Unique mooncakes in Vietnam for the 2020 Mid-Autumn Festival
No celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Vietnam’s biggest festive occasion second only to the Lunar New Year, is complete without mooncakes.
Aside from classic flavors for a nostalgic and authentic taste, Vietnamese mooncake makers have rolled out various mooncakes in Vietnam with an innovative twist this year. From durian to mocha flavors, there’s something new about this year’s mooncakes in Vietnam for everyone to check out.
1. Yue Long Men Restaurant – spectacular craftsmanship with edible flowers
Image adapted from: Yue Long Men Restaurant
Yue Long Men, a Chinese restaurant in Saigon’s District 5, goes over the top with stunningly handcrafted baked mooncakes. Featuring eye-catching and captivating pastry textures, these mooncakes are decorated with edible flowers for extra grace.
A set of 4 flower mooncakes placed in a traditional wooden gift box is priced at VND960,000 (~USD41.42).
Image adapted from: Yue Long Men Restaurant
Aside from stunning visuals, these mooncakes are also flavored with uncommon fillings. Joining traditional flavors such as lotus paste, mung bean, and chicken floss are wine-infused fruits for a boozy note and beef cooked with sambal sauce for a sweet and spicy taste of a BBQ dish.
Image adapted from: Yue Long Men Restaurant
Meanwhile, the non-flower mooncakes are also deftly decorated with classic patterns and motifs such as flowers and fishes on the baked skins.
Image adapted from: Yue Long Men Restaurant
Each set starts with 4 mooncakes, which are elegantly presented in a colorful gift box ornamented with floral patterns.
You can place your orders online or visit Yue Long Men Restaurant to bring home these charming creations.
Price: VND480,000 – VND9600,000 (~USD20.71-USD41.42) per box
Address: 153 Hung Vuong, Ward 4, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City
Opening hours: 8AM-9.30PM, Daily
2. Grand Castella – specialty lava mooncakes
Chocolate-flavored mooncakes
Image adapted from: Grand Castella
This Mid-Autumn Festival, the Grand Castella from Taiwan is rolling out a series of festive mooncakes in Vietnam, including lava custard mooncakes, traditional mooncakes, and taro mooncakes.
Those who prefer creamier, sweeter, and less oily options can go for the lava mooncake box, which comes with 6 lava custard pastries (VND300,000,~USD12.94), including the flavors of matcha, chocolate, durian, salted egg, and jambon.
Baked mooncake with BBQ chicken and salted eggs
Image adapted from: Grand Castella
For more time-tested versions of these festive Vietnamese treats, check out the traditional flavored baked mooncakes, featuring classic fillings such as mung bean paste, roasted chicken, matcha paste and salted egg, and lotus seed paste.
Image credit: Grand Castella
Price: VND300,000 – VND500,000 (~USD12.94-USD21.57) per box
Address:
Ho Chi Minh City
Multiple locations in District 1, Go Vap District, and District 10. View location list here.
Hanoi
3/131 Hong Ha, Ba Dinh, Hanoi
Opening hours: 8AM-10PM, Daily
3. Givral – vegetarian mooncakes and floral-themed boxes
Blueberry, chocolate, cheese, and matcha mooncakes
Image credit: Givral Bakery
This year, Givral is rolling out mooncake combo sets for vegetarians with refreshing flavors such as blueberry, chocolate, cheese, and matcha.
Each combo comes with 4 mooncakes, which are cooked with sweeteners suitable for conscious eaters. All of these cakes do not include eggs, except for the matcha flavor, so vegetarians and vegans can eat them to their heart’s content minus the guilt.
Image adapted from: Givral Bakery
The combo gift boxes come in a wide variety, with 4 to 6 mooncakes priced from VND579,000 (~USD24.93).
For those who like classic flavours, you can’t go wrong with the mung bean mooncake filled with durian paste.
Image adapted from: Givral Bakery
Almost every creation in the gift box comes with one decadent salted egg yolk to add a kick to the flavor. For those who like an extra salty bite of egg yolk to balance out the sweetness of the cakes, you can pay as low as VND32,000 (~USD1.38) for an upgrade to 2 eggs per cake in a gift box.
Price: VND579,000-VND1,078,000 (~USD24.93-USD46.41) per box
Address: Multiple locations in Saigon and Hanoi. View location list here.
Opening hours: 8AM-10PM, Daily
4. Tai Thong – durian snowskin mooncakes
From left to right: lava custard, pineapple, and mocha-flavoured mooncakes
Image credit: Bánh Trung Thu Tai Thong Mooncake HCM
Tai Tong, the 110-year-old mooncake brand from Malaysia, brings us a delightful collection of snowskin mooncakes of vibrant colors.
