Hoi An is a city that offers a variety of Vietnamese cuisine, both local to Hoi An and from other parts of the Southeast Asian country, ranging from street food to fine dining. The best place to try a variety of local delicacies is at the Hoi An Central Market. The market features a food corridor with over 30 vendors that provide a variety of inexpensive assortments of local dishes from 6am to 7pm daily. If you are wanting to try something that Hoi An does well or only Hoi An does then try the following items.
Mi Quang: An incredibly tasty noodle dish popular in Hoi An for breakfast is called Mi Quang. Delicate rice noodles, hard quail eggs, pork, Vietnamese spices, crushed peanuts, and broth make up the basic ingredients of this meal. Some locations use turmeric powder or food colouring to turn the noodles yellow.
Cao Lau: One of Hoi An's most delectable dishes is Cao La and can be found all over the city from street vendors to high end hotels. This dish has the closest ties to the city out of any of the meals on this list. Although Cao Lau was not entirely created in Hoi An, city well water from Hoi An is a crucial component. Slices of grilled pork will be served in a bowl along with croutons, sprouts, and herbs.
Com Ga: Originated in China, Com Ga is a common dish in Southeast Asia. It is an excellent mix of flavorful rice, chicken pieces, fresh spices like pepper, and stewed jam that is also served with a clear broth, dipping sauces, and green peppers.
Banh Beo: Usually these late night snacks of small steamed cakes known as Banh Beo are made from a mixture of rice flour, fish sauce, and dried shrimp with a distinctive orange sauce that is made from ground pork. You then use a wooden stick to pop the cake out of the bowl.
Banh Bao Vac: This local snack is found everywhere and resembles delicate white roses but they are actually dumplings. Before being steamed, each dumpling is produced by encasing a shrimp or pork with a rice mixture. When it is ready to be eaten the Banh Bao Vac is placed on a plate, garnished with shallots and served with a dip made of shrimp broth, peppers, lemon, and sugar.
Bun Bo Hue: Although it originated in the nearby town of Hue, the dish is now popular throughout the all of Hoi An. This very well known and popular, noodle soup is made with a flavorful stock made of rice, herbs, and lemongrass. Feel free to add as much or as little chilli to it as you like.
Banh Xeo: On a stroll around Hoi An Ancient Town in the afternoon, you can savour this delectable hotcake. Banh Xeo is a common Vietnamese dish with a hotcake that is made of rice flour, coconut milk, and turmeric then topped with a variety of toppings such vermicelli noodles, ground meat like chicken, pork, or beef. Make sure to eat it like a local by wrapping the hotcake in a mustard leaf, lettuce, or rice paper, then dipping it in aged nut sauce.
Pho: Pho and Vietnam go hand in hand but every city and cook makes it a little different so even if you have had it in one of the other Vietnamese cities, give it a try in Hoi an too. The most expensive locations for this dish are found in Ancient Town but if you head to the food stalls along the Riverside, you can get it at a lot more reasonable price.
