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Central Vietnam Food Guide

Central Vietnam is an area rich with both history and food. Discover the foods not to miss in this exciting food region.

Bao Vendor in Hoi An Vietnam - Central Vietnam Food
Image: ©2foodtrippers

Coffee. Water. Broken Camera. Food.

These are the four themes that defined our twenty days of living and eating in Central Vietnam, a part of the world burnt into our minds from the iconic photos taken during its mid-20th-century struggles. During our stay, we traversed the central Vietnam map. Our three-week odyssey started in imperial, war scared Hue, continued in rustic, preserved Hoi An and ended in sun-kissed, beachy Da Nang before we headed south to Saigon.

Three weeks in Central Vietnam allowed us to sample a wide variety of Vietnamese food and return to our favorites again (and again) not to mention more than our fair share of Vietnamese coffee. It also afforded us the opportunity to connect with locals and tour the historic DMZ.

First Stop, Hue

Bridge in Historic Hue
Historic Hue | Image: ©2foodtrippers

We stayed at an apartment right on the Perfume River’s edge during our time in rainy Hue. How much did it rain during our stay? it rained a lot – so much that during a typhoon that it even rained inside the house.

Despite the overabundance of water, we still loved Hue for its understated elegance dating back to French colonialism, its lively public market and its imperial style of food. This city offers deep insight into the Vietnam food culture as well as Vietnamese history, plus it’s easy to find some of the best food in Vietnam here.

Second Stop, Hoi An

Red Building in Charming Hoi An
Charming Hoi An | Image: ©2foodtrippers

We loved well-known tourist mecca Hoi An for its Chinese lantern decor and easy lifestyle. The city is a photographer’s dream and there is no shortage of instagrammable places in Hoi An.

Hoi An is a great spot to slow down and experience the unique aspects of Vietnam that make the country one of the world’s top tourist destinations. In addition to the range of photos opportunities and the many fun things to do in Hoi An, the city has an excellent food scene that includes a number of fun coffee shops serving both Western and Vietnamese coffee.

Any walk in the charming city easily becomes a Hoi An food tour due to the plethora of street food vendors selling Vietnamese snacks and other tempting treats. Plus, Hoi An has what very well may be the best banh mi shop in all of Vietnam. Considering that our camera died in Hoi An, it says a lot that the city still managed to charm us during our week-long visit.

Finally, Da Nang

Beach in Danang
Beachy Da Nang | Image: ©2foodtrippers

And then there’s Da Nang. We almost skipped Da Nang but spent three days there because of a lower airplane fare to Saigon on a Wednesday versus a Sunday. Did we like this laid-back beach city with endless seafood and a vibrant expat community? Although Vietnam has its quirks, we felt at home in this part of wonderful but quirky Vietnam.

Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)

DMZ Tour in Central Vietnam
We climbed this hill during our private DMZ tour. Like much of Central Vietnam, the climb combined natural beauty with relics from the violent war. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

For many of our generation, the American War with Vietnam conjures images of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City), jungles and rice paddies. Vietnam is not a tiny country and it’s a long way (we traveled by jet from Da Nang to Saigon) from South to Central.

What many don’t realize is that a large portion of the war occurred in the fields and forests around Hue and its surroundings. Central Vietnam is the home of the DMZ or ‘demilitarized zone’ – the thin band that previously separated North Vietnam from the South.

We climbed up hills to see large pillbox installations that overlook the perfume river while avoiding live mines that still dot areas of the countryside. The United States had a large airbase in Da Nang, and we saw remnants of the old barracks there. Americans watched the Vietnam conflict on a TV, but travelers to Central Vietnam can observe relics like the bullet-riddled Long Hung Church and the Highway 9 cemetery memorial.

Though much of the war history is murky and many of the sites like the Vinh Moc Tunnels have been recreated over the years, visiting these central areas stills allows people to experience a valuable piece of world history.

