Dak Nong cuisine is a combination of the ethnic minority’s culture and Vietnamese culinary traditions, resulting in a variety of mouth-watering dishes that can satisfy any food lover’s palate. If you’re wondering what to eat in Dak Nong, there are 10 Dak Nong local foods that will surely make your trip to this province unforgettable.
Dak Nong coffee
The Central Highlands are the coffee “capital” of Vietnam, and Dak Nong is home to a large coffee-growing region, contributing a significant portion of coffee to the Central Highlands. Many coffee production establishments operate in Dak Nong, with Duc Lap coffee being the most renowned. Once you taste the clean coffee in Dak Nong, you’ll fall in love with it and want to buy more.
Reference addresses:
- Dak Nong Bazan Coffee Company (23/3 Street, Nghia Thanh Ward, Gia Nghia, Dak Nong)
- Duc Lap Coffee Company (Dak Lao, Dak Mil, Dak Nong)
Dak N’rung pepper
Dak N’rung pepper is a well-known Dak Nong local food. This pepper is highly regarded for its quality, with large, round, smooth, and fragrant seeds. The pepper is packaged carefully, making it easy to transport. It is often purchased as a gift by many tourists.
Reference addresses:
- Dak Nong Agricultural Product Purchasing Point (Bon S’Re U, National Highway 28, Dak Nia, Gia Nghia, Dak Nong)
- Dang Tien Thanh farmer’s clean pepper garden (Dak R’Moan, Gia Nghia, Dak Nong)
Dak Mil Avocado
Dak Mil is known for its avocados, which have a thin and smooth skin. When ripe, the flesh is yellow-green and fibrous, creating a delicious avocado.
The combination of suitable soil, climate, and careful farming techniques by the locals has resulted in these exceptional avocados, which are hard to find elsewhere. Visitors to Dak Mil from April to September can even have the opportunity to pick avocados right from the gardens.
Reference addresses:
- Wholesale avocado – durian garden (Dak Mil, Dak Nong)
- Ly Bau orchard (252 Doc Hung Huong, Quang Tin, Dak R’Lap, Dak Nong)
Dak Gan mango
Dak Gan mango is a well-known fruit in Dak Nong. Currently, around 750 hectares of fruit trees are planted in Dak Gan commune (Dak Mil), mostly with different types of mango. Despite the steep hills and sandy clay soil with many stones, the mango trees grow exceptionally well here.
Dak Gan mango has up to three ripe seasons, so tourists can visit the mango orchards any time of the year and enjoy the experience of picking fresh mangoes from the trees.
Reference addresses:
- Dak R’La Mango Garden (22 hamlets 4, Dak R’La, Dak Mil, Dak Nong)
- Ly Bau orchard (252 Doc Hung Huong, Quang Tin, Dak R’Lap, Dak Nong)
Dak Mil durian
In addition to avocado, Dak Mil is also known for its specialty fruit, durian. The Dak Mil durian trees are grown on red soil, which gives them a unique sweet taste and aroma.
Once you taste a piece of this greasy fruit in the garden, it’s hard to forget. There are many durian farms and orchards in Dak Mil that welcome visitors.
Reference addresses:
- Wholesale avocado – durian garden (Dak Mil, Dak Nong)
- Tho Minh durian farm (Dak Lao, Dak Mil, Dak Nong)
Serepok River Bagridaes
If you’re searching for a famous and delicious Dak Nong food, try dishes made from Serepok river bagriders. The meat of the Serepok river bagriders is firm and sweet, and can be prepared in various ways, such as braised, steamed, grilled, in hot pots, or even as porridge.
Every dish is delicious, but according to food lovers, the grilled bagrider and those cooked with sour bamboo shoot hotpot are the best.
Reference addresses:
- Dien Trang Hoa Mai 2 (Dien Bien Phu, Nghia Trung Ward, Gia Nghia, Dak Nong)
- Tay Nguyen Restaurant (530 Ton Duc Thang, Nghia Thanh Ward, Gia Nghia, Dak Nong)
Grilled pork
Pigs in this region are a local breed that are raised naturally, allowing them to roam freely in large gardens. This results in thin skin, fragrant and sweet meat that is firm but not tough and crispy but not greasy.
Grilled pork is a popular dish that many tourists love. If you try it once you will know how hard it is for diners to resist its delicious aroma.
Reference addresses:
- Ma Heo eatery (Le Thanh Tong, Nghia Trung Ward, Gia Nghia, Dak Nong)
- K’Jang Ta Dung Restaurant (Dak Som, Dak G’Long District, Dak Nong)
Grilled chicken
Aside from grilled pork, grilled chicken is another delectable Dak Nong local food that you shouldn’t miss. The chickens are free to roam and forage in the gardens, feeding on insects, upland rice, and grass, which makes their meat sweet and aromatic.
To make this dish, the chicken is marinated with spices, skewered onto bamboo sticks, and grilled over charcoal until the skin turns golden yellow and the aroma is irresistible.
Reference addresses:
- GIN Grilled Chicken with sticky rice cooked in bamboo (Nam Da, Krong No, Dak Nong)
- Lang Nuong Restaurant (Quang Khe Town, Dak Glong, Dak Nong)
Forest leaf hotpot
Forest leaf hotpot is a unique Dak Nong local food that combines both green vegetables and medicinal herbs from the local mountains and forests. The dish is made using more than 10 different types of forest leaves and is served in a hotpot with boiled meat, young shrimp, wood ear, pepper, and wild chili.
To eat it, you roll the forest leaves with the other ingredients mentioned above and dip them in a bowl of rich sauce. Originally, this dish was created to match the custom of eating on the upland fields of farmers, but today it has become a popular dish in Dak Nong’s restaurants.
Reference addresses:
- Tay Nguyen Restaurant (530 Ton Duc Thang, Nghia Thanh Ward, Gia Nghia, Dak Nong)
- K’Jang Ta Dung restaurant (Dak Som, Dak GLong district, Dak Nong)
Stem liquor (Rượu cần)
Stem liquor from the Central Highlands is a Gia Lai local food that is well-known both locally and internationally. If you haven’t had the chance to try this amazing wine yet, a visit to Dak Nong would be a great opportunity.
The unique flavor of stem liquor comes from the use of forest leaves as yeast and the traditional cooking method that doesn’t involve distillation.
Reference address: THT Dak Nia stem liquor (Dak Nia Commune, Gia Nghia Town, Dak Nong Province)
And those are 10 Dak Nong local foods that we highly recommend to you. Hopefully, with our sharing, you will have a better understanding of the culinary delights that await you in this beautiful Central Highlands province.
More Dak Nong travel guides:
- Dak Nong Travel Guide: Your Comprehensive Handbook for First-Time Explorers
- The 7 Best Dak Nong Restaurants for Budget-Friendly Dining
- 10 Best Dak Nong Tourist Attractions To Explore
