Ciao Bella IL Primo

Cute small restaurant right in the heart of the city. we chose the option to go upstairs as we wanted air conditioning. Often the service in many restaurants VN is impeccable, and so did Ciao Bella. Food was great, we ordered Bruschetta as appetizers, Ravioli, linguini Carbonara prep at the table, and spaghetti alle vongole and tiramisu for dessert, all were yummy. Location is convenient, service and food were great, happy tummy, happy customers :)

As westerners this was a gem of a place in Ho Chi Minh. Lasagna was some of the best I’ve ever had. Rich sauce and amazing meat. Eggplant was stellar too according to my wife. Super cozy spot after a long day of walking.

Wonderful meal and service. So excited to find gluten free pasta and the sauces on both our meals were delicious. Complimentary bread, pesto, oils etc is a really nice, welcoming touch and without being asked, they added carrot sticks etc when I ordered gluten free. Might even return tomorrow!

Ciao Cafe & Restaurant is absolutely iconic in the Nguyen Hue walking street area. It’s almost like a signature spot for tourists, hard to miss with its bold yellow facade right in the heart of the city. If you’ve ever strolled down Nguyen Hue, you’ve definitely noticed this place, and the entrance makes for a great photo spot too. Honestly, I’d always assumed Ciao was either overpriced or just a “touristy” spot with average food. But after finally trying it, I was blown away. The food is genuinely delicious, and the prices are actually quite reasonable, especially compared to other places nearby. Most main dishes are in the 100,000–200,000 VND range, with generous portions. The service is great too. Staff greet you right away, pour water, and take your order at the table, very professional and attentive, giving the place a bit of an upscale feel. The only downside is that the space is pretty small, so it’s best for groups of 2–6 people. Larger groups might find it a bit cramped. Overall, I’m definitely planning to come back. The food, especially the fried rice, is super flavorful, authentic Vietnamese taste but still very accessible for everyone. I’d give Ciao a solid 9 out of 10. Highly recommended!

We were rushing to catch a flight after lunch, so time was important. We ordered watermelon juice and seafood spaghetti, and asked to keep the menu because we intended to order more later. Our drinks arrived, so naturally we assumed our food order had also been placed. After waiting 20 minutes with no food, we checked and were shocked to learn that our order was never entered. The explanation given was that because we wanted to keep the menu and might add more items, they decided to hold the order entirely which makes no sense when an initial order had already been clearly placed and the watermelon juice were already served to us. In normal restaurant service, if a customer clearly places an order and says they may order more later, the existing order is usually sent to the kitchen right away unless the customer explicitly says something like “hold the order until we finalize everything.” Am I wrong for expecting something so simple? What made the experience worse was the attitude of the staff. We spoke to 3 different waiters and instead of a simple apology, all were defensive and unapologetic. We ended up leaving after paying only for the drinks. Extremely disappointing service and poor handling of a basic order. Would not recommend at all.