Nha Trang cuisine always carries with it the rich and diverse flavors of the sea. From simple dishes to sophisticated flavors, Nha Trang cuisine is not only an important part of local culture but also a special experience not to be missed when arriving in this coastal city. Let’s join Ula Travel to learn about the 11 unique dishes of Nha Trang right now!
1. Seafood: The Highlight of Nha Trang Cuisine
A visit to Nha Trang is incomplete without indulging in its diverse and fresh seafood, with particular emphasis on the seafood from fishing villages renowned for their quality and affordable prices.
Highlights of Nha Trang‘s seafood include sweet lobster and a variety of snails, including trumpet, mud creeper, and spotted babylon, in addition to seafood specialties like oysters, mantis shrimp, sea cucumbers, and blood cockles.
Depending on the variety, seafood in fishing communities might cost anywhere from 150,000 to 1,500,000 VND per kilogram.
Some famous fishing villages worth visiting to enjoy seafood include Van Gia Fishing Village, Dam Mon Fishing Village (in Ninh Phong Bay), Bich Dam Fishing Village (on Hòn Tre Island), and Ninh Thuy Fishing Village. Depending on your location, you can choose a suitable destination for your trip.
Visiting these fishing villages, you can witness the fishing activities firsthand or even participate in them, selecting the freshest seafood and having restaurants prepare it for you.
Additionally, if you don’t plan to visit the fishing villages, Ula Travel suggests some excellent seafood dining options within the city:
Gio Bien Seafood is at 10 Pham Van Dong street.
- Open from 11 a.m. to 0 a.m.
- Prices range from 50,000 to 450,000, depending on the dish.
Hanh Xuan Seafood is at 6 Ngo Sy Lien street.
- Open from 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. daily
- Prices range from 50,000 to 250,000 VND per dish.
2. Ninh Hoa Grilled Pork Rolls: Bringing the Flavor of Nha Trang Cuisine
Fresh, warm pork, finely ground and seasoned just right, molded around bamboo skewers, and grilled over charcoal. Just hearing about it, you can almost imagine the familiar aroma of Nha Trang cuisine. The grilled rolls are fragrant and tender, not overly chewy or fatty.
What makes this dish special is also the thick, flavorful dipping sauce, which is warm and thick and accompanied by fresh vegetables that are eye-catching and refreshing. Rolling, rolling, rolling—you just can’t stop. Additionally, you can enjoy the grilled pork rolls with vermicelli, similar to the dish “bun thit nuong,” which is also delicious.
In Nha Trang, there are many budget-friendly stalls selling grilled pork rolls; almost every street has one. Whether it’s rainy or sunny, grilled pork rolls are always delicious. You can consider some famous Ninh Hoa grilled pork roll stalls in the culinary world of Nha Trang.
Suggested addresses for you:
- Grilled Pork Rolls: 25 Le Hong Phong, Nha Trang.
- Vu Thanh An Grilled Pork Rolls: 15 Le Loi, Nha Trang.
- Mrs. No’s Grilled Pork Rolls: 24 Hai Ba Trung, Nha Trang.
3. Shrimp and squid pancakes: A memorable dish of Nha Trang cuisine
Shrimp and squid pancakes are prepared similarly to other central Vietnamese pancakes. However, the people of Nha Trang are adept at adding their own unique flavors to the dish.
Instead of using pork and shrimp filling, Shrimp and squid pancakes utilize the fresh seafood readily available in the coastal city, such as shrimp and squid. When eaten, the fresh and sweet taste of shrimp and squid, combined with the fragrant and crispy pancake, promises to leave you with an unforgettable flavor when recalling the delicious dishes of Nha Trang!
Suggested addresses for you:
- Phan Boi Chau Pancakes: 52 Phan Boi Chau
- Pancakes with squid and shrimp: 97 Hoang Dieu
4. Jellyfish Noodle Soup: Always Among the Best Dishes of Nha Trang Cuisine
Jellyfish noodle soup in Nha Trang is one of the best dishes in Nha Trang that must be mentioned on this list. Fresh jellyfish are caught daily from the sea, cleaned, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
The clear broth is made from fresh fish and a few other spices. Nha Trang jellyfish noodles have a sweet taste from the fish combined with the sourness of tomatoes.
Jellyfish noodles are crispy and delicious, served with fish cakes and fragrant scallions. They are always a delicious breakfast dish in Nha Trang, favored by locals and tourists alike. If you can handle spicy food, adding some chili to the bowl of noodles will make it even more delicious.
