The short answer: Thảo Điền is the leafy riverside neighbourhood across the Saigon River from District 1, and the easiest part of Ho Chi Minh City to spend a slow day in. Come for breakfast, an afternoon by a pool, happy hour from 14:00 and dinner by the water. It is the first metro stop across the river, or 27 minutes upstream by water bus, and since July 2025 it has officially been part of An Khánh Ward.
Thảo Điền (often written Thao Dien) is where a large share of the city’s expats live, which is why people call it “the bubble”. It is also where nearly half of Saigon Scene’s partner venues are, so it is the part of town we know best. Below is how it works now, street by street, and where we would eat, drink, train and stay, with partners listed first.
Thảo Điền is now part of An Khánh Ward
Vietnam abolished the district tier of local government on 1 July 2025, and Thủ Đức City, which had absorbed District 2 in 2021, went with it. Old Thảo Điền ward no longer exists. Under Resolution 1685/NQ-UBTVQH15, it was merged with its neighbours into a new, much larger An Khánh Ward (Phường An Khánh): 15.33 km² and home to about 77,000 people.
| New ward | Made up of (old wards) |
|---|---|
| An Khánh Ward | All of Thảo Điền, An Khánh, Thủ Thiêm and An Lợi Đông, plus most of An Phú |
| Bình Trưng Ward | Bình Trưng Đông, Bình Trưng Tây and the rest of An Phú |
Everyone still says Thảo Điền, and so do the metro station, the water bus stop and half the shop signs. But booking forms, ride-hailing apps and new addresses use An Khánh, so expect to see both. Two traps. The An Phú end is split between wards: Estella Place on Song Hành now gives its address as Bình Trưng Ward. And Xa lộ Hà Nội, the highway along the south side, was renamed Võ Nguyên Giáp in 2023, though plenty of addresses still use the old name. In this guide we write “An Khánh Ward (formerly Thảo Điền)” once and then just say Thảo Điền.
Thảo Điền, street by street
Thảo Điền sits in a bend of the river, north of Võ Nguyên Giáp and the elevated metro line. Most of what you will want is on a handful of streets.
| Street | What it is | Partners on it |
|---|---|---|
| Xuân Thủy | The main restaurant and bar strip, busiest after dark | Mamacita (now La Lola), Churros Club, The Racha Room, Sip N Play |
| Thảo Điền street | Cafés, brunch, gyms and the wine shop | Mekong Merchant, The Gate, Eddie’s, Yoga Pod, Dolphy Café, Hustle Gym, Wine Embassy |
| Lê Văn Miến | A short street that punches above its length for food | OKRA, Green Box, Baba’s Kitchen, Ceramic4You |
| Nguyễn Văn Hưởng | The long road out towards the riverside villas | CantYna, Birr Pilates |
| Nguyễn Bá Lân | Two comfort-food institutions on one short street | Union Jack’s, Jimmy’s New York Pizza |
| Quốc Hương | Quieter, a few minutes’ walk from Thảo Điền metro station | The Rabbit Hole, Saigon Motorcycles |
| The riverside lanes | Pools, terraces and sunset tables on the water | CLAY (Đường số 6), The Brix (Trần Ngọc Diện) |
| The numbered side streets | Rooftop beer, live music and one serious gym | Le Café des Stagiaires (Đường số 54), Úm Ba La (Đường số 11), Train With Primal (Nguyễn Duy Hiệu) |
| Võ Trường Toản | The An Phú edge, still in An Khánh Ward | Ibérico, MOVE Vietnam |
Where to eat in Thảo Điền
The food here is mostly international and mostly independent: Spanish, Italian, Mediterranean, British, Indian and very good pizza, all within a short walk. Partners first. Prices are from each venue’s own menu, checked on 18 October 2026 unless we say otherwise. For brunch, which Thảo Điền takes very seriously, see our Thảo Điền brunch guide.
La Lola Thảo Điền (formerly Mamacita)
Mamacita Thảo Điền at 80 Xuân Thủy has become La Lola, the second restaurant from chef Julio Gomez, cooking Mediterranean coastal food. The sign has changed but Google Maps may still say Mamacita. Its Golden Hour, daily 14:00 to 18:00, is buy one, get one free on selected wines by the glass, at 170,000₫ to 190,000₫ before service and VAT (September 2026).
