout shop, this no-frills spot makes its own pate, ham, and other deli meats used for its sandwiches filled with generous portions of protein, cilantro, and pickled daikon. It’s also known for its hefty fried egg rolls made two ways: wrapped with a wonton wrapper or in rice paper for that distinctive bubbly look. 

Banh mi sandwich with two types of pork egg rolls.
Banh mi sandwich with two types of pork egg rolls at A Chau Restaurant.
Helen I. Hwang

Tu Thanh

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The cash-only establishment does an incredible duck bamboo noodle soup found in few restaurants in San Diego. The juicy sliced duck is served on a plate to be dipped in a gorgeous fish sauce with shavings of ginger and carrots. The vermicelli noodle soup is sprinkled with bamboo slices, adding complexity to the richly simmered broth. Frequent customers even bring in their own pots to take home family-sized portions of bun mang vịt.

Duck bamboo noodle soup at Tu Thanh Restaurant.
Duck bamboo noodle soup at Tu Thanh Restaurant.
Helen I. Hwang

Banh Cuon Phuong Nga

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This family-owned restaurant is tucked in the corner of a strip mall where customers can also do their shopping at Vien Dong supermarket. They’re only doing take-out for now, due to staff shortage, but are hoping to open up for dining in as they used to before the pandemic. Their excellent bun rieu is currently available from Friday to Sunday but don’t miss the combo banh cuon with tender steamed rice rolls, rice noodles, fried pork patties, and Vietnamese-style pork charcuterie.

Special combo banh cuon meal at Banh Cuon Phuong Nga.
Special combo banh cuon meal at Banh Cuon Phuong Nga.
Helen I. Hwang

Kingfisher

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This modern Vietnamese restaurant has shaken up the dining scene with its contemporary take on French-influenced Vietnamese cuisine. Recognized by California’s Michelin guide and voted as Eater’s Restaurant of the Year, the Golden Hill stunner’s highlights include smoked dry-aged duck with nuoc mam chimichurri and wild mushroom congee, deliciously paired with a Vietnamese spritz, made with Aperol, lychee liqueur, and jujube-flavored tea.

A dish from Kingfisher.
One of the award-winning dishes at Kingfisher.
Kimberly Motos

Bale French Sandwich Mira Mesa

The small take-out shop makes its own Vietnamese-style pate that goes into its banh mi. Based on baguette rolls that are springy with a crunchy crust, popular items are the dac biet, or special combo, and the barbecue pork, but there are also vegetarian options filled with tofu or egg. Wash down the sandwiches with a durian or strawberry smoothie with or without boba. 

Special combo banh mi sandwich at Bale French Sandwich.
Special combo banh mi sandwich at Bale French Sandwich.
Helen I. Hwang

Pho Cow Cali

Look for the long queues in front of the Mira Mesa standby. It’s worth the wait for pho that comes with just the right proportions of protein, onions, and cilantro. Try the filet mignon pho with the steak on the side so you can add the meat yourself to the steaming delicious broth to make it just the way you like it.

Thien Huong

The first U.S. location for a family-run restaurant with a handful of branches in Vietnam, this friendly establishment specializes in Vietnamese breakfast, from cast iron pans of eggs served with Vietnamese meatballs, steak, or pate paired with fresh baguette to plates of delicately-steamed banh cuon, rice rolls that might be filled with ground pork and topped with fried shallots.

Banh cuon with Vietnamese ham.
Banh cuon with Vietnamese ham.
Thien Huong

Bolsa Vietnamese Restaurant

Named after the street where the owners started their first Vietnamese restaurant, this Mira Mesa outpost has been welcoming diners for over two decades. Favorites include the pho ga, a chicken-based soup with noodles, and the refreshing vermicelli rice noodle dishes topped with grilled shrimp. 

Vermicelli noodle dish with grilled shrimp at Bolsa Vietnamese Restaurant.
Vermicelli noodle dish with grilled shrimp at Bolsa Vietnamese Restaurant.
Helen I. Hwang

Cali Baguette Express

With locations in Mira Mesa as well as City Heights, the banh mi here are made with baguettes baked fresh throughout the day. Try the Cali Special with the traditional cold cuts of pork, Vietnamese meatloaf, and ham or the tender lemongrass beef with a sweet tang.

Lemongrass beef banh mi sandwich at Cali Baguette Express.
Lemongrass beef banh mi sandwich at Cali Baguette Express.
Helen I. Hwang

Ngon Ngon To Go

Slotted in the corner of Vinh Hung Supermarket, this mostly-takeout spot offers a wide array of dishes, ranging from traditional entrees like Ha Noi grilled pork on vermicelli to cubed vermicelli with fried tofu and boiled pork. On certain days, they offer specials like spicy grilled chicken with sticky rice.  

Vietnamese vermicelli dish at Ngon Ngon To Go.
Vietnamese vermicelli dish at Ngon Ngon To Go.
Helen I. Hwang

Phở Duyên Mai

When customers land at this Vietnamese establishment on Kearny Villa Road, it’s hard not to fall in love with the complex depth of this pho broth simmered for hours with bones and star anise. The pho filet mignon is a house special. Add on a side of stewed beef ribs that tenderly falls off the bone without a trace of chewiness.

