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During travel, when it comes to food, people sometimes prioritize quality over quantity. Having made the effort to travel to a new place, diners often don't just want to eat until they're full; they also want to understand the culture and the people of the place they're visiting. A tiring journey of hundreds of kilometers is rewarded with beautiful scenery, delicious food, and warm hospitality. What could be more delightful? Local photographer Tran Trung Hieu will share three more delicious restaurants in Hoi An with readers to make their upcoming trip even more fulfilling.
I've tried many delicious dishes in Hoi An. But why not try the local food recommendations once to see if it's any different?
Sum bread with spicy, aromatic chili sauce.
Bread is a simple, easy-to-make dish, yet each place has its own unique flavor. Visitors to Hoi An absolutely must try a satisfying loaf of bread from Sum. The shop isn't crowded, mostly run by locals. But anyone who's ever stopped by raves about this bread that evokes fond memories of the ancient town.
Sum's banh mi has a variety of toppings such as char siu pork, grilled pork, beef, cold cuts, pork sausage, beef sausage, minced pork dumplings, pate, hot dogs, eggs, etc. All are neatly arranged at the counter, looking very appetizing. Picky eaters who love mixed fillings will find the flavors perfectly blended. The pate and minced pork dumplings here are also highly rated. Furthermore, the banh mi isn't dry because they use a lot of homemade sauce with a unique, rich, and non-greasy flavor. Especially, the chili sauce at Sum's banh mi is spicier than other shops because it caters to locals, but it's also very fragrant. Customers exclaim in delight while eating – that's a kind of deliciousness, a compliment to the chef.
Reference prices:20,000-30,000 VND
Opening hours:6 AM - 10 PM daily
Address:149 Tran Hung Dao Street, Hoi An City
The ingredients are neatly arranged, making them look very appetizing.
A substantial loaf of bread in my hand, emitting a delightful aroma.
The restaurant is large and easy to find, even for first-time visitors.
Eat just enough, like chicken rice.
Located in a small alley right in the heart of Hoi An's Old Town, Xí's Chicken Rice boasts a rich flavor with soft, sticky, and fragrant rice, tossed with onions, coriander, and pickled vegetables according to the restaurant's special recipe. The tender, flavorful, and perfectly fatty young chicken meat makes the dish even more appealing.
The first thing one notices is that this is a very unpretentious eatery. The meat is served in just the right amount, not too much, and the rice is also just right. A few pieces of shredded chicken with some light yellow chicken skin, a few raw onion stalks, some pale green herbs, and sometimes a few red chili peppers. All of this is neatly arranged on a plate, giving the chicken pho a relaxed, light feel, like a diner leisurely strolling along the Thu Bon River. Nowadays, people are more discerning about food; it's not about lavish feasts that are delicious, but about eating enough, even if it leaves you wanting more.
Reference price:20,000 – 50,000 VND
Opening hours:9 AM – 10 PM daily
Address:47/2 Tran Hung Dao Street, Hoi An City
The chicken rice dish is just enough to satisfy your hunger but still leave you wanting more.
The chicken is shredded and ready for customers to visit.
Located in a small alley, diners will need to pay a little attention to find it.
Rich and flavorful banh beo from Co Tai.
Co Tai's Banh Beo (steamed rice cakes) are distinctly Hoi An's ancient town flavors. The banh beo is made from fragrant white rice flour combined with a special sauce recipe. The shrimp and pork sauce is a beautiful yellow color, thick and creamy, and served with fried onions and peanuts. The dipping sauce here is also simply prepared like regular fish sauce, but with a spicier flavor.
The rice cakes, served in small bowls, are subtly fragrant and soft. Take one, dip it in the dipping sauce with a spoon, add just the right amount, and gently place it in your mouth. Diners will experience a harmonious rhythm: the fragrant, soft rice cake blending with the thick, smooth sauce, complemented by a fish sauce that's neither too salty, too sour, nor too spicy. Rice cakes are easy to make, but not everyone makes them well. Just a slight lack of richness in the sauce, a lack of aroma in the fish sauce, and an entire afternoon's work is wasted. Yet, on afternoons when you visit Ms. Tai's rice cake stall, you'll never find it empty. Truly skillful.
Reference price:15,000 - 20,000 VND
Opening hours:3 PM - 7 PM daily
Address:Section of Ly Thuong Kiet, Ngo Gia Tu, Tran Hung Dao, Nguyen Hue streets, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province.
Co Tai's banh beo (steamed rice cakes) come with a special, rich sauce.
The eatery is just a street cart, but there's a constant stream of customers coming and going.
Every afternoon when you stop by that street corner, you'll see it bustling.
