Two years ago, I spent three weeks touring Vietnam on a motorbike, discovering some great taprooms along the way. For this #BeerSaturday, a blog about my first stop: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).
Craft beer in Saigon
Vietnam doesn’t exactly have a long-standing craft beer history, but beer itself is incredibly popular. Thanks to an influx of expats from Australia and the U.S., a vibrant craft beer scene has emerged.
What’s great about the capital is that, besides craft beer bars, there are actual brewpubs as well. If you’re lucky, you might even meet a brewer—and not just Western ones!
One thing to keep in mind: at all the bars mentioned here, expect an additional 10% VAT and around 7% service charge. It’s not a big deal, but I didn't see this anywhere else in Vietnam—not even at taprooms in the north. The surcharge is listed on the menu but isn’t included in the displayed prices.
Pasteur Street Brewing
In the wealthier District 3, you’ll find Pasteur Street Brewing’s two taprooms and brewery. They’re located in a quiet alley, and both are within walking distance of each other. If you head upstairs, there’s a cozy rooftop terrace with a nice city view.
Since it was a weekday and already quite late, the bar wasn’t too busy. As with many of these higher-end bars, the crowd mostly consisted of upper-class locals and expats. Not surprising, considering a large bottle of Saigon Beer costs around 15,000 VND, while craft beers start at 90,000–100,000 VND.
A great feature of this taproom is the option to order tasters. At 50,000–60,000 VND, they’re an affordable way to try different beers. When I visited, there were 12 beers on tap—plenty to choose from. You can also buy (chilled) beers to take home or enjoy at your hotel. Cans go for 60,000–75,000 VND, which is pricey but not much more than supermarket prices.
I was lucky to have one of the brewers behind the bar, who gave me plenty of insight into their brewing process and their focus on using local ingredients. Expect flavors like jasmine, pomelo, passion fruit, and dragon fruit in their beers.
Heart of Darkness
Heart of Darkness Brewery is located about 20 km north of Ho Chi Minh City, but they have a fantastic taproom in District 1. You’ll also find their beers in many convenience stores across Vietnam.
A tasting glass of one of their beers costs around 55,000–60,000 VND, while a regular glass is priced between 100,000–115,000 VND—fairly standard for craft beer in Vietnam.
Make sure you arrive hungry! Their menu is all over the place, but everything I tried was fantastic. I couldn’t resist ordering their Baja Taco, made with fresh local fish on a proper corn tortilla.
Of course, it’s all about the craft beer. They offer a wide selection, including Pale Ales, IPAs, DIPAs, and New England Pale Ales with intriguing names like Kurtz’s Insane, Loose Rivet, and Dream Alone.
They also have cacao porters, martini stouts, and imperial stouts—styles I found surprising given HCMC’s tropical heat. But maybe you get used to it over time!
The taproom itself has an air-conditioned indoor section and a spacious terrace overlooking a bustling street. Upstairs, there’s even a wine bar for those who prefer something other than beer. The food is outstanding, and the service is great. Prices for food are on the higher side, but that’s to be expected.
East West Brewing
Last but not least, East West Brewing is a large, somewhat clinical taproom centrally located in District 1. The entire venue is air-conditioned and houses both a brewery and a tasting room. The staff is extremely friendly—sometimes almost overly so.
Standard beers are reasonably priced at 100,000–115,000 VND, but be careful not to accidentally order a "special" beer, which can set you back 300,000–400,000 VND. The snack menu is extensive, and the Fried Spring Roll Shrimp I had was absolutely delicious.
It’s worth stopping by on a weekday. From Monday to Friday, between 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM, they have Happy Hour—buy one, get one free on all beers, including taster flights!
Wrapping Up HCMC
These were the best taprooms I visited in HCMC. Pasteur Street Brewing had the coziest and most inviting atmosphere. Heart of Darkness and East West Brewing were larger and busier, but they made up for it with a much more extensive food selection to pair with their beers.
Next up: Hoi An! Get ready for small and intimate taprooms and even more delicious snacks.