This year, Tai Thong has also rolled out a limited edition of house-made durian mooncakes, which are filled with creamy and aromatic paste of durian flesh and salted egg yolk. If you’re an ardent durian lover and can’t get enough of this unique flavor for desserts, look no further than Tai Thong’s durian mooncake collection.
Image credit: Bánh Trung Thu Tai Thong Mooncake HCM
Joining the durian mooncakes are other delicate, fresh, and fruity flavors of pineapple, cantaloupe, strawberry, and Japanese mango.
Beautifully crafted and decadent, the brand’s gooey custard lava mooncakes with savory salted eggs are a crowd-pleaser.
Image credit: Bánh Trung Thu Tai Thong Mooncake HCM
The way Tai Thong’s gift box packaging is done is also an art in itself. Designed like an elegant bag steeped in shades of orange and yellow, this mooncake carrier’s subtle traditional floral motifs give it a timeless look.
Image adapted from: Tai Thong
Price: VND730,000-VND1,380,000 (~USD31.43-USD59.41) per box
Address: Multiple locations in District 1 and District 2. View location list here.
Opening hours: 8AM-10PM, Daily
5. Brodard – one of the oldest bakery brands in Vietnam
Image adapted from: Brodard 1948
A fabled bakery name that brings to mind its freshly baked French pastries and Christmas treats sold in Vietnam since 1948, Brodard is at the top of many loyal shoppers’ lists when it comes to buying mooncakes.
For those who like classic flavors, you won’t be disappointed by the traditional jambon and sausage, mung bean, and red bean mooncakes.
If you’re looking for more extravagant and rare flavors, try the firm yet delicate sea cucumber, shrimp, and char siew mooncake, or the rich and sweet noble scallop mooncake.
Image adapted from: Brodard 1948
To make sure vegetarians will not feel out of place this Mid-Autumn Festival, Brodard has also dished out baked creations that don’t include meat and eggs, such as its taro paste and lotus seed mooncakes.
Image credit: Brodard Bakery
Brodard’s gift box is designed like a blue royal trunk, and could be easily mistaken for a sophisticated lady’s makeup box.
A gift set of 4 mooncakes enveloped in this exquisite box is from VND2,700,000-VND6,000,000 (~USD116.24-USD258.31). Guests can also choose between 2 jars of honey or 50g of swallow’s nest as complimentary delicacies when buying this gift set.
Price: VND680,000-VND6,000,000 (~USD29.28-USD258.31) per box
Address: Multiple locations in District 1 and District 5. View location list here.
Opening hours: 8AM-10PM, Daily
6. San Fu Lou – Cantonese mooncakes with classic flavors
Image credit: San Fu Lou – Cantonese Kitchen
Offering classic flavors with a sophisticated touch, the mooncakes from San Fu Lou, a Cantonese kitchen, in Saigon are simple and elegant.
Baked to golden perfection for a crunchy bite, the mung bean paste mooncake gives you a light sweet taste and gelatinous texture.
Image credit: San Fu Lou – Cantonese Kitchen
Celebrated for its nutritious properties such as alkaloid extracts that help with insomnia, the refreshing and buttery lotus seed paste mooncakes are ideal options for elder members in the family.
Meanwhile, children can indulge in the coconut mooncakes, which burst with sweet, creamy, and fatty flavor while watermelon seeds add crunch.
Those who prefer a multi-layered bite and meaty flavor can check out the jambon mooncake, which is made of a rich combination of jambon, sausages, sweet jam, and egg yolk.
Price: VND368,000-VND750,000 (~USD15.88-USD32.36) per box
Address: Multiple locations in Saigon and Hanoi. View location list here.
Opening hours: 10AM-10PM, Daily
7. 4Gs Texas – a complimentary bottle of wine for a box of 6 mooncakes
Image adapted from: 4Gs Texas
Adorned in soft colors and intricate bird motifs, 4Gs Texas’ gift boxes contain a variety of 2 to 6 cakes per box. Every gift box containing 6 mooncakes (VND1,302,000, ~USD56.18) is graced with a bottle of Le Prieur Des Augustins, which you can use to enjoy the full moon with some extra revelry.
Image adapted from: 4Gs Texas
Featuring 11 flavors and a variety of fillings, guests can choose from classics such as mung bean mooncakes and roasted chicken mooncakes.
Image adapted from: 4Gs Texas
A combination of the slight saltiness of cheese, vanilla hint of rum, and sweetness and fruity notes of cacao powder, the tiramisu mooncake gives a sweet and creamy mouthfeel without losing the essence of the festive classics.
What’s interesting about this set is the intricate design of the box, which has multiple departments and can definitely be used as a jewelry or make-up box.
