Drinking Culture in Saigon – Part 2: Cocktail Culture, Cuisine & Mixology Bars, and Single-Spirit Bars
You have seen the city growing and globalizing, with luxurious department stores, elegant restaurants, shining craft beer taprooms, and fancy nightclubs flocked with young locals. Check my first part of this drinking culture series – about best bars in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) for nightlife hanging out spots and craft beer – if you haven’t.
What about the less visible corners of the city? In those quiet and classic bars with golden lights, is there anything interesting to drink in their wooden interiors? My answer is yes, these are the places that you will find the finest and most perfected cocktails and spirits of the city.
Cocktail Bar Culture of Saigon
With the improving integration of foreign culture in Saigon, people’s drinking habits have changed to catch up with the trends of the world, and even surpass it with a unique quality. In particular, Vietnam is leading the craft beer market of the region. But the cocktail and fine-drinking culture are just about to begin.
I had a small talk with Phuc Le, head barman at My House Bar. This guy has almost 4 years experience in the field, working for various upscale bars. He provided precious information about the best bars in Ho Chi Minh and their signatures, which I will be sharing in this article.
The cocktail culture has not fully developed yet because it just started spreading and gaining popularity 2 years ago. Quality spirits and cocktails used to be confined to luxurious hotels, clubs, and bars associated with these hotels, and some high-end restaurants, in a limited quantity. But in the recent years, it is becoming popular with the average income audience, with the appearance of more and more mid-to-high range cocktail bars like Qui Cuisine & Mixology, My House, Monde Restaurant & Bar, and more.
In fact, the development of drinking culture in Vietnam is almost developing backward. Throughout Western history, taverns and saloons first appeared, then pubs, bars, lounges, and finally nightclubs. But here, nightclubs developed first, due to the westernization by the French and the Americans. At the same time, cocktail lounges were traditionally integrated into luxurious hotels around the city, where only classy locals could afford. Then in the 2010s, beer clubs and sky lounges popped up for the young average-earning person to party at once in a while. It is only recently that the very first cocktail – mixology bars showed up. And they are surely the best bars in Ho Chi Minh.
Locals’ Favorite Flavors
Another thing to keep in mind about the culture of drinking in Vietnam is that there are differences between men and women’s flavors of choice. Men typically prefer drinks that are strong, bold, and rich in flavor, while women usually like something light and fruity. All tastes boil down to a traditional Vietnamese flavor profile, which is a bit sweet for Westerners. The most popular flavors among the young people are coconut, pineapple, sweet and fruity (citrusy, peachy, etc.), pandan (Vietnamese screwpine), matcha (Japanese green tea), milky, creamy, and flavors that remind them of childhood treats. Yet, I am a whiskey guy and I prefer drinks with complexities and many layers of taste.
One last thing, almost every cocktail bar in Ho Chi Minh City follows Japanese-style bartending by focusing on the perfection of techniques and flavors, preserving the classics for cocktail enthusiasts, and crafting cocktails with local ingredients based on local tastes. They are introducing the sophisticated yet accessible culture to young people.
So up next, I will recommend to you my own choices of the best bars in Ho Chi Minh – mixology bars with cuisine & cocktail pairing, and specialized single-spirit bars.
The Refined Harmonization of Mixology and Cuisine
Beer or wine is often paired with cuisine throughout history. The right choice of beer or wine can highly enhance a dining experience, and yet it is not difficult to do so with the many popular pairing guides published worldwide. But pairing cuisine with cocktails is a whole different story. The complexity of flavor and the endless number of combinations, modified by thousands of bartenders with their own unique personalities, adds to an impossibly large number of cocktails. Successfully making the right choice of cocktail and food can result in a fantastic and mind-blowing experience. These following bars have totally nailed it!