You can find this dish at the following addresses:
Jellyfish noodle soup at 3 Tang Bat Ho, Van Hanh Ward
- Open from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Priced from 25,000 to 35,000 VND per bowl.
Ninh Hoa Leafy Jellyfish Noodles is at 2 Lan Ong Street.
- Open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.,
- Priced from 20,000 to 25,000 VND per bowl.
Nguyen Loan Fish Noodle Soup, 123 Ngo Gia Tu Street.
- It opens at 6:30 a.m. and has very affordable prices.
- Price is ranging from 15,000 to 30,000 VND per bowl.
5. Fried Squid in Fish Sauce—Iconic of Nha Trang Cuisine
In the array of delectable dishes from Nha Trang, one cannot overlook the emblematic Fried Squid in Fish Sauce, leaving every palate that has savored it with an unforgettable longing. Harmonizing the distinctive flavors and essence of the azure sea, this dish stands as a hallmark delicacy of Nha Trang, an essential experience for any visitor to the coastal city.
Carefully selected fresh squid undergoes meticulous preparation, followed by a sun-drying process for seven days. Through this artisanal process, the squid achieves a delightful sweetness, infused with the warmth of the sun and an irresistible natural aroma. Notably, the Fried Squid in Fish Sauce in Nha Trang is tender without being overly tough, preserving its characteristic tenderness.
For purchasing delectable Fried Squid in Fish Sauce in Nha Trang, recommended locations include:
- Dam Nha Trang Market: 09 B Apartment
- Xom Moi Market: 49 Ngo Gia Tu Street
6. Lac Canh Grilled Beef: Nha Trang’s Most Famous Beef Dish
Setting aside the typical seafood dishes, the list of Nha Trang dishes also includes the incredibly delicious grilled beef at Lac Canh Grilled Beef Restaurant, which has been operating for over 40 years in Nha Trang. Here, the most famous dish is the uniquely prepared grilled beef.
The beef is cut into square pieces, seasoned just right, and grilled over charcoal right at your table. When eaten, you’ll feel the tender beef melt in your mouth. Additionally, Lac Canh Restaurant offers many other diverse dishes, such as grilled eel, shrimp paste on sugarcane, seafood fried rice, etc.
- Price range: 90,000–150,000 VND per person.
- Address: Lac Canh Restaurant: 64 Nguyen Binh Khiem Street
7. Seafood Pancakes: The Fusion of Nha Trang Cuisine
Seafood pancakes are a familiar dish brought from Dalat to Nha Trang. Although not originally a local specialty, seafood pancakes in Nha Trang are a dish you must try when visiting the coastal city. Unlike regular pancakes with pork or quail egg fillings, Nha Trang seafood pancakes are filled with seafood.
Seafood pancakes with squid, shrimp, crab, or octopus are served with a dipping sauce made from local fish sauce, providing a taste that’s both delicious and unforgettable.
Reliable addresses to enjoy this dish:
- Mrs. Tu’s Pancakes, Thap Ba Street (7A), prices range from 20,000 to 50,000 VND per serving, open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
- 151 Hoang Van Thu Pancakes, open in the morning from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m., have prices ranging from 20,000 to 30,000 VND per serving.
8. Wet Cakes: A Distinctive Dish of Nha Trang Cuisine
Wet cakes in the northern region are similar to rice rolls, made from rice flour, then steamed until cooked and filled with various ingredients.
In Nha Trang, wet cakes are not filled with plain pork but rolled with sour mango, fried spring rolls, and raw vegetables, topped with a layer of scallion oil, sprinkled with ground shrimp powder before rolling, and dipped in chili fish sauce, accompanied by raw vegetables.
Nha Trang wet cakes have a completely different flavor from other regions because they carry the rich taste of the sea.
- The best-quality wet cake eatery is at the San Banh Stall on 19th May Street, open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and incredibly cheap at only 2,000 VND per piece. You only need about 10 pieces to feel full.
- Additionally, there’s Mrs. Ha’s Hot Wet Cakes at Km4, 23rd October Street (open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.), and Binh Minh Stall at 29 Le Dai Hanh Street (open from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.), both of which are inexpensive dining spots in Nha Trang.
9. Pan-fried snail: An Unmissable Night Delicacy of Nha Trang Cuisine
Pan-fried snails are one of the delicious dishes in Nha Trang at night, a brand that ensures snail lovers can satisfy their passion.
