8 Best Restaurants in Side Trips from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

More of a café than a bar, this tiny place makes fantastic sandwiches, salads, and pizzas, making their own pizza dough, sandwich bread, and burger buns in house. The interior is simple, yet welcoming, with wooden blinds, rattan tables and chairs, and photos and propaganda art on the walls. The tiny veranda is a great spot from which to watch Con Son daily life. In high season, it's worth calling first to make sure you get a table.

A visit to Con Son isn't complete without a meal at Thu Ba. Chef Thu Ba works her magic in the kitchen while her daughter Thuy works the guests in the homey front section, recommending dishes from the extensive menu full of Vietnamese seafood, pork, and beef dishes (the slipper lobster is highly recommended). Western and Vietnamese options are available for breakfast and Thu Ba can also prepare picnics for hikers and campers.

Half a block north from the market, this bright, fan-cooled café has a rustic chic style featuring driftwood, rope, hessian, and a pool table. The menu is geared toward travelers, with pizza, burgers, and a small selection of Vietnamese dishes. The breakfast menu offers an extensive range of international breakfasts including the full English. There are regular barbecue nights and Vietnamese street food nights. Staffers are friendly and are happy for guests to stay until the wee hours.

The interior is a bit worn around the edges, but this Ukrainian restaurant—Vietnam does have a knack for the unexpected—serves some tasty Eastern European, Western, and Asian dishes, along with Russian, Vietnamese, and imported beers. If you need a break from Vietnamese food, this will hit the spot. Expect lackluster service and you won't be disappointed.

A spartan open-air local joint that's been the go-to place for domestic tourists to Con Dao for years, Tri Ky is worth a visit if you love fresh well-cooked seafood. The specialty is oc ban tay (hand snail); try it stir-fried with garlic—it tastes a lot better than it sounds!