Vegan
International
Organic
Thai
Vietnamese
Cooks to-order vegan dishes from Vietnam, Thailand, Italy, Spain, and Japan. Sits in a quiet alley. Since 2014. Reported closed, Dec 2018.
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84A Nguyen Dinh Chieu, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
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- Reservations required
- Cash only
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Last update on 06 Dec 2018 by RobertCotgrove
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Added by KIM CHI on 04 Jul 2014
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21 Reviews
First Review by KIM CHI
GeorgiaMay
Points +70
Complete rip off... - Edit
Worse place ive been to in Vietnam. The food was simple and okay. However, this place is an absolute ripoff. There is a charge of 29k for a small portion of rice to go with a main dish. Also, got charged 20k as a "service fee" on the bill, the service wasn't even good. Got a lime juice drink which was just a small cup of water with a squeeze of lime, which I think was 40k. This is the worse value for money in any restaurant after a month of travelling in Vietnam...
Read morePros: The lady who owns it is vegan...
Cons: 20k "service fee", rice costs 29k, don't order dri
Guest
KiaSan
Points +85
Friendly and tasty! - Edit
Cozy small restaurant with a very homelike feeling to it. And awesome vegan healthy food.
Read moreGuest
IvyNguyen
Points +17
Best vegan spaghetti in Saigon - Edit
I came in with low expectations as the restaurant seems rather inactive. However, the spaghetti completely surprises me. Very nicely seasoned, worth every penny!
Read moreGuest
NienkeKollias
Points +39
Honest food and skillfull cooking. - Edit
For anyone who has had enough oily veggie and noodles I recommend you get out of your comfi jeans and put on your walking boots cause the thai green curry is amazing. No glamorous or fancy nonsense. Friendly and loving service and reasonable prices. The only thing to improve is more people enjoying this chefs delicious and heart warming food!
Read moreGuest
Maika_mag_alles
Points +170
Gezellig en Lekker! - Edit
Really nice dinner on our last night in Saigon.
Read moreKim Chi is a super friendly and pretty host who even spoke some Dutch because she had lived in Holland.
Food was fresh and great, not cheap, but very good.
Guest
KristenSlade
Points +30
An outstanding surprise. - Edit
I was expecting a small basic Vegan eatery (like many of the others I've found) and was delighted to find Kay. I can say that without question, this has been the absolute best meal I have had in Vietnam. Pumpkin lentil soup and spring rolls and a lime soda was the perfect way to end my holidays. HIGHLY recommended.
Read moreGuest
Sophiel
Points +406
Delicious food & lovely owner - Edit
Lots of choice, specials changing regularly and a cosy cafe vibe. The owner is very friendly and got to know us. Highly recommended!
Read morePros: good portion size, friendly vibe
Guest
Isabelrose
Points +125
Nice Place - Edit
This restaurant is small, very cute and relaxing atmosphere. The menu is small and the prices are high for Vietnam. The food is good, healthy and fresh. The owner speaks English and is a very nice woman. They offer vegan cooking classes.
Read moreGuest
ChristinaMarieB
Points +28
Good food, but way to expensive - Edit
Food was good but way to expensive and the prices are not listed on the menu so you have to ask. I was brought a green tea, as you often get for free, but when i got the bill i was billed for it. I will not be back because there are so many wonderful and cheaper places.
Read moreGuest
Tyravegan
Points +95
The best smiling restaurant owner - Edit
I would not say this place is low price. And the amount of time to wait for the food is a lot! But the food quality makes it worth. Like in my review title, I just love to see the owner running around, taking order, she has such a nice smile. So friendly.
Read moreGuest
IttySehgal
Points +127
Cute little place - Edit
A small place run by a Vegan lady who is very good host. Great food even my non vegetarian friends loved the vegan meal. Great portions too. Loved the place.
Read moreGuest
ReneeG
Points +25
Very tasty, but they rip you off - Edit
Tiny restaurant in front room of family home. (Just 5 tables)
Read moreFriendly owner who speaks excellent English and explains dishes to you.
