In an alley in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, within walking distance of Ben Thanh Market, there is a shop that transfers the aroma of fish sauce, pho, and bun bo Hue directly into cold gelato. It is “Sugar Daddy Eatery,” run by a husband-and-wife team. For travelers tired of plain-sweet desserts in Saigon and residents who want to get to know local ingredients from a different angle, here is how the shop is put together, how to visit, and what to order.
Fish sauce, pho, and bun bo Hue sit among 12 flavors
The shop keeps 12 gelato flavors on hand at all times. Alongside standards like milk and chocolate sit savory flavors such as fish sauce (nuoc mam), soy sauce, pho, and bun bo Hue. The fish sauce flavor is paired with caramel to soften its salty edge; the soy sauce flavor layers Lee Kum Kee soy sauce with miso for extra depth. The pho flavor evokes noodle-soup broth through cinnamon, star anise, and black cardamom, while the bun bo Hue flavor puts lemongrass front and center. Other combinations, like miso and brown butter or orange and beer, also appear, and the lineup rotates.
The key is that no meat is used at all. Rather than simmering down actual noodle-soup broth and mixing it in, the shop steeps herbs and spices in milk to transfer only the aroma. That creates a gap between the memory the flavor evokes and what actually reaches your mouth: a light, sweet gelato. The idea of leaving meat out is not unusual in Saigon — District 3 hasa vegetarian pho specialist that has been running for 40 yearstoo. Sugar Daddy brings that same subtractive approach into dessert.
A family business the husband started in 2020, after learning the trade in Las Vegas
The shop is run by the couple Danh and Vy, with Danh's mother helping out with service. Danh studied hospitality in Las Vegas, and after returning home he took a gelato-making course, opening the shop three months later, in May 2020. What began as a personal idea gradually became known for its distinctive way of transferring noodle-soup aromas, and in 2025 it moved to an expanded spot within the family home, becoming the shop tucked down an alley that it is today. Being close to the tourist center yet reachable only by ducking down an alley also fits the feel of a family business that has kept going quietly.
Gelato is not the only thing on offer. The shop also serves light bites like five-spice-seasoned pork buns, chicken wings, tacos, and souffle pancakes, so a meal and dessert can both be covered in one visit. Despite its quirky name, it is a small family business run by three people, with limited seating. Rather than lining up novelty flavors purely to generate buzz, the impression is that familiar seasonings and noodle dishes are simply being used as ingredients in their own right.
“Strong aroma, light finish” — how customers describe it
Among customers who have actually tried it, a common reaction to the pho flavor is that “the broth's aroma comes through clearly, but the texture is light and sweet.” Star anise and cinnamon hit the nose first, followed immediately by cold, milky sweetness, so a single bite moves back and forth between savory memory and dessert. The fish sauce and soy sauce flavors are not served with their raw saltiness intact either — they are balanced so a little umami and salt sit on top of a sweet base. That is why the shop is not just consumed as a one-off photo opportunity; customers return to check how well the aroma and sweetness are balanced. The lineup is such that the more wary someone is about the first flavor, the more they end up wanting to order a second.
A not-so-sweet scoop that adds one more food experience to your trip
For Japanese travelers, the value of this shop lies less in the “unusual flavors” themselves and more in the chance to experience Saigon's ingredients at a different temperature. After eating pho or bun bo Hue at a street stall, tracing the same aroma in a dessert lets your tongue pick apart what was actually in that broth. Being able to taste fish sauce or soy sauce's particular saltiness on its own, without spice or fat in the way, also makes for a good story once you are back home. And for families traveling with kids, the fact that it is not spicy makes it easy to taste-test together.
Saigon keeps seeing food staples reworked. A 13-course tasting menu built around pho,the “pho omakase,”and an $8-priced item that sparked controversy,the “wagyu banh mi,”are examples that stand out for surprising people with price or presentation. Against that backdrop, Sugar Daddy stays under 100,000 dong (about ¥570) per person; instead of selling an expensive experience, its focus is on reworking everyday ingredients and showing them in a new light. It is also easy on both your wallet and your stomach if you add it to your itinerary.
Practical notes on getting there and ordering
- Address: 345/29 Trần Hưng Đạo (Cau Ong Lanh Ward, District 1). Within walking distance of Ben Thanh Market, tucked down an alley.
- Hours: 2pm–10pm. It is closed during the day, so plan to visit in the evening or later.
- Budget: Under 100,000 dong (about ¥570) per person. Cash and bank transfer are accepted.
- Getting there: Only motorbike parking is available. It is best to take a taxi or ride-hailing app to the mouth of the alley and walk the rest of the way.
- Ordering: A good starting point is comparing one savory flavor with one classic sweet flavor. Takeout is also available via ShopeeFood delivery.
Tasting fish sauce and pho flavors in a cold dessert offers a different way into the city than street-food hopping. If you are walking around Ben Thanh in the evening, try ending the day with a scoop from this shop down the alley. What was in the broth you have been eating quietly clicks into place afterward.
