Hội An Food Guide: Cao Lầu, White Rose and Bánh Mì Phượng
A short walk in Hội An's old town will take you through the four or five dishes the city is famous for, plus the best cooking-class options.
Hội An's old town is small enough to eat your way across in a day. The city's food identity is built on a handful of dishes — cao lầu, mì Quảng, white rose dumplings, bánh mì — and the best examples of each are within walking distance of one another.
The signature dishes
Cao lầu — Hội An's signature noodle, traditionally made with well water from the Bá Lễ well. Best at Cao Lầu Thanh on Thái Phiên street and at the market stalls. Around 30,000 to 40,000 VND.
Mì Quảng — turmeric-yellow noodles in a small intense broth. Eat at any market stall or at Mì Quảng on Thái Phiên. Around 35,000 to 50,000 VND.
White rose dumplings (bánh bao bánh vạc) — translucent rice-flour dumplings filled with shrimp paste, shaped like roses. Made by a single family at 533 Hai Bà Trưng and supplied to most restaurants. Eat them where they are made.
Bánh mì Phượng — the Anthony Bourdain bánh mì, at 2B Phan Châu Trinh. A baguette stuffed with five or six different cured meats, pâté, herbs and chilli for around 40,000 VND. The queue is real and worth it. Bánh Mì Madam Khánh at 115 Trần Cao Vân is the quieter rival.
Cơm gà Hội An — Hội An chicken rice, a turmeric-stained rice with poached chicken and shredded papaya. Cơm Gà Bà Buội at 22 Phan Châu Trinh is the institution.
The sit-down restaurants
Morning Glory at 106 Nguyễn Thái Học is the Trinh Diem Vy restaurant — clean, foreigner-friendly, reliable for cao lầu, fresh rolls and bánh xèo. Prices around 100,000 to 200,000 VND per dish.
The Field at An Hội across the river does a calmer countryside-rice-paddy menu. Mango Mango on the riverfront is the upmarket fusion spot.
Cooking classes
Hội An is the cooking-class capital of Vietnam. Red Bridge Cooking School runs a half-day class with a boat trip and a market tour for around 1,000,000 VND. Morning Glory runs in-restaurant classes for around 800,000 VND. Both are good for first-timers.
Where to drink
Dingo Deli on Phan Châu Trinh for craft beer. The Hill Station Deli & Boutique for a Western beer-and-cheese pit stop. For coffee, Phin Coffee on Phan Châu Trinh is the local roaster doing single-origin Vietnamese beans properly.
Beach side (Cua Dai and An Bang)
Soul Kitchen at An Bang beach is the lunchtime grilled-seafood-and-beer destination. Sound of Silence Coffee further north on An Bang is the laid-back beach café. A grilled-fish lunch with beer at any beach shack is around 250,000 to 400,000 VND.
What to skip
The "fine dining" restaurants on Bach Đằng street that quote 30 USD for a bowl of cao lầu — the food is no better than the 40,000 VND market version.
How to plan a day
Morning cao lầu at the market. Coffee at Phin. Lunch of cơm gà and white rose dumplings. Afternoon swim at An Bang. Sunset bánh mì from Phượng eaten on the riverbank. Dinner at Morning Glory or a beach shack. Late beer at Dingo.
Related reading: Hội An, Cao lầu, Mì Quảng, Cooking classes in Vietnam, Central and southern cuisine.
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