Gabriella's Vietnam sits in East Passyunk Crossing under Chef Thanh Nguyen, who draws on a lifetime of cooking for her own family in Vietnam. The restaurant positions itself as "the other side of Vietnam," presenting dishes as they're served on the streets there rather than leaning on the familiar pho-and-banh-mi shorthand that defines a lot of Vietnamese menus in the U.S.
The kitchen sources ingredients from local farmers' markets, shifting with the seasons rather than running a fixed menu year-round.
Nguyen was named a James Beard Foundation semifinalist for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic in 2023, and Eater has included Gabriella's Vietnam on its Essential 38 list. Regulars point to the room's spaciousness on Passyunk as a draw for group dining, alongside the seasoning and depth of flavor in the cooking.
The kitchen sources ingredients from local farmers' markets, shifting with the seasons rather than running a fixed menu year-round.
Nguyen was named a James Beard Foundation semifinalist for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic in 2023, and Eater has included Gabriella's Vietnam on its Essential 38 list. Regulars point to the room's spaciousness on Passyunk as a draw for group dining, alongside the seasoning and depth of flavor in the cooking.