CantYna
CantYna at 206 Nguyễn Văn Hưởng is the neighbourhood’s Italian: spaghetti alla carbonara is 380,000₫. Happy hour runs 14:00 to 19:00 every day with a free plate of canapés, and dinner starts at 17:30 on weekdays.
Ibérico Tapas & Vino
Ibérico Tapas & Vino at 33 Võ Trường Toản does Spanish tapas, paella and a long wine list. The Jamón Ibérico de Bellota is 499,000₫ for 50g, plus service and VAT. Open daily 16:00 to 23:30, kitchen until 22:30.
OKRA FoodBar
OKRA FoodBar at 2 Lê Văn Miến is chef-driven and listed in the MICHELIN Guide. The phở bò tartare is 240,000₫. Closed Tuesdays; 17:30 to 23:00 Wednesday to Saturday, and to 22:00 on Sunday and Monday.
CLAY
CLAY at 18 Đường số 6 is the pick for dinner on the river: a Mediterranean-style terrace, a wood-fired kitchen and a cocktail list built for a long evening. The wood-fired Black Angus tenderloin is 998,000₫ including service and VAT (May 2026 menu), and happy-hour cocktails start at 148,000₫. Book a river table for sunset.
The member discount applies all day Tuesday to Thursday, but not to happy-hour drinks or events.
The Gate
The Gate at 17 Thảo Điền now calls itself The Gate Restaurant, and the cooking is Italian-led European, with a curated wine list to match. Pan-seared foie gras is 360,000₫ plus VAT and service (September 2026 menu). Open daily 11:00 to midnight.
Mekong Merchant
Mekong Merchant at 23 Thảo Điền has been feeding the neighbourhood from its leafy courtyard since 2004, from breakfast at 07:00 to last drinks at 23:00. The Moroccan lamb pizza is 280,000₫ (July 2026 menu), and happy hour is 16:00 to 19:00 daily.
Jimmy’s New York Pizza
Jimmy’s New York Pizza at 29 Nguyễn Bá Lân makes big, thin, crisp New York pies, from 129,000₫ for an 8-inch cheese to 349,000₫ for a 12-inch Supreme. Open 10:00 to 23:00. The discount is for eating in; for delivery, order direct on jimmys.vn rather than through an app. More slices in our best pizza in Saigon guide.
Union Jack’s Fish & Chips
Union Jack’s Fish & Chips, on the same street at 10 Nguyễn Bá Lân, fries in beef dripping (vegetable oil on request), with a choice of snapper, barramundi or New Zealand ling and triple-cooked chips. There is a Sunday roast too. Open 09:00 to 22:00, closed Wednesdays.
Baba’s Kitchen
Baba’s Kitchen at 35 Lê Văn Miến is the Thảo Điền branch of the Indian restaurant that started on Bùi Viện in 2011. Butter chicken is 175,000₫. Open 11:00 to 22:30.
Eddie’s New York Deli and Diner
Eddie’s New York Deli and Diner at 71 Thảo Điền is a 1950s-style American diner. A Reuben is 229,000₫ for a half or 399,000₫ for the whole thing, which is a lot of pastrami. Open 08:00 to 22:00.
Green Box
Green Box at 6 Lê Văn Miến is where to go when you have had too much of the above. The Dengaku or Bust plant-based bowl is 155,000₫ plus tax (October 2026 menu). Open 08:00 to 21:00. Our healthy food in Saigon guide has more.
Dolphy Café
Dolphy Café, a Saigon coffee brand going since 2013, has a new branch at 28 Thảo Điền. It also sells its own beans: 250g of robusta is 185,000₫.
Churros Club
Churros Club at 88 Xuân Thủy does build-your-own churros, 120,000₫ for ten pieces, and stays open until midnight.
Where to drink in Thảo Điền
Drinking in Thảo Điền starts earlier than in District 1. Most bars run a happy hour from mid-afternoon, and by 17:00 Xuân Thủy is full of people who finished work early. Partners first.
The Racha Room
The Racha Room at 105-107 Xuân Thủy is Thảo Điền’s best cocktail bar: a low-lit room, Thai-inspired food and barrel-aged and smoked cocktails.
Le Café des Stagiaires
Le Café des Stagiaires at 8-10 Đường số 54 is a rooftop bar with the best Belgian beer list in the neighbourhood: La Chouffe on draft is 100,000₫ for a small (September 2026). The weekday happy hour runs until 19:00, with an Aperol Spritz at 150,000₫. It also leads our Belgian beer guide.
