The three Hoi An classics
Start with the dishes unique to the town. Cao lau is the signature: chewy noodles with slices of pork, fresh herbs and crisp croutons, traditionally made with water from old local wells. White rose dumplings are translucent shrimp parcels topped with fried shallots. Com ga is fragrant turmeric chicken rice. Together they are a proper Hoi An lunch.
Banh mi and the cafe scene
Hoi An is also one of the best places in Vietnam for banh mi, the crusty baguette sandwich stuffed with pate, pork, herbs and chilli. Pair it with a Vietnamese iced coffee in one of the riverside cafes. To learn the coffee side, there is even a coffee-making class from $15.
The easy ways to taste it all
The quickest route into the food is a guided street food tour from $35, or an evening food and lantern walk from $39 that adds the night-time old town. To take the recipes home, book a cooking class from $27. See our full cooking class guide to choose.
Taste your way through Hoi An
A guided food tour finds the stalls and dishes worth your appetite.
Frequently asked questions
Hoi An has three dishes you will struggle to find done well elsewhere: cao lau, thick noodles with pork and greens said to use local well water; white rose dumplings, delicate shrimp parcels; and com ga, turmeric chicken rice. The town is also famous for its banh mi.
A guided street food tour from around $35 is the fastest way to taste the specialities and find the good stalls. To go deeper, a cooking class from $27 teaches you to make several dishes yourself, market tour included.
Outstanding. It has unique local dishes, a strong cafe scene, riverside dining and some of the most celebrated banh mi in the country, all at low prices.
