If you asked 100 people what their favorite city in Vietnam is, 99 would tell you Hoi An (there’s always one weirdo). Count me in the 99%. Stroll through the narrow ancient city streets at night and you find people and music instead of roaring motorbikes. A colorful barrage of lanterns crisscrosses overhead. Hoi An transports you back to the mythical Asia you see in move but that’s all but lost today. It is a magical place.
But Hoi An is not one of those historical sites you just walk through once to check the box. It demands to be taken slow. And it has plenty to offer if you do. Some of the country’s best shops, tailors, bars and night markets can be found here. And then there’s the food. As you know a city is nothing to me without good food.
Hoi An is home to many specialty dishes you will rarely find anywhere else in the world. There are others they just do better. After spending a week here I barely scratched the surface of what this small city has to offer. In the ancient city you’ll find plenty of well regarded upscale restaurants offering their take on central Vietnamese cuisine (Morning Glory is the most famous of the lot). But just outside you can take in the city’s specialties the way locals have for generations – on the street for $1-2 a pop. All my recommendations below can be found within about a 15 minute walk of the old town.
Hoi An Tuong At
Hoi An Tuong At is not a restaurant. It’s not even a dish. But it’s one of the foods that makes eating in Hoi An so special.
Tuong At is a garlic chili sauce. You can find something that looks similar on nearly every table in Vietnam. But in Hoi An it’s different. Ground sesame and peanuts are mixed with local chilis harvested at the peak of their flavor to create a taste unlike anything else. It’s the best chili sauce I’ve ever had and scooping some onto your noodles or banh mi just makes everything in Hoi An all the better.
Banh Mi
The famous Vietnamese sandwich can be found in shops and stands in basically any town in Vietnam. But Hoi An is where you need to eat it. Locals will tell you the bread in Hoi An is the best in the country. The perfectly crispy baguette comes from a combination of Hoi An’s revered water supply and generations of baker’s that know exactly what they’re doing. I don’t disagree, but I think the meat and sauces also set Hoi An apart. I doubt you’ll find even a mediocre banh mi here, but these two are generally recognized as the best and after some taste testing I have to concur.
Banh My Phuong
Banh My Phuong was called “the World’s best Banh Mi” by Anthony Bourdain. So as you would imagine, the place has become pretty popular. They move 3,000 sandwiches a day and you’ll easily spot it from the line outside. Don’t worry, it moves pretty fast.
When we arrived at Phuong I found the menu a little confusing. Why is the first item a burger? It also doesn’t help that the English descriptions of the sandwiches are literal translations that don’t make it that clear what you’re getting. To make it easy for you I’ll tell you the one you want is number 9 on the menu: Banh Mi Thit Heo Voi Ham va Pate. This is the classic style banh mi and yeah it’s a mouthful, so just say “number 9.”
Phuong’s signature move is to add their secret recipe meat sauce along with a slathering of custom pork fillings. They also make the best tuong at sauce in town (and they will sell you a jar if you ask!) The one disappointment was I asked for it “very spicy” but the sandwich that arrived packed almost no heat at all. No problem though because you can add as much tuong at sauce as you want. Overall, Phuong’s banh mi is a great sandwich. That said, I am going to have respectful disagree with Tony on this one. This is only the world’s second best banh mi.
Madam Khanh The Banh My Queen
What is the best? Let’s just say the Queen of the Banh Mi is worthy of her crown. Her bread, special sauce and meats are a cut above. It was so good I had to eat a second (which is no problem when it’s less than $1!) Just don’t come expecting a smile with your service. The Queen kowtows to no one.
Interestingly, every foreigner I spoke to who tried both shops agreed this was their favorite. Some locals did have others they prefer, although no one suggested Phuong was superior. Of course, you should go decide for yourself.
Bale Well
Technically it’s not street food because there is an enclosed kitchen, but it’s open air and a local enough spot I am going to count it. It also happens to be the best place for a cheap blowout meal in Hoi An. There is only one option on the menu at Bale Well: a massive platter which will run you 130k Dong (about $5.50). For that, the server will bring everything to your table you could ever want: two types of pork skewers, spring rolls, Banh Xeo, rice wrappers, veggies and peanut & multiple dipping sauces. The move is to wrap your skewers and spring rolls up into the rice paper or banh xeo, add appropriate condiments, and enjoy. I had heard that it’s all you can eat, but I can’t imagine anyone getting past what’s brought out in round one. I guarantee you will stumble home happy and full.
