Hoi An is a fascinating area of Vietnam and while there is so much to do and see there, many people go simply for the delectable cuisine. This cuisine can be found in many of the local restaurants, but honestly, if you are going to eat over in this area, and you will, then you must almost always choose the Hoi An street food.
It is easier than you think to grab street food in Hoi An and in fact, most of the locals do the same thing since breakfast and lunch are always eaten on the go in this town. All you need to do is follow the locals, or what I like to call the Hoi An street food trail, and you will be diving into something yummy in no time at all!
Of course, you will still need to determine where you are stopping along the Hoi An street food trail and that will be dependent on which food you are craving at the time. Plump dumplings will be available at some vendors, while meat on a stick and banh xoai, or sticky balls, will be at others. Everyone seems to have their own specialty and once you find what you love, you will keep returning for more.
Foods You Must Try Along the Hoi An Street Food Trail
There are plenty of delectable dishes that you will want to dive into, and the hard part will be choosing which one enters your stomach first, second, and third. Oh, and you might have the issue where you end up overeating, so if I can give you a suggestion… Go slow, the food will still be there tomorrow!
Now that we have that settled, here are the foods you must try when in Hoi An:
1. Banh Mi
Banh Mi is a bread that is stuffed with pork, salad, mayonnaise, pate, and a spicy sauce. This will taste differently everywhere you order it, because most of the ingredients are homemade and have their own special touch.
2. Xi Ma
When you look at Xi Ma, you are going to wonder how it can possibly be a food! After all, it is a paste that is made from black sesame seeds, as well as spices and herbs. Slather it on whatever you can throughout the day, because it will help you digest everything else that you indulge in.
3. Dau Hu
Dau Hu is a tofu that is generally served with a ginger syrup that is sweet but not too sweet.
4. Cau Lau
Cau Lau is the main specialty in Hoi An and you will find it in numerous areas along the Hoi An street food trail. Thick yellow noodles are served with pork and greens in a little pork broth. Large rice paper croutons are added for a little crunch and texture.
5. Com Ga
Com Ga is rice that is mixed with shredded chicken, greens, onions, chili, and lime juice.
6. Mi Quang
Mi Quang is basically turmeric flavored rice noodles that are served with chicken, pork, beef, or shrimp, as well as vegetables.
7. Banana Pancake
This tasty treat is just as it sounds, mashed up bananas shaped like a pancake and fried in oil. You must take a couple precautions before ordering this delicacy though or they won’t taste as wonderful as they should. First, make sure that where you are ordering from has recently changed the oil they are using for frying. Second, make sure that they are not frying savory snacks in with this sweeter option, because it completely ruins the flavor.
8. Banh Dap
Banh Dao is crispy rice paper and regular rice paper mixed together and served with fish sauce.
9. Beetle Nut
You are not going to see Beetle Nut in too many places along the Hoi An street food trail, because it is something that mainly the older generation eats. The Beetle Nut is a mild narcotic that is always mixed with clam and snail shells.
10. Banh Xeo
Banh Xeo is a crispy pancake that has shrimp and pork, as well as bean sprouts in it. This dish is normally served inside a piece of rolled up rice paper with an herbal salad.
11. Banh Can
Banh Can is a pancake that gets crispy due to be made from quail eggs.
12. Sinh To
SinhTo is similar to a smoothie. Tons of different fruits are mixed together with ice and condensed milk before being blended.
13. Op La
Op La is eggs that are cooked with pork mince and chopped vegetables. They are served on a roll with tomato and lettuce.
While you have many different stalls to choose from along the Hoi An street food trail, we recommend making sure that you find BánhCanhBà Quýt. You will find this vendor tucked away in a little alley and not many tourists know about it.
Aunt Bay’s Banh Beo is another excellent option that will have you going back for more.
You will eat quite often when you are in Hoi An, but since the food is all reasonably priced, that shouldn’t be too much of a problem. So, prepare to gain a little weight and find a few new favorite dishes along the Hoi An street food trail, while also planning a return trip to this part of Vietnam to experience it all over again in the future.