A farewell to culinary legends: Ho Chi Minh City is in mourning!

A farewell to culinary legends: Ho Chi Minh City is in mourning!

In Ho Chi Minh City, many are mourning the loss of traditional culinary experiences. The closure of several legendary restaurants and cafés has had a major impact on the city in recent years. The Covid-19 pandemic in particular has meant the end of many companies.

A striking example is the Muoi Fresh Milk Shop, which closed its doors in October 2021. Run by two sisters, the shop on Phung Khac Khoan Street, District 1 was known for its fresh milk, soy milk, yogurt and raisin sponge cake for over 20 years. The owner, Ms. Lan, had to stop operations due to a lack of cows on the family farm, which was greatly regretted by her loyal customers.

Closures of well-known restaurants

Another institution, Minus 18 Degrees Celsius on Vo Van Tan Street, District 3, closed after 19 years in June 2024 and was described as “legendary” by students. The shop was a popular meeting place, but here too the closure was inevitable. Many customers are hoping for a return and online sales announced after the closure.

Another sad chapter closed on May 30, 2025 with the Banh Canh restaurant at 12C Nguyen Phi Khanh Street, District 1. The family business, which was run by five sisters, could no longer continue to operate due to the health problems of the older employees.

The closure of the Hot&Cold restaurant chain, which closed all of its branches at the end of June 2025, also marked a significant loss. Since 2011, Hot&Cold has been active in Vietnam with over 65 branches and has been an integral part of student life. Other popular brands such as Alo Tra Milk Tea, Ten Ren Milk Tea, Comebuy Milk Tea and April Tea Shop have also folded recently.

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