Any travelers who has ever put their steps to Da Nang cannot miss amazing foods that make this beautiful city renowned all over Vietnam. Let’s together explore with me “Top 12 best foods in Da Nang” — a must-try menu for your memorable trip.
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Quang style noodle — a familiar dish of Da Nang residents
Quang style noodle is a popular dish originated from Quang Nam province and soon import to Da Nang city. There are a variety of ingredients that make Quang style noodle specific to anyone’s memory: rice noodles, meat, herbs, vegetables, small rice paper, dried peanuts, chilly, a piece of lemon, fish sauce and most commonly serve with a small amount of broth. If you would not love pork, there are chicken, fish, beef, jellyfish or eel as other good alternatives for you. This special dish can be easily found in many restaurants around the country and can be chosen as one of the best foods in Da Nang for your breakfast and lunch.
Recommended address:
- Bà Mua — Quang style noodle: 19–21 Tran Binh Trong, Hai Chau ward, Da Nang
- Bà Vị — Quang style noodle: 166 Le Dinh Duong, Hai Chau ward, Da Nang
- Thi — Quang style noodle: 251 Hoang Dieu, Hai Chau ward, Da Nang
Cao Lau noodle — a regional Vietnamese noodle dish
The second dish that contributes to the list of best foods in Da Nang is Cao Lau noodle — we usually call it as a cousin of Quang style noodle. This type of noodle originates from Hoi An, Quang Nam province which typically consists of rice noodle, meat, greens, bean sprouts, herbs and is also commonly served with a small amount of broth. Rice noodle is yellow or grayish-brown because people usually said that Cao Lau is mixed with the ashes of certain plants from the nearby Cham islands, that makes it chewy and springy. Meat mostly is pork, shrimp or even char siu — style pork. A special point of Cao Lau noodle is that a variety of herbs are used to make the dish fresh and tasty such as lettuce, bean sprouts, fresh herbs (mint, perilla, lemon basil,…), mustard greens, chrysanthemum greens, common knotgrass and heartleaf.
Recommended address:
- Lý — Cao Lầu noodle: 267 Thai Thi Boi, Thanh Khe ward, Da Nang
- Dac San Hoi An — Cao Lầu noodle: 45/3 Mai Hac De, Son Tra ward, Da Nang
- Hoai Pho — Cao Lầu noodle: 255 Nguyen Chi Thanh, Hai Chau ward, Da Nang
Vermicelli with marinated char-grilled pork — Strange but familiar!
Yes, it sounds normal when you hear it, right? Originally, I had no intention to taste this kind of food in Da Nang since it is quite familiar in Saigon, and we already ate it prior to going to the airport. However, my friends whose hometown in Da Nang convinced me so strongly that it will be regretful if I do not try it. Then, let’s eat.
And, can you guest who is the main characteristic of this kind of best foods in Da Nang? I am sure that you knew it already.
The biggest difference compared to a bowl of vermicelli with marinated char-grilled pork in Saigon is the yellow-brown peanut sauce that blends with marinated char-grilled pork, sesame, peanut and fresh vegetables…. How is a perfect combination! Especially, it only takes 25,000 VND (1.1 USD)/a bowl, how cheap it is, right? So, if you have a chance or it is on your way, try once to see the differences of delicacies among the regions.
Recommended address: Xuan restaurant — 469 Hai Phong, Thanh Khe ward, Da Nang
Price: 25,000 VND (1.1 USD)/a bowl
Banh Canh Ruong — a type of Rice Noodle Soup
If you are Vietnamese, you may get surprised by how this delicacy can be special compared to other best foods in Da Nang. But you are wrong!
At first, let’s me explain a little bit what is “Banh Canh”? “Banh Canh” is a thick Vietnamese noodle that can made from rice flour or tapioca flour or a mixture of rice flour and tapioca flour. After that, uncooked dough is cut into thick sheets and are bolded before being mixed with other ingredients.
“Ruong” means rice field. Historically, this food store was nearby the rice field and it has been usually sold for households or the poor, so the price is quite cheap which was around 8,000 VND (0.34 USD)/a bowl. But it’s now 10,000 VND (0.43 USD)/ a bowl. The food store has no address, but it is located at the foot of Thuan Phuoc bridge (at the junction of Tran Hung Dao street and Le Van Duyet street) in relatively large vacant space.
