Mekong Merchant, Saigon - review by Rusty Compass
Ho Chi Minh City | eating guide

Independent reviews and recommendations by Rusty Compass. No advertorial, no paid placements and no sponsored content.

Mekong Merchant, Saigon

| 02 Jul 2019
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Mekong Merchant, Saigon
23 Thao Dien St, An Phu, District 2, Saigon

Map

Price guide: $$$$

02 Jul 2019

Probably the oldest surviving expat cafe in Saigon’s D2 - Mekong Merchant predates the current cafe boom by at least a decade - and remains a good choice for quality cafe fare and a casual, cool vibe.

Note: The information provided in this review was correct at time of publishing but may change. For final clarification please check with the relevant service

Mekong Merchant was more than a decade ahead of the cafe and restaurant boom that is now sweeping Saigon’s District 2. It’s the archetypal expat hangout and it may well be more popular than ever - despite the competition.

After more than a decade, Mekong Merchant is part of the D2 landscape and the food and vibe are holding up well against the competition. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. Lunch is a mix of pastas, salads, pizzas and burgers - classic cafe fare. At night the mood switches and a menu of tapas with a handful of other mains is served.

Mekong Merchant, Saigon
Photo: Mark Bowyer Mekong Merchant, Saigon

 

Australian chef Jay Taylor runs the show and has given the place a timely lift. The dining area is set back off the street and has a relaxed, vintage vibe with lots of stone and timber.

Mekong Merchant was an early project of lawyer Anna Craven and her partner Lawson Johnston. They also own The Deck, a popular upscale eatery on the river, also in District 2 just over 1km away.

District 2 is 15 - 20 minutes from downtown Saigon by taxi -depending on traffic. It’s the longstanding main expat area of Saigon.

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Rusty Compass listings are always independent. We recommend the places we think you should know about. That’s it. We’ve paid our way on all visits to Mekong Merchant and received no inducement for this listing. If you’d like to support old fashioned ideas like disclosure and independence in travel information, make a donation.

Mark Bowyer
Mark Bowyer is the founder and publisher of Rusty Compass.
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