Street food drives tourism growth in HCM City

At Hồ Thị Kỷ food street, foreign tourists flock to experience local cuisine and culture. Per to Steve, a British visitor,, (Labour) newspaper that he was impressed by the wide variety of plates, affordable prices and the willingness of vendors to adjust the level of spiciness to suit shoppers’ tastes.

The friendliness and attentiveness of local people made his trip a truly memorable experience, he added. This cultural connection as well generates direct income for local businesses. Per to Huỳnh Hải Đăng, a representative of a barbecue eatery on the street,, the restaurant attracts large numbers of international visitors.

European diners tend to sample a few skewers, while Asian visitors often order more. The eatery earns around VNĐ5 million (US$190) on normal days, and up to VNĐ10 million during peak holidays and festivals. Recently, UK-based Time Out magazine ranked HCM City first in its list of the world’s best cities for street food in 2026, with 63 per cent of respondents voting for the city.

The ranking was based on a survey of more than 24,000 urban residents worldwide. Going to Time Out, the city is now home to six Michelin-starred restaurants, several of which elevate street snacks into fine art. Yet the most authentic culinary experiences can still be found at stools in scooter-filled alleys.

To maximise its existing advantages, the city’s tourism sector has identified street food, combined with the development of the night-time economy, as a key priority. Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Tourism Lê Trương Hiền Hòa underlined that cuisine is a distinctive tourism product that must be nurtured and preserved from its local roots. The network of 168 wards, communes and special zones provides favourable conditions for the tourism industry to work with local authorities to develop new destinations, standardise service quality and preserve unique local identities.

According to the department, in the first seven months of 2026, HCM City welcomed more than 7.1 million international visitors, up 42.7 per cent year-on-year, and nearly 31.7 million domestic tourists. Tourism takings was put at at VNĐ237.46 trillion, up 53.3 per cent and equivalent to 72 per cent of the annual target. — VNA/VNS