Pigs on a Motorbike in Central Vietnam
To market, to market, jiggity jig… | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Like much of Vietnam, coffee is readily available in Central Vietnam, which makes sense since Vietnam is the world’s second largest producing coffee country just after Brazil. Like the locals, we drank cà phê sữa đá (also known as iced coffee with milk) morning, noon and night. In Central Vietnam, coffee tends to be strong, iced and sweet.

Tuk Tuk Driver in Central Vietnam
This guy clearly missed the memo about the availability of strong coffee in Central Vietnam. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Did we mention that our camera died right in the middle of our time in Central Vietnam? This shocking development threw us for a loop, taught us some valuable lessons about backup equipment and the importance of authorized dealers while also slowing down our burgeoning video schedule. Instead of crying, we ate ice cream.

Ice Cream Cone in Hoi An Vietnam
This mini ice cream cone was quite refreshing after a walk in Hoi An’s heat. Alas, this was one of the last photos we took before our camera unexpectedly died. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Foods To Eat In Central Vietnam

But what about the food beyond ice cream? After eating our way through Hanoi the three prior weeks, we wondered how the Central Vietnamese food would compare.

Long story short, the cuisine compared well with its twist on traditional Vietnamese food and unique coffee. Very well indeed. So well that we missed it as soon as we headed south to Saigon.

Central Vietnam is a must stop for any Vietnam food tour. These are are our favorites foods with tips on where to eat the best Vietnamese dishes.

Banh Beo

Banh Beo in Hue Vietnam
You may not think of Banh Beo when you think of Vietnamese food, but these tiny dishes are quite famous in Central Vietnam. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Our first bite in Hue was Banh Beo, so maybe that’s why this local specialty holds a special place in our hearts. Or maybe because it’s because Banh Beo combines the best flavors of imperial Hue with the dim sum concept that we adore.

Instead of one big plate of food, an order of Banh Beo involves a dozen tiny plates, each with its own rice pancake topped with chopped and crispy shrimp, plus bowls of flavorful dipping sauce. Warning: A dozen dishes may sound like a lot of food, but it’s really not once you start slurping down the tasty treats.

Hang Me Me is located at 412-16 Võ Thị Sáu, Huế, Tỉnh Thừa Thiên-Huế, Vietnam.

Banh Mi

Banh Mi Phuong - Best Banh Mi in Vietnam
Banh Mi sandwiches may be the most popular Vietnamese since they’re cheap, filling and tasty. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

We often like to find hidden culinary treasures when we travel and share them here with our readers. Banh Mi Phuong is not one of these finds.

Already made famous by the likes of Anthony Bourdain and recommended to us by our new Halong Bay friends John and Charmaine, this popular deli serves what are arguably the best banh mi sandwiches in Central Vietnam if not the entire country. We also enjoyed banh mi sandwiches at The Bahn Mi Queen, another Hanoi contender for best banh mi sandwich in Vietnam.

Watch our YouTube video to see why there’s always a line at Banh Mi Phuong.

Banh Mi Phuong is located at 2B Phan Châu Trinh, tp. Hội An, Quảng Nam, Vietnam.
The Banh Mi Queen is located at 115 Trần Cao Vân, Sơn Phong, Tp. Hội An, Quảng Nam, Vietnam.

Banh Xeo

Banh Xeo in Hoi An
When you find Banh Xeo, eat them while they’re hot. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

We kind of love these ‘sizzling cakes’ that we first ate at the Hoi An Central Market. Crispy, flavorful and stuffed with shrimp and other savories, these pancakes don’t carry much resemblance to the western breakfast favorite with the same name. Shhh – don’t tell anybody, but we like these pancakes better.

Hoi An Central Market is located at Trần Quý Cáp, tp. Hội An, Quảng Nam, Vietnam.

