The 5 best food cities in Vietnam

Nga Do
While many cities around the world attract foodies with their delicious local fare, some have even more than that to offer.

Talking about Vietnamese food may be not a new topic as it has been well-known around the world. You’ll never go hungry while wandering in Vietnam. So, which part of Vietnam has the most delicious cuisine? This question must be really difficult to answer for any traveler to Vietnam because each region has its own specialties and variations. Hungry visitors to Vietnam will soon discover how much the food varies as they travel along the country. Due to a wide selection of Vietnamese food, your taste buds will always be in for a surprise. Keep scrolling to see which cities boast the most national cuisines.

Hanoi

Tourists eat out late at night in Hanoi.

The 5 best food cities in Vietnam
Photo by Larry
Hanoi has plenty of sights to appeal to visitors – Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, One-Pillar Pagoda, Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter with its bustling streets... If you really want to understand the Hanoian people and their culture, you’ll need to delve deep into its street food. Walking is always my favorite way to explore new places, and food-based adventures really elevate the entire experience. Hanoi’s food scene can be overwhelming with its mix of smells and tastes. And it is definitely well worth exploring. Just to name a few, here are some of the must-try dishes: Pho Noodles, Pho Cuon, Xoi (sticky rice with toppings), Bun Rieu, Banh Mi sandwich, Caphe Trung (Egg Coffee) and last but not least, Bun Cha – it's what Obama ate during his night out with Bourdain.

Enjoy learning to make traditional Vietnamese dishes? Opt for a cooking class, come home with secret recipes and you'll surprise your friends and family back in your hometown.

Sapa

Along the streets in town, you’ll see numerous street side stalls selling skewers

The misty mountain town of Sapa is famous for its mysterious atmosphere and ethnic minority locals — but one of its best features is its incredible food. The cold, humid and foggy weather makes eating in Sapa equal parts an enjoyable past-time and a matter of staying warm. Eating in Sapa is an adventure in flavors and cooking, since much of the food in Sapa is cooked oven a sizzling open flame in the open. It would be a pity if you miss the fascinating foods in Sapa such as "Cap Nach" Pork, Salmon Hot Pot, Thang Co Soup, Khang Gai Dried Meat... 

Hue

Bun Bo Hue – an iconic dish of Hue cuisine

The 5 best food cities in Vietnam 2
Photo by Minh28397
Everywhere in Vietnam, you’ll be told that Hue is the best place for a delicious meal. A distinctive feature of Hue dishes is the relatively small serving size with refined presentation, a vestige of the royal cuisine. Absolutely on your must-eat list, there is Bun Bo Hue (Hue-style Beef Vermicelli), Com Hen (Baby Clam Rice), Bun Thit Nuong (Vermicelli with Grilled Pork), Nem Lui (Lemongrass Skewers) and various kinds of ‘banh’ (cake) and ‘che’ (sweet soup)... Eating these dishes is best done at a leisurely pace - ambling around the town to find the perfect hideaway.

Hoi An

Trying local street food is a must do activity in Hoi An

Among all of the central cities renowned for delicious food, Hoi An is regularly touted as the best. Hoi An’s attractiveness lies not only in its lovely locals but also its vast cuisine. Believe it or nor, an especially important reason to visit Hoi An is for its food. The town is small but the cuisine culture is so rich and diversity, with dishes that are so cheap but extremely delicious. Sampling the local cuisine in Hoi An was something that I enjoyed the most. Referring to Hoian, it’s a big mistake to forget its iconic dishes: Cao Lau Noodles, My Quang (Quang-style Noodles), Com Ga (Hoian Chicken Rice), Banh Mi (Basically, ‘Banh Mi’ is delicious, but ‘Banh Mi Hoian’ is incredibly delicious and can-not-skip), Banh Bao Vac (White Rose Dumplings), Banh Beo (steamed rice pancake)...

Saigon (Hochiminh City)

Saigon is known around the world for its amazing street-food

Just like its northern culinary cousins, Ho Chi Minh City is a hub for street food, but has a particular taste that’s different from the rest of the country. Thanks to the year-round heat, food in Ho Chi Minh City is thinner and sweeter than the north, so many of its iconic dishes (including pho) trade northern Vietnam’s thick and savory tastes for something decidedly lighter.

This is the place where there is always something to eat, with new discoveries to be made everyday. Cuisine from all over the world can be found in this city. Walk around and you’ll find food stalls or mobile food carts lining the streets, selling everything from crispy pancakes to fresh pressed cane juice to grilled sea food. With a glut of tasty dishes to sample, it’s hard to decide what to choose for a short list of the must-try food in Hochiminh City. Not mention about the international dishes, for the dishes suggested here, really, you can find them all over the place and if you see a sign for one of the dishes, stop at the stall, order it, and try it out: Pho (remember, the taste of pho in the south is totally different from the taste of the north), Banh Trang Tron (Rice Paper Salad), Banh Mi (Yeah, 'banh mi' again, but banh mi of each region is different but all are yummy. So try them all as there are countless variation of 'banh mi' sandwich waiting for you to discover!), Com Tam (Broken Rice), Bun Bo Nam Bo (Southern-style beef vermicelli), Banh Xeo. Hu Tiu Nam Vang, Oc (Snails)…

Vietnam is among the greatest food destinations in the world, a journey through Vietnamese food and culture - if you have never been to Vietnam before, this idea might excite you. Vietnamese cuisine is so ubiquitous, so varied, and so delicious. At the same time, Vietnam has one of the healthiest foods in Asia, if not the world. Eat your way through Vietnam, sure, you will be a big fan of Vietnamese food!

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