Saigon Café

Deliciously absent of tourists (and even lacking a sign), this no-frills diner is always packed to the gills with hungry islanders scarfing down pho (unadorned beef noodle soup), vegetables cooked in a clay pot, and bo nhung dam, the Vietnamese version of fondue: you dip raw beef in hot broth to cook it and then wrap it in rice paper with mint and pickled vegetables. Charming owner Jennifer Nguyen’s family-style eatery is not known for its décor or fancy clientele, but the large, tasty servings are five-star—at two-star prices.