August 2026 update: Pure Saigonese’s restaurant will close as of August 30, but you can still enjoy their food at their market stall inside First Street Market or order catering directly from them.
Calgary is home to a strong Vietnamese food scene. Whether you’re craving pho, bun bo hue, pork rice paper rolls, or something harder to find, these are the Vietnamese restaurants I recommend for different reasons.
If You Only Try Five
🏆 Best Pho
Pure Viet — Order the Pot-au-Phở ($20) or the 72-Hour AAA Boneless Short Rib Phở ($38). Both feature quality meats, rich broth and house-made noodles. The short rib phở is large enough to share. You must order the savoury Sesame Donut ($9), a Vietnamese doughnut filled with your choice of filling.
🏆 Most Consistent
Paper Lantern — The food that most reminds me of Vietnam. Their version of bánh xèo and banh mi was even better than the flavours I remember from my trip. The premium cocktails are excellent and shouldn’t be missed.
🏆 Best Banh Mi
My Tho BBQ — An old-school classic where the bread, butter, meat, and pâté are top tier. If you don’t like the homemade mayonnaise, let them know. My Tho is generous with all their ingredients. For a comprehensive list, visit → Best Banh Mi in Calgary.
🏆 Most Creative
An An Kitchen & Bar — An extensive menu with monthly specials. The French Dip Beef Rib Banh Mi is unlike anything else in the city, pairing a rich beef sandwich with pho broth for dipping.
🏆 Best Takeout
Cooking Mama YYC
Follow @cookingmamayyc on Instagram to find out when this talented home cook is selling her famous jumbo seafood fried rolls, steamed rice rolls with pork and Chinese sausage, and other hard-to-find Vietnamese specialties. Quantities are limited and often sell out quickly.
🏆 Start Here
These are the best Vietnamese restaurants in Calgary to start with.
Most Consistent
This tropical-themed Vietnamese speakeasy and cocktail bar serves some of the most consistently cooked food in the city, thanks to chefs Nguyen Bui and Nguyen Tran, the parents of co-owner Nhi Tran. Ask what the kitchen is having, rotating staff meals prepared for the team. Get the bánh xèo ($16) and banh mi ($11).
→ Read the full review: Paper Lantern
Best Pho
You can get some of the best pot au pho ($20) in the city at Chef Lam’s casual takeout stall, Pure Street, inside First Street Corner. Unlike many pho bowls, this one contains as much meat as noodles. The broth is rich and deeply flavoured, so much so that it’s worth saving for a second meal the next day.
→ Read the full review: Pure Street Food
Best Bun Bo Hue
Come here for the Bun Bo Hue ($19.45), spring rolls ($10.45), and pork-and-shrimp tapioca dumplings ($10.95). Other customer favourites include sliced rare beef with lime sauce ($17.95) and baby clams with vermicelli ($17.95).
→ Read the full review: Song Huong
Most Creative
My two favourite dishes on An An’s extensive menu are the bun cha and spring rolls ($21), and the beef rib banh mi ($18). The kitchen balances traditional Vietnamese flavours with creative infusion, resulting in dishes that feel both familiar and new.
→ Read the full review: An An Kitchen + Bar
Best Set Menu
Rau Bistro is best known for its Seven-Course Beef Set ($72 for two). There’s an impressive amount of thought and care behind each dish, right down to the sauces. Each one offers a distinct flavour profile.
→ Read the full review: Rau Bistro
Best Takeout
Follow @cookingmamayyc on Instagram to find out when this talented home cook is selling her famous jumbo seafood fried rolls, steamed rice rolls with pork and Chinese sausage, and other hard-to-find Vietnamese specialties. Quantities are limited and often sell out quickly.
→ Read the full review: Cooking Mama YYC
Looking for more dining recommendations? Check out my guide to the best restaurants in Calgary, where I’ve rounded up my favourite spots across the city.
Hitting the Sauce 