Chum Chay in Köln

I wanted to eat something and then I saw a mouse, disgusting

Very, very tasty food & a small but fine selection. Really great value for money, highly recommended. Unfortunately it's often very full, but if you wait a few minutes that's not a problem.

Very tasty and you can sit well in the beautiful courtyard. Friendly service

My favorite Asian in Cologne! They have the best summer rolls here and the Banh Canh Cari is heavenly

Very, very tasty food, so far no matter what you ordered, everything was very good. Sitting outside is still pleasant even in colder temperatures. And even though there were a lot of people there, our food was ready quickly.

Very tasty Vietnamese food. We were able to sit in the courtyard and our ordered drinks and food came very quickly. All dishes and also the dessert were delicious. Would love to come back.

No matter what I've eaten on the menu so far, it's all been excellent. Delicious! The house drinks are also great. You can sit outside nicely in a central location. There is a deduction because only cash payment is possible, which is actually a no go.

Nice little place with seating in an inner courtyard. Very tasty dishes, friendly staff and a quiet place to have conversations. People are happy to wait for a free space and this demand also speaks for the quality.

Super tasty, great ambience, what more could you want? Would definitely come again!

Delicious Food, below average price, above average meal size, cosy atmosphere. Best restaurant in this part of town. (Cash only)

I had a bowl of Banh Canh soup. I never had a veg version of this bowl in Vietnam before but I really like the one they offer. I especially had this bowl of Banh Canh in a cold day, so it warmed not only my belly but also my soul with the home flavor. Highly recommend!!

Cari nhiet doi is highly recommended!

Very good vegetarian food. Taste-matched combinations. Fast and friendly service in a small oasis in the middle of Cologne

Super tasty, authentic and inexpensive food in a nice atmosphere. Also great for eating outside in the small courtyard. Drink prices also great and really nice service. Many vegan or vegetarian dishes. I like to come here regularly :)

A super sweet Vietnamese, quiet and a bit hidden. My friend and I thought the food was incredibly good😋🥰The best spring rolls I've ever had! And incredibly fluffy Bhan Bao, you could have used it as a pillow. The curry was also great, huge portion, my stomach hurts now but it was worth it!😍Cash only though, you have to think about it in good time these days😉

Very nicely located in a backyard, you can eat really sweet things here. We ordered spring rolls as a starter which tasted very fresh. The Phò had the perfect spiciness and portion. The food arrived very quickly. We'd love to come back <3 (Very good price too!!)

Very tasty, but no card payment - hence deduction

Amazing food and drinks and service. Highly recommend going. I really liked the curry and the lime ice drink. Just note it's cash only.

By far my favorite restaurant in Cologne and has been for years :) The food has never disappointed me.

Super delicious vegetarian and vegan food - definitely highly recommended! 😊

Really tasty pho and quick, friendly service. One of the best Vietnamese restaurants I've eaten at so far!

The food more than met my expectations. The ingredients are fresh and my food tasted flawless. The service is attentive and quick. I will come back.

I love the chum chay! I've probably been a customer there 6 or 7 times and I'm thrilled every time! I'm actually neither vegetarian nor vegan, but I've found that EVERYONE there likes it. Wonderful dishes, at great prices and above all they taste really great. Highly recommended ♡

Very tasty vegetarian Vietnamese cuisine. Very authentic, everything fresh. For example, highly recommended: the yellow curry - I didn't remember the name. With sweet potatoes, carrots, tofu. See also the picture. Very nice and service-oriented staff. The dishes all cost under €10! Full recommendation! March 2022 addition: Once again very tasty at Chum Chay. Red curry with mango - very good! Update 08/24: Everything is still delicious!

Extremely delicious—refreshing homemade drinks

Tasty vegetarian/vegan Vietnamese food and good price. However, you can only pay with cash. Seats on the terrace are very comfortable.

We were there on a Friday evening and were lucky that there was still some space available. It's great to sit outside. It was super quick, the food was delicious and the price was great too! Absolute recommendation

My companion and I were lucky to get a table quite quickly in the early evening. We had read in advance that you often have to wait. The food was fantastic, the portions are generous. The service was quick and friendly. Recommended to go.

Super nicely located in a green courtyard. The food is very tasty, I would recommend reserving a table, but you can also have your food packed and take it with you. The dishes are ideal for summer.

Flavor explosion, great seasoning, everything super fresh and crunchy! The price is under 10 €/head, the portion is huge. One of the best pho I've ever eaten & the lavender lemonade is incredibly delicious!

