Welcome to Binh Thuan, a land of endless sunshine and strong winds that shape the local culture and cuisine. When it comes to Binh Thuan, it’s impossible not to mention the rich and diverse local food that satisfies both locals and tourists. So for your list of “what to eat in Binh Thuan”, we suggest the following 13 famous Binh Thuan local foods that you shouldn’t miss.
Custard cake (Bánh căn)
Custard cake is a Binh Thuan local food made from rice flour. To make this dish, people use small molds like those used to make Vietnamese mini pancakes in the southern provinces. What sets custard cake apart is that the mold does not need to be coated with oil or grease.
Seafood like shrimp and squid is usually placed on top of the cake and garnished with fried onions. To enjoy its delicious flavor, it is best to eat custard cake while it is still hot. This is a must-try Binh Thuan local food.
Suggested address: Lan Nguyet Custard cake: 8 Hai Thuong Lan Ong, Phu Trinh, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan
Thick noodle soup with grilled chopped fish (Bánh canh chả cá)
The unique aspect of thick noodle soup with grilled chopped fish in Phan Thiet is the small, milky white thick noodles alongside pure white fried or steamed fish cakes. When enjoying this dish, the locals often combine the broth with bread, which creates an unusual yet delicious taste. Don’t forget to try out this combination when you sample this Binh Thuan local food.
Suggested address: Co Xi: 309 Huynh Thuc Khang, Mui Ne, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan
Fine rice vermicelli with pork intestines (Bánh hỏi lòng heo)
This Binh Thuan local food includes fine rice vermicelli (small, smooth, chewy, and looking kind of like vermicelli), pork intestine, thin rice paper, raw vegetables, and dipping sauce. Despite its fragmented appearance, it is quite delicious.
This dish has a variety of pork organs, like the heart, belly, liver, kidney, and more. What makes this dish special is the sweet and sour dipping sauce, which is a unique blend of tamarind juice, pureed garlic, chili, and sugar.
Suggested address: Thuy Tien: 08 Luong The Vinh, Phu Thuy, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan
Grilled Squid Teeth
To make this dish, first, the squid teeth are cleaned and then marinated with spices before being skewered and grilled. This dish is loved for its chewy, crispy, and sweet taste, which is even better when eaten with grilled rice paper and chili sauce. It has become a specialty and popular snack for Binh Thuan students after school.
Suggested address: Loan: 202 Vo Thi Sau, Hung Long, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan
Crispy dumpling (Bánh quai vạc)
One of the famous Binh Thuan local foods is the crispy dumpling, which is loved by locals and tourists alike. The cake has a chewy dough and is topped with attractive red shrimp. Additionally, the cup of fish sauce, made from the famous local fish sauce, or the chewy and smooth steamed fish cakes also add to the delicious taste that diners cannot resist.
Suggested address: Co Luc: 164 Vo Thi Sau, Hung Long, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan
Grilled rice paper with fermented shrimp paste (Bánh tráng nướng mắm ruốc)
Another special snack that you must try in Binh Thuan is the grilled rice paper with fermented shrimp paste. The rice paper used is usually topped with black sesame seeds. When customers order, the rice paper is grilled on a griddle and added to fermented shrimp paste, sliced boiled quail eggs, fish cakes, and onions. Once the rice paper is cooked, the seller rolls it slowly with a small bamboo stick, ensuring that all the ingredients remain inside the rice paper.
Suggested address: Cô No: 267 Ngu Ong, Duc Thang, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan
Waterfall fried black telescope (Cá lồi xối mỡ)
In Binh Thuan, black telescope is a common type of fish with firm and delicious meat. This fish is used to make various dishes. Among them all, the most famous is the waterfall fried black telescope.
To make this dish, the fish is first cleaned carefully, then coated with fat or hot oil before cooking to add flavor. When served with tamarind fish sauce, the sweet taste of the fish and the fatty taste of the fish liver make this dish a favorite among many diners. Don’t miss the opportunity to try this famous Binh Thuan local food.
Suggested address: Xuan Vang: Pham Van Dong Street, Binh Hung, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan
Fish Salad
Phan Thiet fish salad is made with fish that can be found in the nearby sea, such as white sardines, transparent fish, or smelt-whitings. A delicious plate of fish salad must have the right amount of sourness, spiciness from chili peppers, aroma from pickled onions, crispiness from the snow fungus and seaweed, and most importantly, the freshness of the fish meat.
Suggested address: 14 Dao Duy Tu, Duc Thang, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan
Tha hot pot (Lẩu thả)
Tha hot pot is a unique and popular Binh Thuan local food. The main ingredients used in making the hot pot include fresh transparent fish, ripe star fruit, tomatoes, and minced chili.
The broth of the hot pot is rich and spicy, and it is served with delicious vermicelli. Additionally, this hot pot is believed to balance the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, which makes it a healthy choice for diners who want to enjoy Binh Thuan cuisine.
Suggested address: W4Q7+639, Hung Vuong, Phu Thuy, Ham Thuan Bac, Binh Thuan
Com Hoc
Com Hoc is a traditional Phan Thiet dish that you must try. This dish is made from roasted glutinous rice mixed with molasses, pineapple, and ginger.
According to many experienced chefs, Phung sticky rice and Huong sticky rice are the most delicious and fragrant, which is why they are often chosen to make this dish.
Com Hoc can be stored for 1-3 months, making it a great gift to give to your family and friends. When serving, people often cut this dish into 4 or 6 pieces to slowly enjoy its delicious taste.
Suggested address: Phan Thiet Specialty: 105 Le Quy Don, Phu Thuy, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan
Sweet potato cake (Bánh rế)
Sweet potato cake is a specialty from Ninh Thuan that has become popular in Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan. Despite its simple appearance, preparing sweet potato cake requires skilled workers.
To make this dish, the chosen tapioca or sweet potatoes must be fresh, not too young or too old, and must go through several processing stages to produce tasty cakes.
Suggested address: Van Tai Uyen: W3JM+PVQ, Van Thanh 3, Phu Tai, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan
Butterfly lizards grilled with chili salt
Butterfly lizards grilled with chili salt are another specialty in Binh Thuan that you must try. To make this dish, butterfly lizards are cleaned, drained, marinated with spices, and grilled over embers. The meat will be tender, sweet, and flavorful when just cooked, which will satisfy your taste buds.
Suggested address: Dan Food: 157/6 Ton Duc Thang, Phu Thuy, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan
Pork lemongrass skewer (Chả lụi)
Lagi pork lemongrass skewer is another well-known Binh Thuan specialty for your food itinerary. It looks simple, yet its process is quite complex.
To make this dish, first, rice paper is cut into small pieces, filled with pureed shrimp, meat, etc., and rolled into a rectangle. Then the rice paper is skewered on a stick, blanched in boiling water, and grilled.
Suggested address: Ham Tan: 138 Tran Hung Dao, Phu Thuy, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan
And that’s all the information on the top 13 famous Binh Thuan local foods. Hopefully, these recommendations have given you some inspiration and ideas to fill out your food itinerary for your next trip to this beautiful province.
Read more Binh Thuan travel guides
- Best Binh Thuan Travel Guide: Your Indispensable Travel Handbook
- Top 8 Tourist Attractions In Binh Thuan That You Should Not Miss
- Exploring The Best 17 Binh Thuan Restaurants
