Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Michelin-recognised, easy to book, District 1.
Square One holds consecutive Michelin Plates (2024 and 2025) and a 4.4 Google rating, making it one of District 1's most consistent upscale options. At ₫₫₫ pricing with an International menu and a prime Lam Son Square address, it is the practical choice for a structured formal dinner in central Ho Chi Minh City without paying the ₫₫₫₫ premium.
Square One has held a Michelin Plate in both 2024 and 2025, making it one of a small group of District 1 restaurants to carry consecutive Michelin recognition. At ₫₫₫ pricing, it sits in the mid-to-upper tier for Ho Chi Minh City dining — not as steep as CieL or Long Trieu, but a clear step above the city's street-food end. The 4.4 Google rating across 300 reviews is a solid signal for consistency. Book it if you want internationally framed cooking with Michelin credibility at a price point that won't require justification on the taxi home.
Square One sits at 2 Công trường Lam Sơn in Bến Nghé, the dense commercial core of District 1. That address puts it within the orbit of the Lam Son Square area — one of the most visited intersections in the city, flanked by colonial-era architecture and the constant movement of a neighbourhood that defines how visitors experience Ho Chi Minh City. For a Michelin-recognised restaurant, that location matters: this is not a destination you have to seek out in an outer district. It is directly in the path of where most visitors already are.
The physical setting at this address places Square One inside a building that shares its block with some of the most recognisable landmarks in Saigon's urban core. Spatially, that means the restaurant carries an inherent formality that street-level competitors in the same price tier cannot replicate. If the room matches the address, expect a dining environment where the scale and layout support a deliberate, sit-down experience rather than a casual drop-in. For travellers who want their evening meal to feel anchored to the city rather than removed from it, the location alone is a practical argument for booking.
The cuisine type is listed as International, which at ₫₫₫ pricing and Michelin Plate level in Vietnam typically signals a kitchen working with European technique applied to local and regional ingredients , a format that has become the dominant mode for serious Ho Chi Minh City restaurants chasing recognition. That context matters when you're deciding between Square One and a venue like Coco Dining, which operates in the Innovative category at the same price tier. Square One's consecutive Michelin Plates suggest the kitchen has been consistent across two assessment cycles, which is a more useful signal than a single-year listing.
For the food and travel enthusiast who wants to understand where Square One fits in Vietnam's broader dining picture: it is part of a generation of Ho Chi Minh City restaurants that have moved the city's fine-dining offer into sustained international conversation. Compare that to what Hibana by Koki in Hanoi or La Maison 1888 in Da Nang represent in their respective cities, and Square One's position becomes clearer: a Michelin-credentialled anchor in a district that functions as the commercial and cultural centre of Vietnam's largest city. If you are building an itinerary across Vietnam and want one formal dinner in Ho Chi Minh City, this is a defensible choice at this price point.
The neighbourhood context also sharpens the decision for repeat visitors to the city. District 1 has a well-developed restaurant ecosystem, and Square One is not trying to be the most experimental option in it. Akuna occupies the Innovative category if you want something pushing harder at format. For a more casual evening, Anan Saigon at ₫₫ delivers Vietnamese street-food credentials with its own Michelin recognition at a fraction of the spend. Square One's case rests on being the reliable, well-located, internationally-framed option for the night when you want a structured dining experience without the price ceiling of the city's top tier.
Booking difficulty is rated Easy. Square One does not require weeks of advance planning , this is not a counter-seat omakase with a two-month waitlist. That said, for weekend evenings in District 1, a few days' notice is sensible. Walk-ins may work at lunch or early weekday sittings, but checking availability before you arrive is the safer approach given the Michelin recognition.
| Detail | Square One | Coco Dining | CieL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cuisine | International | Innovative | Innovative |
| Price tier | ₫₫₫ | ₫₫₫ | ₫₫₫₫ |
| Michelin | Plate (2024, 2025) | Check listing | Check listing |
| Google rating | 4.4 (300) | , | , |
| Booking difficulty | Easy | , | , |
| District | District 1 | District 1 | District 1 |
Booking is rated Easy, so a few days' notice is usually sufficient. For Friday or Saturday evenings, book three to five days out to be safe. Weekday lunches are likely more flexible. Walk-ins are possible but not guaranteed given the Michelin recognition.
The database does not confirm a tasting menu format, so this cannot be stated with certainty. What the data does confirm: two consecutive Michelin Plates and a 4.4 Google rating across 300 reviews indicate a kitchen that delivers consistent quality at ₫₫₫ pricing. At that tier in Ho Chi Minh City, the value case is strong relative to ₫₫₫₫ peers like CieL or Long Trieu.
At ₫₫₫, yes , particularly against District 1 competitors. You get Michelin Plate credibility (two consecutive years) without the premium of ₫₫₫₫ venues. If budget is the primary concern, Anan Saigon at ₫₫ offers Michelin-recognised Vietnamese cooking at a lower spend. But for an international-format dinner with a prime District 1 address, Square One earns its price tier.
It is an International cuisine restaurant with back-to-back Michelin Plates, located at one of District 1's most central addresses. Booking is easy relative to comparable-tier venues. It suits a traveller who wants a structured, formally-framed dinner in the city centre rather than an experimental or street-food-led experience. If you want the latter, consider Anan Saigon or Akuna instead.
No dress code is listed in the venue data. At ₫₫₫ pricing with Michelin recognition in District 1, smart casual is the safe default , what you would wear to a mid-to-upper-tier restaurant in any major Asian city. Avoid beachwear or sportswear; a dress, blouse, or collared shirt is appropriate.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square One | International | ₫₫₫ | Easy |
| Anan Saigon | Vietnamese Street Food | ₫₫ | Unknown |
| CieL | Innovative | ₫₫₫₫ | Unknown |
| Coco Dining | Innovative | ₫₫₫ | Unknown |
| Long Trieu | Cantonese | ₫₫₫₫ | Unknown |
| Bánh Xèo 46A | Vietnamese | ₫ | Unknown |
A quick look at how Square One measures up.
Booking difficulty is rated Easy, so you do not need weeks of lead time. A few days' notice should be sufficient for most visits, though weekend evenings at a Michelin Plate venue in central District 1 are worth booking at least 3–5 days ahead to avoid disappointment.
Tasting menu details are not confirmed in Pearl's current data for Square One. What is confirmed is that the venue has held a Michelin Plate in both 2024 and 2025, which signals consistent kitchen quality at the ₫₫₫ price tier. Check directly with the venue at 2 Công trường Lam Sơn for current menu formats before booking.
At ₫₫₫ in Ho Chi Minh City, Square One sits in the upper-mid range for the city. Two consecutive Michelin Plates (2024 and 2025) provide a credible external benchmark for quality. For international cuisine in District 1 at this price point, that track record makes it a defensible choice, particularly if you want a reliable, polished meal without the unpredictability of a newer opening.
Square One is located at 2 Công trường Lam Sơn in the Bến Nghé area of District 1, close to Lam Son Square, so it is easy to reach from most central hotels. The cuisine is international, not Vietnamese-focused, which distinguishes it from neighbourhood alternatives like Anan Saigon. Booking is straightforward, and the Michelin Plate recognition for two consecutive years suggests the kitchen is consistent rather than a one-season surprise.
The venue data does not specify a dress code, but a Michelin Plate restaurant at the ₫₫₫ tier in central District 1 generally warrants smart casual attire at minimum. Avoid beachwear or flip-flops; neat trousers or a dress with clean footwear is a safe call.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
