Free iced tea and ginseng-pineapple drink for 10 thousand: what to drink at street-side stalls

The first thing foreign visitors should know: at most casual, local eateries, the glass of iced tea placed on your table is FREE. No one charges you for it, and if you finish it, they'll happily refill it. Iced tea here is weak green tea, almost without bitterness, drunk to cool down and freshen the mouth between bites. If the shop charges for it, it's usually only 2,000–5,000 dong, and they'll let you know beforehand. A few things worth trying at sidewalk drink stalls, all under 25,000 dong: — Pandan drink (sâm dứa): a light green color, with the fragrance of pandan leaves, cooling to drink and lightly sweet. There's also a version made with condensed milk. — Sâm (herbal iced tea) / winter melon tea: made by boiling sugarcane, corn silk, and winter melon. It has an herbal taste, and locals here drink it in place of plain water. — Sugarcane juice: freshly pressed on the spot, with a squeeze of kumquat added. Remember to say "less ice" if you don't want it watered down. — Avocado smoothie: thick like cream, often with condensed milk added. Very Vietnamese. About the ice: at shops with proper business registration in major cities, the ice is industrially produced and generally safe — the round kind with a hole in the middle. If you're still worried, just ask for "no ice. Tip: sitting at a sidewalk drink stall on a low plastic stool is part of the experience, not a sign that the place is bad. Many of the best spots have nothing but exactly that.