What to eat in Hoi An? 20+ Hoi An food specialties that tourists must try when visiting the ancient town

1. 20+ must-try Hoi An food for tourists 

1.1 Quang Noodle - The irresistible dish of Hoi An

When mentioning Hoi An specialties, the must-try dish is Quang noodles. Quang noodles usually have many types for people to choose from depending on their preferences such as Quang noodles with pork, Quang noodles with shrimp, Quang noodles with snakehead fish, Quang noodles with beef, Quang noodles with chicken (sometimes served with boiled eggs depending on the taste of the eater), etc. all served with broth is stewed from pork bones. Normally, the broth of Quang noodles is very little, creating the feeling of enjoying a mixed dish. In particular, the taste of Quang noodles will be even more attractive when combined with roasted peanuts, rice crackers, fresh herbs, fried onions, and more. The price of Quang noodles ranges from 25,000 to 40,000 VND per bowl.

Address of delicious Quang noodles in Hoi An:

• Aunt Hat’s Quang Noodles

- Address: 4 Phan Chau Trinh, Hoi An City

- Price range: 15,000 – 25,000 VND

• Mr. Hai's Quang Noodles

- Address: 6A Truong Minh Luong, Hoi An City

- Price range: 15,000 – 40,000 VND

• Mrs. Minh's Quang Noodles

- Address: Cam Ha, Hoi An City

- Price range: 25,000 – 50,000 VND

1.2 Vietnamese thick noodle soup

Vietnamese thick noodle soup is not a strange dish and can easily be enjoyed in other provinces across the country. However, Hoi An's Vietnamese thick noodle soup still captivates tourists with its taste and the variety of Vietnamese thick noodle soup. This Hoi An food is usually made from various types of rice flour, tapioca flour, or wheat flour and comes in many different versions for tourists to choose from such as crab Vietnamese thick noodle soup, pork knuckle Vietnamese thick noodle soup, fish cake Vietnamese thick noodle soup, etc.

Addresses of delicious Vietnamese thick noodle soup in Hoi An:

• Mrs. Quyt's Vietnamese thick noodle soup

- Address: 51 Thanh Hoa, Tan An, Hoi An City

- Price range: 30,000 - 60,000 VND

• Mrs. Luon's Vietnamese thick noodle soup

- Address: 276 Ly Thuong Kiet, Minh An, Hoi An City

- Price range: 15,000 - 35,000 VND

1.3 Wontons is a Hoi An specialty

Originally from China, wonton has gradually adapted to suit Vietnamese tastes over time and has become a famous delicacy in Hoi An. The filling of wonton is quite diverse, including shrimp, pork, wood ear mushrooms, mushrooms, etc. The wrapper is meticulously thin, carrying the flavor of rice. Wontons can be steamed or fried depending on individual preferences.

Addresses of popular wonton eateries in Hoi An:

• Anh Ba’s Wonton Noodle

- Address: Alley 109 Tran Hung Dao Street, Hoi An City

- Price range: 30,000 - 60,000 VND

• Nguyen Loi Noodle Shop

- Address: No. 78 Tran Hung Dao Street, Hoi An City

- Price range: 30,000 - 70,000 VND

• Hoang Ky Wonton Noodle

- Address: No. 67 Tran Phu Street, Hoi An City

- Price range: 35,000 - 80,000 VND

1.4 Steamed rice rolls with grilled pork - The Quintessence of Hoi An Cuisine

Despite being a simple street food dish, Steamed rice rolls with grilled pork in Hoi An is revered as a culinary icon. To create the delicious specialty properly, the chef must skillfully choose fresh and flavorful pork, and marinate it with a blend of spices including five-spice powder, shallots, and lemongrass. The pork used with Hoi An steamed rice is typically thinly sliced pork belly, skewered, and grilled over charcoal. After the steamed rice is thinly coated and set aside to cool, a sprinkle of sesame seeds is added to enhance its aroma. The skewered pork served with steamed rice comes at an incredibly affordable price of only 5000 VND per skewer. This Hoi An specialty dish encompasses the flavors of spicy, sour, salty, and sweet, all expertly harmonized to the point where anyone who tries it is left deeply satisfied.

