Akuna

Akuna is one of the most polished dining rooms in Ho Chi Minh City and holds one star in the 2026 Michelin Guide Vietnam. It is on the ninth floor of the Le Meridien hotel at 3C Ton Duc Thang Street in District 1. The name means "flowing water" in an Australian Aboriginal language, and the theme runs through the design: about 1,200 light rods hang around the open kitchen, evoking a shimmering stream at sunset.

The kitchen is led by the chef Sam Aisbett, who now calls Saigon home and describes Akuna as his most personal cooking, drawing on flavours he gathered while eating his way across Vietnam. The Michelin inspectors credit him with bending conventional rules to shed new light on familiar local and imported produce. The format is a tasting menu of creative European dishes with Vietnamese influences. Wine pairings draw on Australian and international bottles, and the guide notes an interesting wine list.

Counter dining puts you close to the action in the open kitchen, which suits food lovers who enjoy watching the chefs at work, while the dining room offers views over the city. Michelin includes Akuna in its list of the best restaurants for a romantic dinner in Ho Chi Minh City, and it is a natural choice for a special occasion, an anniversary or a celebratory meal at the end of a trip.

Akuna is open for dinner only, and the Michelin Guide lists opening from Tuesday to Saturday in the evening, closed on Sunday and Monday. Bookings are handled directly by the restaurant, so reserve well ahead, especially at weekends. There is wheelchair access, a car park with valet parking, and credit cards are accepted. Allow two to three hours for the full tasting menu.

Being in a hotel, Akuna is easy to find and comfortable to reach by taxi from anywhere in the centre. Many diners combine dinner with a drink at one of the rooftop bars of District 1 before or after the meal, and the downtown sights of Nguyen Hue Walking Street and the Opera House are a short ride away.