This story is part of special coverage the SacrameKnow newsletter team is doing on Vietnam. April 30 marked 50 years since the end of the Vietnam War. Sign up to get updates about what’s happening in the region in your inbox every Tuesday and Thursday.
The sweet aroma of fresh herbs and savory smell of fish sauce are two of many things that distinguish Little Saigon from other parts of town.
The two-mile stretch of Stockton Boulevard in South Sacramento between Fruitridge and Florin roads is filled with restaurants, bakeries and markets each bringing their own take on Vietnamese cuisine to Sacramento.
According to a Pew Research study, the Sacramento metropolitan area had the 10th largest Vietnamese population in the country in 2019 with roughly 42,000 people.
That's something that many, including Kim Tran, owner of Saigon Oi, take pride in.
Saigon Oi
Saigon Oi Friday, May 9, 2025, at 6835 Stockton Blvd in Sacramento's Little Saigon District.(Gerardo Zavala/CapRadio)
Tran immigrated to the United States from Vietnam in 2008 when she was 18. The now 37-year-old said she has lived in Sacramento since then and doesn't plan on leaving any time soon.
“I never left, my family is here,” she said. “Sacramento is like my hometown now. I love it.”
Tran majored in childhood development and said she never thought she'd be a business owner. The COVID-19 pandemic and having a child changed that.
“I decided to open the restaurant because of not only a reliable income but also an aspiration to share Vietnamese cuisine with people around the world, inspired by my beloved mother — a woman who is not only an excellent cook but also pours her heart into every dish she makes,” she added.
She decided to serve authentic Vietnamese food instead of creating fusion dishes that she said cater to Americans.
“When I first came to the United States, all the Vietnamese restaurants served more fusion with American food, so you can't even taste that real Vietnamese flavor,” she recounted.
There are roughly 10 dishes on her menu, all of which she said are good choices for first time visitors.
“You never go wrong with any plate in the menu,” she said.
However, she noted that the first and second — bánh mì chào and bánh canh cua — are the most popular.
Bánh canh cua (left) and bánh mì chào Friday, May 9, 2025, at Saigon Oi in Sacramento.(Gerardo Zavala/CapRadio)
Tran decided to start her business in Little Saigon because it reminds her of her home country and being a child.
“We want to be here surrounded by not only Vietnamese people, but also other ethnicities,” she added.
And her entrepreneurial goals are not done. She hopes to open a second business, a bread bakery focused on making bánh mì, a Vietnamese sandwich typically filled with pickled vegetables, fresh herbs and marinated pork.
“It will be around the area too,” she assured. “I love Sacramento, that’s why I want to be based here. I will stay here, maybe for the rest of my life.”
When Tran wants to get a taste of Vietnam that doesn't come from her own kitchen, she said Seafood House Quan Oc is her go-to because it reminds her of street food in Vietnam, and because it's open late.
“In Vietnam, they close very late at night,” she explained. “Everybody is hanging out in the street and enjoying the night, not closing too early like here. I love to hang out there because they're open late and I can hang out with my friends.”
Bến Thành Market
Bến Thành Market Friday, May 9, 2025, at 6821 Stockton Blvd in Sacramento.(Gerardo Zavala/CapRadio)
If you prefer to prepare your food and want to try creating authentic Vietnamese dishes, or just want to get some snacks, Bến Thành Market in Little Saigon is a good place to start.
Huy Pham owns the market. He’s been in the United States for 10 years and opened the shop two years ago.
Pham said his market specializes in selling organic free range chicken and fish from Vietnam.
“We focus on the product quality more than the price,” he said. “You can go to another store and the pricing can be very low, [but] we make sure our products are [high quality].”
Bến Thành Market Friday, May 9, 2025, at 6821 Stockton Blvd in Sacramento.(Gerardo Zavala/CapRadio)
Pham said he visits manufacturers and tries products for himself before deciding to sell them at his store.
He encouraged anyone who’s never visited Little Saigon to stop by noting that on top of having some of the best Vietnamese food in town, it also has Hmong and Chinese businesses, showing how diverse the region's Asian American population is.
“We have a lot of stores that've been here for 20 or 30 years, and they've been here for a long time for a reason,” he added. “We have things to fit everyone's taste.”
Hanoi 36 Streets
Hanoi 36 Streets Friday, May 9, 2025, at 3262 J St. in East Sacramento.(Gerardo Zavala/CapRadio)
Little Saigon might be the hub for Vietnamese culture and cuisine, but it's not the only place in town serving authentic dishes.
A short drive from the South Sacramento neighborhood nuzzled between a popular Mexican Restaurant and a dry cleaner in East Sacramento is Hanoi 36 Streets.
The restaurant, similar to others in the area, serves phở, bánh mì and other popular Vietnamese dishes, but with a twist.
Kien Do, brother of the owner, explained that he and his family help operate the business. They specialize in Northern Vietnamese cuisine, which he noted is similar to Southern Vietnamese cuisine but has a different flavor.
“I think one of the biggest differences between the north and the south is the seasoning and the presentation,” he explained. “With the north, we focus more on the saltiness of the dish while the south, they are focused more on the sweet side.”
The 25-year-old used vermicelli, a popular rice noodle dish, as an example. Although the ingredients are practically identical, he said the way they present and mix the ingredients creates a unique flavor profile difficult to find anywhere else in Sacramento.
Bún Chả Hà Nội (front left), netted egg rolls (back left) and a grilled pork bánh mì Friday, May 9, 2025, at Hanoi 26 Streets in Sacramento.(Gerardo Zavala/CapRadio)
Do said that's because Northern Vietnamese cuisine is largely ignored in popular Vietnamese restaurants not just in Sacramento, but around the country.
“So we said, ‘You know what? Let's take a bold step and bring what we know to the world,’” he added. “And now we have Hanoi 36 Streets.”
Do said he hopes the restaurant helps popularize Northern Vietnamese cuisine, noting that now popular dishes like phở and bánh mì weren't always so well known.
“When the time and the moment is right, it just expands out, and I hope it's going to be the same with North Vietnamese food,” he said.
For himself, Do said food is a “comforting way to connect” with people.
“Since I myself have problems with trying to speak out loud and voice my opinions, I use food to communicate with people,” he said. “I hope that our people could show the love and dedication, and hopefully it would reach all the customers who dine in and choose to stop by our restaurant.”
Prior to the opening of Hanoi 36 Streets, Do said he frequented two local Vietnamese restaurants: Phở City along Stockton Boulevard and SitLo Saigon along Laguna Boulevard in Elk Grove.
“Every time I'm happy, Phở city. Sad? Phở City,” he said. “Those two places, highly recommended.”
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