11 must-try food and drink dishes in Vietnam

Phở (pronounced "fuh") is the national dish of Vietnam. You'll find it across the country, from luxury beachside resorts in the south to jam-packed cities in the north. This delicious noodle soup is packed with ginger, coriander and spring onions and slices of chicken, pork or beef, with a tasty chicken or beef broth to slurp your way through. If you're travelling to Vietnam as a vegetarian or vegan, opt for phở with tofu, and check whether the broth contains fish sauce. Locals enjoy phở for breakfast, but you can enjoy this steaming hot bowl of goodness at any time of day.

Cơm tấm is as simple as it is delicious. It's also known as Vietnamese Broken Rice, and this dish provides a lip-smacking variety of Vietnamese flavours. You'll be served strips of grilled pork, a fried egg and sliced vegetables - it may look simple, but it's a filling concoction. Add a smattering of lime, spring onions and pickled vegetables for an extra kick. One of the best places to try cơm tấm is in Ho Chi Minh City, where we visit on our Simply Vietnam tour.

Vietnam is one of the world's best coffee destinations. In fact, Vietnam's coffee culture is so huge that even Starbucks struggles to compete, and in some cities it feels as if every other building is a coffee shop. With that in mind, there's a cacophony of variations to try. Enjoy a traditional drip coffee experience in Da Lat, creamy egg coffee in Hanoi and salt coffee in Hue. You can't go far wrong with Vietnamese coffee served with sweet, condensed milk, or an iced Vietnamese coffee (cà phê sua dá).

Another must-try food to eat in Vietnam is bún bò huế. This noodle soup is similar to phở, but bún bò huế uses a pork and beef broth, which gives it a darker, richer colour. Dig into beef bones and beef shank, vegetables and thick noodles, which are complemented by lemongrass sticks. bún bò huế is common across Vietnam, and is particularly popular in the central Vietnamese city of Hue.

Vietnam's most popular dessert is chè, where jellied ingredients and tropical fruit (like mango) are doused in coconut cream. This sweet treat is either served in a glass or bowl, and you'll find it at night markets, restaurants and cafes. No two chè are the same; chè bắp uses corn, while chè sương sa hạt lựu is also known as 'rainbow dessert' for its layers of colourful ingredients. You can enjoy chè all year round, as it can be served hot during the colder months and with ice during the hotter months. On our Cycle Saigon to Hanoi tour, you can reward yourself with a serving of chè after (or during) a long day of cycling.

Cha ca is one of Vietnam's healthier dishes. Freshwater catfish is used to create this light, nutritious meal. Flakes of white fish are marinated in turmeric before being grilled over charcoal. It's served with lots of dill and rice noodles, and the final addition is mam tom, a tasty shrimp paste dip that elevates cha ca to the next level.