The Rabbit Hole Irish Sports Bar
The Rabbit Hole at 38 Quốc Hương is the Irish sports bar: a pool table, the big matches on screen, and a Sunday roast with Australian beef at 265,000₫. Happy hour is buy two, get one free, daily 15:00 to 19:00. Open from 15:00 on weekdays and 10:00 at weekends, until 02:00.
Úm Ba La (Umbala)
Úm Ba La (Umbala) at 14 Đường số 11 is Thảo Điền’s live music and events room, so what happens depends on who is playing: Um Ba La Live on Saturday 24 October 2026, for example, is 300,000₫ entry. Check what is on before you go.
The Brix
The Brix at 26 Trần Ngọc Diện is the neighbourhood’s pool day: loungers, a pool, a proper kitchen and a bar. It leads our pool bars guide.
Wine Embassy
Wine Embassy at 14B9 Thảo Điền is a wine shop, for the bottle you take to dinner or home. A Soave Casalforte is 600,000₫.
Other bars worth knowing
CLAY and Mekong Merchant, above, are as good for a drink as for dinner. Three more worth knowing, none of them partners. The Deck, 38 Nguyễn Ư Dĩ, has been on the river since 2008, with happy hours from 16:00 to 19:00 and again from 22:00 to 23:45. MAD Wine Bar, 63 Xuân Thủy, pours more than 30 wines by the glass from a list of over 700, with a weekday happy hour from 14:00 to 19:00. At The Muse, the bar at Mia Saigon on Đường số 10, Golden Hour is half price on all alcoholic drinks except bottles, 17:00 to 20:00 daily.
Our Thảo Điền bar guide sorts these by the kind of night you want, and the happy-hour map has about 50 Thảo Điền venues with their times for each day of the week and the date each one was last checked. For the rest of the city, see Ho Chi Minh City nightlife.
Things to do in Thảo Điền
Thảo Điền has no famous sights, and that is the point. It is where people come to do things: paint a mug, play a board game, rent a bike, or train at one of the boutique gyms and studios. Partners first.
Ceramic4You
Ceramic4You at 4 Lê Văn Miến is a paint-your-own pottery café. Packages start at 300,000₫ a person for two and a half hours, and your piece is fired and ready within 72 hours. Open Tuesday to Thursday 12:00 to 20:00 and Friday to Sunday 09:00 to 20:00, closed Mondays.
Sip N Play
Sip N Play at 17A Xuân Thủy is a board game and video game café with a busy events calendar, including Blood on the Clocktower nights at 90,000₫ a seat.
Saigon Motorcycles
Saigon Motorcycles at 36 Quốc Hương rents well-kept bikes, from 160,000₫ a day for a 50cc scooter. Open 09:00 to 18:00. Read our motorcycle rental guide before you ride.
Yoga Pod
Yoga Pod, 28 Thảo Điền (in Family Garden), is a garden yoga studio. A drop-in class is 350,000₫, or 400,000₫ for a two-class trial.
Birr Pilates
Birr Pilates, on the mezzanine level at 235 Nguyễn Văn Hưởng, does reformer Pilates: 600,000₫ for a group class, or 300,000₫ for a trial.
MOVE Vietnam
MOVE Vietnam, 27E Võ Trường Toản, runs cycling, hybrid strength and reformer classes at 400,000₫ to 600,000₫ a drop-in, or three first-timer sessions for 500,000₫. The member offer is for first-timers only.
Hustle Gym
Hustle Gym, 26B Thảo Điền, is built around 50-minute group strength and hybrid classes, plus personal training.
Train With Primal
Train With Primal, 13 Nguyễn Duy Hiệu, mixes Muay Thai, strength and Pilates classes with hot and cold baths, ice barrels and an infrared sauna. Prices are given at a free trial class. Open 06:00 to 21:00 on weekdays and 09:00 to 17:00 at weekends.
Also in and around Thảo Điền
Our guides to gyms in Ho Chi Minh City and yoga and Pilates in Saigon cover the rest of the city.
Vincom Mega Mall Thảo Điền, on Võ Nguyên Giáp beside the metro line, has 137 shops over five floors and is open 10:00 to 22:00 on weekdays and from 09:30 at weekends. A short ride south, and still in An Khánh Ward, the Thủ Thiêm riverside park runs along the river from the Saigon River tunnel to Ba Son bridge, with a skate park, pickleball, a basketball court and a 30-metre graffiti wall in the Creative Park section. For more ideas across the city, see unusual things to do in Ho Chi Minh City.
