Vietnam cuisine among world's top 20, globetrotters vote

In Southeast Asia, Vietnamese cuisine was only behind Indonesia's, ranked 16th, in the ranking of the cuisines of 95 countries and territories, said TasteAtlas, based on audience votes for ingredients, dishes and beverages.

Italy topped the list of the world's best cuisines, followed by Greece and Spain.

Pho noodle soup, banh mi (a sandwich filled with pork bologna cha lua, fried eggs, grilled pork, meat balls and vegetables), goi cuon (fresh summer rolls) and banh xeo (crispy pancake) were recommended as the most popular dishes in Vietnam, according to the readers of TasteAtlas.

Readers also suggested some worth-a-try restaurants in Vietnam such as Madam Khanh’s stall in Hoi An ancient town famous for its signature banh mi, Hum Vegetarian and Bep Me In in HCMC mainly serving cha gio (spring rolls) and Vietnamese sweet and sour snakehead fish soup; and Era in Hanoi that is known for its Vietnamese crispy pancakes.

Vietnamese cuisine has become better known around the world over the last couple of years with international chefs and prestigious food magazines praising several national dishes.

British celebrity chef and television personality Gordon Ramsay recently named Laos and Vietnam the world's top food destinations, calling the latter an "extraordinary melting pot of great food."

On December 1, Michelin Guide, the world's most influential restaurant ranking guide, announced that it had begun evaluating restaurants in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City for the first time ever.