Here are some addresses for where to find delicious steamed rice rolls with grilled pork in Hoi An:

• Mrs. Huong

- Address: 31 Tieu La, Minh An, Hoi An

- Price Range: 6,000 - 30,000 VND

• Mrs. Hoi's steamed rice tool with grilled pork

- Address: 3 Nguyen Hue, Hoi An

- Price Range: 7,000 - 9,000 VND per skewer

• Ba Le Well

- Address: 45/51 Tran Hung Dao, Minh An, Hoi An

- Price Range: 15,000 - 45,000 VND

1.5 White Rose - a Hoi An food

When it comes to street food in Hoi An, one cannot overlook the dish called "White Rose". Wrapped delicately, White Rose features a thin layer covering the filling of shrimp and pork, shaped into gentle and cozy flower-like forms. This dish not only embodies a modern touch but also preserves traditional flavors, earning high praise from many travelers.

Recommended places to try White Rose in Hoi An:

• White Rose Restaurant

- Address: 533 Hai Ba Trung Street, Cam Pho Ward, Hoi An City

• Hoi An Market Area

1.6 Hoi An Specialty - Beo cake

Beo cake stands out as one of Hoi An's specialties, evoking memorable experiences for many tourists. Each small bowl contains a part of the cake made from rice flour, filled with a combination of shrimp and pork. The essence of Beo cake lies in its dipping sauce, which strikes a perfect balance between sourness, sweetness, and saltiness. The price for Beo cake is typically around 5000 VND per bowl.

Recommended places to try Beo cake in Hoi An:

• Mrs. Bay’s Beo cake

- Address: 2 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Hoi An City

- Price: From 3,000 VND per bowl

• Mrs. My’s Beo cake

- Address: End of Tran Phu Street, adjacent to Phan Chau Trinh Street, Hoi An City

- Price: From 3,000 VND per bowl

1.7. Hoi An Pancake - A Taste of Childhood in Hoi An

Hoi An Pancake is a renowned dish on the culinary map of the ancient town. With its crispy golden crust, tender meat and soft shrimp filling, eaten with sweet and sour fish sauce or broth, all blend together to create a unique flavor for this dish. The highlight of this dish is undoubtedly the dipping sauce. There are two common types of dipping sauce: fish sauce and broth. The broth part is meticulously prepared, and not easily replicated everywhere, including ground peanuts, sesame seeds, and boiled pork liver. Pancakes cost around 10,000 VND/piece and are widely available at many famous tourist spots in Hoi An.

Addresses for delicious pancake in Hoi An:

• Ba Le Well’s Hoi An Pancake 

- Address: 45/51 Tran Hung Dao Street, Hoi An City

- Price range: 15,000 - 44,000 VND/portion

• Island’s Hoi An Pancake

- Address: 409 Hai Ba Trung Street, Cam Son Ward, Hoi An City

- Price range: 20,000 - 40,000 VND/portion

1.8. Hoi An Banh Mi - a Hoi An delicacy famous around the world

Hoi An Banh Mi, a beloved street food, is made from thick bread, with a hot and crispy outer crust. The Banh Mi is baked with butter in the oven, creating a very eye-catching shiny golden color. The filling of the Banh Mi is made from sauce, char siu, pate, sausage, cheese, and raw vegetables. The char siu is marinated according to a secret recipe, making it perfectly cooked, tender, and with a tempting sweet aroma. To not make people feel heavy, Hoi An Banh Mi is often accompanied by some green vegetables and papaya salad. This dish is very affordable, ranging from 10,000 to 35,000 VND/piece.

