Tradition meets Innovation: Vietnam’s Culinary and Cocktail Scene takes a Daring New Turn

SINGAPORE, March 24, 2025 – Vietnam’s gastronomic landscape is undergoing an exciting transformation, as some of the country’s finest chefs and mixologists reimagine traditional flavours with contemporary creativity. This March and April, a selection of Vietnam’s most prestigious hotels and resorts are unveiling new dishes and drinks that celebrate the country’s rich culinary heritage while pushing the boundaries of taste and presentation.

From inventive cocktails inspired by ancient dynasties to bold new interpretations of everyday ingredients, these cutting-edge creations promise to elevate Vietnamese cuisine and mixology to new heights.

A Royal Toast: The Vietnamese Dynasty Cocktails

At L_O_N_G Bar, InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, guests can embark on a journey through time with a cocktail collection inspired by Vietnam’s royal heritage. Ingredients such as butterfly pea flowers, starfruit, cinnamon, pandan leaves, and mountain pepper pay tribute to the country’s historic dynasties. Each drink is meticulously presented with traditional Vietnamese motifs, offering a taste of both history and craftsmanship while guests take in the breathtaking East Sea views.

Fish Sauce, Reinvented

Vietnam’s prized fish sauce, a staple of its cuisine, is getting an unexpected twist at Hang Ten Beach Bar & Grill, The Westin Resort & Spa Cam Ranh. The culinary team has transformed this beloved but humble ingredient into an adventurous fish sauce sorbet, using the renowned 584 Nha Trang fish sauce. This bold creation offers a unique blend of salty, umami, and refreshing notes, embodying Westin’s “Eat Well” philosophy and redefining dessert expectations.

A Tribute to Da Lat’s Bounty

Da Lat, Vietnam’s highland haven for organic produce, is the inspiration behind The Albion Tomato, a new dish by two-Michelin-starred Chef Kirk Westaway at The Albion, Hôtel des Arts Saigon – MGallery Collection. Combining the region’s finest heritage tomatoes with burrata cheese, black olives, sweet basil, orange sorbet, and mint cream, this dish offers a vibrant, refreshing flavour profile that captures the essence of Vietnam’s fertile landscape.

Bitter Melon, Reimagined

The intensely flavoured bitter melon, a divisive yet nutrient-rich fruit, finds new life in an innovative cocktail at Theia Bar, Villa Le Corail, A Gran Meliá Hotel. This imaginative blend of fresh bitter melon juice and locally distilled Lady Trieu gin honours Vietnam’s national heroine while offering a complex, evolving taste—from an invigorating bitterness to a surprisingly smooth and sweet finish.

A Coastal Delight: Ham Ninh Flower Crab Salad

Phu Quoc’s celebrated Ham Ninh flower crab, known for its delicate sweetness, stars in a new dish at Pink Pearl, JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort & Spa. The salad, a harmonious blend of free-range chicken, sea urchin, Oscietra caviar, Da Lat vegetables, young coconut, and organic herbs from the JW Garden, is a showcase of Vietnam’s rich coastal bounty. Guests can pair it with a Black Pepper Cocktail, which highlights Phu Quoc’s famous black pepper for a perfectly spiced accompaniment.

A Cocktail as Vibrant as the Coastline

Inspired by the fishing villages of Vietnam’s south-central coast, The Blue Greens Cocktail at Cheers Bar, Radisson Blu Resort, Cam Ranh captures the essence of the seaside with its striking blue-green hue. A mix of blue vodka, fragrant giang leaves, and zesty lime juice, this refreshing drink mirrors the beauty of Cam Ranh’s coastal landscapes and is served in a chilled martini glass for a truly invigorating experience.

A Fusion of French Elegance and Vietnamese Tradition

Perched in the misty highlands of Northern Vietnam, Absinthe, the rooftop bar at Hotel de la Coupole Sapa – MGallery Collection, blends Vietnamese and French influences in its signature cocktails. The Chrysanthemum, infused with Dom Benedictine herbal liqueur and absinthe, highlights the delicate floral flavours of Sapa, while Muong Khuong Heater, a bold combination of Irish whiskey, Muong Khuong chili, kumquat, and basil, offers an adventurous and warming sip.

A Celebration of Vietnamese Honey

At Le Beaulieu, Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, the spotlight is on one of Vietnam’s most treasured natural ingredients: honey. The restaurant’s new Vietnamese Honey Tasting Menu, crafted by Chef Charles in collaboration with local farmers, showcases the versatility of honey through an array of exquisite dishes. Highlights include poached Dover sole with longan flower honey, fermented garlic, morning glory, and blue belly shrimp—a refined interpretation of traditional flavours, available from 1st March 2025.

From the bold reinvention of local ingredients to delicate, artful presentations, these inventive culinary and cocktail experiences are set to captivate food lovers across Vietnam this season. Whether sipping a dynasty-inspired cocktail, indulging in a honey-infused gourmet creation, or trying fish sauce in sorbet form, these gastronomic innovations promise to redefine the way we experience Vietnamese cuisine.