Hai Phong is a port city that not only offers exciting tourist destinations but also a variety of delicious dishes that leave a lasting impression on diners. The article below will guide you through the 15 mouth-watering Hai Phong local foods that you simply cannot deny. Soooo…What to eat in Hai Phong? Let’s find out now!
Crab cake soup with red rice noodles (Bánh đa cua)
The very first Hai Phong local food that should be a must-try dish for anyone visiting this city is bánh đa cua. It is such a popular and unique specialty of the city that it is a shame to miss it.
The dish consists of a dry rice wafer that is thinly coated yet still retains a certain toughness. The broth is prepared using a unique recipe that requires crab meat and bone broth. Bánh đa cua is served with Vietnamese grilled meat wrapped in betel leaves (chả lá lốt), shrimp, and other toppings that ensure an unforgettable taste for diners. This dish has a delicious flavor that will make you fall in love with it.
Recommended addresses:
- Ba Cu Eatery: 179 Cau Dat, Ngo Quyen District
- Co Yen Banh Da Cua: 2B Pham Ngu Lao, Ngo Quyen District
- Hai Phong Banh Da Cua: 48 Lach Tray, Ngo Quyen District
Spicy breadstick (Bánh mì que cay) – Famous Hai Phong local food
Spicy bread sticks are a popular snack among Hai Phong local foods that is loved by many students and locals alike. Although the dish is simple, it has great appeal due to its delicious taste. The spicy breadsticks meet everyone’s criteria: they are delicious, nutritious, and cheap.
The bread is small, about the size of two fingers, and is filled with pate, onion fat, and a sweet and spicy sauce that gives it a unique flavor. This simple yet mouth-watering dish is sure to leave an unforgettable taste in your mouth.
Recommended addresses:
- 28 Dinh Tien Hoang, Hong Bang District
- 57 Le Loi, Ngo Quyen District
- 181 Hang Kenh, Le Chan District
Water fern cake (Bánh bèo)
If you’re looking for a tasty treat in Hai Phong, try the water fern cake. This unique dish has a special flavor that sets it apart from similar dishes found in the Central region.
The main ingredient in making water fern cake is rice flour. The cake’s filling includes minced lean meat and wood ear. This dish is served with a fish sauce that’s different from the usual chili fish sauce. The fish sauce is more like a bone broth and is served with forcemeat balls and grilled strabismus fish cakes. The soft and fluffy pancakes, along with the fish sauce, create a delicious and unique taste that you don’t want to miss.
Recommended addresses:
- 295 Lach Tray, Ngo Quyen District
- 64 Chu Van An, Ngo Quyen District
- 278 Tran Nguyen Han, Le Chan District
Bánh đúc tàu – A different type of plain rice flan
If you’re already familiar with the famous plain rice flan from Saigon, try Hai Phong’s plain rice flan for a different and refreshing taste.
Bánh đúc tàu is a mixture of kohlrabi, shrimp, and meat, served with soft and smooth plain rice flan. The cake has a rich and flavorful taste that’s both sweet and spicy, attracting many diners to Hai Phong. There are plenty of eateries selling this delicacy all over the city, so you can easily find one to try.
Recommended addresses:
- 159 Hai Ba Trung, Le Chan District
- 7 Du Hang, Trai Cau, Le Chan District
- 34 Ly Hong Nhat, Hai An District
Hai Phong Snails
Not only is Saigon famous for its delicacies from snails, the port city also has countless delicious dishes from this ingredient. It would be a big mistake to talk about delicious Hai Phong cuisine without mentioning snails. The local people are extremely fond of dishes made from snails, so walking around the streets in this city you will encounter countless delicious snail eateries to choose from, among with thousand of other street foods.
What sets Hai Phong’s snail dishes apart is their unique taste and freshness, thanks to the city’s prime location near the sea. Moreover, these dishes are incredibly cheap, making for a great snail party with friends.
Recommended addresses:
Shrimp Vermicelli
One dish you can’t miss when in Hai Phong is this shrimp noodle soup. Although not too popular with tourists, this specialty is extremely popular with the locals for its unique flavor that combines the sweetness of shrimp with simmered bones and minced meat.
The dish has an eye-catching presentation with green vegetables, red tomatoes, shrimp, and meat. Once you try it, you’ll crave more. You can’t find this Hai Phong local food anywhere else in Vietnam so be sure to give it a try.
Recommended addresses:
Hai Phong Seafood
As Hai Phong is a coastal city, there are many Hai Phong local foods are seafood-based. The city’s large seaport ensures that seafood is always fresh and brought daily. You can find seafood stores ranging from popular eateries to luxurious restaurants, each offering unique and delicious tastes. If you enjoy cooking, you can also visit the seafood markets to select your ingredients and prepare your own seafood dishes.
Recommended addresses:
- Cat Ba Market: Cat Ba Town, Cat Hai District, Hai Phong City
- Co Dao Seafood Market: Tran Nhat Duat, Ngo Quyen District, Hai Phong City
Scorched rice with seafood (Cơm cháy hải sản)
If you’re visiting Hai Phong, don’t miss out on the delicious scorched rice with seafood as this unique dish is hard to find anywhere else.
