Supermarkets & food shops in Can Tho

You shouldn't have a problem. Even though rice is called glutinous, it is gluten-free. It's called glutinous because it is sticky.

Wiki:
Does Rice Contain Gluten?
The answer is no: glutinous rice is gluten-free. The misleading name simply comes from the fact that glutinous rice gets glue-like and sticky when cooked.

Gluten is a protein found in barley.  Beer is made with barley, so unless it says gluten free on the bottle, don't drink beer. 

Wheat flour (bột mì) contains two proteins called gliadin and glutenin. When wheat flour is knead or mixed with water, the proteins bind together to form gluten.  Vegetarian and vegan dishes contain more gluten than other dishes due to the generous use of soy sauce and a special kind of tofu called mì căn (seitan).

Many breakfast, dessert, and snack items in Vietnam are made with bột mì.  The only way to avoid them is to ask, "Món này làm bằng bột mì hay bột gạo?" (Is this dish / item made with wheat flour or rice flour?)  Rice flour (bột gạo) is gluten free.

If you cannot say the whole sentence, just copy and show it to the vendor/restaurant staff.

Thank You for your replies - the Gluten mention was an aside (I am well versed in that as have been GF many years) I really want to know of Supermarkets & recommended restaurants local to the area as need to shop- & eat lol

Can't help you with the recommendation, sorry about that.

Belle1234 wrote:

Hi am visiting Can Tho this coming Sunday & needing to (Western) grocery shop. Also can you recommend somewhere to have lunch --I am Gluten Free

Belle1234 wrote:

...I really want to know of Supermarkets & recommended restaurants local to the area as need to shop- & eat lol

How "serious" is your requirement?

Are you looking for basic gluten-free ingredients in the store and a significant amount of gluten-free choices on a menu?

Or are you asking for a store where NO gluten is sold in ANY shape or form, and a restaurant where not items containing gluten are even allowed into the storeroom or on cooking surfaces?

There is a hint, I think, in your use of the word "Western".

Are you looking for Western processed foods that are gluten free?

Because Vietnam menus are largely gluten-free already:

Vegetables
Fruits
Herbs
Corn on The Cob
Rice
Rice noodles, both dried and fresh
Tofu
Beef
Pork
Poultry
Seafood
Most Dairy Products
Eggs
SOY SAUCE (doesn't contain wheat here as it sometimes does in The West)
Fish sauce
Chilies

You have to avoid all breads, certainly.

Also, some noodles are made with wheat.

However, you can walk into almost any Vietnamese restaurant and put together a gluten-free meal with what's on the menu.

In Vietnamese stores you can also find mostly gluten-free choices, but I would think that your special dietary needs would have you shopping in the fresh markets of Vietnam.

Maybe if you could elaborate as to what you hope to find?

Hi & Thanks to all, the gluten aspect isnt a problem. I believe there is a Big C there - I am just needing normal cooking ingredients & things like cheese & bacon if possible also oats & rice flour butter & the likes. So actually just needing to know what Supermarkets are there & the best ones to shop at. Thanks

Belle1234 Yes there's a Big C here and and a Mega Mart (used to be METRO) also a few Co-OP marts. MM is good for dairy products, cheese, bread , bacon and lunch meat . They also carry a good line of western products.. and cooking utensils. Big C is good for fresh chicken, some dairy items and the also have a limited line of western items IMHO compared to MM. The Co-OP marts aren't to bad but not as good as the other two I mentioned above. Also they both have a good supply of fresh fruits and vegetables. The stuff at Co-Op is not nearly as fresh. As a note if you go to MM don't worry about a membership card, the cashier will ring your items up and input another card number. One advantage that Big C has over MM is that if you want some fast food they have a KFC, Pizza Hut and a Hamburger place on the bottom floor
Rick