Food was great, but we were totally ripped off.
There were no prices for any of the drinks. Charged 39,000 for small water??? More expensive than hotel mini bar.
Ordered Dahl and jungle curry both came with rice. When we got the bill there was charge 40,000 for rice. We did not ask for rice it was just served to us. During meal owner kept trying to sign us up for her cooking classes.
Most expensive meal in Vietnam. 530,000 for two. Even though I loved the food I cannot recommend as I felt like I had been taken advantage of just because I am white tourist.
Pros: Food is fresh and tasty, Lovely atmosphere
Cons: No prices for drinks , Being pestered to join a cooking class
Guest
JorgeReis
Points +91
The beat in HCM so far - Edit
The service is excellent. We've been welcomed by the owner and she was very attentive. The food is extremely fresh and tasty. We ordered tempeh with BBQ sauce, red rice and vegetables. It tasted so good! The menu is very diverse and everything looks nice! Everything is organic! I definitely recommend this place.
Read morePros: freshness of the food, service, tasty food
Cons: little bit far from district 1
Guest
PlantEater89
Points +22
Great service and beautiful food - Edit
The owner was so nice and welcoming! I had the best pad Thai of my life and I cannot recommend this restaurant enough. Very very good food and amazing service
Read morePros: Great service, Good value - medium sized dishes, Delicious food
Cons: Little bit hard to see as it is in an alley
Guest
Tiggy
Points +14013
Very nice experience all round - Edit
The friendly owner (and chef) of this restaurant makes you feel very welcome, speaking Vietnamese and excellent English. The setting is simple, with a handwritten menu in Vietnamese and English, but the home-style food is of a high standard, while not being cheap either. After a complimentary starter of brown rice crackers, my companion and I ordered a mushroom noodle stir-fry and a tofu satay fried rice. These were both delicious, but at just under VND80K and VND90K respectively, you’re paying significantly more than you might for a main elsewhere. We also ordered a dish with potato balls with cashews and raisins in a pumpkin sauce (VND110K). This was not bad, but turned out to be a little different than I expected from the menu. I declined dessert but had a fruit smoothie, which was nice. Although I have mentioned that the prices here were higher than other restaurants, this was one of my best dining experiences in Ho Chi Minh City and I would recommend it for a social or intimate dinner.
Read morePros: Friendly owner/chef, Delicious home-cooked food of a high standard
Cons: Prices a bit higher than other vegan restaurants
Guest
terrorfearor
Points +73
Over priced and tasty - Edit
Don't go hungry. We had two mains for lunch (89,000 & 79,000vnd). The first dish was a small plate of vegetables with a vinaigrette: four slices of carrot, four slices of cucumber, two cherry tomatoes quartered, two lettuce leaves, two basil mint leaves and four - five slices of pineapple.The flavours were well balanced and the plate was well presented.
Read moreThe second was the tofu caprese. It was 8 small slices of tofu with a slice of cucumber and tomato on each. It was topped with some basil and a balsamic vinaigrette. Again, quite tasty, but I did feel like asking if there was more to come when the dish came out.
Kay Vegan Bistro is on a quiet alley. The atmosphere is pleasant and the restaurant is clean. The music was a short playlist of dreary saxophone. The service was very friendly.
For the same price, you can eat at some top veg restaurants in the city. For cheaper, you can eat at equally tasty places with wider menus that are on the same block (San May, Tib Chay...)
Pros: good service, complimentary nuts, nice location
Cons: price, serving size, no table water or tea
Guest
andreasf
Points +121
Lovely place, very good food, friendly atmosphere - Edit
Small and lovely restaurant with very attentive service, very good food and variety. Very well English spoken. Free tea and nuts as starter. Beverages are a little bit expensive compared to food prices.
Read moreGuest
Stevie
Points +11765
Kay Vegan Bistro, Ho Chi Minh City - Edit
Yesterday I was out looking specifically for this place...
