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Private tailor-made journeys of a life time
Sep 15, 2023
By Ms. Anh Thu
Overview
What is the best street food in Hoi An? Hoi An Ancient Town, a UNESCO-listed Vietnamese town on the Thu Bon River, is a charming and atmospheric blend of indigenous and foreign cultures, showcasing a unique heritage site that combines harmoniously. Coming to the Ancient Town for your trip to Vietnam, do not hesitate to enjoy the street food - one of Hoi An’s attractive points. If you are looking for some street food to enjoy in Hoi An, you are in the right place, Let’s find out the best street food in Hoi An!
Hoi An Ancient town in Quang Nam Province was a well-preserved small-scale trading port from the 15th to 19th centuries. Its traditional urban tissue has been preserved despite its decline in the 19th century. The town combines indigenous and foreign cultures, primarily Chinese and Japanese, with European influences. Hoi An is a living museum that showcases the 15th-19th century seaport of Southeast Asia, with over 800 preserved ancient buildings. Despite urbanization, the town's original street plan and architecture remain intact. Vietnamese culture is fascinating, influenced by Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, and French influences. Hoi An is now a UNESCO heritage site, offering a magical environment where Japanese, Chinese, French, and Vietnamese architecture come together with unique homogeneity. Understanding Vietnamese culture can enhance your time in the country, you will love Hoi An Ancient Town in particular and Vietnam in general.
Hoi An, a bustling international trading port in the 17th and 18th centuries, is known for its rich and diverse culinary culture. The city's large Chinese population preserves their culinary habits and customs, often cooking their own dishes during holidays, Tet, and weddings. Hoi An cuisine is known for its traditional and mouth-watering delicacies, particularly its street food. This cuisine has evolved over time, combining Chinese, French, and Japanese influences, but remains unique with local recipes and flavorful ingredients. Hoi An street food is considered the most symbolic and rewarding with its classic specialties and reasonable prices. We have rounded up 5 of the best street food in Hoi An street foods and one of the best places to eat them to enrich your food adventure in the cultural city below.
Hoi An's restaurants offer delicious dishes, beautiful decorations, professional service, and unique spaces. Old town restaurants feature old paintings, flower pots, ornamental plants, and handicrafts. Traditional names and shops are inherited from generations. In addition to traditional Hoi An cuisine, dishes from France, Japan, and the West are worth trying, enriching the culinary culture and catering to diverse tourist needs.
Cao Lau is the best street food in Hoi An, unlike vermicelli and pho, has a unique preparation method and distinct flavor despite similarities with Quang noodles. It is a Hoi An-inspired noodle specialty and is a fusion of Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese cuisine. Cao Lau, a foremost Hoi An dish, is a mystery due to its unique taste and appearance, and its origin remains a mystery among Chinese and Japanese people. Cao Lầu, a Vietnamese dish known as "High storey," is a unique dish that was often served to foreign visitors. It consists of signature Cao Lầu noodles, barbecued pork slices, pork crackling, bean sprouts, lettuce, and herbs, and is finished with a spoonful of stock. Locals often mix it with lime juice and chili paste. The noodles are made from local fresh rice and the water used in the dish must be drawn from a nearby well called Ba Le. The dish cannot be imitated outside of Hội An, as the water must be drawn from a nearby well. Regardless of its origin, Cao Lau remains a unique delicacy not found outside Hội An.
Where to eat the best Cao Lau in Hoi An?
Bon Restaurant
Address: 474 Cua Dai
Opening hours: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m
Price range: 30,000 VND - 60,000 1.5 USD - 3 USD (1.5 USD - 3 USD)
Ba Le Restaurant
Address: 49/3 Tran Hung Dao street, Minh An ward, Hoi An city
Opening hours: 11:00 am - 8:30 pm
Price range: 20,000 – 45,000 VND (~1 USD - 2 USD)
Miss Lien’s Restaurant
Address: 16 Thai Phien Street, Hoi An City, Quang Nam
Opening hours: 1:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Price range: 25,000 – 45,000 VND (1 USD - 2 USD)
Mrs. Be Restaurant
Address: Hoi An market, in Tran Phu ward, Hoi An city.
