“THE” Saigon Market

Chợ Bà Chiểu

Okay, so Hai has lived here in Saigon his entire life. He and his brothers and sisters cook in his local neighborhood restaurant – everyday. They know Saigon, inside and out. So, I had often wondered at which Saigon market do they find what they need to cook up their array of amazingly fresh and delicious local dishes?

Where do you buy fresh vegetables that arrived from the countryside in the wee hours the night before? Mountains of fragrant local herbs? Pork ribs – just butchered? Shredded coconut (what kind of coconut do you want?)? Live catfish from the Mekong? Giant prawns – fresh? Tiny shrimp – dried? Rice (“broken”, “sticky” and otherwise)? Homemade tofu? Fish sauce? Squid? Dishes? Light bulbs? … and on and on and on???

The day I decided to find out the source of all these amazing goodies, Hai offered me options. I could go with his young brother to the market for the day’s initial purchase of fresh goods at about 4:00 am (getting up at 3:00 am). Or, I could go with Hai a bit later for the day’s second run to the market in late morning. Hmmn, let me consider my options … You know, I think the lighting will be better for photos once the sun comes up. I’ll just sleep until 8:00 am and then we can go shop together – in the daylight 🙂 .

Now, I have been to Bến Thành Market a thousand times. Of course, as the obligatory tourist stop during my first many visits to Saigon. And then, even after renting an apartment and living in the city for years, I often have found myself shopping in Saigon’s landmark tourist market. It is just one block from my health club. And convenient to where Bus #13 and #56 drop me off at the central Saigon bus terminal when I venture into District 1.

But, Bến Thành Market, lacks a certain authenticity for me. With its ATM machines, slick professional vendors, throngs of tourists, and Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf just across the street, it feels a bit like Saigon’s answer to San Francisco’s Pier 39 or New York’s Times Square. Yes, you can buy fish sauce there. But, so too can you buy your “Got Pho?” souvenir tee-shirt.

OK.  So Hai, take me to your market! Off to Chợ Bà Chiểu.

CROWDED … with locals! No foreigners! Hot! Did I say crowded? How about amazing and wonderful! And very very fun. Now this is a Saigon Market. In my opinion, Chợ Bà Chiểu is “the” Saigon Market.

Vegetables and herbs on the counters, on the ground, in the wagons, on the motorbikes. Mountains of coconut – whole, shredded, sliced, or chopped. Flowers – for your table, for your wedding, for your funeral (yes, they have these too)! Slithering things. Jumping things. Fish, fish, fish … and meat, meat, and more meat. Jewelry, yes very very gaudy, and lots of it :-).

Okay, let the pictures tell the rest of the story:

If you just have one day in Saigon, stray off the beaten path, take a bus, a taxi or a xe ôm (motorbike taxi) and go to Chợ Bà Chiểu. Have breakfast or lunch. In one stop there, you’ll get to know a whole lot more about the Vietnamese people, the great food, the economy and “real” life in Saigon.

View Chợ Bà Chiểu in a larger map