IPPUDO Le Thanh Ton: Ho Chi Minh City Travel Guide

Why go

IPPUDO is a ramen chain from Japan, and this branch sits on Thái Văn Lung, a short street in the middle of the area people in Saigon call Little Japan. The lanes around Lê Thánh Tôn here are lined with Japanese restaurants, izakaya and small bars.

The restaurant is an easy, comfortable choice when you want a proper Japanese meal in the center without hunting for it.

From our visit

Our editor, Pixer, ate here in October. The short version: a tidy place where you can eat Japanese food the way it is meant to be served.

The room is calm and well kept. Warm wood tables, red and cream cushions, bamboo screens over the windows and a curved deep red wall give it a Japanese feel without being fussy. Each table had a menu, chopsticks laid out and a “Scan to Order” QR stand.

The food was clean and tasted good. The ramen came in a chili-tinted broth with braised pork, a soft egg, plenty of spring onion and a big sheet of nori, with a gyoza on the side.

The one downside was speed. The food was slow to come out, so this is not the spot for a rushed lunch.

After eating, the Japanese streets nearby are good for a wander, which makes the meal an easy start to an evening in the area.

Getting there

The restaurant is at 31 Thái Văn Lung in Sài Gòn Ward, in the old District 1 core, just off Lê Thánh Tôn. From the Opera House it is a short walk; from further away, a Grab bike or car is quick.

Put the full Thái Văn Lung address into your map rather than just the brand name, so you land at this branch.

Tips for your visit

Give yourself time, since the kitchen was not fast on our visit. Plan the meal as a sit-down stop rather than a quick refuel.

Combine it with a walk through the Little Japan lanes around Lê Thánh Tôn.

Opening hours have changed over the years, so check IPPUDO Vietnam’s own pages before you go.