Bun Bo Hue

Bun Bo Hue - Spicy Noodle Soup in Vietnam
Move over Pho. Bun Bo Hue may be the best Vietnamese noodle soup. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Although Bun Bo Hue is popular throughout Central Vietnam, the namesake city is the best place to eat this savory Vietnamese soup. Spicier than pho, a good bowl of Bun Bo Hue has vermicelli rice noodles (as opposed to pho noodles) , braised beef, herbs and green vegetables.

Discover more of the best soups in the world.

A great bowl will have extras like offal and gelatinous pig blood. Don’t worry – these special additions are optional for more timid eaters.

Watch our YouTube video to learn more about the soupy goodness known as Bun Bo Hue.

Bun Bo Hue Quan Cam is located at 38 Trần Cao Vân, Phú Hội, tp. Huế, Thừa Thiên Huế, Vietnam.

Cao Lau

Cao Lau in Hoi An Vietnam
Cao Lau combines protein and vegetables to create a perfectly satisfying Vietnamese dish. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Cao Lau is not only specific to Central Vietnam, but this dish is hyper-specific to Hoi An. Legend has it that Cao Lao can only be made with water from the city’s Ba Le well and lye from nearby Cham, so if you eat Cao Lau outside of Hoi An, then you’re not eating true Cao Lau.

Readily available throughout Hoi An, Cao Lau typically includes roast pork, rice noodles, crispy bits and lots of fresh greens. Though many local restaurants add their own twists to this classic, we most enjoyed the traditional versions served at the Hoi An Central Market and at Thanh Cao Lau.

Hoi An Central Market is located at Trần Quý Cáp, tp. Hội An, Quảng Nam, Vietnam.
Thanh Cao Lau is located at Minh An tp. Hội An, 6 Thái Phiên, Minh An, Hội An, Quang Nam, Vietnam.

Com Hen

Com Hen in Hue Vietnam
Eating Com Hen in Hue is a must during any visit. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

After eating an excellent version of Com Hen in Houston earlier this year, we were curious to try this dish in the city of its roots. We picked a shack near our apartment where we enjoyed bowls loaded with rice, herbs, fresh water clams and pork rinds.

It’s debatable if the quality was any better, but the experience of sitting in tiny plastic chairs and drinking local beer was certainly superior.

Com Hen Ti Hon is located at 17 Ð Han Mac Tu, Huế, Thừa Thiên Huế, Vietnam.

Com Ga

Com Ga in Hue Vietnam
Com Ga is the Vietnamese version of chicken with rice. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

We eat a good bit of chicken and rice in the USA, usually of the Cantonese variety. The Vietnamese version known as Com Ga is similar but different.

Each restaurant seems to make the simple dish with its own style and flavor. We shared the excellent version pictured here at the Dong Ba Market in Hue.

Dong Ba Market is located at Trần Hưng Đạo, Phú Hòa, tp. Huế, Thừa Thiên Huế, Vietnam.

Fresh Seafood

Fresh Seafood in Da Nang Vietnam
Fresh seafood abounds in Da Nang due to its proximity to the Eastern Sea. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Seafood in Da Nang is fresh and plentiful which is no surprise based on the bustling city’s location on the shore of the Eastern Sea. A walk by the beach yields a field day of people-watching opportunities as well as a plethora of dining options from casual eateries with a just a few tanks and a grill to restaurants with fuller selections and bars.

Watch our YouTube video to see the different types of seafood we ate in Da Nang during our private seafood fest.

Thanh Hien is located at Vo Nguyen Giap street, Truong Sa, Phước Mỹ, Đà Nẵng, Vietnam.

Fried Wontons

Fried Wontons in Hoi An Vietnam
Fried Wontons are a popular snack in Hoi An. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

After eying nachos on the street in Hanoi, we were immediately drawn to the fried wontons in Hoi An.

We ate this local favorite at both the Central Market and at White Rose Restaurant. We were a bit put off by the topping’s cloyingly sweet pineapple flavor, though we dug the crispy texture and shrimp.

