LOWER EAST SIDE, MANHATTAN
Saigon Social
Helen Nguyen's Orchard Street dining room, and the bún chả Hanoi to order first.
Chef Helen Nguyen opened Saigon Social on Orchard Street during the pandemic, as a takeout-only operation. It has since become a compact, lively sit-down restaurant serving dinner and weekend brunch — Vietnamese comfort food, with a few liberties.
The order is bún chả Hanoi: grilled pork patties and pork belly in a sweet-sour dipping broth, with vermicelli and a pile of herbs. Around it, the liberties are good ones — garlic noodles with fried shrimp and tobiko, oxtail fried rice, a spicy pig-ear salad, and a bánh mì burger.
Editor’s tip
One bún chả per two people, plus the oxtail fried rice — and come back for brunch.
Make an evening of it — beautiful stops nearby
Also in the neighborhood
Editorial draft — core details last reviewed October 13, 2026. Confirm practical details with the official site before you go.