The Best Vietnamese Food in New York

The line forms on Third Avenue before the door unlocks, which tells you most of what you need to know about this no-reservations Vietnamese neighborhood spot in the East Village. The baguettes for the banh mi come out of the oven fresh, and the pho runs on housemade noodles. The New York Times named the banh cuon among its favorite dishes of the year, and Michelin handed it a Bib Gourmand.

1. The New York Times 2025 · 2 stars, Critic's Pick · Restaurant Review
2. Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
3. The Infatuation #20 · The 25 Best Restaurants In NYC

Plastic stools, plastic tables, and a fermented shrimp paste so funky it has its own gravitational pull, this is a Vietnamese restaurant on the Lower East Side that draws a crowd large enough to colonize the sidewalk and occasionally a neighboring storefront. The menu runs through stuffed snails, grilled intestines, and frog sausage with the tiny bones crushed in. The New York Times placed it 26th on their 100 Best Restaurants in New York City list.

1. The New York Times 2023 · 2 stars, Critic's Pick · Restaurant Review
2. The Infatuation #5 · The 25 Best Restaurants In NYC
3. Roadbook The Best Restaurants in New York City

Pandan honeycomb cake in a shade of green that has no business being that vivid sets the tone at this Vietnamese-French bakery in Chinatown. Lauren Tran, formerly of Gramercy Tavern, started as a pop-up during the pandemic and landed in a brick-and-mortar that draws a line before most people have had coffee. Chiffon cakes, macarons, and savory scones packed with Chinese sausage and cheddar fill the case. A James Beard Outstanding Bakery semifinalist in 2026.

1. James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Bakery
2. The New York Times 22 of the Best Bakeries Across the U.S. Right Now

Lotus-shaped lamps and Colonial-era wooden arches set the mood just off Union Square, where this Vietnamese restaurant earns a Michelin Bib Gourmand with cooking that goes well past the expected banh mi. Come with a group and order deep: the turmeric crepe with shrimp and fresh herbs is a sharp move, and the pho, poured tableside, arrives fragrant enough to rearrange your whole afternoon.

1. Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand

1. The New York Times 2022 · 2 stars, Critic's Pick · Restaurant Review
2. James Beard Awards 2022 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: New York State · Helen Nguyen
3. Eater The Best Lower East Side Restaurants

Orange-and-white checkered floors, mustard booths, and paper mâché flowers overhead set the mood at this Vietnamese cookhouse on the Upper East Side. The menu is concise, running from crispy spring rolls to shaking beef and pho, but the pho is the reason the regulars keep coming back, built on a 20-hour broth with five-spice smoked short rib. The kind of room that makes a cold Tuesday feel like a plan.

1. Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant

1. The New York Times 2021 · Critic's Pick · Restaurant Review
2. Eater The Best Upper West Side Restaurants

1. NJ.com #69 · New Jersey’s 99 greatest restaurants, ranked

1. Eater The Best Coffee Shops in New York City

1. Roadbook The best restaurants in Greenpoint, New York

1. Eater The Best Places to Eat in Chinatown

1. Eater The Best Places to Eat in Chinatown

The banh mi here come in wax-paper egg-roll bags, which tells you something about the register. This Elmhurst sandwich shop keeps the classics, pâté and head cheese, while slipping in Korean bulgogi alongside them. The fries arrive heaped with pickled daikon, cilantro, jalapeño, and a green sauce borrowed from Peruvian chicken spots. Julie Wong has said she wanted to embrace Queens as a melting pot, and the menu takes that brief literally.

1. The New York Times 2020 · Critic's Pick · Restaurant Review

1. The New York Times 2019 · 1 star, Critic's Pick · Restaurant Review

1. The New York Times 2019 · 1 star, Critic's Pick · Restaurant Review