Super delicious food and totally cozy outdoor area :)

Used to be an amazing place in its early days many years ago. Sadly no longer… Not sure if it is the same owner or not but many things have changed for the worse… Food: quality / freshness of ingredients reduced, it feels also the food hygiene has deteriorated. Menu: Why are half the dishes with tofu??? 😱 whilst the scientific evidence is not conclusive yet, there is common belief that eating too much TOFU MAKES YOU GAY because of the phytoestrogens. Would be better to have a choice to be gay or not so please don’t have your entire menu with tofu. Same for PEANUTS. More than 1% of children and adults in Germany have a peanut allergy. I know it is a popular ingredient in Vietnamese cuisine, but please also give other choices on the menu. Cash only???? Which restaurant in 2024 offers only cash? “We prefer cash” would be bad enough. Screams dodgy. @Finanzamt you know what I mean!!! Lastly, the staff are really not very friendly and the atmosphere is not what it used to be. Cute courtyard but now too many tables in the small space.

Really overrated. Flavorless food, few options, not traditional as they say. There are many, many better ones in the city.

One of my FAVORITE restaurants in Cologne!

The best Vietnamese restaurant in Cologne! Once you've been there you're infected and you don't want to eat anywhere else. The dishes taste fantastic from starter, main course and dessert. Everything freshly prepared and incredibly tasty. The queue is worth it, you can happily accept that.

The peanut coconut sauce for the tofu spring roll was amazing. Also the caramalized mushroom was delicious if you like sweet flavor. Good prices

Food is good but no card payments. Feels like in the middle ages.

The food tastes very tasty and you don't have to wait long for drinks or food - it comes really quickly 👍🏽

Too sweet! I recently visited Chum Chay Restaurant and was excited about the diverse Vietnamese cuisine. As soon as we entered the restaurant we felt welcome and the atmosphere was inviting. We decided to try the banana blossom salad as a starter and were immediately impressed by the crunch and fresh taste. Unfortunately, we quickly realized that the salad was far too sweet. This excessive sweetness ran through all the dishes we ordered – Kho To, Xao Sa Ot with Bun. Although the tofu was very tasty and the vegetables were wonderfully fresh, we couldn't really enjoy the food due to the intense sweetness. When we asked whether every dish here is mixed with sugar, the waiter replied that they "only refine the dishes with sugar". Unfortunately that wasn't to our liking. It's a shame because the quality of the ingredients and the creativity in the preparation were clearly evident. Unfortunately, we won't be returning to Chum Chay again due to the dominant sweetness.

Very bad service and unfriendly staff. Mass processing!

I always go to Chum Chai when I'm nearby. It's simply the best Vietnamese in town and even though they had to make slight changes to achieve vegan or veggie cuisine, I like the omission of the fish sauce one of the best things (not my thing). Recommendations: Yellow curry with rice, banana blossom salad, fried vegetables with plum honey sauce, Vietnamese coffee (hot and cold) Yes, paying by card would be nice, but it's much more important to me that the quality of the food is always good, so a clear 7 star rating from me and everyone I've been there with so far 😊

We were there for dinner on Friday. The noodles were overcooked, so eating with chopsticks was impossible as the noodles were in a cardboard pile in the plate. We complained. The employee who served was very rude and rude. How he behaved. So cheeky with an aggressive tone! Zero criticism. The man in the kitchen (had visited him) said that this sticking of the pasta happens every now and then. It can happen, but you can't serve it anymore. Once and never again. PS: We noticed the vegetables being delivered by bike in the blue Ikea bags. According to the slides, they were from the usual discounters?!

A beautiful restaurant with incredibly delicious food. But you should remember: payment is only possible in cash, not by card.

+ Good price-performance ratio + Cozy outside in the courtyard + Food came very quickly + very fresh vegetables in the food - Cash only - the Pho Xao Sot Me was missing that certain something, maybe just a better marinated and fried tofu

We ate very well and really felt very comfortable. The food was really tasty and we really enjoyed it. Both starters, soups and main courses.

Very good!!!! Hidden little fine restaurant with very friendly people and a nice atmosphere! The food is very very good!!! Always good! Sensational price-performance ratio!

Very 😋 delicious food. Friendly service. It's a shame because Sunday is a day of rest.

We were surprised to find this insider tip near Neumarkt. The terrace made a run-of-the-mill impression at first, but the ambience inside, the service and the food were really wonderful. We'll definitely be back!