Opening hours: 2:00 am – 10:00 pm
Price range: 20,000 – 45,000 VND (~1 USD - 2 USD)
Mrs. Thanh Restaurant
Address: No. 26 Thai Phien Street, Hoi An City, Quang Nam
Opening hours: 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
Price range: 30,000 – 45,000 VND (1.5 USD - 2 USD)
Another name in the list of best street food in Hoi An is Com Ga. Com Ga Hoi An (Vietnamese Chicken Rice) is a signature dish from Hoi An, a small ancient town in Central Vietnam. It features shredded chicken tossed with Vietnamese coriander, onions, and lime juice dressing, served with turmeric rice cooked directly in chicken stock. Originating from Chinese traders in the feudal age, this dish has become popular in Central Vietnam, particularly in Tam Ky, Quang Nam. Traditionally served by street vendors, it has since been served in big restaurants. The dish is made from good steamed rice and chicken, steamed with pineapple leaves for aroma and turmeric powder for color. It is served with a bowl of broth made from boiling chicken and eggs, along with a sweet and sour sauce. The dish is often served with a salad of shredded green papaya, carrot, and herbs grown in the nearby Tra Que vegetable village.
Where to eat the best Com Ga in Hoi An?
Com ga Ba Thuan Hoi An
Address: No. 17/4, Hai Ba Trung Street, Hoi An
Opening hours: 7 am - 10 pm
Price range: VND 25,000 - 100,000
Com ga Xi Hoi An
Address: No. 47/2, Tran Hung Dao Street, Hoi An
Opening hours: 9 am – 9 pm
Price range: VND 20,000 – 50,000
Com ga Ba Buoi Hoi An
Address: No. 22, Phan Chau Trinh Street, Hoi An
Opening hours: 11 am – 7 pm
Price range: VND 35,000 – 50,000
Com ga Ty Hoi An
Address: No. 27, Phan Chau Trinh Street, Hoi An
Opening hours: 9 am – 9.30 pm
Price range: VND 30,000 – 44,000
Banh Xeo is a Vietnamese dish that involves wrapping a crepe in lettuce with cilantro and basil. It is a pale yellow spicey crepe with a salad of sprouts, prawns, boiled pork, taro, and carrot, drenched in fish sauce. The dish is round and cut into slices, resembling a triangle on the main platter.
The Central region has a large, yellow crepe with turmeric powder and coconut milk, stuffed with bean sprouts, mung beans, shrimp, and pork. The dish is accompanied by a sweet and sour fish sauce and fresh vegetables. In the Central region, a smaller, white crepe is made. In Hoi An, the crepes are called "banh khoai" and are stuffed with fennel, sour star fruit, green banana, and a thick soy sauce. Vendors sell the crepes for birthday parties and festivals, while northern preparations include special fillings like Indian taro and manioc. Southern crepes are characteristically thin, crispy, and served fresh out of the frying pan. Banh Xeo has long become one of the best street food in Hoi An.
Where to eat the best Banh Xeo in Hoi An?
