Expat Chef Opens Popular Breakfast Spot in Ho Chi Minh City's District 7

Dung Dung Kitchen at C14 Hoàng Quốc Việt in Phú Mỹ has become a regular morning stop for residents seeking a local take on steak and eggs in Ho Chi Minh City. The stall serves beef, eggs and pâté on a hot pan that sizzles loudly enough to require care when eating, according to a January 2025 video by CNBC International featuring longtime District 7 resident Chad Kubanoff.

District 7's shifting food habits

Ho Chi Minh City divides into 16 urban districts, and District 7 stands out for its large South Korean expat presence around the Phu My Hung urban area. Kubanoff, who arrived a decade ago expecting to stay only a year, now treats the neighborhood as home and points to spots that blend everyday Vietnamese cooking with simple comforts familiar to families. The area once centered on imported tastes now draws locals and newcomers alike to sidewalk stalls that serve dishes cooked to order on the street.

Breakfast at Dung Dung Kitchen includes the standard plate of sliced beef, egg and pâté alongside crispy bread for dipping or sandwich-making. Kubanoff notes that diners often add soy sauce and pair the meal with fresh green tea or the standard iced tea served at most city restaurants. The pan's heat gives the dish its name, bò né, meaning to dodge, and the stall draws repeat customers who treat it as a quick, comforting start to the day.

Other District 7 addresses gaining attention

Further along Huỳnh Tấn Phát in Tân Thuận Đông, New Koi Coffee offers wide seating and Japanese koi carp that families feed by hand. At 132 Đường Số 15 in Tân Quy, the stall Ánh Tuyết sells bánh hỏi thịt nướng, grilled pork served with vermicelli bundles at a traffic intersection corner. On Phạm Hữu Lầu in Phú Mỹ, the stall at number 70 prepares com tấm, the broken-rice staple scented by grilled pork. Nearby at 238 Đ. Phú Thuận in Phú Thuận, Bia Hoi Ha Noi Quán 134 pours fresh draught beer alongside an extended menu of eye-catching plates.

Kubanoff describes Vietnamese cuisine as crossing categories, sometimes resembling a salad or noodle bowl in the same bite. He returns often to these addresses because they deliver consistent flavor without ceremony, and the coffee culture lets people linger for hours. The video shows him finishing an iced coffee at New Koi Coffee before moving on to the next stall, underscoring how residents move through the neighborhood on foot or motorbike for successive meals.

Residents looking to try these spots can start at Dung Dung Kitchen early for the bò né plate, then walk or ride short distances to the other listed addresses in the same district. Most operate from morning through evening, and the iced tea comes free at nearly every table. The addresses remain easy to locate on standard mapping apps used in Ho Chi Minh City.