There are many types of pan-fried snails, such as apple snails, fat snails, suction snails, nail snails, etc., prepared in many different ways, such as boiling, stir-frying with lemongrass, and roasting tamarind, and the common point is that they are all prepared in pans. large, arranged next to each other for customers to easily choose.
With pan-fried snails, you just need to choose the snails you like, then sit and wait for the staff to bring out the hot plates of snails of your choice. Hot snails served with ginger fish sauce or typical green fish sauce in Nha Trang will taste extremely delicious and are suitable for groups of friends who are snacking and chatting in the evening.
Some popular addresses for pan snails are:
- Pan-fried Snail No. 1, located at 1A Truong Sa Street, Vinh Nguyen Ward. The restaurant is open from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. and offers dishes ranging from 30,000 to 70,000 VND per plate, depending on the type.
- Long Vu Snail Stall is at 30 Thap Ba Street, with prices ranging from 20,000 to 30,000 VND per plate. Besides, the stall also offers fresh and delicious seafood at affordable prices.
- Linh Snail Saute is a street food stand at 103 Ngo Gia Tu Street, Tan Lap Ward. The stall mainly operates in the evening from 3 p.m. and offers dishes ranging from 20,000 to 100,000 VND each.
10. Grilled Rolls Nha Trang: The Highly Addictive Dish of Nha Trang Cuisine
Grilled Rolls Nha Trang is the next dish in the rich culinary repertoire of Nha Trang. Considered the most addictive dish in the beautiful coastal city, Grilled Rolls Nha Trang is made from finely ground meat, seasoned with spices, grilled to perfection, wrapped in fresh vegetables, sour star fruit, green papaya, crispy roll, and dipped in a special sauce made from meat and peanuts, delivering an irresistibly delicious taste for diners.
Grilled Rolls Nha Trang offers a sweet and savory flavor profile, complemented by the rich creaminess of the dipping sauce. You can add chili for an extra kick, creating a perfect taste for this specialty dish.
Quality addresses for delicious Grilled Rolls Nha Trang include:
- Dang Van Quyen Grilled Rolls, with two branches at 16A Lan Ong and 02-04 Phan Boi Chau, has an average price of 40,000 VND per serving. The restaurant is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Nha Trang Grilled Rolls at 39 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., has a similar price range of around 40,000 VND per serving.
- Ba Sau Grilled Roll at 02 To Vinh Dien Street, open from 1 pm to 10 pm, offers cheaper prices as it is a street stall, with only 30,000 VND per serving.
11. Fish Cake Soup: A Must-Try Dish of Nha Trang Cuisine
Fish cake soup is a dish that tourists should not miss when visiting Nha Trang. Give this dish a try to understand how delicious Nha Trang cuisine is. Fish cake soup is widely available, making it easy for tourists to find it in Nha Trang.
There are two types of fish cakes for you to choose from: steamed and fried. Depending on your preference, you can choose the portion size. The fish is cleaned thoroughly, and fish bones are used to boil the water, creating the characteristic sweet taste of the fish. The fish cake is soft, chewy, and highlighted by the sweet taste of the fish, enhanced even further when dipped in garlic chili sauce. Delicious fresh fish cake eaten with noodles or fish cake soup creates an irresistible flavor.
If you choose fish cake soup with noodles, don’t forget to add a little onion and tomato to your bowl before eating, and enjoy it with raw vegetables. The natural flavors will blend together, and your taste buds will fully appreciate the deliciousness of this dish. Fish cake soup can also be enjoyed with vegetables, or you can add your favorite spices. The taste of this dish will make tourists want to eat more after trying it for the first time.
Suggested addresses for you:
Nha Trang Ba Thua soup cake
- Address: No. 10A Phan Chu Trinh, Xuong Huan, Nha Trang
- Opening hours: 06:00–20:00
- Reference price: 25,000–45,000 VND/bowl
Nha Trang Co Hai soup cake
- Address: No. 90 Nguyen Huu Huan, Tan Lap, Nha Trang
- Opening hours: 11:00 a.m. until late (late afternoon)
- Reference price: 8,000–15,000 VND/bowl
Hong Phuc soup cake
- Address: No. 116 Ngo Gia Tu, Tan Lap, Nha Trang
- Opening hours: 10:30–22:30
Hopefully, with the experiences and culinary suggestions that Ula Travel provides above, you will have an exciting journey to discover Nha Trang cuisine with memorable dishes.
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