The ingredients include slices of Banh Canh, fish cake, cilantro and special broth, it’s truly simple but delicious. At other stores or restaurants, fish cake can be replaced by pork, fish or shrimp. However, it has not finished yet. The secret is in a small bowl of grilled fish and fired onions. In my group, four people with two more bowls of grilled fish and fired onions. We mix all and it is absorbed well in broth.
Recommended address: At the foot of Thuan Phuoc bridge (at the junction of Tran Hung Dao street and Le Van Duyet street)
Price: 10,000 VND/a bowl of Banh Canh or a bowl of grilled fish and fired onions.
Baked triangle Girdle Cake — one of best foods in Da Nang as snack
Baked girdle cakes are popular mostly in Southern of Vietnam, especially Sai Gon (Ho Chi Minh city). They are usually large, round and flat. However, girdle cakes are used in this type of delicacy is triangle. When heated, put lots of different ingredients (green onion, pâté, quail eggs, small shrimp) on the girdle cakes and cover all the cake until it’s crunchy. Beef sauce is a special taste that makes this type of food different to other regions. Let’s try and experience.
Recommended address: Di Suong store, K130/62 Dien Bien Phu street, Da Nang
Price: 15,000 VND (0.64 USD)/part/4–5 slices of rice crackers.
Vermicelli with grilled fish — another taste of best foods in Da Nang
Yes, I totally admit that any delicacies in Da Nang are always made in a very special way compared to other regions in Vietnam. An example with this bowl of vermicelli with grilled fish which is made differently compared to itself in Qui Nhon, Nha Trang or Sai Gon. The ingredients, apart from vermicelli and grilled fish, the difference is broth and additional toppings. Broth is slightly sweet which are stewed from pumpkins, carrots and mushrooms; boiled cabbage and slices of cabbage are displayed above vermicelli. It’s totally worth to try once in your trip.
Recommended address: 113A Nguyen Chi Thanh street, Da Nang.
Price: 30,000 VND/a bowl
Bun Mam Nem — Vermicelli with Vietnamese fermented anchovy dipping sauce
Well, I think it is quite hard for foreign travelers to try this best food in Da Nang for their first time because of its strange taste. But, believe me, you cannot stop eating it, this is one of the best local food for any Vietnamese either for breakfast or lunch. “Mắm Nêm” is a type of sauce made of fermented fish and it’s powerfully pungent. This sauce is mixed with sugar, pineapple and many kinds of spices. The food seller gonna put vermicelli in a bowl, together with vegetables, roasted pork, pig ears, fermented pork roll, beef pie and a big spoon of Mắm Nêm. The sour taste is from fermented pork roll and a salt taste is from Mắm Nêm make this delicacy be a perfect combination.
Recommended address: Bún Mắm Vân — K23/14 Tran Ke Xuong street, Da Nang.
Price:
- 32.000 VND (1.36 USD)/ a special bowl
- 22.000 VND (0.94 USD)/ a normal bowl
- 16.000 VND (0.68 USD)/ a small bowl
Chicken rice
Yes, it is quite a popular dish in Saigon but it is also one of the best foods in Da Nang that must be in your pocket list. There are two types of chicken rice in Da Nang: boiled chicken and roasted/grilled chicken. Boiled shredded chicken has a slight sour taste of lemon leaves and a fragrant taste of laksa leaves, served with sweet-sour fish sauce or specific sauce of each restaurant. Roasted/ grilled chicken with yellow chicken skin is often used with fried rice. Tomato and cucumber will help to balance that fatness of the whole dish.