Hoi An Central Market is located at Trần Quý Cáp, tp. Hội An, Quảng Nam, Vietnam.
White Rose Restaurant is located at 533 Hai Bà Trưng, Cẩm Châu, tp. Hội An, Quảng Nam, Vietnam.

Fusion Food

Fusion Food at Mango Mango in Hoi An Vietnam
The fusion food served at Mango Mango is some of the best food in Hoi An. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

We enjoyed our first Hoi An meal at Mango Mango, a local institution that serves sophisticated Vietnamese cuisine fused with interesting western touches. This food fusion is no surprise since Chef Tran Duc honed his cooking skills in the Americas where he spent many of his formative years. Duc’s wife/business partner Ly Le lived in Philadelphia for several years, hence the Philadelphia connection.

We were so entranced by the elegant restaurant and its river view that we returned for happy hour a few days later.

Mango Mango is located at 45 Nguyễn Phúc Chu, tp. Hội An, Quảng Nam, Vietnam.

Mi Quang

Mi Quang in Hoi An Vietnam
We liked the Mi Quang in Hoi An so much that we made a video of our experience eating it. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Although Cao Lau may be Hoi An’s most famous signature dish, Mi Quang is the Hoi An dish that stole our hearts with its thick rice noodles, protein (sometimes chicken, sometimes seafood), broth and greens.

We found the perfect spot for Mi Quang – a little stall on Thai Phien right across from Thanh Cao Lau. We don’t have an address, but that just makes the discovery all the more fun.

Watch our YouTube video to see what it’s like to eat Mi Quang in Hoi An.

Ram It

Ram It in Hue Vietnam
If you like dumplings, then you will like Ram It. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

We just had to try Ram It after reading the following menu description: First part is around sticky bit that has a shrimp’s meat in it. Second, and at the same time, the top of cake: “Banh Ram-It” is one piece of from the pig’s skin that has a yellow colour and is completely crispy. Crisp like a broken bubble!!!

With their crispy rice bottoms and soft, shrimpy tops, these little cakes may be the perfect finger food. We enjoyed them as a counterbalance to the little plates of Banh Beo, continuing the dim sum theme of our meal at Hue’s Hang Me Me.

Hang Me Me is located at 412-16 Võ Thị Sáu, Huế, Tỉnh Thừa Thiên-Huế, Vietnam.

Salty Coffee

Salty Coffee in Hue Vietnam
Warning – Salty Coffee is highly addictive due to its combination of sweet and salty flavors. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Who knows if we would have discovered Salty Coffee without Emily Luxton‘s introduction to Lien Nguyen, the entrepreneurial founder of I Love Hue Tour. Lien and her “lady biker” colleague picked us up at our apartment and took us on a whirlwind Hue street food tour that ended with salty coffee at Ca Phe Muoi.

We loved the unique caffeinated beverage so much that we returned to the laid back cafe several times for more cups of the salty, sweet coffee. In some ways similar to the more famous egg coffee in Hanoi, salty coffee has just enough salt to cut the sweetness of its milk topping which makes it a more interesting beverage.

Ca Phe Muoi is located at 10 Nguyễn Lương Bằng, Phú Hội, tp. Huế, Thừa Thiên Huế, Vietnam.

Street Food

Hoi An Street Food
Street Food is everywhere in Hoi An. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

We’ve always appreciated street food, but this appreciation has grown exponentially since we’ve been in Vietnam. Vietnamese street food is literally everywhere. Plus it’s generally cheap and most of it tastes really good.

We like it all from meat on a stick to banh bao and everything in between. When we miss Central Vietnam, we will probably miss the street food most of all.

Street food is located on most streets in Central Vietnam.

Vietnamese Coffee

Vietnamese Coffee in Hue Vietnam
Add ice to Vietnamese Coffee for a perfect pick-me-up on a hot summer day. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Coffee is an integral part of daily life in Central Vietnam, which is perhaps why we like this part of the country so much. The popular local style is strong, iced and sweet.

