Ice cream in Vietnam: more than just a cold treat
A brief history
Ice cream arrived in Vietnam during the French colonial period in the late 19th century, introduced alongside other Western foods that gradually worked their way into Vietnamese daily life. It was initially a luxury enjoyed by the urban elite, but over time it became widely accessible. One of the oldest and most well-known examples of this history is Trang Tien Ice Cream in Hanoi, which has been serving locals since 1958 and remains a landmark for anyone visiting the city today.
How popular is ice cream in Vietnam?
Ice cream is genuinely popular in Vietnam, and not just as a tourist treat. Locals eat it regularly, especially in the warmer months — which, depending on where you are in the country, can mean most of the year. You will find it sold on street corners, at dedicated dessert shops, in cafes, and from mobile vendors on motorbikes. It is casual, affordable, and widely available, which makes it a natural part of everyday life rather than something reserved for special occasions.
What makes Vietnamese ice cream different?
What sets Vietnamese ice cream apart is the use of local ingredients. Instead of the standard chocolate and vanilla you find everywhere, Vietnamese ice cream leans on flavors like coconut milk, green rice, pandan, taro, avocado, and tropical fruits. Formats are different too — ice cream served in a coconut shell, wrapped in sticky rice, or pushed out of a bamboo tube are all things you are unlikely to encounter outside of Vietnam. In recent years, a new wave of artisan shops has pushed things even further, experimenting with flavors like fish sauce and pho that are rooted entirely in Vietnamese food culture.
The best ice cream flavors in Vietnam
1. Coconut ice cream (kem dua)
Coconut ice cream is one of the most popular and widely available flavors in Vietnam, and for good reason. It is made from fresh coconut flesh and coconut milk, giving it a rich, creamy texture with a natural sweetness that does not feel artificial. What makes it particularly enjoyable is how it is often served — scooped into a real coconut shell and topped with extras like tapioca pearls, pandan jelly, roasted peanuts, or dried coconut shreds. It is a complete experience rather than just a scoop of ice cream. If you only try one Vietnamese ice cream flavor, this is the one to go for.
For a deeper look at this flavor, see the dedicated guide to coconut ice cream in Vietnam.
2. Green rice ice cream (kem com)
Green rice ice cream is one of those flavors that is completely unique to Vietnam. It is made from com, young rice harvested before it fully matures, which gives the ice cream a subtle, slightly earthy flavor and a soft, chewy texture that sets it apart from anything else on the menu. The color is a natural pale green, and the taste is delicate — not overpowering. It is not available everywhere, but worth seeking out if you come across it, particularly in Hanoi where com is a traditional ingredient with deep cultural roots.
3. Sticky rice ice cream (kem xoi)
Kem xoi combines two things Vietnamese people love: ice cream and xoi, or sticky rice. The sticky rice is typically flavored with pandan, giving it a green color and a light fragrant aroma, and it is served as a base or wrapper around a scoop of coconut or vanilla ice cream. The combination of warm or room-temperature sticky rice with cold ice cream sounds unusual, but it works surprisingly well. It is filling, satisfying, and one of those combinations that feels distinctly Vietnamese. Street stalls and dessert shops are the most common places to find it.
4. Avocado ice cream
Avocado ice cream is more popular in central and southern Vietnam, particularly in Da Nang, where avocado has long been used in sweet rather than savory preparations. The base is typically mashed avocado blended with sweetened coconut milk and ice cream, resulting in something rich and creamy with a mild flavor. Toasted coconut flakes are a common topping. If you are used to avocado as a savory ingredient, the sweetness takes a moment to adjust to — but most people who try it end up enjoying it more than expected.
5. Vietnamese coffee ice cream
Given how central coffee is to Vietnamese food culture, it makes sense that it also found its way into ice cream. Vietnamese coffee ice cream captures the flavor of ca phe sua da — strong drip coffee sweetened with condensed milk — in frozen form. The result is intensely flavored, creamy, and slightly sweet with a real coffee kick. It is a reliable choice for coffee lovers and one of the more widely available non-standard flavors across the country.
6. Tube ice cream (kem ong)
Kem ong is one of the most recognizable ice cream formats in Vietnam, largely because of how it is sold. Vendors — often on bicycles or motorbikes — carry long cylindrical metal tubes filled with ice cream, with a bamboo stick running through the center. When you order one, the vendor rotates the stick to ease the ice cream out of the tube. The flavors are simple, usually vanilla or chocolate, but the experience of buying one from a street vendor is part of the appeal. It is inexpensive, nostalgic for locals, and a fun thing to try as a visitor.
7. Banana ice cream
Banana ice cream in Vietnam is typically made with fresh bananas, coconut milk, and roasted peanuts, keeping it simple but effective. The bananas are often coated in a pandan-infused cream before freezing, which adds a subtle floral note to the natural sweetness of the fruit. It is a lighter option compared to coconut or avocado ice cream, and the addition of roasted peanuts gives it a pleasant crunch. You will find it at dessert stalls and local sweet shops, often alongside other fruit-based frozen treats.
