Vietnamese Foodie Gift Guide: 15 food and drink brands

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Dec 10

With the holidays right around the corner, it’s time to start thinking of gifts for your loved ones. Luckily, we’ve compiled a round-up of 15 foodie gifts made in Vietnam that you can ship to your loved ones in the country, bring along for a Secret Santa company party or package nicely as you venture abroad for your holidays. From beautifully-crafted Blushing Apricot Liquor to adorable Banh Beo coin pouches, tis’ the season to be merry, creative and hungry! As always #supportlocal and buy often this festive period.

Beer and Spirits

Vietnam’s first-and-only Aperitif made from 100% natural fruits and botanical herbs

Say hello to Madame Roselle, Vietnam’s first Aperitif made from 100% natural botanical herbs and fruits (7 to be exact) sourced from all over Vietnam. Sweet, tangy with a subtle tartness, Madame Roselle (23% ABV) is perfect both as a palate opener before your meal or as a refreshing cocktail when mixed with tonic water to lighten your soirées. Alternatively, it also adds for a good twist to the traditional Old Fashion. However you like it, this Aperitif is a great gift for “everyone’s favourite party host” and promises to stir up both good conversation and an appetite at a festive gathering.

Award-winning Vietnamese craft Rhum using 100% fresh cane juice and organic coconut

Say hello to Rhum Belami, Vietnam’s first craft rhum by French-Caribbeaner Roddy Battajon. Another first-of-its-kind on the list, Rhum Belami leverages Vietnam’s vast access to some of the best sugar cane in the world (coincidentally the main product used to make rhum) to create Rhum Belami, an international award-winning rhum after just 6 short years! Aged for 3 years in an oak barrel pre-filled with local spices, fruits and flowers and distilled in an Inox pot still, Rhum Belami is proudly sans glycerin, honey or mixed spirits. Ideal for rhum lovers, this 100% distilled rhum uses 100% fresh cane juice and local ingredients such as organic coconut, Kopi Luwak coffee beans and chocolate. The result (after 34 recipes) is a gold award-winning rhum with a smooth and long mouthfeel that ends with sweet yet subtle chocolatey notes.

Award-winning craft gin distilled using 100% Vietnamese grains

In 2022, Lady Trieu was named “Vietnam’s best-selling gin” by the International Wine and Spirits Record - not bad for a gin launched in November 2020. Helmed by master gin distiller Adam Westbrook, Lady Trieu’s debut ‘Lab Series’ takes drinkers on an explorative journey through Vietnam’s flora, fauna and bio-diverse regions namely Mekong Delta, Dalat and Hoi An through its gins that are 100% distilled from Vietnamese grains and botanicals with Italian juniper in its distillery located in Vietnam. My personal favourite is the Dalat Flowerbomb Gin with refreshing and flowery notes of jasmine and chrysanthemum as well as well-rounded earthy finishes of lotus and coriander.

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Personalised craft beer cans from Heart of Darkness

Get personal with beer, specifically Heart of Darkness’s flagship Kurtz's Insane IPA which is available now in customised cans just for the festive period. Perfect for craft beer lovers, you can write in notes along with the name you would like on your cans (18 character limit). Available in 4-packs, tis’ the season to get crafty.

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Naturally-Fermented Blushing Apricot Liquor

Made from blushing apricot, a signature of Sơn La province in the Northwest region of Vietnam, this craft Apricot liquor is a marriage between natural apricot and fermented rice liquor. The result is a 100% naturally fermented apricot liqueur made using a slow-brewing technique using any chemical preservatives. Crisp with a sweet and smooth finish, this is a perfect gift for anyone who enjoys fruity and refreshing boozy finish.

Indigenous Rice Liquor (Rượu gạo)

A specialty drink from Tây Nguyên region, rice wine or “rượu gạo” is a highly popular liquor distilled from fermented rice in Vietnam. Traditionally brewed by families at home, this craft version of Vietnam’s indigenous rice liquor is made from fermented glutinous rice and has a soft and easy mouthfeel with a subtle flowery characteristics.

Coffee, Chocolate and Food

Vietnamese Gold Phin and Coffee

For the quintessential Vietnamese coffee lover - a coffee kit like no other. A shiny gold stainless steel slow dripper phin perfect for a hot or iced coffee (cafe sua da) with a bag of freshly-roasted Vietnamese Arabica or Robusta coffee beans. I recommend the Lacàph Espresso Blend, which is combination of Arabica and Robusta beans from the Central Highlands of Vietnam with a smooth round-tasting flavour that perfectly blends light sweetness and mild sourness. Know someone who needs a slow and sweet start to the morning? This one’s for him or her.