A gift box of 4 mooncakes is priced at VND585,000 (~USD25.24)
Image adapted from: 4Gs Texas
Price: from VND585,000 – VND1,302,000 (~USD25.24-USD56.18) per box
Address: Multiple locations in District 1 and District 3, Ho Chi Minh City. View location list here.
Opening hours: 7AM-9PM, Daily
8. Butter Land – bamboo charcoal baked mooncakes
Image adapted from: Butter Land
A homegrown bakery in Phu Nhuan District in Saigon, Butter Land is popular among local pastry lovers for its variety of tasty pastries and cakes.
This Mid-Autumn Festival, Butter Land is rolling out a variety of mooncakes in Vietnam, from traditionally baked mooncakes to bamboo charcoal baked mooncakes.
Known for its ability to balance out the richness of the fillings without taking away from their authentic taste, bamboo charcoal adds freshness to every bite.
Image adapted from: Butter Land
The new flavors joining Butter Land’s classic flavors such as roasted chicken and mung beans include matcha with salted egg, matcha with lotus seeds, coconut milk with salted egg, and pineapple.
Butter Land takes online orders only before starting the baking process, so place your orders on the kitchen’s website and customize your preferred flavors at least 2 days in advance.
Price: VND240,000-VND720,000 (~USD10.36-USD31.07) per box
9. SHE Chocolate – handmade chocolate mooncakes for conscious eaters
Image adapted from: SHE Chocolate
As unconventional as they sound, these guilt-free chocolate mooncakes from SHE Chocolate are really worth a try.
While chocolate is commonly believed to be loaded with sugar and the main cause of weight gain, these mooncakes contain only one-third of the amount of sugar used in traditionally baked mooncakes.
Image adapted from: SHE Chocolate
Low in sugar and rich in protein, these mooncakes are great choices for conscious eaters, especially those who are on a diet.
Coffee-flavored mooncakes
Image adapted from: SHE Chocolate
While all of the mooncakes are covered in chocolate, they have 6 different flavors for guests to choose from. You can treat yourself to the aromatic fillings of mung bean paste, coffee, taro, coconut, cinnamon, and jambon with sausages.
Image adapted from: SHE Chocolate
Priced at VND790,000 (~USD34.07), a gift box comes with 4 mooncakes with flavors of your choice, a complimentary bar of fruit chocolate, and a gilded fork and knife.
SHE Chocolate kitchen is based in Binh Duong Province, so you can order your box of chocolate goodness online from SHE Chocolate and get it shipped to your doorstep.
10. Bách Lạc Bakery – crust-free mooncakes
Image adapted from: Bach Lac Bakery
If you don’t like your mooncakes firm and covered with pastry crust, you’re not alone. This year, Bách Lạc Bakery, a local brand that’s been around for 30 years, has rolled out a collection of crust-free mooncakes in Vietnam for those who prefer their mooncakes soft and flaky.
Mooncakes filled with black bean paste and egg yolk
Image adapted from: Bach Lac Bakery
Featuring sweet flavors that suit the palettes of both the young and old, Bách Lạc Bakery’s mooncakes are stuffed with fillings such as black bean paste, coconut milk with coffee, and matcha.
A gift box with six crust-free mooncakes of different flavours is only VND225,000 (~USD9.71), a pretty affordable price for a box of mooncakes these days.
Image credit: Bach Lac Bakery
Those who miss the crust and texture of a traditional mooncake can still go for the baked creations, including lotus mooncakes, jambon and sausage mooncakes, and taro mooncakes.
Image credit: Bach Lac Bakery
Those who want the best of both worlds can try the VIP1 gift set (VND950,000,~USD40.99),that has 6 crust-free mooncakes and 4 baked mooncakes of 9 different flavors. This box also contains a complimentary pack of green tea and pack of black tea to pair with your mooncakes, and has three aesthetically pleasing layers.
Bách Lạc Bakery pastries can be ordered online.
Price: VND225,000-VND1,118,000 (~USD9.71-USD48.24) per box
Address: 26-28 Đặng Minh Khiêm, Ward 4, District 11, Ho Chi Minh City
Opening hours: 7AM-7PM, Daily
11. Leong Yin Pastry – lotus seed paste with quality seeds from Xiangtan, China
Image adapted from: CHOCOLATE GRAPHICS VIET NAM
A distinctive ingredient that’s found in nearly every Leong Yin Pastry mooncake is lotus paste, which is made from lotus seeds of finest quality imported from Xiangtan, China. Not only do these lotus seeds retain their fresh, mild sweetness and buttery flavor, but they also contain heatiness-relieving properties.
Having over 3,000 years of history in lotus seed planting, Xiangtan is said to have the finest breeds of lotus seeds in China, which are large, white, sweet, and full of lotus flesh. That’s why Xiangtan lotus seeds are highly sought after in Guangzhou, China’s largest exporter of mooncakes.
