10 Hoi An dishes you can’t miss
If you want to explore Hoi An to the fullest, you don’t want to miss the Hoi An food when visiting this city. Hoi An cuisine has a long history and is a combination of many different cultures. However, still, the presence of Vietnamese culture in Hoi An cuisine is immense.
Here’s a list of 10 best Hoi An food, try them and you will not be disappointed!
1. Cơm gà Hội An - Hoi An chicken rice
Hoi An chicken rice is such an iconic dish in Hoi An. It was brought to Vietnam by the Chinese merchants a long time ago and adjusted to fit Vietnamese taste.
The chicken used in Hoi An chicken rice is free-range chicken, with chewy, delicious meat and golden, crispy skin. The rice is cooked with chicken broth and a bit of turmeric powder, to create a sweet, fatty flavor and a nice yellow color.
Hoi An chicken rice is served with sweet and sour fish sauce, herbs, and a small bowl of hot chicken soup. Especially, the side dish sweet and sour green papaya salad will make the plate full-flavored.
You can try this at:
Com ga Ba Buoi
- Address: 22 Phan Chu Trinh Street, Minh An Ward, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province
- Open hours: 9:30 AM–8:30 PM
- Price: 40,000 - 120,000 vnd ($1.76-5.28)
Com ga Long
- Address: 16 Phan Chu Trinh Street, Minh An Ward, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province
- Open hours: 8:30 AM–10 PM
- Price: 40,000 - 170,000 vnd ($1.76-7.48)
2. Bánh mì Hội An - Hoi An style banh mi
Banh mi, or Vietnamese stuffed baguette, is probably the most famous street food in Vietnam. There are various versions of banh mi in Vietnam, but this Hoi An style banh mi is pretty distinguished.
Banh mi in Hoi An has a smaller shape, pointy ends, and a thinner crust. This shape allows the bread to be stuffed with a lot of fillings. The filling of Hoi An’s banh mi includes pâté, mayo, several types of Vietnamese ham, char siu, grilled pork, braised eggs, pickled carrots, cucumbers, herbs, and a signature sauce. It is this sauce and the Central Vietnamese-style satay chili that makes Hoi An banh mi so unique.
You can try this at:
- Banh mi Phuong
Address: 2B Phan Chu Trinh Street, Cam Chau Ward, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province
Open hours: 6:30 AM–9:30 PM
Price: 20,000 - 30,000 vnd ($0.88-1.32)
- Banh mi Madam Khanh
Address: 115 Tran Cao Van Street, Minh An Ward, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province
Open hours: 6:30 AM–7:30 PM
Price: 20,000 - 30,000 vnd ($0.88-1.32)
3. Nước Mót - Lemongrass and herbal tea
Nuoc Mot, aka. Mot tea is the name of a very famous healthy drink in Hoi An. This tea is made from lemon, lemongrass, and some herbs. The weather in Hoi An at noon is quite hot and sunny, a cup of nuoc Mot will help you cool down the heat.
Nuoc Mot has a mild sweet and sour taste and a natural aroma of lemongrass, as well as a nice yet simple decoration with lotus petals.
You can try this at:
- Mot Hoi An
Address: 150 Tran Phu Street, Minh An Ward, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province
Open hours: 8:00 AM–9:30 PM
Price: 12,000 vnd ($0.53)
4. Bánh xoài - Mango cake
Many tourists were surprised to know that the mango cake in Hoi An does not have any mango in its ingredients, and is not even a cake. Mango cakes have a thick and chewy texture, similar to Japanese mochi. The word mango in the name is inspired by the shape of the cake.
The filling of mango cake is crushed peanuts mixed with sugar. It's quite sweet, yet balanced with the mochi that's mild in taste. Mango cake is a popular Hoi An food, you can buy them at several street vendors all over the Ancient Town.
You can try this at:
- Hoi An Market
Address: 19 Tran Phu Street, Cam Chau Ward, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province
Open hours: 8:00 AM-9:00 PM
Price: 5,000 vnd ($0.22)
5. Mì Quảng - Quang-style noodles
Mi Quang aka. Quang-style noodles are created by people in Quang Nam Province, where Hoi An is located. That’s why Mi Quang in Hoi An has a special taste.
The broth here is thicker and has a richer flavor than the same dish in other places. The noodles in Hoi An’s Mi Quang also get their yellow from turmeric. Mi Quang is often served with pork, chicken, shrimp, quail eggs, and Vietnamese herbs. Don't forget to add a spoon of the signature chili sauce to enhance the flavor!
You can try this at:
- Mi Quang Ong Hai
Address: 6A Truong Minh Luong Street, Cam Chau Ward, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province
Open hours: 11 AM–10 PM
Price: 50,000 vnd ($2.2)
- Mi Quang Di Hat
Address: 81 Phan Chu Trinh Street, Minh An Ward, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province
Open hours: 5:30 PM–11 PM
Price: 35,000 vnd ($1.53)
6. Cao Lầu - Hoi An signature pork noodles
In this entire list, Cao Lau is the most authentic Hoi An street food. The name Cao Lau means "high floor" in Vietnamese, which is the place reserved only for rich people to enjoy this dish in the past.
