This Italian restaurant is amazing; I was surprised at how delicious everything was. I especially loved their risotto – it was fantastic. Next time I'll try everything on the menu ❤️❤️❤️🍽️
Restaurant
Brio Thao Dien - Restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City
+18
The Story
About This Place
Brio sits on the second floor of a newish building tucked into a side street off Thảo Điền, easy to walk past without noticing. The interior leans dark and modern — matte surfaces, considered lighting — which gives it a more polished feel than most casual Italian spots in the neighborhood without tipping into formal territory. One practical curiosity is the wine dispenser machine near the bar, letting diners sample different pours without committing to a bottle.
The kitchen's Italian credentials hold up under scrutiny. The carbonara is made the Roman way: guanciale, eggs, no cream — a rarity in Saigon where the cream version is the default. The lamb ragu and bolognese have drawn repeated praise for depth of flavor, and the pizza dough is substantial enough that even the crust gets eaten. The beef carpaccio and creamy shrimp pasta round out the standout dishes from recent visits. The Caesar salad is less impressive and can be skipped without regret.
Value is a recurring theme in reviews, particularly around the set lunch format: three courses, well-plated, priced for a neighborhood meal rather than a special occasion. The same menu structure appears on weekends under the 'weekday set' label, which expands the window for catching it. Service runs attentive and quick out of the kitchen. The dining room often runs quieter than the food quality would suggest, which makes it well-suited to conversation-heavy meals — a date or a working lunch — rather than a large celebratory table. Both indoor and outdoor seating are available.
carbonara with guanciale and no creamthree-course weekday set menuself-serve wine dispenserlamb ragubeef carpaccio
sleekdark-tonedquietupscale-casualintimate
Reviews
4.5(118)
The food is amazing. Avoid the cocktails unless you want to get smashed. Holy alcohol content! So strong. Definitely worth coming to.
Visited Brio Thao Dien for the first time. I’m Japanese and was looking for a good-value lunch spot, which led me here. Arrived around 1:00 PM on a Sunday. The space is bright with plenty of natural light, giving it a casual and relaxed atmosphere. The paintings on the walls also add a nice touch. I ordered the lunch-only 3-course set (220,000 VND), which includes one appetizer, one main, and one dessert. My choices: * CARPACCIO DI POLPO * PAPPARDELLE AL RAGU D’ANATRA * TIRAMISU All dishes were very good, and overall I was really satisfied. For this price, the value is excellent. Portion-wise, it should be very satisfying for women, and for men, it’s about 80% full. You can also order à la carte if you need more. I visited for lunch this time, but I’d definitely like to come back for dinner.
To be honest, we came down to have dinner at the Korean-Italian place next door, but they were full and had a queue. After waiting for a while, I noticed that this place was serving pasta too and decided to give it a try since the reviews were good. All I can say is that I have no idea why this place is so empty and quiet when the food is so good. I wish we had the stomach space to try more. Pasta dishes were done very well, and I would personally recommend any dishes with clams in them. They were juicy and of a good size. Fresh, clean taste from the seafood. Staff were attentive too, which I appreciated. Both the lamb and duck ragout looked good, so did the scallop gnocchi and vongole pasta. It was a tough decision. I am excited to be back again one day to try all these dishes.
We visited based on a friend's recommendation, and it doesn't seem like they run ads, but the meal far exceeded our expectations. The pizza was so good I even ate the crust (and I’m usually the type to skip it as normally it's too dry to me). Also loved the beef carpaccio and creamy shrimp pasta. The vibes are great, though it’s probably better suit for a date night than a loud girls' night. Highly suggested if you want a quiet spot or a perfect date location.
Visit Tips
Visiting Brio Thao Dien
- ✓
Reservations: Call +84 379 768 455 to book — recommended for weekend dining.
- ✓
Best for: date night, weekday lunch, small group dinner, solo dining.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked
- What is the best dish at Brio Thao Dien?
- The carbonara is made the Roman way with guanciale and eggs, no cream — reviewers call it a rarity in Saigon. The lamb ragu and bolognese are praised for depth of flavor, and the beef carpaccio and creamy shrimp pasta also stand out.
- Does Brio Thao Dien offer good value for money?
- The three-course set lunch is described as 'beautifully plated' and 'value for money,' priced for a neighborhood meal. The same format runs on weekends under the 'weekday set' label.
- Is Brio Thao Dien good for a date night?
- Reviews note the dining room 'often runs quieter than the food quality would suggest,' with one reviewer calling it 'better suited for a date night than a loud girls' night.' The dark, modern interior adds to the atmosphere.
- Does Brio Thao Dien have outdoor seating?
- Both indoor and outdoor seating are available, according to guest reviews.
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