Recommended address:
- Cơm Gà xối mỡ A Hải — 96 Phan Chu Trinh, Hai Chau ward, Da Nang
- Cơm Gà Tú Tài — 62 Hai Phong, Hai Chau ward, Da Nang
- Cơm Gà Ngọc Diệp — 56 Hai Phong, Thanh Khe ward, Da Nang
Rice paper with slices of pork
This local food in Da Nang is quite simple to any Vietnamese but it’s interesting to the foreigners as they have to wrap the roll carefully prior to eating it. Pork must be serio-comic which includes fat and lean, it’s soft when boiling. Taking a sheet of rice paper, add all kinds of vegetables (salad, lettuce,…) and 1–2 slices of pork, then wrap them all into one roll. It is used with Vietnamese fermented anchovy dipping sauce or fish sauce depending on people’s interest.
Recommended address:
- Đặc sản Bà Mụa — 93 Nguyen Chi Thanh, Hai Chau ward, Da Nang
- Mau restaurant — 35 Do Thuc Tinh, Cam Le ward, Da Nang
- Tran restaurant — 4 Le Duan, Hai Chau, Da Nang
Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese pancake)/ Nem lụi (Grilled sausage)
Banh xeo — Vietnamese pancake is a delicious Vietnamese crepe which is a must-try when visiting Da Nang. Vietnamese pancake from the Central of Vietnam is yellow, it’s crispy from the outside and it’s soft from the inside with mung beans, pork or beef and a thin layer of eggs at the edge of the pancake. There are a variety of fresh vegetables (5–7 types) to use with the pancake that helps to balance the whole taste of the dish. Rice paper is also an option for you to wrap all above ingredients into one roll.
Next item is grilled sausage which is made of ground pork and other ingredients (spices, onions,…), then rolling into bamboo sticks and grill it on charcoal griddle. Grilled sausage can be used with vermicelli, vegetables and dipping sauces.
Recommended address:
- Ba Duong restaurant: Kiet 280/23, Hoang Dieu, Hai Chau ward, Da Nang
- Co Muoi restaurant: 23 Chau Thi Vinh Te, Ngu Hanh Son, Da Nang
- Ba Hong restaurant: 84 Le Do, Thanh Khe, Da Nang
Ram Cuon Cai (Ram with black mustard seed) — the unique best food in Da Nang
At the first glance, Ram looks like spring roll which is called “Nem Ran” by northerners and “Cha Gio” by southerners. However, do you know where the difference comes from? The size of Ram is as a finger of an adult, it’s not a big inside as Nem Ran or Cha Gio. The inside of Ram usually has three types: Salty Ram includes ground pork, soya noodle and wood ear; Corn Ram is made of scratched corn with spices and finally; Vegetable Ram is made of sweet potatoes, taro, potatoes or carrots.
So, why does people call it Ram Cuon Cai? The greasy Ram is wrapped by black mustard seed which has a slightly pungent taste, combining with spicy, sweet and salty sauce to create unforgettable moment for users.
Recommended address:
- A store at the foot of Tran Thi Ly bridge, Son Tra ward, Da Nang
- Ram Cuốn Cải Việt food store — 272 Le Duan, Hai Chau ward, Da Nang
- Ram Cuốn Cải Đào Duy Từ food store — 14/22 Dao Duy Tu, Thanh Khe ward, Da Nang
Banh (Trang) Dap — break and eat it!
I don’t think there is an English name for this type of best food in Da Nang, so I mostly described it in the title already — break and eat it. Banh (Trang) Dap is quite popular at the coastal provinces of the Central of Vietnam and the most famous location is still Hoi An. Girdle cake is made from white rice which is covered by Banh Uot (It’s a type of food made from thinly steamed rice flour) and a little green onion oil. Break the cake into two pieces and use it with Vietnamese fermented anchovy dipping sauce.
Recommended address:
- Banh Dap Ba Tu — 354 Le Duan, Hai Chau ward, Da Nang
- Banh Dap Phan Chau Chinh — 251 Phan Chau Trinh, Hai Chau ward, Da Nang
- Banh Dap chi Van — 47 Do Quang, Thanh Khe ward, Da Nang
- Banh Dap co Lien — 18/26 Nguyen Duy Hieu, Son Tra ward, Da Nang
Yay, top 12 best foods in Da Nang that you will be regretful all your life if you have not tried it when visiting Da Nang. Each delicacy represents a story, a local culture that helps you comprehend deeply about Da Nang residents in particular and the Central of Vietnam in generally. Let’s try and let me know your feeling.