Thảo Điền in one day
- 08:00 Breakfast in the courtyard at Mekong Merchant, or a bowl at Green Box.
- 09:30 A class at Yoga Pod or MOVE, or, from Friday to Sunday, paint a mug at Ceramic4You.
- 12:30 Fish and chips at Union Jack’s (not on Wednesdays) or butter chicken at Baba’s Kitchen.
- 14:00 Golden Hour wine at La Lola, or the afternoon by the pool at The Brix.
- 16:00 Happy hour moves to Mekong Merchant or The Rabbit Hole. If you are coming from District 1, the 16:30 water bus from Bạch Đằng gets you to Thảo Điền at 16:57.
- 18:00 Sunset dinner on the river at CLAY, or OKRA if it is not a Tuesday.
- 21:00 Cocktails at The Racha Room, then the rooftop at Le Café des Stagiaires or whatever is on at Úm Ba La.
- Getting back: the last water bus leaves Thảo Điền at 22:05, and the last metro runs at about 22:00 Monday to Thursday and 23:00 Friday to Sunday. After that, it is Grab.
Where to stay in Thảo Điền
Stay in Thảo Điền if you are in Saigon for more than a few days, have children with you, or want quiet nights and a pool more than a view of the Opera House. Stay in District 1 for a short first visit, when walking to the landmarks matters more. The metro links the two, so it is not an either-or.
- Villa Sông Saigon, 197/2 Nguyễn Văn Hưởng: a small luxury hotel on the river. Even if you are not staying, its afternoon tea for two (14:00 to 17:00 daily, 750,000₫++ in October 2026) is a slow way to spend an afternoon on the water.
- Mia Saigon, 2-4 Đường số 10: 35 rooms and 18 suites on the river at the An Phú end, with a pool, a riverside restaurant and The Muse bar.
- Staying longer? Most people who stay more than a few weeks rent a serviced apartment or a house rather than a hotel room.
Our where to stay in Ho Chi Minh City guide compares Thảo Điền with District 1, District 3 and the rest of the city.
Getting to and around Thảo Điền
- Metro Line 1. Thảo Điền station is the sixth stop from Bến Thành and the first one across the river, raised above Võ Nguyên Giáp a couple of hundred metres from Quốc Hương street. An Phú is the next stop out. In every 2026 timetable so far, trains run from 05:00 until about 22:00 Monday to Thursday and 23:00 Friday to Sunday, so check before a late trip. A single ticket costs 7,000₫ to 20,000₫ by distance in cash, or 1,000₫ less if you pay cashless.
- Water bus. The Saigon Waterbus runs from Bạch Đằng pier in District 1 to Thảo Điền in 27 minutes for a flat 15,000₫, stopping at Bình An five minutes earlier. Boats are irregular, anything from 40 minutes to three and a half hours apart, and the last one back to Bạch Đằng leaves Thảo Điền at 22:05 (operator timetable, updated 23 September 2026). It is the nicest way to arrive for dinner.
- By car or motorbike. Grab is the default. The main route is over Saigon Bridge and along Võ Nguyên Giáp, which backs up badly in rush hour and in heavy rain: on 1 October 2026 a two-hour storm left traffic queued for more than 4 km from Hàng Xanh to the bridge. The alternative is the Thủ Thiêm tunnel or Ba Son bridge into Thủ Thiêm, then north.
- On foot. The core between Xuân Thủy, Thảo Điền street and Lê Văn Miến is walkable, though pavements come and go. For anything further, a Grab bike is quicker than a car on the narrow streets.
- Watch the tide. When heavy rain meets a high tide, Thảo Điền, Quốc Hương and Nguyễn Văn Hưởng streets flood, as Nguyễn Văn Hưởng did on the afternoon of 10 October 2026. The city has scheduled drainage works, but in the rainy season plan late-afternoon trips around the tide.
City buses are free until 31 December 2026 if you verify with a bank card, e-wallet or the MultiGo app. The metro is not included.