Addresses for delicious Banh Mi in Hoi An:

• Mrs. Bua’s Banh Mi

- Address: 117 Nguyen Truong To Street, Minh An Ward, Hoi An City

- Price: From 15,000 VND/loaf

• Mrs. Lanh’s Hoi An Banh Mi

- Address: 430 Cua Dai Street, Cam Chau Ward, Hoi An City

- Price: From 20,000 VND/loaf

1.9 Bao Buns

Food enthusiasts visiting Hoi An will surely be familiar with bao buns. These belong to the family of Chinese dim sum. The main ingredients include white sticky rice, with finely ground shrimp filling. Especially when paired with sweet and sour fish sauce, tourists will experience layers of different flavors spreading in their mouths, both familiar and uniquely exotic. Bao buns are carefully wrapped to the extent that many foreign tourists refer to them as "white rose cakes" of Hoi An.

Recommended places to try delicious Bao buns in Hoi An:

• Trong Com Restaurant

- Address: 92 Bach Dang Street, Hoi An City

- Price range: 50,000 - 100,000 VND per dish

• Trung Bac Restaurant - Cao Lau White Rose

- Address: 87 Tran Phu, Minh An Ward, Hoi An City

- Price range: 50,000 - 100,000 VND per dish

>>> Explore more: How does food define Hoi An Memories Land? 

1.10 Hoi An crushed rice cracker

Like its name, when enjoying crushed rice crackers, you need to use your hand to press down the middle part of the cake until it breaks into many pieces. After that, you can separate small pieces and eat them with dipping sauce. The dipping sauce of this dish is made from seasoned fish sauce with the main ingredients being onions and anchovies. You can eat your fill of crushed rice crackers at a very reasonable price, only 20,000 - 25,000 VND.

Recommended places to try delicious crushed rice crackers in Hoi An:

• Cam Nam Eatery - Famous Hoi An Smashed Rice Cake Eatery

- Address: 679 Hai Ba Trung Street, Hoi An City

- Price range: 15,000 - 50,000 VND (depending on filling)

• Ba Gia’s crushed rice crackers

- Address: Hamlet 1, Cam Nam Ward, Hoi An City

- Price range: 20,000 - 25,000 VND

1.11 Hoi An Chicken Rice

Hoi An Chicken Rice is one of the specialties of Hoi An food that you must try. The delicious flavor of Hoi An chicken rice comes from rice cooked in chicken broth, along with tender boiled chicken shredded into small pieces, all neatly arranged on a plate and beautifully garnished with fresh greens. When enjoying it, you can add chili sauce or the distinctive chili fish sauce here to fully appreciate the wonderful flavor of this chicken rice dish.

Recommended places to enjoy delicious chicken rice in Hoi An:

• Mrs. Buoi's Chicken Rice

- Address: 22 Phan Chau Trinh Street, Hoi An City

- Price: From 35,000 VND and up

• Mrs. Ho's Chicken Rice

- Address: 16 Phan Chu Trinh Street, Hoi An City

- Price range: From 30,000 VND to 50,000 VND

>> Explore here: Save & Savor: Top 10 Chicken Rice restaurants in Hoi An

1.12 Hoi An Cao Lau

When it comes to Hoi An specialties, one cannot ignore Cao Lau dishes. Cao Lau features yellow noodles combined with shrimp, pork, fresh greens, and a bit of broth. The yellow color of the noodles is the result of mixing with ash from a local tree. When enjoying Cao Lau, tourists will experience the crispiness of the noodles and a range of rich flavors such as sour, spicy, slight bitterness, sweetness from the fresh greens, etc. The price for a bowl of Cao Lau ranges from 25,000 VND to 30,000 VND.

Top 3 famous Cao Lau eateries in Hoi An:

• Trung Bac Hoi An Cao Lau Restaurant

- Address: 87 Tran Phu Street, Hoi An City, Quang Nam

- Price range: 30,000 VND – 50,000 VND

• Thanh’s Cao Lau Restaurant

- Address: 26 Thai Phien Street, Minh An Ward, Hoi An City, Quang Nam

- Price range: 30,000 VND – 50,000 VND

• Ms. Be's Hoi An Cao Lau Restaurant

- Address: 19 Tran Phu Street, Cam Chau Ward, Hoi An City, Quang Nam

- Price range: 20,000 VND – 44,000 VND

1.13 Mussel Rice

Hoi An Mussel Rice is prepared in a unique style, with mussels having a sweet taste without any fishy smell. The unique flavor of Mussel Rice will surely attract you at first sight. Usually, Mussel Rice is accompanied by fresh vegetables made from thinly sliced banana blossoms, fresh herbs, pineapple, banana stems, and chopped star fruits to enhance the rich flavor.

