VI
EN
Da Nang, a coastal city and one of Vietnam's top destinations, is just a 2-hour flight from Hong Kong and is steadily establishing its position on the international tourism map. However, besides its already well-known attractions like Ba Na Hills, Hoi An, or the nearby ancient capital of Hue, Da Nang's true appeal lies in another aspect: the richness and authenticity of its street food.
Chef Olivier Corti, head chef and co-owner of Le Comptoir – a high-end French restaurant in Da Nang – who has lived and worked there since 2017, believes that the city's "true culinary heroes" aren't found in fancy restaurants but hidden right on the streets. Corti, who previously worked in Lyon (France), Monaco, and Hong Kong, shared with the Hong Kong newspaper SCMP his insights on the best food and places to eat in Da Nang, where he found some of the best Vietnamese dishes that go beyond the globally famous pho and banh mi.
Da Nang can be divided into two main areas, each with its own distinct rhythm of life and culinary style. The coastal area is home to numerous bars and hotels, making it a favorite among digital nomads and surfers. This area is vibrant and highly internationalized. The inner city area is where the local life is most vibrant, with 24/7 cafes, small food stalls, and bustling traditional markets.
The Dragon Bridge, spanning the Han River and connecting the two banks, has become a tourist icon with its fire-breathing display on weekend evenings. Regardless of which side you choose, you can enjoy delicious food, a testament to the fact that Vietnamese cuisine was recognized among the world's top in 2024 by the online travel guide TasteAtlas.
Quang noodles
"Nothing makes you feel like you're in Da Nang like a bowl of Quang Nam noodles," asserts chef Olivier Corti. This noodle dish takes its name from Quang Nam, the province that formerly bordered Da Nang. It's characterized by its turmeric-infused broth and a variety of toppings: shrimp (often recommended to eat with the shell), fish, eel, pork, chicken, and even jellyfish.
What gives Quang noodles its light and refreshing flavor are the fresh herbs such as basil, coriander, and mint, along with chili peppers, boiled eggs, chopped lettuce, lime, and especially the crispy sesame rice crackers that add a nutty taste.
Corti's favorite place to enjoy this authentic dish is Cô Sáu Quang Noodles (397 Tran Hung Dao, An Hai Tay, Son Tra), a restaurant located on the banks of the Han River and once featured by Michelin, owned by a native of Quang Nam.
Seafood from the central coastal region of Vietnam.
Corti believes that the best chefs in Da Nang are the "street food mothers," those who work around the clock to serve breakfast and have been cooking the same dish for 30 years. These women preserve the traditional flavors and are the soul of the city's cuisine, especially with seafood. Chau Son 1 Seafood Restaurant (21 Nai Tu 2, An Hai Bac, Son Tra) is a casual seafood restaurant, serving customers right on the sidewalk with low metal tables and blue plastic chairs. The French chef shared that the restaurant gets its extremely fresh seafood from a small boat early in the morning. The restaurant's charcoal grill gives oysters, clams, squid, and even bread a distinctive smoky flavor.
Hay Seafood Ba Ro (115 Ly Tu Tan, Tho Quang, Son Tra) is also a familiar destination for Corti, serving a variety of fresh seafood such as chili crab, garlic oysters to cream-sauce shrimp.
Vietnamese savory pancake (Banh Xeo)
For French chefs, banh xeo (Vietnamese savory pancake) is a must-try dish. This local specialty consists of golden pancakes made from rice flour and turmeric powder, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, filled with shrimp and chicken. Corti suggests that visitors go to Banh Xeo Ba Duong (280/23 Hoang Dieu, Phuoc Ninh, Hai Chau), a restaurant that has specialized in this dish for over 30 years, and also serves nem lui (grilled pork skewers) and minced pork skewers grilled with lemongrass.
Da Nang-style breakfast
Instead of searching for beef pho, locals often have a bowl of vermicelli or rice noodle soup for breakfast. Visitors should try Thu's fish cake vermicelli or rice noodle soup (29 Chau Thi Vinh Te, Bac My Phu, Ngu Hanh Son), a local specialty with delicious fresh fish cakes. If you don't like vermicelli, Beef Steak is also a great option at Khanh Beef Steak restaurant (41 Hoang Van Thu, Phuoc Ninh, Hai Chau) with a simple meal consisting of fried eggs, beef, and bread.
Besides traditional cuisine, Da Nang's growing popularity with Korean tourists and digital nomads has fueled the rapid development of international cuisine, from Korean to Japanese dishes.
Chef Corti concluded that Da Nang's culinary culture, much like the city itself, is rapidly evolving, full of surprises, and finding its own rhythm, with countless options ranging from long-established family-run eateries to newly emerging international restaurants.
