Happiness begins with a leisurely breakfast. If you want to stray away from the rushed street-side pho or take-away banh mi for a day, head to any of these spots to have a nice, big Western breakfast, full of fresh bread, jam, eggs, bacon, pancakes—you get the picture.
The Deck is one of the few restaurants of its kind to offer breakfast with a riverside view. Located a mere 15 minutes from the city center, over the Saigon River in District 2, it can also be reached by boat (30 minutes) if you contact the restaurant beforehand. On weekends, they have a delicious pan-Asian brunch menu that consists of not only the classics, such as eggs Benedict, avocado toast, croque-monsieur and croque-madame, but also a special buy-one-get-one-free deal on Moet & Chandon. Now that’s a brunch for kings and queens that like to wake up a little late on the weekend.
Au Parc, a popular weekend brunch spot, is situated in a two-story colonial building located halfway between Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Reunification Palace. Westerners and locals flock to this expensive restaurant with their significant others (or their laptops) for a taste of one or both of the set breakfast menus: The New York Brunch and the Turkish Brunch. The bread, jam, bagels, yogurt, smoothies, and ice cream are homemade and simply sublime. Call dibs on a corner overlooking the 30–4 Park and enjoy a relaxing meal, starting your day off perfectly.
Hotel Restaurant, American, Asian, European, Middle Eastern, $$$
The Sunday brunch at Food Connexion in the Pullman Saigon Centre may cost over 830,000 VND (37 USD), but it’s an international buffet with unlimited wine and champagne. If you are questioning the alcohol, remember it’s the weekend. You don’t have to rush—it opens at 12:00 p.m. and remains open until 3:00 p.m. Make sure you get enough snuggles in the morning before you head over to stuff your tummy. You won’t have to eat, or even think about eating, for the rest of the day.
L’usine is a space for the trendy Saigonese to spend their day on their laptops while enjoying a nice cup of coffee and a delicious meal. This place is more than just a cafe; it’s a boutique, a shop, and a gallery space that aims to recreate the feel of the Vietnamese industry during the Industrial Era. The furniture and lighting are custom made by a local design company that specializes in industrial furnishing, made from re-used wood and authentic factory parts.Their all-day breakfast menu includes classics, such as eggs Florentine and eggs Benedict, French butter croissants, toast with jam and honey, pancakes, smoked salmon, eggs made to your liking, etc. If it’s too hard to choose, just opt for the full English breakfast, priced at only 200,000 VND (9 USD). Due to its success, the founders have opened multiple branches throughout the city.
Master’s Cup is another cozy spot in District 7, popular for Vietnamese students to hang out at and practice conversing in English. They have a delicious all-day breakfast menu with all your favorites, but they are known for their amazing Indochine coffee and divine desserts, such as their apple pie and chocolate cheesecake. Just order it all. We have a feeling you’ll stay longer than you intend to, as you get wrapped up in fun conversation.
Hotel Restaurant, Vietnamese, American, European, Italian, $$$
Opera Restaurant presents continental-style and Italian dishes with local flavors from Italian chef, Marco Torre. The memorable weekend brunch includes pizza, pastas, Italian meats, seafood on ice, local favorites such as pho, and a large selection of baked goodies and desserts. The restaurant also has a more casual setting in its front garden where customers can enjoy their meal and of course, the free-flowing, ice cold Bollinger champagne, while looking at Ho Chi Minh City’s oldest buildings. The Sunday feast is available from 12:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. and is priced at 1,800,000 VND (70 USD). If you opt out of the unlimited drinks, then it’ll cost you 900,000 VND (45 USD).
Scott and Jeremy’s is the home of great comfort food, and ideal for a filling Sunday brunch in a location that is central, yet tucked in an alleyway away from all the noise. Scott comes up with new and creative dishes regularly, in addition to his extensive menu that offers options ranging from French toast to eggs Benedict, steak and eggs, or even full breakfasts. Most options are priced under 200,000 VND (9 USD). If you have space for dessert, order the chocolate lava cake. They even have creative alcohol options, such as bacon-flavored shots, and since it has bacon in the name, we think it’s fine for you to down one or two for breakfast.
Eden Coffee House is located in District 7, and the 40-minute commute is worth the breakfast they serve. The menu is diverse enough to satisfy a wide range of tastes and please even the most discerning of customers. The best part—gluten-free options are available. Enjoy a nice espresso martini or Bloody Mary to go with your meal (hey, a little alcohol doesn’t hurt), or if you want to tame it down a little, try one of their delicious smoothies while enjoying breakfast dishes, such as the mango, passion fruit, and honeyed ricotta sweet crepes.
The Refinery takes its name from the original use of its premises as an opium refinery during the colonial period. Over the years, it has become one of the most popular brunch spots in town, with three brunch menus: the Mini Brunch Menu, the Full Brunch, and the Kids’ Brunch Menu. Customers can choose from a good selection of dishes, including Uova Mollette con Scarpette (soft boiled eggs with toasted Parmesan “bread shoes” and red pepper olive sauce), panzanella (char-grilled bread, tomato, and basil salad with goat’s cheese clives), and The Refinery’s eggs Benedict. If you go for The Full Brunch, you can enjoy a delicious assorted bread basket, pastries, cream cheese, marmalade, jam and deserts, which are all home-made. An extra treat for the kids is the free-flow chocolate fountain located next to the bar.
Tucked away in a cozy courtyard in An Phu, the Mekong Merchant is a laid-back and friendly venue favored by expats for its casual atmosphere, friendly service, and garden with terrace. It has its own bakery, so all their croissants and bread are homemade, as well as their other products, such as marmalade and chutney. Customers can enjoy a variety of Western breakfast dishes, including English muffins, croque-madame, and ham and cheese croissants, as well as a satisfactory English breakfast, which is a rare find in Ho Chi Minh City, except in these 10 restaurants.
