Located on Nguyen Ba Huan Street in An Khanh Ward, Upstairs is one of the two new restaurants in Vietnam to receive one Michelin star from the Michelin Guide this year.
“Stars” are the rating system used by France’s Michelin Guide. One star is awarded to restaurants with “high-quality cooking, worth a stop,” two signify “excellent cooking, worth a detour,” and three stars, the highest rating, are reserved for establishments offering “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey.”
Upstairs serves a modern Vietnamese tasting menu inspired by central cuisine. Chef Hiep Truong says the menu was created from his childhood memories of homegrown dishes that were reimagined through modern cooking techniques.
When it comes to a tasting menu, calculating the portion size for each course is one of the most challenging aspects so that diners can experience the entire meal without feeling too full.
Stir-fried baby clams with rice crackers (pictured), grilled scallops with spring onion, and “vit hon” (Hue-style slow-cooked duck) are the three dishes Truong recommends diners should try when visiting Upstairs.
The clams are stir-fried with chili satay and served alongside crispy rice crackers and Vietnamese coriander. Acting as the opening starter of the tasting menu, this dish retains the familiar, comforting flavors of the traditional home-cooked version while incorporating modern culinary techniques in its presentation and finishing touches.
“Vit hon” is one of the restaurant’s signature debut dishes and remains on the menu to this day. The dish is inspired by Hue-style hon duck served with sticky rice.
The hon technique, a slow-cooking process involving turmeric, fermented shrimp paste, and chives, is a staple for many traditional dishes, especially during festivals. It is also a dish deeply rooted in Truong’s childhood memories, reminiscent of his mother’s cooking.
The reimagined version at Upstairs features 21-day dry-aged duck, grilled over charcoal and served with peanut sauce, duck sausage, and wild green figs.
This preparation beautifully marries modern culinary execution with the distinct, bold flavors of Hue cuisine.
Grilled scallops with spring onion is inspired by a familiar comfort food in Vietnamese cuisine. Cockles and scallops are grilled to perfection and served with a rich hollandaise sauce infused with scallion oil and accompanied by local fried doughs.
Fish cooked with fermented rice paste (pictured) is one of the highlights at Upstairs. Inspired by traditional northern Vietnamese family meals, the dish preserves the distinct, rustic flavor of me, a traditional condiment naturally fermented from leftover rice, while elevating it through modern culinary techniques.
The restaurant ages its own batch of fermented rice paste using a proprietary recipe to achieve the ideal level of acidity.
The fish, dependent on the season, is carefully selected from the freshest catch of the day, and pairs beautifully with the tangy fermented rice. This creative preparation modernizes the nostalgic, comforting flavors of northern cuisine.
The restaurant’s space is designed with 10 main seats, highlighted by a semi-open kitchen and a single-person counter seating at the bar that overlooks the cooking area. It also has three private dining rooms with 12 covers.
The restaurant staff introduce and explain the ingredients and origins of each dish to diners.
The restaurant serves modern Vietnamese cuisine across a 12-course tasting menu, alongside an optional supplementary dish that guests can ask for. The price is VND2.9 million (US$110) per guest.
The restaurant is open for dinner from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. from Friday through Tuesday, with the last seating done at 8:15 p.m. On Sundays and Mondays, it also serves lunch from noon to 3 p.m. Dinner service on these two days begins at 6:30 p.m.
The restaurant is closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
On Google Reviews, it boasts a 4.8-star rating and over 100 guest reviews.
Many praise the private ambiance, beautifully presented dishes, easily accessible location, and enthusiastic and attentive staff.
Some diners suggest that the restaurant should add new dishes or update the menu seasonally.
In 2026, Michelin also awarded one star Onvit in Hanoi, bringing the total number of one-star establishments in Vietnam to 11.
Onvit was opened on Aug. 27, 2025, and mainly serves Korean cuisine.
The Michelin Guide, first launched in 1900 by the tire company, recognizes restaurants in more than 40 countries and territories.
Photos by Thanh Tung