Bánh xèo quán Giếng Bá Lễ Hội An
Address: 45/51 Tran Hung Dao Street, City. Hoi An
Opening hourse: 11am - 10pm
Price range: 15,000 - 44,000 VND/portion (~0.6 USD - 2 USD)
Bánh xèo Hải Đảo Hội An
Address: 160 Ly Thai To Street, Cam Chau Ward, City. Hoi An
Opening hours: 7 am - 10 pm
Price range: 20,000 - 40,000 VND/portion (~1 USD - 2 USD)
Bánh Xèo Hải Nam Hội An
Address: 409 Hai Ba Trung Street, Cam Son Ward, City. Hoi An
Opening hours: All day
Price range: 10,000 - 30,000 VND/portion
Bánh xèo Cô Anh Hội An
Address: Thoai Ngoc Hau street, Hoi An city
Opening hours: 9 am - 10 pm
Price range: 20,000 - 50,000 VND/portion (~1 USD - 2 USD)
Referring to the best street food in Hoi An, we must name Banh Mi. Banh Mi is the most renowned Vietnamese dish around the world. It is a crusty baguette with fillings, such as pickled vegetables, roast pork, or meatballs in a tomato sauce. Originating from France, the Banh Mi sandwich has evolved over time, becoming a national cuisine of Vietnamese pride. The 20th and 21st centuries saw changes in the Banh Mi's nature due to World Wars, transportation issues, and mass production. The 1950s saw mass-produced cheese and mayonnaise, pate and meats cured with Asian seasoning, vegetables sliced and pickled, and fresh cucumber and cilantro added. The Banh Mi revolution began in Saigon with Hoa Ma being one of the first bakeries. Today, most Banh Mi vendors use a basic practice of forming the sandwich, including a roll of warm crusted bread, fillings, pickled vegetables, fresh vegetables, and condiments.
Where to eat the best Banh Mi in Hoi An?
Banh Mi Phuong
Address: 2b Phan Chu Trinh, Hoi An, Quang Nam, Vietnam
Opening Hours: 6:30 a.m – 9:30 p.m
Price range: 15,000 to 35,000 VND (0.65 - 1.50 USD)
Phi Banh Mi
Address: Cam Pho, Hoi An, Quang Nam
Opening Hours: 8 a.m – 8 p.m
Price range: 15,000 to 35,000 VND (0.65 to 1.50 USD)
Madam Khanh – The Banh Mi Queen
Address: 115 Tran Cao Van Street, Hoi An, Vietnam
Opening Hours: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Price range: 20,000 VND - 40.000 VND (0.85 USD - 1.6 USD)
Banh Mi Lanh
Address: 430 Cua Dai Cam Chau, Hoi An, Vietnam
Opening Hours: 6:00 a.m – 9:30 p.m
Price range: 20,000 VND - 40.000 VND (0.85 USD - 1.6 USD)
Our last best street food in Hoi An is Mi Quang. Quang noodles, also known as Mi Quang, is a famous dish from Quang Nam province in Central Vietnam, originating in the mid-16th century when foreign merchants brought their native dishes to Hoi An. The dish reflects Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine, with rice noodles made of rice flour and cut into flat strands. The broth is thick and delicious, with cooked chicken or pork bones and water, often using steak or shrimp for a sweet flavor. Toppers can be chicken, pork, shrimp, or fish, and paired with fresh vegetables like lettuce, basil, aromatic knotweed, coriander, bean sprouts, water morning glory, onion, and thinly sliced banana flowers. The noodles come in a variety of colors, including yellow from turmeric powder, white from pure rice, or brown from red rice. The dish stimulates all five senses, with eyes seeing colors, nose smelling meat and peanuts, tongue tasting flavors, and mouth feeling soft, hard, chewy, and flexible.
Where to eat the best Mi Quang in Hoi An?
Mì Quảng Cô Vân Hội An
Address: 329 Nguyen Duy Hieu Street, Cam Chau Ward, City. Hoi An, Quang Nam Province
Opening hours:
Reference price: 25,000 – 50,000 VND
Mì Quảng chị Hà
Address: No. 2 Thai Phien Street, Minh An Ward, City. Hoi An, Quang Nam Province
Opening hours: 7:00 – 21:00
Reference price: 15,000 – 20,000 VND
Mì Quảng Cô Bích Hội An
Address: 272 Hung Vuong Street, Thanh Ha Ward, City. Hoi An, Quang Nam Province
Opening hours: 6:00 a.m. – 08:00 p.m
Reference price: 15,000 – 40,000 VND
The above list is about top 5 the best street foods in Hoi An, If you have a chance to visit Hoi An, do not hesitate to try these specialties above. Hoi An’s cuisine is such a must when you visit the ancient town of Hoi An for your trip to Vietnam. To have the best trip, you can book a tour from the best travel agency. Thank you for reading!
