Chao (rice porridge) vendor on the street in Saigon, Vietnam (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Chao (rice porridge) vendor on the street in Saigon, Vietnam (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Chao (rice porridge) vendor on the street in Saigon, Vietnam (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Saigon, Vietnam (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Pho Bo Vien, Saigon, Vietnam (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Pho Bo Vien, Saigon, Vietnam (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Saigon, Vietnam (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Clam salad at Pho Bo Vien, Saigon, Vietnam (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Pork chops and cracklings at Pho Bo Vien, Saigon, Vietnam (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Pho Bo Vien, Saigon, Vietnam (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Street dumplings in Saigon, Vietnam (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Pork and broken rice from a street vendor in Saigon, Vietnam (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Banh mi on the street in Saigon, Vietnam (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Street food in Saigon, Vietnam (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Saigon, Vietnam (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Saigon, Vietnam (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Duck Deli in Saigon, Vietnam (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Duck stew at Duck Deli in Saigon, Vietnam (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Duck Deli in Saigon, Vietnam (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Duck Deli in Saigon, Vietnam (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Duck Deli in Saigon, Vietnam (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Family dinner in Saigon, Vietnam (Photo by Brad A. Johnson)
I recently traveled back to Saigon. So much has changed since my last visit to Vietnam just a few years before. Most notably, the skyline is quickly going vertical. Fortunately, much of what I fell in love with the first time around hasn’t really changed. The food is incredible and the people are warm, welcoming and friendly. Here’s a quick look around:
I could never have found all of this on my own. Rather, I hired Calvin Godfrey to show me around. Godfrey is an American expat and journalist living in Saigon, who also owns a bespoke culinary tour company called Savor Saigon, where he creates individual food tours based on whatever it is you want to discover. For this adventure, he presented us with a fun mix of street food and back-alley cafes. Every stop was absolutely delicious.
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