Best French Restaurants in Vietnam: Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh

French gastronomy is often considered one of the leading cuisines in the world, earning its spot as an ‘intangible cultural heritage’ on UNESCO renowned heritage listing. With a cultural connection to France, Vietnamese ‘s eateries inherit such influences and bring about a rich and distinctive culinary scene, from sidewalk local-food vendors (like Banh Mi Bread) to fine-dining restaurants. When you looking for European French Restaurant in Vietnam, here are our recommendations for the Best French Food Restaurants in Vietnam, from Hanoi to Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City.

1. French Grill – Fine Dining French Restaurant in Hanoi

• Address: JW Marriott Hotel Hanoi, 8 Do Duc Duc Street, Nam Tu Liem District, Hanoi
• Open hours: 10:00 am - 11:00 pm

French Grill restaurant is located in the lobby of JW Marriott Hotel - the most luxurious 5-star hotel in Hanoi and the chain of famous brand hotel in the world. Not only that, but French Grill is also a French restaurant in Hanoi Capital with the most extensive open kitchen system that gives diners unique cooking performances from the restaurant's talented chefs.

French Grill Restaurant has rated five stars, which specializes in French and Western cuisine and is famous for dishes such as sautéed foie gras, sturgeon caviar, and premium pork tenderloin. The menu at the restaurant is also changed by the chef according to the season to suit the taste of the latest customers, including the limited-edition 4-course list called Riviera.

2. La Badiane – Best French Food Restaurants in Hanoi

• Address: 10 Nam Ngư, Cửa Nam, Hoàn Kiếm, Hanoi City, Vietnam
• Opening Hours: 11:30 AM–1:30 PM, 6–9:30 PM. Closed on Sunday

Set up by three French foodies, La Badiane (meaning star anise), is dedicated to French cuisine using international influences. He specialises in a distinctive combination of high-end French ingredients with local spices such as anise, pepper, chili, coriander, cinnamon, dill, and ginger. You can smell all this cooking wizardry as soon as you enter thanks to the open kitchen. Our suggestion: try the half-way cooked red tuna and grilled chorizo, exotic fruit chutney, bell pepper and herb coulis, basil and ginger oil, sesame biscuit followed by the grilled Australian beef tenderloin, truffle oil pea & mushroom risotto, green pepper-Cognac sauce.

Nestled amongst leafy greenery, guests can choose from the traditional menu or a five-course degustation courtesy of executive chef, Benjamin Rascalou. But with five-star dishes comes five-star prices (in Vietnam, anyway) – expect to pay the price of $80 per person for the degustation. However, we’re sure you’ll find it value for money: La Badiane is widely regarded as one of the best restaurants in the country, garnering a spot in the top 500 restaurants in Asia in The Miele Guide, while also receiving glowing reviews in the likes of The New York Times.

3. Les Jardins de La Carambole – French Restaurants in Hue

• Address:
  • 32 Đặng Trần Côn, Thuận Hoà, Hue City
  • 18 Võ Thị Sáu, Phú Hội, Hue City
• Opening Hours: 11.00 AM – 11.00 PM

Les Jardins de La Carambole (means ‘The Garden of Starfuit’) is on 32 Dang Tran Con Street, about 400 m west from the main door of the Forbidden Citadel. It is the most visually impressive restaurant set in a recreation French colonial villa.  The menu is enormous, mixing up French, Italian as well as Hue specialties, and a handful of other Vietnamese dishes with alfresco and balcony dining and a pianist who plays most evenings. A decent wine and cocktail list and views out over the citadel make it a great place for a sundowner, while the light tapas and salad lunch menu and its close vicinity to the imperial city make it a good place to rest weary feet during the day. The price here is higher than other places in Hue but reasonable for the setting.

4. Monsieur Crêpes - Best French Restaurants in Danang

• Address: 27 An Thuong 5, Ngu Hanh Son District, Da Nang

Monsieur Crepes is located in An Thuong culinary street. This is a French restaurant specializing in serving famous snacks, especially crepes. The crepes here have a sweet taste and are coated with honey. The cakes are baked just right, so the crust is thin and tough and also has an irresistible aroma. Besides, the restaurant also creates savory crepes allowing diners to try something new. In addition, the restaurant also serves water and a variety of French wines to diners. If you have the opportunity, try to visit this place to enjoy yourself, it will not make you disappointed.

5. La Maison 1888 – Best French Restaurants in Danang

• Address: Son Tra Peninsula, Son Tra District, Da Nang City.
• Opening Hours: 6.30 AM – 9.00 PM; Closed on Tuesday

If you are keen on French cuisine, you can not miss this place. The InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort’s main restaurant, La Maison 1888, is known for its elegant and high-class French cuisine. The restaurant is designed in the style of old French architecture, and the menu focuses on French cuisine. The meals created by the 3-Michelin-starred chef have become masterpieces and are well-known. Furthermore, the restaurant serves French wines, cocktails, and other attractive beverages.