World's Best Vietnamese! I was here a few years ago and was impressed by the great quality. I now brought a meal with me and am again thrilled that the high quality has been maintained over the years! 🤤🤤🤤

Very tasty food. Only recommended. Large selection of vegan dishes.

Super delicious food in a beautiful “courtyard ambience” with the best and fluffiest tofu I have ever eaten

Unfortunately, only cash payment is possible and reservations cannot be made, so there are sometimes long waiting times! Food was super tasty and huge portions!! :)

Very tasty food and nice service. The price-performance ratio is really good!

I have never visited such a good Vietnamese restaurant. Very very tasty and a very friendly staff. Always my pleasure.

Very tasty, nice service and nice people who eat there.

A bit tucked away in an alley, but worth seeking out. Fast and friendly service, delicious food and everything vegetarian. Cash only, but the ATM is two minutes away.

Great location in the inner courtyard and therefore very cozy and pleasantly quiet away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The small interior area is also very attractively decorated. All employees are super friendly and attentive. The food is great! Anyone who knows the small street kitchens in Vietnam knows how authentic it is. Only the sharpness is Germanized. Wherever it says “spicy” it means a maximum of spicy to spicy for my taste. So if you like spicy food, it's best to say exactly how spicy you want it to be. The only drawback that ruins the overall grade: No card payment. And for that I will generally deduct one star in 2024.

Horrible restaurant and rude staff ! The food was tasteless and it was recommended the staff. Finally during payment they said they don’t take card and only cash. Don’t recommend!

Very very tasty food, perfect for vegetarians and vegans. Very balanced menu and dishes very well seasoned.

The restaurant is located in a beautiful courtyard. The food was extremely tasty. You don't miss meat here. Price absolutely ok for today's times. Service very quick and friendly. Gladly again!

My two go-to dishes at Chum Chay, we always receive a warm welcome and leave happy. Bun Dau and Banh Canh for those who are interested

Conviniently convincing? Rather even much more; Thank you very much for food and drink. 🙂

The food was OK but nothing special. The staff was friendly and attentive. However, I was disappointed that in 2024 the restaurant still only accepts cash and does not allow card payments. At a time when digital payment methods are widespread, it's hard to understand why this restaurant doesn't keep up with the times. While the food and service were fine, the lack of card payment is a clear negative.

One of the best Asian restaurants in Cologne. Service is sometimes a little slow when it's busy, but you can get over that.

The food tasted fresh and offered a good alternative as a vegetarian option. The only thing we didn't like was that a lot of sauce was used and the dish ended up swimming in sauce.

Great food, could invest in a better extractor hood

Einfach nur wunderbar! Sehr freundlicher Service, Stimmung im Team top, Ambiente sehr liebevoll gemacht, gute Getränke, Essen war sehr ausgezeichnet! Alles in allem ein sehr schöner Abend - gerne wieder

The food was too good. It’s a vegetarian restaurant. It does offer a wide range of Vegan option, in fact more options than the Vegetarian dishes. A definitely recommended restaurant for Veggie lovers.

Meal is really tasty, prices are good (main dish is 11-14 EUR). Definitely recommended! Minus for only cash payment and for beggar asking for money (if you sit outside)

Total lecker, auch ohne Koriander, den ich nicht mag, bestellbar, frische Zutaten, sehr freundliches und extrem schnelles Personal, schöne Atmosphäre

Simply the best shop for vegetarian food in Cologne Since card payment is still not possible, one star is deducted.

Extremely polite and friendly staff. Food are looking always great and tasty. Only drawback is the price that increases almost every 3-6 months

Super delicious food! I particularly like the tofu here. The juices and cocktails are also very tasty. You may have to wait here at peak times.

I ate tofu for the first time and I can say that I really enjoyed it. The vibe and atmosphere is great. Will definitely come back :)

Chum Chay is truly a hidden gem in Cologne. The ambience and service are very pleasant. The dishes are super tasty and taste different from many other Vietnamese restaurants. Despite the small menu, there is everything you need. Definitely one of my favorites here!

Very tasty, quick preparation and friendly people 👍

The best Vietnamese I've been to so far. The chefs know what they are doing and it is as authentic as possible.

It was cold outside, unfortunately only cash payment possible! Wish they had said this before. But the food was very tasty, as were the drinks.

I have to say the kitchen has slacked off quite a bit. More noodles less broth/vegetables. It was clearly of better quality back then, which is a shame.

