Thriving Restaurants Owned by Vietnamese Celebrities

Vietnamese celebrities such as Mai Phuong Thuy, Trong Tan and Tran Thanh are famous not only in the arts but also in business. Their restaurants let diners enjoy delicious, unique dishes at very "friendly" prices, so business is always booming.

As people's appetite for good food and fine things grows, more and more restaurants are springing up, and those owned by Vietnamese celebrities attract even more diners. Many stars have proven they are not only talented on stage but also have a golden touch in the restaurant business. Let's look at some famous celebrity-owned eateries where you can enjoy great food at reasonable prices with peace of mind.

Ba Dam chicken rice by Van Hugo

Van Hugo is one of Vietnam's best-known MCs and actresses. Beyond her artistic talent, she boldly invested in her own chicken rice restaurant, Ba Dam. Opened in 2015, it has since become a familiar address for people in Hanoi. It is the brainchild that Van Hugo and her elder sister have poured the most heart into.

The menu is extensive, with many chicken rice dishes prepared in different ways, such as Hainanese boneless chicken rice, Singaporean chicken braised with mushrooms and Japanese shaking chicken rice. There are also plenty of unique chicken dishes, such as chicken with fermented tofu, lemongrass and chili, crispy roast chicken, shredded chicken salad and chicken braised with mushrooms.

Besides the varied menu, diners love the food here for its impeccable flavor. Whatever the cooking style or regional influence, each dish has its own distinct taste that suits every palate and wins praise from many diners.

Another plus for Van Hugo's Ba Dam chicken rice is its elegant, slightly nostalgic Hoi An-style decor, which diners love for photos. Although it's a celebrity restaurant, prices aren't too high, ranging from just 60,000 to 90,000 VND, so it draws plenty of customers.

- Address: 93 Trieu Viet Vuong, Hoan Kiem District (Branch 1); 34T Trung Hoa, Nhan Chinh, Cau Giay District (Branch 2)

- Opening hours: 11:00 - 22:00

- Prices: 60,000 - 90,000 VND.

Banh Canh Ghe 69 by Vinh Xuong and Anh Tuan

Comedian Vinh Xuong and actor Anh Tuan teamed up to open Banh Canh Ghe 69, a well-known crab noodle soup restaurant in Hanoi. As soon as it opened, this celebrity eatery impressed Hanoians, who were delighted to have another great place to eat. The menu isn't very extensive, but just two main dishes, shredded crab noodle soup and whole crab noodle soup, are enough to keep business booming.

A bowl of crab noodle soup here wins diners over with its many toppings, from thick noodles, quail eggs, fish cake, shrimp and crab to pork, all fresh and delicious. The broth is rich, distinctive and suits every palate. To suit Northern tastes, the restaurant has also reduced the sweetness so the dish is better balanced.

Besides the famous crab noodle soup, diners can try other dishes such as rich grilled oysters served with a unique green chili sauce, another dish that keeps customers coming back and draws ever more diners.

Address: 69 O Cho Dua, Dong Da (Branch 1); 32 Nguyen Khanh Toan, Cau Giay (Branch 2)

Opening hours: 9:00 - 23:00

Prices: 45,000 - 70,000 VND.

Trong Tan's celebrity restaurant: De Re Song Duong

Singer Trong Tan and his wife had long dreamed of opening a restaurant, and in 2014 De Re Song Duong officially opened in Hanoi. It specializes in goat dishes, a much-loved specialty in the North.

There are many delicious goat dishes here, such as goat sausage, goat hot pot, goat dipped in beer, braised goat leg, grilled goat and goat trotters braised with Chinese herbs. Most dishes are carefully prepared to remove any gamey smell, leaving a harmony of distinctly Northern flavors.

Diners especially trust the quality of the goat meat here, because Trong Tan and his wife source their goats from their own farm in Hoa Binh, raised to set standards. The restaurant is also cozy and distinctly Vietnamese, surrounded by a cool blue pool and nature, ideal for gatherings with friends and family.

Address: 39 Tran Kim Xuyen, Yen Hoa, Cau Giay District

Opening hours: 8:00 - 22:00

Prices: 100,000 - 300,000 VND.

Bui restaurant by Mai Phuong Thuy

Mai Phuong Thuy is a famous beauty queen and model. She is no longer very active in showbiz, instead devoting her time and passion to her own projects, including Bui restaurant. It is a restaurant close to her heart, elegantly designed with many traditional Vietnamese touches.

At Bui, diners can choose from an abundant, varied menu of over 100 dishes from all three regions. Standouts include crispy chicken, crab and hemibagrid catfish soup, featherback fish cakes, rib soup and sea crab spring rolls, all specialties from every corner of Vietnam.

One fun reason diners keep flocking here is the open kitchen, which lets guests easily watch the food being prepared. Mai Phuong Thuy's aim is to earn diners' complete trust so they can feel fully confident about the quality of the food.

So every evening and at weekends, Mai Phuong Thuy's Bui restaurant is packed. Vietnamese celebrities, especially singer Noo Phuoc Thinh, often come here to eat, so you have a good chance of spotting a star.

Address: 17A Ngo Van Nam, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1

Opening hours: 7:00 - 23:00

Prices: 30,000 - 120,000 VND.

Rom Map pork ball noodle soup by Hoai Linh

Hoai Linh is an artist greatly admired by Vietnamese people for his life and talent. Despite his busy show schedule, he remains devoted to his brainchild, the Rom Map pork ball noodle soup shop.

As the name suggests, the shop sells only one dish: bun moc (noodle soup with pork balls). Yet it is always packed, partly because people hope to meet Hoai Linh, but more importantly because the bun moc here is so tempting. The rich broth, the sweet, delicate pork balls and the fresh herbs make Rom Map's bun moc a consistent hit with diners.

The signature attraction is the moc itself. Hoai Linh selects only the best ingredients: raw pork paste mixed with wood ear mushrooms, shaped into balls and fried golden or steamed. Each bowl also comes with Vietnamese pork roll, cinnamon pork roll and tender pork ribs, rich yet never cloying.

Besides the pork balls, the broth is also deeply flavorful, made by simmering bones thoroughly and skimming regularly for many hours. That's why the broth at Rom Map always satisfies diners. Hoai Linh is a simple, down-to-earth person, so Rom Map is designed like a humble eatery decorated with pictures, bright and clean, much loved by regulars.

Address: 459 Vo Van Tan, Ward 5, District 3

Opening hours: 7:00 - 22:00

Prices: 40,000 - 60,000 VND.

Besides enjoying great food at super "friendly" prices, celebrity-owned restaurants give you the chance to meet your idols. So why not pay them a visit?