What Thảo Điền costs
Thảo Điền is not cheap by Saigon standards, but it is good value against what the same meal costs in most of the world. Restaurant menus here often add a 5% service charge and 8% VAT, shown as “++”.
| What | Where | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Metro, single ticket | Line 1 | 7,000₫ to 20,000₫ |
| Water bus, any distance | Saigon Waterbus | 15,000₫ |
| 8-inch cheese pizza | Jimmy’s New York Pizza | 129,000₫ |
| Plant-based bowl | Green Box | 155,000₫ plus tax |
| Butter chicken | Baba’s Kitchen | 175,000₫ |
| Small La Chouffe on draft | Le Café des Stagiaires | 100,000₫ (September 2026) |
| Spaghetti alla carbonara | CantYna | 380,000₫ |
| Wood-fired Black Angus tenderloin | CLAY | 998,000₫ including service and VAT (May 2026) |
| Yoga drop-in class | Yoga Pod | 350,000₫ |
| 50cc scooter for a day | Saigon Motorcycles | 160,000₫ |
Prices checked on the venues’ own menus and sites on 18 October 2026 unless dated.
How we checked this guide
Saigon Scene is written by people who live in Ho Chi Minh City, and Thảo Điền is one of the two parts of the city we cover most closely. Venues marked with a member offer are Saigon Scene partners: independent businesses that give our members a discount in return for being featured. We work with them directly, list them first, and only where they fit. On 18 October 2026 we checked that every venue on this page is trading, using its own website, menu or booking page, a dated 2026 listing or report, and the Vietnamese business registry. Every price comes from the venue’s own menu or site, with the month it was checked. Happy-hour times come from the venues’ own pages or our happy-hour map. The ward names come from Resolution 1685/NQ-UBTVQH15, transport details from the metro and water bus operators and Vietnamese news reports, and the flooding notes from Tuổi Trẻ, Sài Gòn Giải Phóng and Thanh Niên reporting in October 2026. Venues we could not confirm as open, partners included, were left out until we can. We do not take payment to appear in this guide.
Thảo Điền: questions answered
Is Thảo Điền still called Thảo Điền?
In conversation, yes. Officially, Thảo Điền ward was merged into An Khánh Ward on 1 July 2025, when Vietnam abolished districts. Locals, drivers, the metro station and most signs still say Thảo Điền, but new addresses and apps use An Khánh.
What ward is Thảo Điền in now?
An Khánh Ward. It combines old Thảo Điền, An Khánh, Thủ Thiêm, An Lợi Đông and most of An Phú. Part of old An Phú, around Song Hành, went to Bình Trưng Ward instead.
How do I get from District 1 to Thảo Điền?
Take Metro Line 1 from Bến Thành to Thảo Điền station, the sixth stop and the first across the river, for 7,000₫ to 20,000₫. Or take the water bus from Bạch Đằng pier, 27 minutes for 15,000₫. Grab works too, but Võ Nguyên Giáp and Saigon Bridge jam at rush hour and in heavy rain.
Which metro station is closest to Thảo Điền?
Thảo Điền station, on Võ Nguyên Giáp a couple of hundred metres from Quốc Hương street. An Phú station, the next stop out, is better for the An Phú end and Estella Place.
Is Thảo Điền a good area to stay?
For a longer stay, families, or anyone who wants quiet nights, yes: it is green, walkable at its core, and full of good restaurants, gyms and cafés. For a short first visit, District 1 puts you closer to the landmarks, and the metro links the two.
Where are the best bars in Thảo Điền?
Xuân Thủy is the main strip. For cocktails, The Racha Room; for Belgian beer on a rooftop, Le Café des Stagiaires; for sport, The Rabbit Hole; for live music, Úm Ba La; for the river, CLAY or The Deck. All but The Deck are Saigon Scene partners with a member discount.
Is Thảo Điền expensive?
It is one of the pricier parts of Saigon. Most of the mains we checked for this guide cost 150,000₫ to 400,000₫, and a draft beer or cocktail is typically 100,000₫ to 150,000₫, less at happy hour. Many menus add 5% service and 8% VAT.
Does Thảo Điền flood?
Some streets do. When heavy rain coincides with a high tide, Thảo Điền, Quốc Hương and Nguyễn Văn Hưởng streets are known flood spots; Nguyễn Văn Hưởng flooded on 10 October 2026. Check the weather and avoid those streets in late-afternoon downpours in the rainy season.
Where can I find happy hours in Thảo Điền?
Our happy-hour map lists about 50 Thảo Điền venues with their times for each day. Many start at 14:00 or 15:00 and run until 19:00, earlier than in District 1.
