Sao Hôm Restaurant, Cần Thơ

In Cần Thơ's old market hall, facing the river

The market hall was built between 1913 and 1915, and to this day is still one of the most strikingly beautiful markets in Vietnam. Built with the French, its features were meant to remind the traveller of the markets along former Indochina’s Mekong river, throughout Laos and Cambodia.

In the past year, the market hall was restored to its original shape, the tiles of its secondary roofs green again, then it just needed to be repainted, as the strong arch is actually as new today as it ever was.

Tall and well ventilated, with a naturally convecting roof pulling in a cool wind into the place even in still air, the old market hall was the ideal place to open a restaurant, and so we did with Sao Hôm facing Cần Thơ river, with a set up honoring the original architecture, and an "inside garden" style.

The Ninh Kiều pier was also overhauled last year, and its beautiful garden now spans down to the market hall itself, providing a great, green promenade to idlers at night, leading them to Sao Hôm.

Open throughout the day

Sao Hôm is open from 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM, and serves all the main meals of a day.

Breakfast

Sao Hôm opens early in the day and serves breakfast, Vietnamese style as well as some more international choice.

If you are planning a boat trip to the floating market, here is the best place to have breakfast. You may then sit and be comfortable whatever the time schedule of your boat. Is there some slack in the timing, just enjoy your coffee till they come.

Among the dishes served for breakfast, you may opt for phở, bún, but also sunny side up, omelet or even a toasted ham & cheese sandwich, "Croque Monsieur" style.

Lunch and dinner

We serve Vietnamese cuisine as well as Western cuisine, and can accommodate groups of over 100 people, whom we can treat to the best of what the Mekong delta can give.

Please contact us for the set menus and arrangements for your groups.

The place is open throughout the day, so you do not have to worry about your time schedule, and may even show up unexpected to find the team ready to serve your group.

Snacks & Ice cream

Sao Hôm serves the best ice cream in Vietnam, French-made in Saigon with 100% natural flavors, you will love the sherbets (raspberry, strawberry,... even durian), as well as the milk-based creams: vanilla, rhum-grapes, coffee and so many more.

In the afternoon, we offer a selection of light dishes, just appropriate for a mid-afternoon bite before getting on one's way.

Traditional Vietnamese cuisine

Sao Hôm serves a large sample of traditional Vietnamese cuisine.

Mekong delta specialties

Among the numerous specialties of the Mekong delta, you will find the following specialties worthy of a taste.

Lẩu Hải Sản

Steamboat with seafood, a broad sample of the delicious fish available in the Mekong delta, steamed on your table.

Chả Giò Rế

The imperial rolls, Cần Thơ style, wrapped in a light and crispy layer of the thinnest rice noodles, and well-done to the core.

Cá Kho Tộ

Fish in clay pot, the now renowned specialty of Cần Thơ, a tasty Cá Chẽm served with steamed rice, still in the clay pot in which it was cooked.

Tôm Xú Hấp Bia

Shrimps cooked in beer steam, served in a delicate lime sauce. A taste of the local delicacies

Classic Vietnamese cuisine

To those who are discovering Vietamese cuisine, or who would rather stick to the standards, Sao Hôm offers a wide choice of the classic dishes that make Vietnam renowned for its savors.

Phở Bắc

Northern Rice Noodle Soup, The classic among the classics, a tasty clear soup with your choice of beef or poultry.

Heo Kho Riệu

Pork in Caramel Sauce, sweet pork bits in their cooking sauce, indeed in their clay pot, served with white rice.

Bò Lúc Lắc

Diced beef, a very easy dish, that will please anyone who would not depart from the classic tastes, and still give them the best experience.

Western cuisine

Further than the inescapable beefsteak with fries, and for those who long for a taste of occidental cuisine, Sao Hôm also offers a wide range of western food, with an emphasis on French-style cuisine, prevalent when the market hall was built.

French specialties

Salads

A choice of Niçoise (tuna), Season's salad, even Greek salad

Quiche Lorraine

A North-Eastern France tarte-style specialty

Tournedos with green pepper sauce

a thick, juicy piece of beef meat served with a light sauce

Duck breast in orange sauce

...but wasn't it originally an asian dish? Here is the French version

Italian specialties

Pizza

Margherita, vegetarian, Hawaiian, marinara...

Spaghetti

Bolognese or Carbonara.