Jin sha, black sesame, cendol coconut, and mocha milk tea mooncakes
Image adapted from: CHOCOLATE GRAPHICS VIET NAM
While lotus paste is the star ingredient of Leong Yin Pastry’s mooncake selection this year, the store has also rolled out 12 different flavors. Encased in beautifully crafted and baked mooncakes, guests can find classic flavors that are popular among Vietnamese eaters such as chicken floss, salted egg, and even durian.
Meanwhile, more innovative versions can also be found in Leong Yin Pastry’s basket of goodies – think mocha milk tea mooncake and cendol coconut mooncake.
Baked mooncakes flavored with pandan, lotus paste, watermelon seeds, and salted egg yolk
Image adapted from: CHOCOLATE GRAPHICS VIET NAM
Taking inspiration from lanterns – a symbol of Mid-Autumn celebration, Leong Yin Pastry’s mooncake gift boxes are decked out in the bright and sparkling colors of red and yellow.
Image adapted from: CHOCOLATE GRAPHICS VIET NAM
Price: from VND585,000 – VND1,302,000 (~USD25.24-USD56.18) per box
Address: Multiple locations in Saigon and Hanoi. View location list here.
Opening hours: 8AM-7PM, Daily
12. Càfê RuNam – mooncake box resembles a theatre
Image adapted from: Càfê RuNam
Among a sea of mooncake gift boxes, Càfê RuNam has taken its packaging to a new level by designing it to look like a royal theatre from the old days.
The packaging is beautifully reminiscent of Vietnamese cultural heritage, artfully ornamented with floral motifs and Vietnamese folktale figures such as Uncle Cuội and Princess Hằng Nga.
Image adapted from: Càfê RuNam
A theatrical mooncake gift box (VND2,200,000,~USD94.88) comes with 4 mooncakes and a complimentary box of lotus tea to pair with the cakes. This is quite a hefty price for a mooncake set, but being able to reuse the gift box as a fancy trinket box or a doll-house makes it worth the price.
Image adapted from: Càfê RuNam
For a less pricey gift set that’s no less alluring, guests can check out the colorful gift boxes designed with a handle to look like a square tiered lunch box. A box of 4 mooncakes is priced at VND950,000 (~USD40.97).
Image adapted from: Càfê RuNam
Aside from sophisticated packaging, Càfê RuNam has also rolled out a sumptuous selection of mooncakes in Vietnam. Its snow skin mooncake selection comes in coffee, pomelo, pandan, and magenta leaf flavors.
Featuring classic and exquisite flavors, Càfê RuNam’s baked mooncakes encase classic filings such as chicken and taro.
Price: VND950,000 – VND2,200,000 (~USD40.97-USD94.88) per box
Address: Multiple locations in Saigon and Hanoi. View location list here.
Opening hours: 8.30AM-10PM, Daily
13. Intercontinental – mooncakes with Western flavors
Image credit: Intercontinental Saigon
Incorporating Western flavours, the Intercontinental hotel group’s sweet and delicate cheese dragon fruit mooncake and coffee-flavored custard tiramisu mooncakes give these traditional Vietnamese treats a modern touch.
Starting from VND700,000 (~USD30.14) per gift box, Mid-Autumn celebrants can bring home 4 mini mooncakes in a stylish gift box. For more flavors to choose from, guests can opt for the VND930,000 (~USD40.04) gift set, which comes with 8 different moon cakes, such as hazelnut with salted eggs and chia seeds with salted eggs.
Image credit: Intercontinental Saigon
Paying homage to Vietnam’s culture, the Intercontinental has captured our country’s iconic lotus flowers on its mooncake boxes.
Celebrate the full moon with your family while munching a crusty lotus seed mooncake with a decadent egg yolk.
Price: VND700,000 – VND8,800,000 (~USD30.14-USD379.66) per box
Address:
- InterContinental Saigon Residences, Hai Ba Trung & Nguyen Du intersection, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
- InterContinental Hanoi WestLake, 5 Tu Hoa, Tay Ho, Hanoi
Opening hours: 8AM-10PM, Daily
Mooncakes in Vietnam for the 2020 Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival in Vietnam is only a few weeks away, and it’s time to kickstart our hunt for the most delicious mooncakes housed in unique packaging.
From crust-free mooncakes to those filled with chocolate for a decadent mouthful, these are some of the most innovative mooncakes in Vietnam to look out for at this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival.
Also check out:
- 10 Bubble tea shops in Saigon that are not KOI or Gongcha
- 10 Vietnamese cooking channels on Youtube to subscribe to
- 11 Vietnamese street delicacies in Saigon to explore
Cover image adapted from: Yue Long Men Restaurant, SHE Chocolate, Butter Land and Bánh Trung Thu Tai Thong Mooncake HCM
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