Inside the boutique art hotel ANIMA Saigon in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, the contemporary dining venue "UNU Cocktails & Eatery," which serves every dish as an artwork, has opened. Its concept is "Flavors Nourished by Art." It's an experiential restaurant that weaves the contexts of art and architecture into modern plates made with local Vietnamese ingredients.
UNU's concept—elevating food into art
UNU is located on the ground floor and mezzanine of ANIMA Saigon, operated as a dining concept independent of the hotel. Deliberately crossing the three elements of art, architecture, and gastronomy, each dish and each drink is served as a dialogue between the artist's inspiration and the chef's technique.
The interior is like a contemporary-art gallery, with works by Vietnamese artists placed on the walls. Its hallmark is a space design that strips away the stiffness of fine dining and appeals to the senses in a casual way.
Menu structure—open all day from breakfast to dinner
UNU is open all day from 6:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Different menus are prepared for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with the dinnertime à la carte being the most extensive.
Appetizers and starters: Japanese oysters with calamansi vinaigrette (280,000 VND++), smoked salmon (240,000 VND++), grilled eel parfait (220,000 VND++), tiger prawns in garlic chili oil (260,000 VND++), and more. Based on Vietnamese herbs and fermented seasonings, it freely incorporates Japanese and French techniques.
Main courses: Tottori scallops with brown butter and black garlic sauce (320,000 VND++), Australian wagyu beef with cassava (320,000 VND++), Long An chicken with béarnaise sauce (260,000 VND++), Australian lamb with harissa paste (280,000 VND++). A hybrid lineup centered on local Long An chicken and Vietnamese seafood while combining imported ingredients.
Dessert: Hanoi apricot sorbet with wasabi cream (220,000 VND++), Lam Dong chocolate mousse with tamarind sorbet (240,000 VND++), rice pudding with mango sorbet (180,000 VND++). A lineup where Vietnamese fruits and Japanese ingredients intersect.
Price range—converted to yen
| Category | Price range (VND) | Yen conversion (1 VND ≈ 0.006 yen) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appetizer | 80,000〜280,000++ | About 480–1,680 yen | Sourdough bread at 80,000 is the cheapest |
| Mains | 240,000〜320,000++ | About 1,440–1,920 yen | Wagyu and scallops are the top price band |
| Dessert | 180,000〜240,000++ | About 1,080–1,440 yen | Only three kinds |
| Cold cuts / cheese | 480,000++ | About 2,880 yen | Good for sharing |
| Rough total for dinner for two | 1,500,000〜2,850,000 | About 9,000–17,100 yen | 2 appetizers + 2 mains + 1 dessert + drinks |
* Prices are marked "++" (8% service charge plus 8–10% VAT extra). The actual payment is about 1.18 times the listed price.
Local reactions—TripAdvisor, media, and diners
TripAdvisor reviews: "The plating is a work of art. It's also nice that the staff carefully explain the story behind each dish."
ANIMA Saigon guests: "I made a point of booking dinner and returning, not just for the hotel breakfast. The pairing with cocktails is superb."
Ho Chi Minh City-based foodies: "Compared with NUC or Vore, UNU has the strongest connection to art. It's for people who value the visual experience."
Impact on Japanese travelers
At 9,000–17,000 yen for dinner for two, the price is about half to a third of contemporary dining in Tokyo. It's well within reach as a "special evening" during a Vietnam trip. Using happy hour (1-for-1 craft drinks), you can also keep cocktail costs down. Located in the heart of District 1, it's within walking distance of Ben Thanh Market and Nguyen Hue Street. The dress code is smart casual, so avoid shorts and sandals.
Ripple effects on the industry—the rise of art dining
UNU's arrival brought a new axis of "fusion with art" to Ho Chi Minh City's restaurant scene. Including NUC Concept Kitchen (District 2, modern Vietnamese) and OMM Mixology (District 1, cocktail bar) featured in the same article, more venues are redefining food as a lifestyle experience. Beyond tourists, the shift toward "experiential consumption" among wealthy Vietnamese is also driving this move.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Shop name | ÚNU Cocktails & Eatery |
| Address | 43-45 Hồ Tùng Mậu, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, TP.HCM |
| Hours | Breakfast 6:30–10:30 / lunch 11:00–14:00 / dinner 17:00–22:00 |
| Phone | 0833 881 010 |
| info@animasg.vn | |
| Budget guide (dinner for two) | 1,500,000–2,850,000 VND (about 9,000–17,100 yen) |
| Happy hour | Yes (1-for-1 craft drinks) |
| Attached hotel | ANIMA Saigon (a contemporary-art boutique hotel) |
| Dress code | Smart casual |
Summary
UNU Cocktails & Eatery is a venue establishing the category of "art dining" in Ho Chi Minh City's food scene. Cuisine that interprets Vietnamese ingredients in a modern way, a gallery-like space, and cocktails with a story—this trinity of experience is complete in the heart of District 1. That you can taste, at Vietnamese prices, an experience that would cost more than double in Tokyo is something travelers won't want to miss.
Related reading
- Esta's former head chef goes independent—District 1, Ho Chi Minh City's "Vore," a 12-course counter
- A fourth-generation Singaporean chef opens "VOYAGE" in Ho Chi Minh City
- Hanoi "ZAO" chef Cuong's boldest-yet fine dining
- Japanese-Peruvian "Nikkei" cuisine makes its Saigon debut
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