The Lunch Lady (Nguyen Thi Thanh)
Vietnamese restaurant · Ho Chi Minh City ·

The Lunch Lady (Nguyen Thi Thanh)

Vietnamese restaurant · Ho Chi Minh City ·

Daily rotating noodle soups, including crab and steak luc lac

daily soup special
banh canh cua
anthony bourdain
crab noodle soup
noodle soup
side dishes
steak luc lac
cash only
The Lunch Lady (Nguyen Thi Thanh) by null
The Lunch Lady (Nguyen Thi Thanh) by null
The Lunch Lady (Nguyen Thi Thanh) by null
The Lunch Lady (Nguyen Thi Thanh) by null
The Lunch Lady (Nguyen Thi Thanh) by null
The Lunch Lady (Nguyen Thi Thanh) by null
The Lunch Lady (Nguyen Thi Thanh) by null
The Lunch Lady (Nguyen Thi Thanh) by null
The Lunch Lady (Nguyen Thi Thanh) by null
The Lunch Lady (Nguyen Thi Thanh) by null
The Lunch Lady (Nguyen Thi Thanh) by null
The Lunch Lady (Nguyen Thi Thanh) by null
The Lunch Lady (Nguyen Thi Thanh) by null
The Lunch Lady (Nguyen Thi Thanh) by null
The Lunch Lady (Nguyen Thi Thanh) by null
The Lunch Lady (Nguyen Thi Thanh) by null
The Lunch Lady (Nguyen Thi Thanh) by null
The Lunch Lady (Nguyen Thi Thanh) by null
The Lunch Lady (Nguyen Thi Thanh) by null
The Lunch Lady (Nguyen Thi Thanh) by null

Information

Lô C1 Chung Cư 1A1B, Nguyễn Đình Chiểu, Đa Kao, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam Get directions

₫1–100,000

Reserve a table
Restroom
Popular for lunch
Good for groups
Good for solo dining
Touristy

Information

Static Map

Lô C1 Chung Cư 1A1B, Nguyễn Đình Chiểu, Đa Kao, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam Get directions

+84 933 887 922

₫1–100,000

Reserve a table

Features

•Restroom
•Accepts reservations
•Popular for lunch
•Good for groups
•Good for solo dining
•Touristy
•Credit card accepted
•Debit card accepted

Last updated

Jan 8, 2026

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@michelinguide
48,380 Postcards · 8,029 Cities

Meet Anthony Bourdain’s Favorite ‘Lunch Lady’

"Lunch Lady is a restaurant in Vancouver, Canada, inspired by the original lunch stall in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, owned by Chef Nguyen Thi Thanh. It offers a dining experience that stays true to Vietnamese culinary roots while incorporating local Canadian ingredients. The menu features traditional dishes like pho and steak luc lac, along with unique cocktails, including a special negroni inspired by Anthony Bourdain." - Michael He

https://guide.michelin.com/en/article/features/michelin-guide-restaurants-vietnamese-lunch-lady-anthony-bourdain
The Lunch Lady (Nguyen Thi Thanh)
@michelinguide
48,380 Postcards · 8,029 Cities

Meet Anthony Bourdain’s Favorite ‘Lunch Lady’

"Fifteen years ago, the late chef Anthony Bourdain fell in love with the food at a nameless lunch stall in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam. Years later, those timeless recipes have made their way to Vancouver, Canada at the aptly named Lunch Lady. Suelee Wright/The Lunch Lady. The most popular dish is steak luc lac, also a favorite of the Lunch Lady herself. Instead of chopping and stir-frying the beef, the chefs use French sous vide techniques with inspiration from Canadian steaks." - Michael He

https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/article/features/michelin-guide-restaurants-vietnamese-lunch-lady-anthony-bourdain
The Lunch Lady (Nguyen Thi Thanh)
@michelinguide
48,380 Postcards · 8,029 Cities

Vietnam 101: How To Eat Vietnamese Food Like A Local

"Banh canh cua are luscious Vietnamese noodles known for their thickness, crafted from tapioca flour or a combination of rice and tapioca flour. Banh canh cua specifically refers to banh canh noodles served in a sumptuous and velvety crab soup, often enhanced with the delightful addition of quail eggs." - Lana Tran

https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/article/features/how-to-eat-vietnamese-food-like-a-local-michelin-guide-vietnam
The Lunch Lady (Nguyen Thi Thanh)
@noreservations
170 Postcards · 69 Cities

Fresh ingredients from the market, world famous for her soups

Vietnam
The Lunch Lady (Nguyen Thi Thanh)

Chau Nguyễn Đặng H.