6. The Cargo Club - Best French Restaurants in Hoi An

• Address: 109 Nguyễn Thái Học, Phường Minh An, Hội An Ancient Town
• Opening Hours: 10 AM–10 PM

The Cargo Club is a café and food restaurant in which you can enjoy dinner sitting on the terrace or pop downstairs for some tasty cake and a cup of coffee. Although this restaurant isn’t strictly French – its menu mainly mixes French, Asian, and Italian cuisines and it is a Melbourne-inspired cafe – it is a superb place to try some French food. Their desserts come highly recommended.

7. Time House Bistro – Best French Restaurants in Nha Trang

• Address: 16A Ngo Thoi Nhiem, Tan Lap, Nha Trang City
• Opening Hours: 7:00 AM - 11:00 PM

Being one of the best French restaurants in Nha Trang, Time House Bistro is a pretty little European-style place that offers both warm and cozy indoor seating and romantic as well as airy outdoor space. It’s an ideal place to enjoy having a stylish breakfast, you will get the vibe of eating breakfast in sophisticated France. Time House Bistro’s staff team is reviewed to be friendly, supportive, and attentive, who will try their best to make your experience here enjoyable and memorable.

Obviously, the most crucial part to determine whether a restaurant can hold a place in a customer’s heart or not depends a lot on their signature food. At Time House Bistro, the food tastes incredibly fresh, delightful, and delish. Their Eggs Benedict, Smoked Salmon are a hit. Besides, their fresh-cut fries, which are crunchy outside and soft inside, are absolutely amazing. The best thing is the price here is quite fair.

8. Villa LM Restaurant – Best French Restaurants in Nha Trang

• Address: 3P Quan Tran Street, Nha Trang City
• Opening Hours: 7:00 AM - 12:00 AM

Villa LM Restaurant is a completely elegant restaurant that has classic and fashionable European interior design. Customers who come here can choose whether they want to chill on the rooftop terrace with an airy and relaxing atmosphere or go down to the special wine cellar to have a romantic, and fancy vibe with melodious French music played in the background combined with artistic artwork surrounding.

The service of Villa LM Restaurant is quite efficient, the servers will bring out your order in a short amount of time, so you don’t have to wait for long. On the food quality aspect, Villa LM’s food is super well-presented with sophisticated, artistic decoration, that makes you want to keep looking at it and not starting to eat yet. Their ribs dish is pretty famous. Besides, other common dishes such as Carbonara, Mozzarella Salad, etc all receive positive reviews.

9. Le Rabelais - Best French Restaurants in Dalat City

• Address: 2 Trần Phú, Ward 3, Dalat City, Vietnam
• Opening Hours: 7:30 AM–10 PM

Inside the ornate Dalat Palace Luxury Hotel & Golf Club, this is French food at its finest. The menu is said to capture “nouveau French cuisine with a touch of Vietnamese delicacies,” meaning award-winning continental creations paired with the refined, fresh flavours of Vietnam! Matching the food are the garden views, while the interior is adorned with chandeliers, a fireplace and piano, where live music is played every evening. It all makes for a wonderful Old World romantic setting in a building commissioned by the French Governor of the time in 1922.

Book a room at the hotel and you can start the day in the opulent Grand Room with one of the best breakfasts in the country.

10. La Villa French - Best French Food Restaurants in Saigon

• Address: 14 Ngô Quang Huy, Thảo Điền, District 2, Hồ Chí Minh City
• Opening Hours: Closed on Monday
  • Tuesday & Wednesday: 6.00 AM – 11.30 PM
  • Thu & Fri: 11.45 AM – 4 PM, 6.00 PM – 11:30 PM
  • Sat & Sun: 11.45 AM – 4 PM, 6 – 10:30 PM

As charming as provincial France itself, La Villa is tucked away in Thao Dien, a quiet hub of Ho Chi Minh City. Here diners can indulge in authentic French fare coming from the kitchen of chef Thierry Mounon, who purchased the villa to fulfill a dream of running a French restaurant just as it should be. Enjoy both set and à la carte menus in the cosy dining room, or outside beside lush tropical gardens and a swimming pool. As well as a cheese trolley and an extensive French wine list, guests can lash out with a post-feast cigar… surprisingly not made in France, but Cuba.

We’d recommend trying the duck foie gras terrine with poached fig in muscat wine and salted honey caramel, or the steamed Patagonian toothfish filet from the Kerguelen Islands with vegetable tian, cajun fish bones juice and sea urchin roe.

11. Le Jardin – Best French Food Restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City

• Address: 31 Đ. Thái Văn Lung, Bến Nghé, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
• Opening Hours: 11.30 AM–2 PM, 6–8.30 PM

Le Jardin is a popular French restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City with great price. Set in the garden of IDECAF, the cultural exchange agency between France and Vietnam, this affordable French restaurant is a very popular lunch and dinner spot in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

Whether you’re being nostalgic of France or just looking or a great value for money place in Ho Chi Minh City, Le Jardin is definitely the place to try. The place has a beautiful garden setting with cozy atmosphere. Its Fillet Mignon is superb and the Steak Tartar is simply tasty. For $5 you will get wonderful goat cheese salad with decent portion of cheese for a lunch.

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