Local guide · 4 places
Chè: Vietnamese sweet soups in Saigon
Chè is the Vietnamese word for sweet soups and puddings: beans, jellies, lotus seeds, taro and fruit, served hot or over ice, often with coconut milk. In Cholon you will also find Chinese-style desserts such as black sesame soup and herbal jelly.
Dessert shops are an evening ritual. Locals stop by after dinner, so many places open in the afternoon and stay busy late.
Before you go
- Ask for 'chè nóng' (hot) or 'chè đá' (with ice).
- Mixed bowls let you try several toppings at once.
- Small shops are cash-only; a bowl usually costs less than a coffee in the city centre.
The places
Sweet soup desserts
Sweet soup desserts
Yukii Desserts
Yukii DessertsCholon (District 5)Chinese sweet-soup shop with pretty, photogenic desserts, including lotus-shaped sweets and a strawberry snow ice.
Sweet soup desserts
Sweet soup desserts
Lam Thanh Sweet Soups
Chè Lâm ThạnhCholon (District 5)Long-established sweet soup shop in District 5.
Sweet soup desserts
Sweet soup desserts
Ha Ky Sweet Soups
Chè Hà KýCholon (District 5)Chinese dessert shop with almost 40 sweet soups, running for over 30 years. Open 10am–10pm.
Sweet soup desserts
Sweet soup desserts
Lamp-post Sweet Soup
Chè Cột ĐiệnCholon (District 5)Popular sweet soup (che) stall in District 5.