Read morehttp://www.happycow.net/reviews/zennova-cay-diep-ho-chi-minh-city-39466
It was closed so it was a pleasant surprise to there was a vegan place literally straight across the street. As well as being to nourish me, the owner (a lady named Kim) was able to tell me that Zennova had closed around 8 months ago so I could update the Zennova happycow listing.
Food was tasty, decor is pleasant enough as is the vibe generally. The music was a bit loud to begin with but this wasn't an issue after I asked if the volume could be turned down.
At time of writing the map marker for this listing is off. I've submitted a request to happycow HQ to correct it.
Pros: All vegan, tasty food
Guest
Kimxula
Points +1185
Warm atmosphere, impressive menu - Edit
I came across KAY Vegan Bistro whilst browsing Happy Cow and decided to go with my parents for dinner one evening.
Read moreThe owner of the restaurant, Kim, is a lovely, warm, kind woman, who makes you feel at home. She is very passionate about cooking wholesome food and certainly cooks it with love.
I had the Korean bibimbap, which was tasty, although it was more of a S.E. Asian fried rice to me and less like the Korean dish. The bibimbap didn't have egg and whilst I understand that KAY Vegan Bistro is vegan, I was confused because several of the other dishes on the menu featured dairy ingredients (this is something I will be asking the lovely Kay next time I visit). I also enjoyed the 'patatas bravas', (Spanish fried potato with spicy sauce) and my parents were very pleased with their food.
I will have to update this review after the next time I go as the menu is truly extensive and very interesting, with a variety of dishes from around the world and it was really hard to choose just one dish. I think after going a few times to sample different dishes from the different countries, I'd be able to give a more comprehensive review :)
Updated from previous review on Thursday August 21, 2014
Pros: Impressive menu, very extensive,, food from all around the world, Wonderful, kind, warm owner
Guest
MeiMeiMei
Points +96
Fresh food and friendly service - Edit
People have mentioned the extensive menu of KAY Vegan Bistro, but when we visited (December 2014) there were only 6 dishes to choose from and no desserts. First we were a little disappointed about it, but as the quality of the food was really really good, it didn't matter in the end. And the ingredients were super fresh! The portions are a bit on the small side, so we ended up ordering three portions between the two of us.
Read morePros: High quality food, Fresh ingredients, Friendly service
Cons: Limited menu
Guest
KIM CHI
Points +26
Fresh and tasty home-cooked vegan cuisines - Edit
KAY Vegan bistro Saigon is a hidden gem,a gourmet vegan bistro in the heart of lively Saigon,Vietnam.KAY prepares and cooked famous vegan dishes all over the world as Pho,traditional noodle soup of Vietnam,Home-made Tofu&Mixed Mushroom with fresh organic herbs stewed in claypot, Tomyum Soup, Phad Thai,Somtum Papaya salad and Green/Red Curry from Thailand, healthy Udon Mushroom soup Tokyo style, Paella Saffron rice from Spain, Spaghetti pomodori,Guacamole & Salsa and many more. KAY desserts are known for fresh coconut tarts, red beans with fresh mango, banana and nuts in coco syrup, fruit sorbet. All dishes are carefully prepared with fresh organic veggies, home-grown herbs,nuts,seeds,mushroom, home-made tofu and happily cooked
Read morewith love. KAY Vegan bistro Saigon believes in a green and peaceful world with vegan partners,and KAY brings her precious guests healthy and Zen balanced lifestyle. A world of vegans is a world of peace and happiness.
Pros: Fresh and tasty vegan dishes, Friendly Staff, quiet and peaceful alley, Good value, inexpensive
Stevie
Hi Kim,
Read moreIf I may politely enquire please?
Do you have an affiliation with the restaurant? I ask since looking at your profile this seems to be the only review you have submitted. Also the review reads more like an advertisement than a review. Your profile also says that it was you who submitted the listing to happycow.
For info it seems that the map marker for this listing is pointing to completely the wrong part of HCMC. Hence why I stumbled on this place by accident yesterday and wasn't aware it was already listed. I've submitted a few moments ago a request for the map marker to be corrected.
Keep well, Stevie
Guest
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