A good Cao Lau must have noodles made from Hoi An’s rice, lye mixture from Cu Lao Cham's wood, and water from Ba Le well. The noodles are hand-cut, thick, and mild yellow.
Cao Lau will be served with sliced char siu, crispy pork lard, bean sprouts, and herbs. Noodles are mixed with char siu sauce, only a small amount of which can bring a very strong flavor.
You can try this at:
- Mi Quang - Cao Lau Bich
Address: 272 Hung Vuong Street, Thanh Ha Ward, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province
Open hours: 6:30 AM–8 PM
Price: 30,000 - 35,000 vnd ($1.32-1.53)
- Cao Lau Thanh
Address: 26 Thai Phien Street, Minh An Ward, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province
Open hours: 7 AM–7:30 PM
Price: 30,000 vnd ($1.32)
7. Bánh hoa hồng trắng - White rose dumpling
The name White rose of this dish comes from the appearance of the dumpling. The dumpling wrapper is made from high-quality rice flour and pure water taken from Ba Le well. Therefore, the wrapper is pure white, and wrapped in the shape of a rose.
White roses have 2 types of fillings: shrimp and minced pork mixed with mushrooms. The wrapper is thin, chewy, combined with a rich filling, different from regular dumplings. Both types of White rose are served with crispy fried shallot and sweet and sour fish sauce.
You can try this at:
- Bong Hong Trang Restaurant
Address: 533 Hai Ba Trung Street, Cam Pho Ward, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province
Open hours: 7:00 AM–8:30 PM
Price: 70,000 vnd ($3.08)
- Pho Xua Restaurant
Address: 35 Phan Chu Trinh Street, Minh An Ward, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province
Open hours: 10:00 AM–8:45 PM
Price: 40,000 vnd ($1.76)
8. Bánh ướt thịt nướng - Steamed rice pancake rolled with grilled pork skewers
Banh uot thit nuong is one of the most famous Hoi An food. Vietnamese people love to eat rolls, with lots of fresh greens. This dish is no exception.
Pork is seasoned with lemongrass, onions, and garlic and skewered on a bamboo stick, then grilled over charcoal. Instead of rice vermicelli, people roll this dish with steamed rice pancake. And instead of sweet and sour fish sauce, the rolls will be dipped in Hoi An-style peanut sauce.
Green vegetables in this dish are supplied by the Tra Que Vegetable Village, that’s why they are always fresh and green.
You can try this at:
- Quan Co Gai
Address: 90 Phan Chu Trinh Street, Minh An Ward, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province
Open hours: 12 PM–9 PM
Price: 25,000 - 40,000 vnd ($1.1-1.76)
- Banh uot thit nuong Co Loi
Address: 3 Nguyen Hue Street, Cam Chau Ward, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province
Open hours: 3:30 PM–7:45 PM
Price: 35,000 - 50,000 vnd ($1.53-2.2)
9. Bánh bèo chén - Vietnamese water fern-shaped rice cake
Vietnam has a lot of dishes made from rice flour and the steaming method. However, Banh beo is distinctive from the others by its appearance. Banh beo is steamed in a very small bowl, which is “chen”, so it is round and small, like a water fern.
Banh beo is also a popular Hoi An street food, you can find it in restaurants and street vendors. After being steamed, Banh beo will be served with shrimp and meat sauce on top. The unique feature of Hoi An's banh beo is that the chef often sprinkles some crispy fried Cao Lau noodles on top, creating contrast in textures.
You can try this at:
- Banh beo Co Tu
Address: 77 Phan Dinh Phung Street, Minh An Ward, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province
Open hours: 6:30 AM–7 PM
Price: 30,000 - 45,000 vnd ($1.32-1.98)
- Banh beo Ba Bay
Address: 2 Hoang Van Thu Street, Minh An Ward, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province
Open hours: 1 PM–7 PM
Price: 35,000 vnd ($1.53)
10. Hoành thánh chiên - Hoi An fried wontons
Hoanh thanh chien is definitely a must-try dish when you visit Hoi An. Originally created by the same chef of White rose dumplings, however, Hoanh thanh chien is totally different in taste.
Hoi An’s fried wontons don’t have a filling wrapped inside like the traditional Chinese dish. However, wonton wrappers are fried till they turn golden and crispy, then topped with a mix of stir-fried minced pork, shrimp, onion, tomato, and bell pepper. It pretty much looks like Salsa and chips in Mexico, but with a different taste and serving style.
You can try this at:
- Cao Lau Ba Le Well
Address: 49/3 Tran Hung Dao, Son Phong Ward, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province
Open hours: 11 AM–8:30 PM
Price: 65,000 vnd ($2.86)
- Bong Hong Trang Restaurant
Address: 533 Hai Ba Trung Street, Cam Pho Ward, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province
Open hours: 7:00 AM–8:30 PM
Price: 100,000 vnd ($4.4)
Cuisine is a short way to get into a culture, and if you want to know Hoi An, you have to taste Hoi An food. Read more about Hoi An here.