The restaurant at 70 Nguyen Du Street opposite Thien Quang Lake in Hai Ba Trung District was named in the list released on June 5.
It did not receive an official invitation to the awards ceremony during its first year of recognition, and owner Pham Thi Bich Hanh heard about it from friends.
"Later Michelin Guide contacted us and brought the plaque to the restaurant," she says.
The Michelin plaques are now displayed in the main hall. In the photo, chef Ta Duy Diep holds the 2025 Michelin Selected certificate, with the 2024 plaque in the background.
The 2023 plaque hangs on the opposite wall.
The 3,000-square-meter restaurant is set in a two-story villa and a garden with trees like ylang-ylang, persimmon and jackfruit. With a focus on Vietnamese cuisine, it serves breakfast, lunch and dinner from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and can accommodate up to 700 guests.
But it also serves Japanese cuisine, vegetarian fare and some international selections. Savory dishes start at VND55,000 (US$2).
Dang Hoang Giang, 32, often brings his family here on weekends. He enjoys the environment, the lavish views of Thien Quang Lake and the food.
His wife loves taking photos at the restaurant, which is decorated with fresh flowers along the walkways. When the ylang-ylang trees bloom in the spring, she likes to open the second-story dining room windows to inhale the aroma of the flowers.
The owner says the yard had no trees and was concreted over when she first leased the property eight years ago. She created the garden herself, personally choosing every plant.
In March 2019 the restaurant welcomed the North Korean delegation accompanying Kim Jong-un during the second U.S. - North Korea summit in Hanoi.
The group spent around three hours enjoying a nine-course Vietnamese meal featuring spring rolls, abalone soup and a sweet bird's nest dessert.
A second-floor room in the villa, where North Korean officials dined, was later named Hoa Binh (Peace) by Hanh, inspired by the event and the room's decor.
The menu served to the North Korean delegation featured dishes available daily. Hanh emphasized that her restaurant treats every guest as a valued visitor.
After being honored three times by Michelin, Hanh and her staff feel more motivated than ever to preserve and promote Vietnamese cuisine.
The kitchen is 200 square meters in size and 20 chefs and 17 assistants work here. With its open design, it allows diners to observe the cooking.
Most of the vegetables are sourced from farms that Hanh has partnered with and invested in on the outskirts of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
"We've always prioritized quality, even before Michelin's recognition," she says.
Since being listed, the restaurant has become stricter with its operations, staff training and attention to detail. One of their summer dishes is crab hotpot served with stir-fried beef and crispy pork fat.
According to general manager Nguyen Hong Nhu, when the restaurant first opened eight years ago, it served 130 - 150 dishes. Over time new items have been added, bringing the total to over 200.
Crab roe fried rice is one of the most frequently ordered dishes.
Another favorite is banh cuon (rice rolls) with squid rolls, a specialty from Quang Ninh Province priced at VND155,000 ($6). It was added to the menu in 2024.
Ngon Garden also serves family-style rice trays with dishes like braised fish, stir-fried pork belly and ginger braised chicken.
The bird's nest and papaya sweet soup, priced at 290,000 ($11), was also part of the North Korean delegation's meal and remains a popular summer dessert with local diners.
Besides dining, the restaurant is also a popular spot for coffee and drinks during midday and weekends. Many guests enjoy sitting on the second-floor terrace to sip coffee while admiring the green surroundings.
Hanh adds: "Michelin recognition isn't the finish line. It's a milestone that reminds us to keep improving every day."
A look inside Ngon Garden. Video by Hoang Giang