Google
The Lunch Lady is 100% worth the hype. I love how the menu changes daily, so every visit feels like a surprise instead of the same old bowl. The broth is rich, bold, and super layered — you can tell it’s been simmered with care, not rushed. My bowl came loaded with ingredients, and everything worked together surprisingly well. It’s hearty, comforting, and slightly spicy in the best way. Add a squeeze of lime, a bit of chili, some fresh greens on the side — game changer. Portions are generous, flavors are big, and it’s the kind of meal that leaves you full and happy. Definitely one of those places where you eat in silence for the first few minutes because it’s just that good. If you’re into Vietnamese food and want something authentic but still exciting, this spot is a must-try. I’d happily come back again and again.

Patricia F

Google
This place is down the street from my friends apartment. Each day they serve a different soup. Came here on Saturday and had the bahn canh. Their tapioca noodles were red and the soup had such a great flavor. It’s the noodle soup of my dreams.

Matthew N.

Google
Absolutely amazing! I could eat here every week. Especially since they switch it up everyday to whatever is fresh. I was served as soon as I sat down. Thank you Bourdain for the recommendation.

Jake B.

Google
The Thai Noodle soup was great, you can just refuse the side dish as it’s not free and kills the overall experience for us, the omelette like shrimp, and the spring rolls were cold and not crispy, lacks flavor. One of their staff will also offer their beverage menu. Just be careful with their final bill, as they quoted as 240k, for 2 noodles( in their menu it is was just 40k plus), plus one drink, and ate some of the side dishes. We felt like they overcharged us, but since we were in a hurry for our next destination, and felt like it’s not worth our time arguing as they don’t speak english, we just let it pass.

Regaleatsmelb

Google
The Lunch Lady serves a rotating daily noodle soup special that comes with Anthony Bourdain's tick of approval. I loved it here from the outdoor setting to the small tables and chairs to the minimal English spoken - I mean what else is there to say other than one special of the day and whether you want it small (half size), medium (regular size) or large (extra meat size)? Serving bánh canh cua only on Saturdays, this rich soup with its thick Udon-like gooey noodles and generous amounts of crab meat tasted as good as it looked. There is so much going on in this bowl that it’s an explosion of both colour and taste and an absolute must eat! But be warned - snacks and sides will be put on your table, it's not free - but at 40,000-60,000 dong for a bowl depending on size, don't overthink that eating a shrimp cake or adding Vietnamese donuts will break the bank!

Co

Google
I’m a big fan of Anthony Bourdain and it’s one of the reason I came here to try it. I’m short, it was a disappointment. They only have one dish of the day and I got the crab noodle. It came out like warm and when it’s a thick soup, it tasted extra thick. The area was filthy. You can see shrimp tail and napkins discarded on the floor. I can handle street food but these ladies and just sitting around. It’s not pact or anything. In fact when I got there at 1 pm, I was the only person there. They also brought me a dish with deep fried spring rolls and shrimp crackers. I didn’t k ow of it was part of the meal or not so I ate some. It was gross. The oil and soaked and it tasted like it’s been passed around all day. I wonder if that was a dish they offer and if you eat it, you pay otherwise it gets passed on to another. I was that sucker. Don’t eat it. The ladies there were just sitting around. Traffic here is purely from a positive feedback from Anthony years and years ago. I was really looking forward to this place but was disappointed. I couldn’t even finish my food which is rare. Also ordered a Pepsi. All of this for 120k. A bit overpriced in my opinion.

Jonathan N.

Google
I had to visit this place because of the late and great icon - AB. Maybe because it has been a while since the first time AB visited but when I went in Jan 2024, very disappointed. The soup was not hot. The staff gives foreigners/tourists extra dishes without us ordering (springrolls and fritters). He does not give those to locals. We told the person we did not want them. They charge for them as well. I'm glad we (me and my wife) got to see the Lunch Lady stall and finally eat there. However, we will probably not go again. There are a TON of other shops in HCMC that are excellent in both taste and value. Oh well, one check off my bucket list of places to visit.

Linda V.

Google
Everyday is a different menu item. We had Hu tieu beef balls or ribs as the special and it was delicious. Noodles are al dente and the meats were amazing. The soup was tasty, but it was a little salty. It’s a nice spot to check out. We ordered 4 bowls of noodles and it was 200k. If you’re given a plate of spring rolls or sides, only eat it if you’re willing to pay per piece.
Pattern of hills and trees around lake