8. Unusual flavors: fish sauce, pho, and beyond
The most interesting development in Vietnamese ice cream in recent years is the rise of artisan shops experimenting with flavors rooted entirely in local food culture. The best example in the country right now is La Creme in Ho Chi Minh City, a small shop with fewer than 10 seats that has built a following around flavors like fish sauce, pho, and sea salt.
The fish sauce ice cream sounds confronting, but the fish sauce is reduced with caramel until it becomes a sweet, umami-rich syrup that folds into the creamy base without overpowering it. The pho ice cream is made by steeping roasted spices — star anise, cinnamon, fennel — for hours until the broth carries the full aroma of a bowl of pho, which is then blended into the ice cream base. The result genuinely tastes like pho, but cold, sweet, and creamy.
La Creme has two locations in Ho Chi Minh City: the original in Thao Dien and a second near Ben Thanh Market. A single scoop costs around 65,000 VND, with a tasting flight of four mini scoops available for 120,000 VND. It is one of the more memorable food experiences in the city, and worth going out of your way for.
Where to buy ice cream in Vietnam
Street vendors
Street vendors are one of the most charming ways to buy ice cream in Vietnam. The most common setup is a vendor on a bicycle or motorbike with an insulated box on the back, selling kem ong and simple flavored bars for a few thousand dong. You will encounter them near schools, at beaches, in parks, and along busy streets — they tend to go where people gather. Prices are about as low as it gets, usually between 5,000 and 15,000 VND per piece. Do not expect variety or anything elaborate; street vendor ice cream is simple by nature, and that is exactly the point.
Local ice cream shops and dessert cafes
Across Vietnam, small local ice cream shops and dessert cafes are the most reliable place to find a wider range of flavors. These are often informal setups — plastic chairs, hand-written menus, a glass display case with several tubs — but the ice cream is freshly made and the flavors tend to be more interesting than anything you will find at a chain. Coconut, avocado, green rice, and taro are commonly on offer. Prices at this type of place typically run between 20,000 and 50,000 VND per scoop. They are easy to find in any city or town by searching “kem” on Google Maps, which is the Vietnamese word for ice cream.
Specialty ice cream in Hanoi
Hanoi has a long ice cream culture, and the most iconic place to experience it is Trang Tien Ice Cream on Trang Tien Street, just a short walk from Hoan Kiem Lake. It has been operating since 1958 and is as much a local institution as it is an ice cream shop. The menu features classic Vietnamese flavors including coconut milk, green bean, taro, and green tea, all served in crispy waffle cones. Eating a Trang Tien ice cream while walking along Hoan Kiem Lake in the evening is something Hanoians have been doing for generations.
For everything you need to know before visiting, see the dedicated guide to Trang Tien Ice Cream.
Another spot worth knowing in Hanoi is Thuy Ta, a cafe located directly on the edge of Hoan Kiem Lake. It is more of a full cafe than a dedicated ice cream shop, but its lakeside setting makes it a pleasant place to stop for a simple ice cream on a hot day.
Specialty ice cream in Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City has a growing scene of artisan and specialty ice cream shops that go well beyond standard flavors. The standout is La Creme, already covered in the flavors section, which has become one of the most talked-about dessert spots in the city for its fish sauce, pho, and sea salt creations. The original shop is in Thao Dien at 84 Pho Duc Chinh Street, near the Fine Arts Museum, with a second location near Ben Thanh Market that caters more to tourists and walk-ins.
Beyond La Creme, Ho Chi Minh City has a solid range of other specialty shops and dessert cafes worth exploring, particularly in Districts 1, 3, and the Thao Dien area of District 2. A search for ice cream shops in Ho Chi Minh City on Google Maps or a browse through a resource like The Culture Trip’s guide to ice cream parlours in Ho Chi Minh City will give you a current and well-curated list of options.
Ice cream chains in Vietnam
A few ice cream and frozen dessert chains operate across Vietnam, though none of them are particularly exciting compared to what the local shops offer. Fanny Ice Cream, a French-inspired chain with locations in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, has been around for decades and offers a more Western style of ice cream in a sit-down setting. It is decent, but not a reason to skip the local alternatives.
Frozen yogurt chains are more visible, with several brands operating across major cities. They follow the familiar self-serve format with toppings, and appeal mainly to younger Vietnamese customers. If you are looking for something familiar rather than something distinctly Vietnamese, they are easy to find in shopping malls.
International brands like Baskin-Robbins also have a presence in Vietnam’s larger cities, and Magnum bars are widely available at convenience stores like Circle K, GS25, and FamilyMart. These are reliable fallback options if you want something quick and familiar, but they are not the reason to eat ice cream in Vietnam.
How much does ice cream cost in Vietnam?
Ice cream in Vietnam is affordable at almost every level, but prices vary depending on where you buy it.