To prepare this dish, steamed white rice is used. First, the rice is pressed and then fried until it becomes crispy. A variety of seafood is used for this dish, including shrimp, squid, clams, and more. The seafood is stir-fried with a thick sauce and then sprinkled on top of the crispy rice. This creates a mouth-watering and attractive Hai Phong local food that’s sure to impress everyone who tries it.
Recommended addresses:
Ha Lung Pork Chop (Chả chìa Hạ Lũng)
Ha Lung pork chop is a famous and delicious Hai Phong local food. This specialty is available in Ha Lung village and is loved by many tourists due to its unique taste.
Although the appearance of Ha Lung pork chops is similar to Hue lemongrass pork skewers (nem lụi), the method of preparation is totally different. The pork chop’s filling is made from pureed lean pork and seasoned dried squid. The pork chop is then wrapped around a sugarcane stick. The sugarcane not only adds sweetness to the dish but also acts as a handle to make dinner easy to eat. The sugarcane stick is crispy, chewy, and soft, making it the perfect accompaniment to the dish.
Recommended addresses: Bac Hoat: 113 Ha Lung, Hai An District, Hai Phong City
An Tho fermented pork roll (Nem chua An Thọ)
Another highlight of Hai Phong cuisine is, An Tho fermented pork roll – a traditional delicacy from the area. The dish is made from ground meat and shredded skin. The combination is fermented and then wrapped into long bars. This helps enhance the taste of fermented pork roll.
Recommended addresses: Ton Duc Thang Street, Le Chan District, Hai Phong City
Coconut cake (Bánh chả dừa)
What to eat in Hai Phong for fun? Check out the coconut cake. Coconut cake has a brown color and a fragrant, crunchy coconut flavor that is irresistible to food lovers. You can even pair it with a cup of green tea for an even more enjoyable experience. Not only is it a treat for yourself, but it also makes for a great gift for your loved ones.
Recommended addresses: 39A Lach Tray, Ngo Quyen District, Hai Phong City
Rice field crab hot pot (Lẩu cua đồng) – Rustic Hai Phong local food
If you’re looking for a hearty and delicious meal after a day of exploring the city, then rice field crab hot pot would be a great choice for you. This Hai Phong local food features a thick broth with crab fat, tomatoes, fried tofu, and a variety of dipping options like beef, raw ham, many kinds of intestines, and stomach. It’s also served with herbs, spinach, and red dry rice wafer.
Recommended addresses:
- Minh Quynh: 188 Van Cao, Ngo Quyen District, Hai Phong City
- Hu Dim: 79 Van Cao, Hai An District, Hai Phong City
Giá bể xào
Giá bể is a type of mollusc. It is not too big—about the size of a mussel. Although the name may sound strange, giá bể xào is a specialty dish that is extremely famous in Hai Phong cuisine map.
When stir-fry, giá bể has a crispy texture and a delightful taste that you won’t find anywhere else. This dish is a must-try for those who want to explore the culinary culture of Hai Phong.
Recommended addresses:
- Hue Beo: 103 Du Hang, Le Chan District, Hai Phong City
- Luong Van Can Market: 51 Luong Van Can, Ngo Quyen District, Hai Phong City
- Hang Market: Le Chan District, Hai Phong City
Fried sea crab spring rolls (Nem cua bể)
Fried sea crab spring rolls are the most famous specialty of Hai Phong cuisine. The way people here wrap these spring rolls is very special; they will be wrapped in squares with rice paper. Because of this uniqueness, the dish is also known as “square crab spring rolls.” The dish’s filling is a combination of chicken eggs, lean meat, shrimp, crab, shiitake mushroom, wood ear, vegetables, and fruits that will make you ecstatic.
Recommended addresses:
- Phuong Mai Eatery: 87 Cat Cut, Le Chan District, Hai Phong City
- 323 To Hieu, Le Chan District, Hai Phong City
- Co Dao Market: Tran Nhat Duat Street, Ngo Quyen District, Hai Phong City
Chinese soup ball (Sủi Dìn)
Chinese soup balls originated in the Chinese community in Hai Phong. It is a delicious and famous dessert with an extremely attractive taste.
A Chinese soup ball is similar to a floating rice cake (bánh trôi), but smaller. It’s made from glutinous rice flour, black sesame, ginger, and other ingredients. The people of Hai Phong love this dish, and they mostly eat it during the cold days of winter. The warmth of every piece of Chinese soup ball makes it irresistible.
Recommended addresses:
- 34 Ky Dong Street, Hong Bang District, Hai Phong City
- Dong Dung: 163 Cau Dat, Ngo Quyen District, Hai Phong City
Hai Phong cuisine offers a diverse range of dishes that you might have never seen or heard of before. The unique taste and deliciousness of Hai Phong local foods will surely impress you. So let’s travel to Hai Phong to experience the wonderful culinary culture of this province firsthand.
Read more Hai Phong Travel Guides:
- A First-Timer’s Guide to Hai Phong – Vietnam
- Hai Phong Tourist Attractions: 15 Must-See Spots You Need to Visit
