One of the most incredible ways to experience a new city is through the local food.  So naturally, during my most recent travels through Southeast Asia, I found myself eating my way through the beautiful cities of Vietnam.  My trip began in the wonderful city of Hanoi, more specifically at Highway 4 Restaurant.  Highway 4 is a restaurant that focuses on environmentally friendly practices and offers a variety of Vietnamese dishes.  Each dish I ordered was absolutely incredible and needless to say, I ate there two more times before leaving Hanoi.

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After conquering Highway 4 I was ready to navigate the local street food scene.  It seemed only right that I begin with one of the most popular and well-known Vietnamese dishes, Pho.  Being a vegetarian I was a bit apprehensive that meatless Pho might not be a thing, but luckily I was able to find a restaurant willing to whip up a delicious bowl of vegetarian Pho.

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Although I’m always eager to try local food, my trip to Hanoi would have not been complete without a stop (or two) at Zenith Yoga Studio.  I wandered over to Zenith for a vinyasa yoga class and was pleasantly surprised that the building also housed a vegan café.  The menu boasted an array of green juices, vegetable dishes and vegan cookies!  The food was incredibly fresh and tasted like home.

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In Ho Chi Minh, one of Vietnam’s much larger and daunting cities, my taste buds continued to be impressed by more mouth-watering experiences.  As soon as I arrived, my friends and I arranged to take a Vietnamese cooking class.  Chef Vu, our teacher for the day showed us the proper to way to cut garlic and lemongrass, fry a Vietnamese pancake and create instagram worthy dishes.  The class was wonderful and the food absolutely delicious!

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If you get the chance to spend a few days in Vietnam, check out the museums, temples and parks…but definitely be sure to eat plenty of food!

This story was curated by Joi Ward.