Sometimes, though, coffee in Central Vietnam is too sweet. That’s why it’s important to find local coffee shops that make a good coffee with the right level of sweetness.

Here are five that we liked for their good coffee and cool vibes:

Ca Phe Muoi is located at 10 Nguyễn Lương Bằng, Phú Hội, tp. Huế, Thừa Thiên Huế, Vietnam.
Gold Star Coffee is located at 14 Ngô Thì Sĩ, Mỹ An Ngũ Hành Sơn Đà Nẵng, Vietnam.
The Hill Station is located at 321 Nguyễn Duy Hiệu, tp. Hội An, Quảng Nam, Vietnam.
Mia Coffee is located at 20 Phan Bội Châu, tp. Hội An, Quảng Nam, Vietnam.
The One Coffee & Bakery is located at 3 Hùng Vương, Phú Nhuận, tp. Huế, Thừa Thiên Huế, Vietnam.

White Rose Dumplings

White Rose Dumplings in Hoi An Vietnam
White Rose Dumplings are yet another Hoi An food specialty. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

We admitted our dumpling love last year, and this love has not waned while we’ve been busy traveling the world. So, it was a no-brainer for us to trek to the restaurant that creates white rose dumplings for the entire city of Hoi An.

White rose dumplings are little rounds of rice dough stuffed with pork or shrimp and then shaped like flowers. The workers at White Rose Restaurant serve these dumpling gems with crispy shallots, savory shrimp broth and assorted condiments.

Watch our YouTube video to learn more about white rose dumplings.

White Rose Restaurant is located at 533 Hai Bà Trưng, Cẩm Châu, tp. Hội An, Quảng Nam, Vietnam.

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About The Authors

About The Authors

Daryl & Mindi Hirsch

Saveur Magazine’s BEST TRAVEL BLOG award winners Daryl and Mindi Hirsch share their culinary travel experiences and recipes on the 2foodtrippers website. Since launching the site in 2012, they’ve traveled to over 40 countries in their quest to bring readers their unique taste of the world.

Disclosures

Article Updates
We update our articles regularly. Some updates are major while others are minor link changes and spelling corrections. Let us know if you see anything that needs to be updated in this article.

Funding
We purchased and ate the food featured in this article.

Original Publication Date: October 10, 2016

Bruno B

Saturday 17th of December 2016

Thanks for this great well-rounded article, I'm mouth-watering now! Although I've never visited Central Vietnam (only the North and South), I had the chance to try Bun Bo Hue and loved it! I'm sure it's not the same thing, but it still tasted delicious

Daryl and Mindi Hirsch

Thursday 22nd of December 2016

You should definitely travel to Hue and try Bun Bo Hue at the source!

stephanie

Tuesday 15th of November 2016

I liked Cau Lau and white rose a lot! x

kate

Wednesday 19th of October 2016

Delicious! I want to get on a plane and go eat in Vietnam right now!

Prateek Dasgupta

Monday 17th of October 2016

Very comprehensive guide to travelling and eating in Vietnam, Vietnamese food is so much more diverse than pho and banh mi ! I had heard of their famous coffee but hadn't heard of the salted coffee which sounds great because they usually use condensed milk in the coffee and it becomes too sweet! Lovely write up!

Evelyne

Sunday 16th of October 2016

Freaking amazing post and picks. I could not even pick a favorite dish to try, there are too many. But curious about the Bun Bo Hue and the salty coffee. One would never guess your cameraless with all these pics.

Daryl and Mindi Hirsch

Sunday 16th of October 2016

Oh, you will love the food in Central Vietnam! As for the camera, it died at the end of our time in Hoi An, but it was fine for most of the week in Hoi An as well as for the full week in Hue. It was dead in Danang and for our first 10 days in Saigon. We're super happy to have it back and working now!

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