Recommended places to enjoy delicious Mussel Rice in Hoi An:

• Co Ngay Restaurant

- Address: 76 Nguyen Tri Phuong Street, Cam Nam Ward, Hoi An City

- Price range: 7,000 VND – 15,000 VND

• Ba Gia’s Stir-fried Mussel Restaurant

- Address: Hamlet 1, Cam Nam Commune, Hoi An City

- Price range: 20,000 VND – 25,000 VND

1.14 Hoi An broken rice - Hoi An delicious dish that makes many tourists fall in love

If you don't know what to eat in Hoi An, try broken rice in Hoi An. Known as the quintessence of Central cuisine, Hoi An broken rice has a special flavor that tourists will remember long after the first taste. Hoi An broken rice costs about 25,000 to 40,000 VND/bowl. In addition to broken rice and egg dishes, you can also choose from many other diverse dishes such as braised meat with eggs, grilled chicken thighs and bone soup.

Addresses of delicious broken rice in Hoi An:

• Moc’s Hoi An broken rice

- Address: No. 210A Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Hoi An City

- Price: 50,000 VND/serving

• Thang Bom’s Hoi An broken rice

- Address: No. 623 Hai Ba Trung Street, Hoi An City

- Price ranges: 30,000 - 60,000 VND/serving

1.15 Hoi An Specialty - Sweet Soups

Sweet soups are popular in Hoi An, from small alleys, main streets, shops to street vendors. It must be said that Hoi An has many types of sweet soup with very delicious flavors. You can enjoy any sweet soup stall you come across. Some unique types of sweet soup that you should enjoy in Hoi An are:

• Red beans sweet gruel
• Hoi An sweet lotus seed gruel
• Xi sweet gruel
• Corn sweet gruel
• black sesame seeds gruel

Addresses of delicious sweet soup in Hoi An:

• Mrs. Le’s Thung sweet gruel

- Address: No. 369 Cua Dai Street, Cam Chau Ward, Hoi An City

- Price ranges: 10,000 VND - 15,000 VND

• Lotus seed sweet soup in the ancient town

- Address: No. 1 Hoang Van Thu, Hoi An City

- Price ranges: 10,000 VND - 15,000 VND

1.16 Hoi An specialty - Mrs. Sau’s mixed sweet soup

Located right on the street front, Mrs. Sau's simple sweet soup stall attracts passersby with its rustic and simple tables and chairs. Although the space is simple, it is always crowded with customers coming in and going.

The stall’s menu is extremely rich with many different types of sweet soup, each with its own unique flavor. The special thing is that the stall always keeps the sweet soup hot in the cold season and cool in the summer. Taking a sip of hot sweet soup in the cold weather, you will fully feel the rich, pure flavor. On hot summer days, a cool cup of sweet soup will help you dispel the heat and refresh your spirit.

With delicious flavors, affordable prices and attentive service style, this sweet soup stall is an ideal destination for those who want to enjoy delicious sweet soup dishes and rediscover the feeling of childhood.

1.17 Mot Tea

The recipe for Mot tea is very simple, just add a bit of ginger and lemongrass to herbal tea and you have a refreshing and healthy drink. Mot tea is a specialty of Hoi An that many tourists love because of its simple and rustic appearance, yet its gentle fragrance helps relieve all the tension for travelers.