Street vendors are the cheapest option, with simple bars and tube ice cream typically costing between 5,000 and 15,000 VND — less than one US dollar. Local ice cream shops and dessert cafes sit in the middle range, where a scoop usually costs between 20,000 and 50,000 VND depending on the flavor and location. Coconut ice cream served in a shell with toppings tends to sit at the higher end of that range.
Artisan and specialty shops charge more, which is fair given that everything is made by hand from fresh ingredients. At a place like La Creme in Ho Chi Minh City, a single scoop costs 65,000 VND, two scoops 95,000 VND, and a tasting flight of four mini scoops 120,000 VND. That is still under five US dollars for a proper tasting experience, which makes it good value by any measure.
Western-style chains and sit-down parlours like Fanny fall somewhere between local shops and artisan pricing, generally in the 50,000 to 100,000 VND range per serving. Magnum bars and similar products at convenience stores cost around 25,000 to 40,000 VND.
Tips for eating and buying ice cream in Vietnam
How to find good ice cream
The easiest way to find good ice cream in Vietnam is to search “kem” on Google Maps. This will surface local shops, dessert cafes, and specialty spots near you that would otherwise be easy to miss. Look for places with a high number of reviews rather than just a high rating — a shop with 4.2 stars and 300 reviews is generally a more reliable indicator of quality than one with 5 stars and 12 reviews.
When walking around, look for small shops with a glass display case showing tubs of ice cream in multiple colors. These are usually made fresh and rotated regularly. If the shop is busy with locals, that is always a good sign. Avoid places where the ice cream looks icy, crystallized, or has been sitting uncovered for a long time — this usually means it has been frozen, thawed, and refrozen at some point.
Is street ice cream safe to eat?
For most travelers, eating street ice cream in Vietnam is fine. The main thing to be aware of is how the ice cream has been stored. Reputable vendors keep their products in properly insulated boxes or freezers, and the ice cream stays frozen throughout. The risk with street vendors is less about hygiene in the traditional sense and more about temperature consistency — if the ice cream has partially melted and refrozen multiple times, the texture suffers and the risk of bacterial growth increases.
As a general rule, if the ice cream comes out firm and cold, it has been stored properly. If it looks soft, watery, or has visible ice crystals on the outside of the packaging, skip it. Busy vendors with high turnover are always a safer bet than someone who has been sitting in the same spot all afternoon with few customers.
Allergies and dietary considerations
Ice cream in Vietnam frequently contains common allergens including dairy, nuts, and gluten. Coconut is used in a large number of Vietnamese ice cream preparations, which is worth noting for anyone with a tree nut allergy. Roasted peanuts are a common topping and are sometimes mixed into flavors without being explicitly listed. Sticky rice ice cream contains gluten, and many waffle cones do too.
Communication can be a challenge at smaller local shops where English is limited. If you have a serious food allergy, it is worth being prepared with a translation of your allergy in Vietnamese before ordering. For a full overview of navigating food allergies while traveling in Vietnam, including practical phrases and advice, see the guide to traveling with food allergies in Vietnam.
Western ice cream options in Vietnam
If you want something familiar, Western ice cream options are easy to find in Vietnam. Magnum bars are stocked at most convenience stores, including Circle K, GS25, FamilyMart, and WinMart, and cost around 25,000 to 40,000 VND depending on the variety. Wall’s products and other internationally recognized brands are also available at supermarkets in larger cities.
For a sit-down Western-style experience, Fanny Ice Cream in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City serves French-inspired scoops in a more formal setting. It has been around long enough to be considered something of a classic in both cities, though it is more about the experience than the ice cream itself being exceptional.
That said, defaulting to Western options in Vietnam would be a missed opportunity. The local alternatives are more interesting, often cheaper, and far more reflective of where you actually are.
Other Vietnamese snacks, drinks, and desserts
Vietnam has no shortage of sweet treats, cold drinks, and street snacks worth trying beyond ice cream. The options below are all covered in dedicated guides with everything you need to know before trying them.
- Che — A broad category of Vietnamese sweet soups and puddings, served hot or cold, made with ingredients like mung beans, coconut milk, tapioca, and pandan jelly.
- Xoi — Sticky rice prepared in both savory and sweet versions, eaten at any time of day and one of the most common street foods in the country.
- Vietnamese coffee — Strong drip coffee served hot or iced, often with sweetened condensed milk. One of the things most travelers remember long after leaving Vietnam.
- Coconut juice — Fresh young coconut water served straight from the shell, widely available as a street drink and one of the most refreshing things you can order on a hot day.
- Milk tea (tra sua) — Vietnam has embraced milk tea in a big way, with countless local chains and independent shops offering a wide range of flavors and toppings.
- Papaya salad — A crunchy, tangy salad made with green papaya, herbs, and a sharp dressing. A good example of how Vietnamese snacks balance sweet, sour, and savory in a single dish.
