A long-established eatery in central Saigon closes after 35 years: the tearful farewell of an owner who "settled the bill on cling film"

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ホーチミン中心部で35年続いた老舗食堂「ドンダット(Đồn Đất)」が、2025年末をもって閉店した。モツや血のソーセージ(ロンヘオ・ゾイロン)といった内臓料理で知られた店で、常連客への別れの言葉に女将は涙を見せた。再開発が進むサイゴン中心部で、路地裏の食文化が静かに姿を消しつつある。

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A long-established shop that ran for 35 years closes

女将のトゥーさんがかつてのドンダット通り(現・タイヴァンルン通り、現在はサイゴン坊に属する)で営んできた食堂が、35年の歴史に幕を下ろした。閉店は2025年12月31日を過ぎてからで、客からの労いの言葉に、女将は思わず涙ぐんだという。35年にわたり親しまれてきた店だった。

モツ料理と共に歩んだ名物女将

この店が広く知られたのは、モツや血のソーセージ(ロンヘオ・ゾイロン)といった内臓料理を丁寧に仕込む女将の腕前だった。手間のかかる下ごしらえを長年続けてきた味は常連の楽しみで、店の名物になっていた。料理の味わいそのものが、女将のキャラクターとともに店の価値を形づくっていた。

Of the closure, the owner said, "I've worked for decades and want to rest soon. It's also time to retire," and added, revealing her feelings, "I have no choice but to change with the new changes of the times, but now that I'm older, stopping here is the right thing." Both a personal retirement and the city's changes lie behind it.

Shop overview

Item Details
Shop name Don Dat (Don Dat)
Location Former Don Dat Street / current Thai Van Lung Street (Saigon Ward)
Years in operation 35 years
Closure timing After December 31, 2025
Specialty モツ・血のソーセージ(ロンヘオ・ゾイロン)などの内臓料理

Reactions from regulars and locals

  • Voices of regret came one after another from longtime customers, and a stream of people came to say goodbye
  • モツ料理の味を懐かしむ声がSNSで広がった
  • It was received as one part of the trend of long-established shops folding one after another in the center

Impact for readers in Japan

At Saigon's back-alley eateries, not only the flavor but the owner's personality and story become memories of a trip. The closure of a landmark shop like Don Dat is also a lesson that if there's a shop you want to visit, you should go early. In the center, where redevelopment is driving tenant returns, cases of such long-established shops quietly disappearing are increasing.

To taste the local food that still lives on,the back-alley shellfish specialist "Oc Dao"or a tour of the nighttime food streets is recommended.Ta Duy Thanh, Hanoi's "street that never sleeps for food"Like these, sites of food rooted in local life are best experienced while you still can.

Ripple effects on urban food culture

In central Saigon, against a backdrop of rising land prices and tenant returns, closures of long-running independent shops keep coming.The alley shop "nem chua ran"While shops sustained by the younger generation remain, like this one, many famous shops also vanish through generational change or retirement. Back-alley food culture sits side by side with the city's transformation.

Summary

ドンダットの閉店は、モツ料理という名物とともに35年の歴史を閉じた。女将の引退と街の再開発が重なった結末だが、こうした個性ある店が街の記憶を形づくってきた。次にサイゴンを訪れるなら、気になる老舗には早めに足を運びたい。

References

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Author of this article

In my third year living in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. I launched this specialist Vietnam travel information site hoping to share local knowledge you simply can’t get by visiting as a tourist — the kind of thing you only understand by being here.

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