ST25 by KOTO

The Verdict

If you're deciding between ST25 by KOTO and the Vietnamese contemporary options scattered across District 1, ST25 earns its place at the top of the shortlist. Recognised in Tatler's Leading Restaurants Asia-Pacific 2025 and holding a 2025 Michelin Plate, it sits in a tier above most hotel-restaurant dining in Ho Chi Minh City; and unlike many Sofitel-adjacent venues that coast on location, the cooking here holds up on its own terms. At ₫₫ pricing, it also undercuts what you'd expect for this level of recognition, making it the stronger call for food-focused travellers who want serious Vietnamese contemporary cuisine without the ₫₫₫₫ bill.

Portrait

ST25 by KOTO occupies the dining floor of the Sofitel Saigon Plaza on Lê Duẩn, one of District 1's central boulevards. The address matters less than the room itself: the space is composed rather than sprawling, with the kind of layout that makes solo diners and couples feel appropriately contained rather than exposed. Hotel dining rooms in this city often err toward cavernous grandeur; ST25 works against that tendency with a scale that keeps the focus on the table rather than the ceiling. If spatial intimacy factors into your booking decision, this is a stronger choice than some of the larger fine-dining rooms in the area.

The editorial angle worth addressing directly for visiting food travellers: how does ST25 perform as a destination rather than a convenience? The Tatler Leading 20 Vietnam recognition and the Michelin Plate together signal a kitchen that has earned attention beyond hotel-guest captive audiences. Chefs Bao La and Heath Gordon are named in Tatler's listing, which is a reasonable indicator that the cooking has a point of view. For the explorer-type diner moving through Vietnam and tracking the contemporary Vietnamese dining scene, ST25 belongs on the same itinerary that might include Gia in Hanoi, Backstage in Hanoi, or Nén Danang in Da Nang; venues operating in the same contemporary Vietnamese register across the country.

On the question of whether ST25 travels well, meaning, whether delivery or takeaway preserves what makes the food worth seeking out, the honest answer is: probably not at full value. Vietnamese contemporary cuisine at this level relies on plating precision and temperature contrast. The structural elements that define tasting-format cooking don't survive transit in a way that a pho or bánh mì from a street stall does. If you're considering ST25 from a hotel room via delivery, you'd be getting a diminished version of the experience. The physical room and the table service are part of what the ₫₫ price is buying. Book the table, don't order in.

That said, the ₫₫ price tier makes this genuinely accessible for the style of cooking on offer. Contemporary Vietnamese dining at award-recognised venues in other regional cities, think Hibana by Koki in Hanoi or La Maison 1888 in Da Nang, can run significantly higher. ST25 by KOTO's pricing relative to its award standing is one of its cleaner arguments for booking. For travellers working through Ho Chi Minh City's restaurant scene with a considered itinerary, it fits naturally alongside Tre Dining and Madame Lam as part of a broader sweep of the city's Vietnamese contemporary output.

That kind of consistent positive response across a large review pool typically reflects reliable execution rather than occasional brilliance, useful information if you're booking for a group where one disappointing meal carries more consequence. For solo explorers or couples, the consistency is a green light. For larger parties, it's worth knowing the room's scale before assuming it accommodates big groups comfortably.

Ho Chi Minh City has no shortage of directions to take a meal. If you're also planning time at Little Bear, Bờm, or Akuna, ST25 by KOTO slots in as the award-credentialed Vietnamese contemporary anchor of an itinerary that can afford to branch out elsewhere. Beyond the restaurants, the city's broader scene, covered in our bars guide, hotels guide, and experiences guide, gives you enough material to build a full trip around a meal here rather than treating it as a standalone stop.

Ratings at a Glance

• Awards: Tatler Leading 20 Vietnam 2025; Tatler Leading Restaurants Asia-Pacific 2025; Michelin Plate 2025
• Price tier: ₫₫ (mid-range for Ho Chi Minh City)

Booking

Booking difficulty is rated Easy. Given the Tatler and Michelin recognition, that's a window worth using, book sooner rather than later if you're visiting during peak travel months (December through February). The restaurant is reachable by phone at (+84) 283 824 1555, full booking details are available via the Sofitel Saigon Plaza website. Walk-ins may be possible on quieter weekday evenings, but for a meal you've planned your evening around, a reservation is the sensible move.

Practical Details

For more on where to eat, drink, stay across the city, see our full Ho Chi Minh City restaurants guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide. If you're travelling more broadly through Vietnam, Rice Bowl in Hue City, Lamai Garden in Hanoi, and Nénu in Saint-Gilles represent the same Vietnamese contemporary thread at different price points and geographies.