Cao Lau
Cao Lau is a central Vietnamese dish you almost never seen on menus back home so it is imperative you grab a bowl while you’re here. The name means “high floor” because it was originally only for the upper classes, but these days you’ll find cheap bowls all over the streets of Hoi An. Cao Lau is a noodle soup of pork, sprouts and vegetables which sounds like a lot of things you find in Vietnam. But two things set it apart. First and foremost are the noodles which are made of broken rice and steeped in a special lye water found in certain local wells which give them an extra springy texture. The other is the signature pieces of crispy pork fat on top. It is one of the best noodle dishes in Vietnam so I will repeat DO NOT miss out on trying a bowl while you’re here.
My favorite Cao Lau was one we found by accident. We walked over to a locally recommended restaurant only to learn it had recently closed. Next door to the empty stall was a place called Quan Hong. Their 25k Dong bowl was fantastic. Unfortunately I don’t have much to compare it to so if you want to try some other spots, Anthony Bourdain recommended grabbing a bowl in the Central Market while Hidden Hoi An has their own list of favorites.
Banh Canh Ba Quyt
Banh Canh is another Vietnamese noodle soup you are not likely to find elsewhere. The defining element: thick, slippery noodles made of tapioca flour instead of the usual rice.
Ba Quyt is basically a little alleyway with a kitchen up front and a few tables in back. As soon as I sat down, I knew I was going to like it. The reason, this incredible chili and sauce spread.
The soup comes with different cuts of pork and some fish cakes, although I honestly could have done without the latter. But with a splash of the chili fish sauce and tuong at along with a squeeze of kaffir lime the bowl really livened up. I also appreciated the thick, chewy almost udon-like noodles which were a welcome change of pace from the typically thin ones found in Vietnam.
White Rose Dumplings (Banh Bao Vac)
If you’re trying to hit all the Hoi An specialties, these dumplings belong on your itinerary. Like many things here, the dough must be made with the local lye water. The dumpling skin in thin and chewy and can be filled with either pork or shrimp. I tried them at a place called Bao Han near the beach and enjoy the texture but found the flavors to be nothing special. However, there is a famous specialty spot called White Rose in town where they may be better.
Mi Quang
Mi Quang is Central Vietnamese specialty that is one of the most popular celebration dishes in Central Vietnam. The defining characteristics are wide rice noodles in a turmeric broth.
Ong Hai (or Mr. Hai) is the most highly touted place to grab a bowl in Hoi An, but like several place it was closed for renovations while I was in town. Apparently mid-March is not the best time to visit. The Mi Quang above came from a market in Da Nang and was slightly disappointing. I’ll have to try it again when I return.
Khai Nguyen Coffee House
If you’re a caffeine addict who has spent much time travelling around Southeast Asia, you’ll find one of the biggest disappointments is the coffee. But not so in Vietnam. I bet you didn’t know they are the second largest producer of coffee in the world. The reason you rarely see it abroad is that Arabica is by far the most common type of bean in the West. In Vietnam, they roast a different style known as Robusta.
Robusta has nearly twice the caffeine and a distinctively sweeter taste than Arabica. While in Vietnam, I grew to prefer it. If you’re looking to grab a great cup in Hoi An, this little shop is a great choice. They have a bunch single origin beans as well as some flavored drinks for your friends who don’t drink their coffee black.
Vy’s Market
Vy’s Market is definitely more restaurant than street food as well as more tourist oriented than I usually like. But if you’re with a big crew who have different tastes, it’s a great place to go hog wild and try a bunch of things. The market is run by Ms Vy who also owns the uber popular upscale restaurant Morning Glory. The market is a more casual spot that is essentially a giant food hall with every Central Vietnamese dish you can imagine and whole lot more you can’t. There is a menu, but if you’re hungry and looking to try as many things as you can I recommend taking the all you can eat option to take advantage of all they have to offer. There’s also a great pastry shop in back so save room for dessert!
XO Food Tour
If you’re interested in exploring outside of the old city area, I highly recommend the Dinner with the Nguyen’s Tour from XO Tours. You’ll get to explore some local restaurants but the real highlight is cooking (and eating) dinner at a local family’s home. It also ends with a sunset cruise back to the ancient city!