Personalised bean-to-bar chocolate with Phu Quoc Pepper

Sustainably sourced craft chocolate with personalised packaging? That’s just the beginning. The Cocoa Project is the lovechild of two chocolate lovers - a Belgium serial chocolate entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience and founder of the Caacao Trace Program and a French-Vietnamese entrepreneur. “Sô-cô-la cho mọi người” or “chocolate for everyone”, here you can choose from three unique flavours (Mango passion white chocolate and dark chocolate with Phu Quoc pepper) as well as chocolate cookies, turmeric orange ginger mendiants (bite-sized wonders of melted chocolate with dried fruit) and chocolate truffles. Not a fan of bean bars, for a limited time only The Cocoa Project is also dishing out festive Christmas chocolate jars.

Seasonal-Spice Set With Wooden Box

For the ultimate gift for the foodie who loves to cook or an aspiring chef, spice it up with a box of Vietnam’s signature spices handpicked by local suppliers. From cinnamon and cardamon to 100% organic Piper peppercorn and star anise, this special spice box is curated by founder Lora Le, a passionate Vietnamese chef who spent her childhood scourging the peppercorn farms of her hometown in Vietnam famed for pepper farming. There’s also a pepper mill to get you started on your cooking be it Indian, Mexican or Italian cuisine - the sky is the limit.

Pink Oyster Mushroom Grow Kit

The perfect holiday gift for any garden-loving and eco-conscious foodie that can often be caught saying the words “farm to table”. The Pink Oyster mushroom belongs to the Pleurotaceae family and bears a rosy pink colour, slightly sweet and sour taste and meat-like texture thanks to its high content of glutamate (a protein component). The best part is you can grow mushrooms all year round by simply placing them near a window with indirect sunlight and misting them twice a day. Within a week and you’ll see your beautiful mushrooms sprouting and ready to be served in your first “garden-to-table” meal!

Specialty Apricot and Green Tea Vinegar

A traditional product from the Bach Coc village in Nam Dinh, Vietnam, Green Tea Apricot Vinegar is a specialty product in Vietnam and is used both in cooking as well as a detox beverage mixed with honey. For Giấm Cô Tâm’s Green Tea Apricot Vinegar, it uses a secret recipe passed down from generations and the result is a radiantly sweet apricot flavour with a clean citrusy finish. Pair with a salad, honey or mix it into a stir-fry, this is the perfect gift for the experimental foodie constantly looking to shake things up in the kitchen.

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Non-Food Items

Đặc Đen Đắng: The Vietnamese Coffee Book

There are several great cook books about Vietnamese cuisine but Đặc Đen Đắng is the first to tell the story of Vietnamese coffee in English. Launched in late 2022, Đặc Đen Đắng: The Vietnamese Coffee Book tells the story of Vietnamese coffee - the role it plays in Vietnamese culture from over a hundred years ago as well as the tales of the people who fuel it forward - farmers, baristas, roasters and traders. Beyond walking through history, the book also explores the evolution of Vietnamese coffee from a humble brown bean into a specialty grade sold internationally in big box supermarkets such as WholeFoods in America. There’s a latte to enjoy in this thoughtful gift.

**Saigon Caphesuada Scented Candle**

We all know someone who can’t get enough of Caphesuada so why not give the gift of Vietnam’s famous coffee all day, everyday. This handmade candle is made from plant-based wax, natural essential oils and is set to let you reminisce memories of enjoying a glass of Caphesuada on the streets of Saigon with whiffs of coffee, vanilla, tonka beans and lilies. Though there’s no caffeine included, this candle is highly addictive!

Handmade Heartleaf (fish mint) Facial Soap

Vietnamese heartleaf may not be everyone’s cup of tea but when it comes to skincare, this herb is very popular! Ideal for the “beauty foodie”, the Heartleaf Handmade Soap from Lamsoap uses heartleaf due to its high anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that help to reduce swelling and inflammation and limit the formation of new acne, making it suitable for sensitive and acne-prone skin. Other natural ingredients also include virgin coconut oil from Bến Tre and extra virgin olive oil from Spain as well as Turmeric, perilla, ginger, betel and coffee.

Bánh Bèo Coin Pouches

Bánh Bèo is a popular street food snack in Vietnam made from a combination of rice flour and tapioca flour and originates from Huế, a city in Central Vietnam. Available in two colours, these adorable Bánh Bèo coin pouches are bound to make anyone smile and makes for a great gift for big fans of this delicious snack! These sell out fast so be sure to snag them before they go.

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Hi, I’m Jovel Chan, a Singaporean food and drink blogger and F&B consultant📍Ho Chi Minh City.

Over the past two years, I’ve had the pleasure of dining in more than 150+ restaurants across Vietnam and judging multiple competitions. Here, I share the industry through my eyes and I hope it inspires you to discover, learn and explore Vietnam’s exciting food and drink scene.