Hoi An Sense

The story

Hoi An Sense | Michelin Recommended Vietnamese Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City

Hoi An Sense

Since opening in 1998, Hoi An Sense has built a reputation as one of Ho Chi Minh City’s most beloved destinations for Vietnamese cuisine. Over more than two decades, the restaurant has welcomed international guests, appeared on Japanese television, and hosted dignitaries including a former Prime Minister of Russia and a former President of Iceland. In 2026, it earned a Michelin Recommended award, a fitting recognition for a kitchen that has long been a quiet force in the city’s dining scene.

The restaurant sits on the rooftop of a building at 12 Phan Ke Binh, in District 1. The space is crafted almost entirely from ironwood, with high ceilings and intricate carvings of traditional folk motifs. A large fish pond sits at the centre of the main hall, and colourful Hoi An lanterns hang throughout. The result is an atmosphere that feels both grand and calm — a setting that lets the food take centre stage.

The menu is grounded in the culinary traditions of central Vietnam, with a particular focus on the dishes of Hoi An’s Old Quarter. Charcoal-grilled items are a signature, inspired by long-standing techniques and served with house-made dipping sauces. The “Nướng & Cuốn Hội An Sense” platter brings together Tuy Hòa grilled pork skewers, grilled pork cheek, Hoi An beef sausage, rice paper, pickles, and fresh herbs — a meal built for wrapping and sharing.

Other highlights include the “Chạm Gánh Hương Vị” starter, a tasting assortment of shrimp and pork spring rolls, grilled pork with wet rice cakes, Hoi An spring rolls, and several steamed rice cakes. The “Cơm Gà Faifo” — two-colour rice with poached chicken, chicken and herb salad, and chicken offal stir-fried with luffa and straw mushrooms — is a comforting one-plate meal that speaks to the kitchen’s confidence in simple, local ingredients.

For those who prefer seafood, options include Hokkaido scallops grilled with scallion oil or golden sauce, mud crab fried with tamarind, and cobia steamed with mushrooms. A full vegetarian menu also exists, covering soups, spring rolls, salads, stir-fries, and rice dishes, ensuring that the experience is accessible to all.

The dining room is complemented by live traditional music and dance performances, adding a layer of cultural texture that reinforces the restaurant’s identity. It is a place where the flavours of Hoi An are recreated with care, in a setting that feels both timeless and distinctly Vietnamese.