Vietnam GF (Hanoi, Hoi An, and Ho Chi Minh City)
GF chicken pho for breakfast at the Tirant Hotel in Hanoi!
Vietnamese food is a go-to for us gluten free friends! With rice, rice noodles, and rice paper being the basis of most of their main dishes, this cultural cuisine tends to be very safe in terms of Celiac-safe meal preparation and ingredients. I visited Vietnam in its dry season (Northern/Western Hemisphere’s’ winter), and it was great! Although some chill, this season was less touristy and my family and I were able to visit Hanoi, Hoi An, and Ho Chi Minh City with no problem. Without further ado, let’s get on to the restaurant and hotel/accommodation recommendations!
In Hanoi, we stayed at the Tirant Hotel- an adorable boutique hotel that had surprisingly amazing gluten free accomodations and breakfast options! The manager on staff was knowledgeable on gluten free foods (spoke/understood English very well!) and relayed everything regarding safe preparation to the chef. I was able to have delicious and authentic chicken pho, vegetable sushi, freshly prepared eggs/omelettes, and more at their all-inclusive breakfast buffet. The chef prepared my dishes separately so there was no risk of cross-contamination, and I felt very safe!
The very same manager of the Tirant Hotel breakfast actually gave us further recommendations for lunch and dinner spots in Hanoi, bringing us to a tiny, hole-in-the-wall family pho restaurant just a few blocks down from the hotel, Pho Kiêu Chuyên Bò. We sat outside on the benches as we watched our pho be prepared- everything was gluten free as the pho had no gluten-containing ingredients, and was absolutely delicious and perfect during the rain!
Another Hanoi highlight was Bun Cha Ta restaurant, which was a 100% gluten free Vietnamese restaurant with fried and fresh spring rolls, multiple different flavors and types of pho, salads, lettuce wraps, noodles, and more. The atmosphere was adorable and I felt very safe- it was so exciting to be able to order anything off the menu! They don’t advertise the fact that everything is gluten free, but if you ask any of the staff they will confirm this fact. :)
Moving on to Hoi An, there were 2 restaurants that stuck out in terms of Celiac-safe meals and preparation. We went around New Years, so we visited the bustling square (Old Town) around dinnertime to see the lanterns and boats on the water at night, which was beautiful, as expected! Right near the city center was the Nguyēn Tuyên restaurant, which had the most adorable atmosphere and plenty of safe, gluten free options! For lunch the next day we stumbled upon Restaurant Madam Lau, which was advertising its gluten free and vegetarian options. This meal turned out to be a foodie highlight of our trip! I got an amazing chicken fried rice dish, but they also had egg and spring rolls, lettuce wraps, and the classic pho, all gluten free, and the staff completely understood my allergy and the need to be careful in preparation.
In Hoi An I also enjoyed a gelato sweet treat, also near the city center, at Boulevard Gelato, where they understood my allergens, let me know which flavors are safe, and cleaned the spoon for me!
Finally, in Hoi An we went on an Eco Tour after biking through the Cam Thanh village, where they prepared my family and I a feast of gluten free foods! We had fried fish (with no flour or gluten-containing seasonings), rice, rice paper crackers, salad, oysters, grilled shrimp, coconut rinds and freshly picked lychees! This was such a cool experience, and all it took was some communication with the Eco Tour guides beforehand to ensure they understand the lunch must be cooked without wheat or soy sauce.
All the hotels we stayed at in Vietnam had perfectly accommodating gluten-free breakfast options, so I’ve written the names of the 3 different hotels below for your convenience when searching for a hotel in these cities!
Hanoi - The Tirant Hotel Hoi An - Bel Marina Ho Chi Minh City: The Myst
Overall, Vietnam was a great place in terms of gluten free food options. Although the language barrier is definitely difficult, some simple calling and asking beforehand, or, using my pre-printed card (on which I wrote about my Celiac Disease and what that requires for food preparation) were both incredible helps and made my experience seamless and enjoyable!
Remember, traveling with Celiac Disease doesn’t have to be stressful or impossible- with a little planning and some insider tips, you can have a worry-free adventure. :)
Feel free to sign up for the email list, or email me directly, if you have any questions about Celiac-safe travel in Vietnam or could use any further guidance!
- Chloe G. 🌍✨