Kitchen Special rack of beef rib bones at Pho Duyen Mai.
Kitchen Special rack of beef rib bones at Pho Duyen Mai.
Helen I. Hwang

Phuong Trang

One of San Diego’s most beloved longtime Vietnamese restaurants, this Convoy Street establishment offers over 200 dishes to choose from. There is something that will satisfy any craving from broken rice entrees to pho noodle soup and its famous garlic butter chicken wings. Try the seven-course beef dish for two that includes vinegar fondue with beef, grilled beef, and ground beef in grape leaves.

Phở Time

The spacious establishment with ample parking has drawn loyal followers in Pacific Beach. Start off with the Vietnamese crispy egg rolls, filled with pork and taro. The deeply satisfying pho broth is a dependable base for add-ons like thin slices of eye-round steak and Vietnamese meatballs. 

Pho with beef balls and steak at Pho Time.
Pho with beef balls and steak at Pho Time.
Helen I. Hwang

Mien Trung Restaurant

This cheery longstanding Linda Vista establishment serves traditional dishes, like the tomato-based bun bo hue with pork trotters and spicy beef. Another specialty is the hen xuc banh trang, which features a black sesame seed-studded cracker that diners use to scoop up mouthfuls of scrumptious spicy baby clams.

Spicy clam dish with black sesame seed pancake at Mien Trung Restaurant.
Spicy clam dish with black sesame seed pancake at Mien Trung Restaurant.
Helen I. Hwang

Minh Ky Restaurant

The corner restaurant has been serving up Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine since 2004. Owner Phat Vuong produces his own housemade egg noodles that feature in dishes like roast duck noodle soup and beef sate egg noodles, served dry with a bowl of scallion-filled broth on the side. He also marinates his own duck and makes his own dumplings, adding TLC to every dish. 

Roast duck noodle soup.
Roast duck noodle soup at Minh Ky.
Helen I. Hwang

Hoài Huế Restaurant

This cozy restaurant serves cuisine from Hue, a city in central Vietnam, where a popular soup features a tomato-based broth and noodles with pork beef flank, ground shrimp meatballs, and ground pork meatballs. Try the banh loc appetizer — glutinous tapioca with dried shrimp and pork steamed in a banana leaf. You can also bring your own pot to take the broth home.

Tomato-based noodle soup, bun tam hoai, and banh loc appetizer steamed in banana leaf at Hoai Hue Restaurant.
Tomato-based noodle soup, bun tam hoai, and banh loc appetizer steamed in banana leaf at Hoai Hue Restaurant.
Helen I. Hwang

A Chau Restaurant

Primarily a takeout shop, this no-frills spot makes its own pate, ham, and other deli meats used for its sandwiches filled with generous portions of protein, cilantro, and pickled daikon. It’s also known for its hefty fried egg rolls made two ways: wrapped with a wonton wrapper or in rice paper for that distinctive bubbly look. 

Banh mi sandwich with two types of pork egg rolls.
Banh mi sandwich with two types of pork egg rolls at A Chau Restaurant.
Helen I. Hwang

Tu Thanh

The cash-only establishment does an incredible duck bamboo noodle soup found in few restaurants in San Diego. The juicy sliced duck is served on a plate to be dipped in a gorgeous fish sauce with shavings of ginger and carrots. The vermicelli noodle soup is sprinkled with bamboo slices, adding complexity to the richly simmered broth. Frequent customers even bring in their own pots to take home family-sized portions of bun mang vịt.

Duck bamboo noodle soup at Tu Thanh Restaurant.
Duck bamboo noodle soup at Tu Thanh Restaurant.
Helen I. Hwang

Banh Cuon Phuong Nga

This family-owned restaurant is tucked in the corner of a strip mall where customers can also do their shopping at Vien Dong supermarket. They’re only doing take-out for now, due to staff shortage, but are hoping to open up for dining in as they used to before the pandemic. Their excellent bun rieu is currently available from Friday to Sunday but don’t miss the combo banh cuon with tender steamed rice rolls, rice noodles, fried pork patties, and Vietnamese-style pork charcuterie.

Special combo banh cuon meal at Banh Cuon Phuong Nga.
Special combo banh cuon meal at Banh Cuon Phuong Nga.
Helen I. Hwang

Related Maps

Kingfisher

This modern Vietnamese restaurant has shaken up the dining scene with its contemporary take on French-influenced Vietnamese cuisine. Recognized by California’s Michelin guide and voted as Eater’s Restaurant of the Year, the Golden Hill stunner’s highlights include smoked dry-aged duck with nuoc mam chimichurri and wild mushroom congee, deliciously paired with a Vietnamese spritz, made with Aperol, lychee liqueur, and jujube-flavored tea.

A dish from Kingfisher.
One of the award-winning dishes at Kingfisher.
Kimberly Motos

Related Maps