An unbiased comment: Positives First: (As long as you don't encounter the unfortunate accident I will write about below) it’s a good place to get to know Vietnamese food culture. The food is delicious. Portions are large and extremely filling. The menu is extensive and the place has a warm atmosphere. Let's get to the negatives: Since it is a very small restaurant, you have to sit close to people. There is always a queue at the door and waiting in this queue is tiring. They may give you a little shock in 2024, as only cash payments are accepted. The waiters are very tired; It is normal that they cannot handle this intensity, but inevitably this makes you nervous too. Worst of all, there was a strand of hair at the bottom of our bowl. We are not prissy people and we didn't make a scene. No matter how bad it is, it can happen to you in places like this. But from now on, you should consider wearing a chef's hat or bonnet.

Food tasted good, service a bit slow on a Friday evening. But the food came quickly.

Absolute favorite shop & always worth a visit. Clear menu full of flavors & changing daily specials. Friendly service. Clean premises. 5☆

Chum Chay is definitely a MUST TRY in Cologne! Great vegetarian and vegan cuisine, super filling large portions, nice service and an all-round great experience. We always like to come back :)

Very tasty purely vegetarian dishes, very plentiful and fast service. The ambience is sufficiently well designed: after all, you go there for good food, not for pseudo-Asian design. As an omnivore, I recommend Chum Chay without reservation.

Food delicious, price good, fast service

The taste is simply world class 👑👑👑 and a very generous portion

Super tasty, you just sometimes have the feeling that you want to get rid of it as soon as you're done eating.

Stylish restaurant in the middle of the city. Fast service. Food super tasty. However, we have an exhaust air problem that is clearly noticeable in the guest room, as the restaurant has an open kitchen that is integrated into the guest room. The problem of "poor kitchen-dining room air" is certainly known, as the operators always leave the terrace door on the 1st floor open for fresh air But it doesn't help much because there's no draft.

Somehow there is always a line of people waiting to get a seat. So we tried that too and waited 40 minutes. The food, all vegetarian, was rather disappointing. The bowl consisted of far too soft tagliatelle with vegetables and a very powerful and boring sauce made from coconut milk. So I've eaten much better Vietnamese dishes at better prices, which is a shame.

I think even 5 stars are less for the food and overall experience. I am a huge fan of Vietnamese cuisine and this restaurant food stole my heart ❤️ Every dish we have ordered from starters to main course was super delicious 🤤 The quantity of the main-course was really good. I think it’s worth waiting in the queue for this delicious food. I am sure I will be coming back again and again.

Food was delicious! I tried a dish with grapes on it, I was skeptical but it was so delicious!! Service is not the best tho and there's usually a waiting line But really recommended!

Wow, if vegetarian taste was like that everywhere, I'd stop eating meat tomorrow 💯👌 Food great, service fast, processes overall 1a Keep it up !!!

An incredibly great restaurant with exclusively vegetarian/vegan Vietnamese dishes. The food is great every time. Despite the store being full, the waitresses are attentive and friendly. You often have to wait in line to get a spot, but it's worth it. The clothes smell a bit like food afterwards, but it doesn't bother me.

I had never tried Vietnamese cuisine before and the flavors positively surprised me. I went there recently to dine alone and the atmosphere was really nice! The staff were friendly but always professional. I enjoyed both the atmosphere and the food. The lime juice… wow! I will definitely come back during my next stay in Cologne!

We were looking forward to visiting Chum Chay because of the hype on social media, but unfortunately we were quite disappointed. As soon as we were inside, the smell of deep fryer was very present. The taste of the food was rather boring and seemed quite greasy. Because of this experience, I can unfortunately only give the store 2 stars. PS: The toilet was tiny and super gross..

Great food! Best tofu I've ever had. Tasty curry sauce with lychees, although there were only two and they could have added more. Cosy atmosphere but a bit draughty on a January night. Prices are ok. A pity they don't take card, but ATM isn't far away.

Loved this restaurant. A lot of vegan options and the food was so good! Would recommend coming early or after 20.30, we went on Friday evening and had to wait in line, but was sooo worth it!

The service is extremely profit-oriented. We had to wait in the cold until we were full. It is incomprehensible why we have to wait 15 meters away from a free table in an almost empty shop. Tap water is charged. The dishes are very tasty, but considering the price, that's a must. Ambience is nice. Waiting time was ok too. Unfortunately I couldn't enjoy the service.

das essen war sehr sehr lecker - to go auch super verpackt, sodass alles frisch blieb und auslaufsicher. superleckere geschmackskombinationen. wir kommen auf jeden fall wieder!

Food is pretty good but only accept CASH, it’s crowded but it makes sense as food is decent !