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Through its unique history as a harbor town teeming with merchants, Hội An has developed a cuisine that stands at the intersection of Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, and French influences. The dazzling variety of dishes, boldly seasoned and colored, will certainly entertain any culinary adventurer and linger in their memory long after their trip. Let’s stroll through the streets of Hội An and see all the best experiences this charming old town offers.
Banh mi Hoi An
The French may have brought baguettes to Vietnam, but locals have taken this beloved boulangerie classic and made it one of their most iconic dishes. Bánh mì is generally a crispy sandwich filled to bursting with ingredients vibrant in taste and color. The Hội An variation is distinctive because it has much more vegetables than usual. Lettuce, cucumbers, pickled carrots, and coriander accompany and enhance the traditional fillings of pork, fried eggs, pate, or chicken, with generous servings of tangy sauce.
Banh My Phuong
- Address: 2b Phan Chu Trinh, Cam Chau, Hoi An, Quang Nam *
- Opening hours: Monday to Sunday from 6:30 AM – 09:30 PM
Cao lau
This noodle dish’s intriguing name (“tall stories”) comes from its past as food for the privileged class, who dined on the upper floors. Today, people of all backgrounds can enjoy Cao lầu, a combination of thick udon-like noodles, sliced roast pork, crunchy flat croutons and bean sprouts, greens, and special sauce. You can find Cao Lau in any street in Hoi An but we recommend a try at the local restaurants below:
Cao Lau Ba Le
- Address: 45/3 Tran Hung Dao, Hoi An, Quang Nam
- Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 11:00 AM – 09:00 PM
Cao Lau Co Lien
- Address: 21 Thai Phien, Minh An Ward, Hoi An, Quang Nam
- Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 06:30 AM – 07:30 PM
Cao Lau Thanh
- Address: 26 Thai Phien, Minh An Ward, Hoi An, Quang Nam
- Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 07:00 AM – 07:00 PM
Mì Quảng - Quang noodles
Named after the province it came from (Quảng Nam), these flat rice noodles are topped with slices of pork, beef or chicken, shrimp, quail eggs, and a little bone broth. A variety of this dish with frog meat is also widely available. Turmeric, a health-boosting spice, lends the noodles a bright golden color. Check out our favorites Mi Quang in Hoi An:
My Quang Ong Hai
- Address: 6A Truong Minh Luong, Cam Chau, Hoi An, Quang Nam
- Opening hours: 06:00 – 22:00
My Quang Ba Minh
- Address: Cam Ha Hoi An City, Quang Nam (There won't be an exact address but the restaurant is located next to Thu Bon river and it's easy to get there by GPS)
- Opening hours: 07:00 AM – 05:00 PM
My Quang Co Sinh
- Address: 170/5 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoi An, Quang Nam
- Opening hours: 06:00 AM – 01:00 PM
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Banh bao banh vạc - White rose dumplings
These translucent and chewy rice sheets, resembling white roses, are filled with shrimp, minced pork, and mushrooms. Then, they receive a garnish of crunchy fried shallots and green onions and are served alongside a dipping sauce made of fish sauce, chili, and sugar.
Bong Hong Trang (White Rose restaurant)
- Address: 533 Hai Ba Trung, Cam Pho Ward, Hoi An, Quang Nam
- Opening hours: 07:00 AM – 08:30 PM
Nước Mót - Lemon and lemongrass drink
Mót, a shop in the Old Town, attracts long queues of people waiting to get this delicious, healthy, and oh-so-Instagrammable concoction. The drink itself is a delicate blend of various plants and herbs: lemon, lemongrass, ginger, chrysanthemum, dried lotus leaves, and green tea. According to traditional medicine, it helps cool and detoxify the body. It’s served in a small paper cup decorated with a bright pink lotus petal and sipped through a bamboo pipe.
Mot Hoi An
- Address: 150 Tran Phu, Cam Chau, Hoi An, Quang Nam
- Opening hours: 08:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Besides those local favorite street dishes, you might want to fly for many other options that are served in a restaurant or an upmarket setup where food is made and garnished as art and stands for the royal culture. Check out our article to enrich your knowledge about Hue’s cuisine.
Founder & Photography Guide
Specialties: Culture, landscape, portrait, hiking, active and adventurous tour
Besides my unlimited passion for traveling, a professional tour guide for over a decade, I have been taking photographs since sitting at Hanoi of the University of Culture in the early 2000s. Photography started as a hobby but it was seriously taken due to my work relations and my significant passion for the beauty of our world, especially in Southeast Asian parts such as Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar.
Within a few years of taking photographs, my works began to be recognized by many reliable international publications such as AFAR Travel, The Times, and The Daily Telegraph newspaper. In addition, I continuously add to my growing profile by winning numerous major awards: 3rd Position of The Independent Photographer 2018, 1st Position of Amateur Photographer of the year 2018, Grand Prize Winner of the AFAR Travel Photography 2019, and a Gold Award of San Francisco Bay International Photography 2020.
I photograph a wide variety of subjects, from travel to landscapes to street scenes. I enjoy documenting the East’s rich cultural heritage and its land soaked in glorious sunrise or sunset light in remote and secluded spots. And, I am very happy to share my knowledge and experience with you. You can visit Luminousvietnamtour to explore tour!