- Address: 150 Tran Phu, Hoi An City

- Price ranges: From 12,000 - 50,000 VND/portion

1.18 Green Bean Cakes - Impressive Hoi An Delicacy

Green bean cakes filled with pork are an exquisite gift with the rich flavor of the ancient town. There are two types of cakes: dried and wet. The cakes are beautifully shaped and have a delicious, rich flavor. When you take a bite, you'll taste the savory, fatty taste of pork fat blending with the sweet, refreshing taste of green beans, creating an unforgettable gastronomic experience.

Address:

• Mrs. Lieu’s green bean cake: 513 Tran Hung Dao, Hoi An City
• Mau Trinh’s green bean cake: 21 Phan Chau Trinh, Hoi An City
• Thanh Huong’s green bean cake: 115 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Hoi An City

Price fluctuation:

• Dried green bean cake: 40,000 - 60,000 VND/box (200g)
• Wet green bean cake: 30,000 - 40,000 VND/box (200g)

1.19 Peach Wine

Peach Wine is a signature drink of Hoi An, renowned for its robust and fragrant flavor. The wine is brewed from cooked rice, mixed with yeast leaves, and left to ferment in jars for about a week. Afterward, thinly sliced ripe peaches are added and left to ferment for an additional 100 days, imparting a unique flavor to the wine. Hoi An locals often use Peach Wine as an appetizer or enjoy it with friends on special occasions.

Address:

• Tra Que Vegetable Village, Hoi An City
• Hoi An Market: Tran Phu, Hoi An City
• Hoi An specialty stores
• Price ranges: 150,000 - 200,000 VND/bottle

1.20 Vietnamese traditional cupcake

Vietnamese traditional cupcakes are a rustic but essential delicacy when visiting Hoi An. The cake boasts a beautiful golden hue, made from wheat flour, chicken eggs, and some traditional spices. When savored, you'll taste the rich aroma of eggs, the chewy texture of wheat flour, and the sweet essence of sugar. Enjoying Vietnamese traditional cupcake with hot tea is a fantastic experience, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the flavors of Hoi An's streets.

Address:

• Ba Huong’s Vietnamese traditional cupcake: 14 Phan Chau Trinh, City. Hoi An
• Mrs. Be’s Vietnamese traditional cupcake and Beo Cake: 15/28 Phan Chau Trinh, City. Hoi An
• Cam Nam’s Vietnamese traditional cupcake: Tra Que Vegetable Village, City. Hoi An

Price ranges: 20,000 - 30,000 VND/box

1.21 Rice dumpling cake - Delicious Hoi An food that you'll be addicted to

Rice dumpling cake is a simple gift but it carries the distinctive flavors of Hoi An. For just 15,000 VND, you can enjoy a full serving of cake filled with shrimp and green bean filling, served with cut sausage, sour spring rolls and sprinkled with sweet and sour fish sauce.

Each tiny, transparent cake hides either a filling of red shrimp or rich green beans. When you take a bite, you will feel the toughness and flexibility of the crust mixed with the sweetness of the filling, the greasy taste of sausage, the sour and spicy taste of spring rolls and the harmonious sweet and sour taste of fish sauce. All create an unforgettable culinary experience.

Rice dumpling cake not only delights the taste buds but also carries the cultural value of the people of Hoi An. This dish is often sold on street food stalls along the roadside, adding a distinctive touch to the culinary scene of the ancient town.

Address:

• Mrs. Xe’s rice dumpling cake: 47/5 Phan Chau Trinh, City. Hoi An
• Mrs. Be’s rice dumpling cake and Beo cake: 15/28 Phan Chau Trinh, City. Hoi An
• Hoi An market’s rice dumpling cake: Tran Phu, City. Hoi An

Price ranges: 15,000 - 20,000 VND/plate

2. Enjoy the "specialty" of the Hoi An Memories Show

Although not related to the culinary field, the Hoi An Memories Show is still considered a "specialty" that tourists should not miss when visiting the ancient town. The reason why Hoi An Memories is called a "specialty" for tourists to enjoy is due to the following factors:

• The show recreates Hoi An in the past with prominent highlights from 400 years ago.
• The Hoi An Memories Show is the largest stage reality program (25,000m2) and has the highest number of participating actors in Vietnam (nearly 500 actors) as recorded by the Guinness Vietnam organization.
• Hoi An Memories is the only show screened at Time Square in New York.
• The Memories of Hoi An is a performance showcasing numerous artistic, cultural, and historical values of Vietnam. It is considered a focal point that attracts audiences, especially helping international tourists gain a deeper understanding of Vietnamese culture and history.
• The stage is meticulously constructed and grandly designed with over 3300 seats. Surrounding the stage is the picturesque Hoai River, and in the middle of the stage, there is a branch of the Hoai River flowing, adding to the vividness of the setting.
• The  Hoi An Memories - a show that has received many prestigious awards in Hoi An: the Leading Historical Spectacle Show Award 2019, The Guide Awards 2019, and the TripAdvisor Travellers Choice 2020 Award for impressive destinations worldwide. The show has been acclaimed by Reuters as the most beautiful and most captivating show in the world.

It can be said that the Hoi An Memories show will surely leave the audience with unforgettable emotions and impressions.

Explore The Memories of Hoi An show through the trailer.

Khám phá show Ký Ức Hội An qua thước phim trailer

3. Create your own Hoi An "specialties" with the Cooking Class program at Hoi An Memories Land

In order to help tourists "touch" closer to the life of residents, Hoi An Memories Land has offered a Cooking Class program with many interesting activities. Accordingly, cooking classes at Hoi An Memories Land include two packages are sold as follows:

3.1 Market package: 569,000 VND/GUEST

• Time: 9:00 am - 1:00 pm (daily)
• Location: An Bistro Restaurant
• Means of transportation: Electric car, bicycle or boat
• The menu includes: Fresh spring rolls with shrimp and meat; Seafood pancakes; Cao Lau
• Activities: Visit the market, explore Vietnamese cuisine with attractive dishes and cook with chefs of Hoi An Memories Land, then enjoy the meal.

After completion, tourists will also be issued a certificate by Hoi An Memories Land.

3.2 Package without going to the market: 429,000 VND/GUEST

• Time: 10:00 am - 1:00 pm (daily)
• Location: An Bistro Restaurant
• The menu includes: Fresh spring rolls with shrimp and meat; Seafood pancakes; Cao Lau
• Activity: Cook with Hoi An Memories Land's chef, then enjoy the meal. Upon completion, tourists will also be issued a certificate by Hoi An Memories Land.
• >> Registration link: https://www.facebook.com/memoriesland.hoian 

In the cooking class offered by Hoi An Memories Land, local chefs will guide tourists step by step in cooking and preparing local specialties such as Cao Lau and pancake. With attentive guidance from the chefs, tourists will easily follow each step, as well as enjoy chopping, slicing, frying, and stir-frying. And with readily available recipes to help you measure ingredients more accurately. Whether young or old, diners will all enjoy the hands-on experience of cooking, listening to the sizzling sound of ingredients in the pan or finely chopping garlic and chili to make the exclusive dipping sauce recipe from the Quang region. Afterward, tourists can enjoy the fruits of their labor amidst the fragrant scent of nature.

The cooking classes at Hoi An Memories Land offer an opportunity for tourists to taste the local flavors created by their own hands, as well as uncover many intriguing stories surrounding each specialty dish of Hoi An. In particular, the cooking classes utilize organic ingredients grown in Hoi An. Therefore, participants will have the chance to observe, touch, taste, and gradually savor the aroma and delicious taste of the tropical fruits and vegetables nurtured by Hoi An's rich climate and fertile land. 

Hoi An cuisine is incredibly rich and diverse. Therefore, if you're on a short trip, it might be challenging to try all the delicious dishes here. With this article, Hoi An Memories Land hopes to introduce you to some outstanding Hoi An specialties that you can prioritize tasting if you don't have much time in this ancient city. If you're interested in the Hoi An Memories Show, you can contact us via hotline 1900 63 66 00 - 0904 636 600 or our website: https://hoianmemoriesland.com/  for the most specific advice! Wishing you a memorable vacation in Hoi An.