The CookbookCookbook · 10 dishes

Central Vietnamese food

Central Vietnamese food, anchored by Hue and Hoi An, is the spiciest and most layered in the country — a legacy of the imperial kitchens of Hue, where dishes were made small, intricate, and fiery. Expect the chilli-red bún bò Huế, the turmeric-yellow mì Quảng eaten with barely any broth, and Hoi An specialities like cao lầu and white-rose dumplings you genuinely cannot get done right anywhere else.

Eat it where we curate:Hoi An
Cao lau — Cao lầu© Chainwit. · CC BY 4.0
Cao lầu$1.50–3
Cao lau·cow lao

A Hoi An-only noodle that, by legend, needs water from one specific well.

Central
Bun bo Hue — Bún bò Huế
Bún bò Huế$1.50–3
Bun bo Hue·boon baw hweh

Hue’s fiery lemongrass beef noodle — the spicy, grown-up cousin of pho.

Central
Mi Quang — Mì Quảng© Jpatokal · CC BY-SA 4.0
Mì Quảng$1.50–3
Mi Quang·mee kwang

Turmeric-yellow noodles with just a splash of intense broth — central Vietnam’s signature.

Central
Sizzling pancake — Bánh xèo© Kent Wang from Austin, TX · CC BY-SA 2.0
Bánh xèo$1.50–3
Sizzling pancake·bang say-oh

A crackly turmeric crêpe stuffed with shrimp and bean sprouts — wrapped and dipped.

CentralSouthern
Cơm gà Hội An$2–4
Hoi An chicken rice·gum ga hoy an

Turmeric-yellow rice cooked in chicken stock, topped with hand-torn poached chicken.

Central
Steamed rice cakes — Bánh bèo© Vietcuongdao · CC BY-SA 4.0
Bánh bèo$1.50–3
Steamed rice cakes·bang bay-oh

Hue’s little water-fern saucers of steamed rice topped with shrimp and crackling.

Central
Grilled pork sausage rolls — Nem nướng© Baoothersks · CC BY-SA 4.0
Nem nướng$3–6
Grilled pork sausage rolls·nem nuong

Skewers of grilled pork sausage you wrap at the table with herbs and rice paper.

CentralSouthern
Salt coffee — Cà phê muối© CNEcija12345 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cà phê muối$1–2
Salt coffee·ka-feh moo-oy

Hue’s invention: a pinch of salt in the milk foam that makes the coffee taste sweeter.

Central
Thick crab noodles — Bánh canh cua© Phương Huy · CC0
Bánh canh cua$2–4
Thick crab noodles·bang kan koo-a

Fat, chewy tapioca noodles in a thick, almost gravy-like crab broth.

SouthernCentral
Grilled rice paper — Bánh tráng nướng© Light Write · CC BY-SA 2.0
Bánh tráng nướng$1–2
Grilled rice paper·bang chang nuong

Da Lat’s “Vietnamese pizza” — rice paper grilled crisp with egg and toppings.

CentralSouthern

Central food — common questions

What food is central Vietnam known for?
Central Vietnamese food, anchored by Hue and Hoi An, is the spiciest and most layered in the country — a legacy of the imperial kitchens of Hue, where dishes were made small, intricate, and fiery. Expect the chilli-red bún bò Huế, the turmeric-yellow mì Quảng eaten with barely any broth, and Hoi An specialities like cao lầu and white-rose dumplings you genuinely cannot get done right anywhere else. The dishes to seek out: Cao lau, Bun bo Hue, Mi Quang, and Sizzling pancake.
What is the most famous central Vietnamese dish?
Cao lau (Cao lầu) — A Hoi An-only noodle that, by legend, needs water from one specific well.