The Alley Cocktail Bar & Kitchen – When the Best of All Words Comes Together
If you want the best of all worlds, The Alley is the place to go. With a wonderful vintage decoration, this bar lures its guests into a fantasy world with a cozy atmosphere, chill vibes, and of course, an unforgettable dining and drinking experience. There are countless selections of cocktails and fine wine for you to choose from: martinis, vodka, gin, and rum to tequila, whiskey, cognac, and Japanese sake! Even if you’re not in the mood for drinking, the food menu will satisfy you instead. Do you like having options? If you’re looking for an easy nibble, try the Vietnamese spring rolls, tackle crispy chicken wings, enjoy grilled Australian beef, and lick your lips after an appetizing dish of Italian spaghetti.
While it turns darker outside as night falls, it’s time for acoustic live music to take over inside. Now it’s time to sit back in wood booths, indulge in delicious classic cocktails, or turn yourself over to the bartender’s choice for a stunning twist. The friendly team behind the bar is happy to meet your drink expectations. Come and explore their food and drink, I know you’ll want to come back for a second night!
MORE INFORMATION
Address: 63/1 Pasteur Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, HCMC
Opening hours: 5 PM – 1 AM (closed on Sunday)
Price: average 150,000 VND for drinks
Facebook page: The Alley Cocktail Bar & Kitchen
Drinking & Healing – The Place to Cure Your Sadness
A great drink can cure sadness, but if you don’t believe me, check out Drinking & Healing! Nestled in the second floor of a 150-year-old building, this bar is truly a hidden gem that upon entering, all your stress and daily burden will melt right outside the sturdy door. The dim lights, the wood bricks, and the dark wall have harmonized perfectly to bring out a cozy, private, and relaxing vibe so that you can feel comfortable in your own world. Whether you’re going out with friends or for an after-work drink, a wide selection of delicious cocktails with ingredients and garnishes of the highest quality will surely satisfy your tired mind.
The bar specializes in drinks made from gin and tonic with a variety of flavors, from fresh orange, lime, grapefruit, and berry to rosemary, local dried sakura, pink pepper, and sage leaf. If you feel uncertain about what to drink, give the bartenders a heads up so that they can surprise you! Last but not least, while the cocktails and the collection of hundreds of bottles are the main draw to this place, the burgers have their own fans. The Drinking & Healing mixologists will share their picks for quality cocktails that go well with beefy-cheesy goodness, so no need to worry!
MORE INFORMATION
Address: 2nd floor, 25 Ho Tung Mau Street, Nguyen Thai Binh Ward, District 1, HCMC
Opening hours: 6:30 PM – 2 AM
Price: average 250,000 VND for drinks
Facebook page: Drinking & Healing
Monde Bar & Restaurant
– Authentic Japanese Hospitality in the Heart of Saigon
Monde Bar & Restaurant is a middle-range yet luxurious bar and restaurant serving slow-style, perfect classic cocktails with a fine dining experience. It is highly favored by Vietnamese and Japanese business people for many occasions such as business meetings, private, and family dinners. This high-class Japanese bar & restaurant with a vintage European twist earns its place among the best bars in Ho Chi Minh for its chilling jazz, rare whiskeys, perfected classic cocktails, and refined cuisine.
Located on a busy street between the Independence Palace and the Notre Dame Cathedral, Monde is situated in an old colonial manor house with a spacious courtyard and a heavy wooden door.
The moment you step inside, the chaos, the honking, and the rain of Saigon disappear.
The first thing you will notice is the sophisticated yet minimalist interior with a green garden outside the big window, and the 70’s jazz playing in the background, an authentic feeling of a typical bar in Ginza – the most famous upscale dining and entertainment district of Tokyo, Japan. And yes, the first Monde was founded 30 years ago in Ginza, and is famous for its harmony of service, surroundings, food, and drink. Even in Saigon, the third establishment, the experience of Japanese hospitality stays true.
Here, you will have a taste of true Japanese mixology and cuisine, where every little thing is perfected. In Japanese bartending, water is the most important element. You will understand this obsession by observing how the bartenders handcraft every piece of ice. Imagine a perfectly-round, crystal-clear ball of ice spinning in your glass of whiskey. The menu recommends their signatures and some classics, but your choice still depends on your desire, and the bartender is willing to fulfill it. Ask for Mr. Hasegawa and you will experience the Master’s cocktails, of one of the best bars in Ho Chi Minh.
