Foodie Experience
Across Vietnam, a growing number of vocational training restaurants are transforming lives - one meal at a time. These social enterprises serve up delicious, thoughtfully prepared food while equipping disadvantaged young people and people with disabilities with valuable hospitality and culinary skills. By choosing to dine at these restaurants, travellers can enjoy authentic local cuisine and directly contribute to long-term social impact and empowerment.
Whether you're enjoying a fresh banh mi in Ho Chi Minh City or sipping lotus tea in Hoi An, vocational training restaurants offer a warm welcome, delicious meals and a meaningful story behind every dish.
Start your day with a coffee at Bloom or La Boulangerie Française, where young trainees are learning the art of baking and barista skills. Enjoy a modern Vietnamese lunch at MaiSen Bistro or Streets International, where formerly at-risk youth are gaining hands-on experience in running a full-service restaurant. In the evening, discover the refined elegance of the Reaching Out Tea House, where hearing-impaired staff provide a serene and inspiring experience.
From casual bites to fine dining, each venue showcases not just culinary talent but also the power of vocational education, mentoring and opportunity. The service is heartfelt, the food excellent and the mission unmistakable: to provide real, life-changing career paths for young people in need.
Dining at these restaurants can be seamlessly woven into any itinerary—be it a family trip, foodie tour, or cultural immersion—offering moments of connection, impact and inspiration.
Here’s a list of restaurants we’d recommend visiting:
KOTO restaurant Hanoi > 35 P. Văn Miếu, Văn Miếu, Đống Đa, Hà Nội
Bloom > 3/5 Hoang Sa, D.1, Ho Chi Minh City
MaiSen Bistro > 56 Nguyen Van Lac, W. 19,Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City
Noir > 180D Hai Ba Trung, Đa Kao Ward, D. 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Blanc > 178/180D Hai Ba Trung, Đa Kao Ward, D. 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Organik House > 7F Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Ben Nghe, D. 1, Ho Chi Minh City
The Royal Saigon > 201 Bui Vien, Pham Ngu Lao Ward, D. 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Bloom > 14 Nguyen Cong Tru, Hue
La Boulangerie Française > 46 Nguyen Tri Phuong Street, Hue
Streets International > 17 Le Loi, Minh An Ward, Hoian
Reaching Out Tea House > 131 Tran Phu, Minh An Ward, Hoian
White Lotus > 11 Phan Boi Châu, Cam Chau, Hoian
Karma Waters > 213 Nguyen Duy Hieu, Cam Chau, Hoian
Streets International Noodle House & Oodles of Noodles > 512 Hai Ba Trung, Tan An Ward, Hoi An
Karma Waters > 110 Tran Huy Lieu, Khue Trung, Cam Le, Danang
Your Local Impact
Vocational training restaurants embody one of our core principles, that tourism can make a direct positive impact if managed correctly and thoughtfully. More than just generating funds for charitable donations or development projects unrelated to your trip, these restaurants ensure your holiday is actively helping the people you meet.
By empowering young people with skills, confidence, and real employment prospects, the model supports long-term, structural change and strengthens the local economy. It also creates authentic, human-centred experiences for visitors, fostering cultural exchange and understanding. Supporting these restaurants means your meal does more than satisfy your hunger, it helps build a fairer, more inclusive future.
Holidays That Can Include This Experience
15 Days: From £2299 per person
Hanoi – Rural Villages – Gentle Cycling – Cooking Class – Trekking - Rice Paddies – Ha Long Bay Cruise – Mekong Delta – Floating Markets – Hoi An
13 Days: From £1800 per person
Hanoi – Gentle Cycling – Hilltribes – Trekking – Ha Long Bay Cruise - Hoi An – History and Culture – Ho Chi Minh City – Mekong Delta – Floating Markets
14 Days: From £1650 per person
Hanoi – Street Food - Ha Long Bay Cruise – Hoi An - Beach Time - Ho Chi Minh City - Vespa Tour - Mekong Delta – Gentle Cycling