I’ve Been Walking Past This Saigon Lunch for Years | Lunch Walks #10

“Every day I’m walking around this neighbourhood, I’m learning something new.” What started as a hunt for lunch turned into another deep dive into one of my favourite parts of Saigon. In this episode of Lunch Walks, I head back to Tôn Thất Đạm, the Old Market street, looking for lunch and end up with a 40,000 VND bowl of bún thịt xào, while uncovering even more of the history hidden in the streets around Saigon Podcast Studio. Along the way, I stop at a distinctive 1973 South Vietnamese modernist building on Nguyễn Công Trứ, designed by architect Lê Văn Lắm, and take a closer look at its unusual “double skin” design. The building was designed specifically for Saigon’s climate, helping protect it from the sun and rain while improving natural airflow. Then I head into the Old Market, a neighbourhood shaped by generations of Cantonese, Indian, Indonesian, Malaysian and Vietnamese communities. The more I explore this area, the more I realise just how much history is hiding in streets I’ve walked down hundreds of times. There’s lunch, Vietnamese sweets, freshly ground coffee, QR payments, another mystery modernist building and plenty more evidence that you can live in Saigon for years and still discover something completely new around the corner. Key Takeaways Why my Lunch Walks are gradually turning into Saigon history walks The story behind a 1973 South Vietnamese modernist building How the building’s double skin helps deal with Saigon’s tropical climate Exploring Tôn Thất Đạm and the Old Market The different immigrant communities that helped shape this neighbourhood Finding a 40,000 VND bún thịt xào for lunch Trying a traditional sweet made with sticky rice, shredded coconut and mung bean Buying freshly ground Vietnamese coffee from an old neighbourhood shop How quickly Saigon has shifted from cash to QR payments Discovering another building using the same distinctive modernist design Timestamps 00:00 Another Lunch Walk begins 03:30 A 1973 modernist building on Nguyễn Công Trứ 05:00 How the “double skin” design works 10:00 Arriving at Tôn Thất Đạm and the Old Market 14:30 Finding bún thịt xào for lunch 17:00 Vietnamese sweets and a chat with the seller 21:30 Buying freshly ground Vietnamese coffee 24:00 The affordability of living in Vietnam 27:00 Discovering another mystery modernist building 30:00 Back at the studio for the final sweet treat "Send me a message!" Book your free tour of Saigon Podcast Studio! Support the show 🎙️ Recorded at Saigon Podcast Studio! 👉  www.saigonpodcaststudio.com 🎙️ Start Your Podcast Today! 👉 Book a FREE Discovery Call with me and let’s bring your idea to life!  🎥 Edit Videos Like a Pro with Descript! 👉 I use Descript to create my content—try it for FREE here:  🔒 Protect Your Privacy with NordVPN! 👉 Get 70% OFF their 2-year plan and enjoy a secure, ad-free internet!  These are affiliate links, and I’ll earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. ✅ Subscribe for More! If you enjoy content about life in Vietnam, food adventures, and great conversations, hit that subscribe button. 📸 Follow Me on Instagram 🌐 Visit My Website 🎉 Join Our Community!