Located some 120 kilometers East of Hanoi, Haiphong is famous for its delicious and inexpensive street food. Thanks to the typical seafood and the meticulous and creative way of preparing dishes, Haiphong cuisine has become a heavyweight of Vietnamese cuisine.

1. Spicy bread (banh my cay) – a must-try dish on the Hai Phong food tour map

Hai Phong is famous for spicy bread – banh my cay, which is one of the not-to-be-missed dishes on your Hai Phong food tour. It has a crispy crust. Inside is pate and chili sauce, making the dish aromatic and mouth-watering.

 Banh mi cay must be eaten accompanied with chi truong or Haiphong-style chili sauce

For the best flavor, come to the following locations:

• Banh my cay Ong Cuong: No. 184, Hang Kenh Street
• Banh my cay Dinh Tien Hoang: No. 37, Dinh Tien Hoang Street

2. Banh Da Cua (Grab dried noodle)

Another signature dish worth savoring on the Hai Phong food tour is crab noodle soup, which is a popular breakfast dish. It features red noodles and a unique broth made of crab fat. A bowl of crab noodle soup has various toppings, such as shrimp, meat, and bacon.

There are many Hai Phong restaurants offering crab noodle soup

You can easily find locations offering crab noodle soup across Hai Phong, but the best flavor is available at:

• Banh da cua Ms Yen: No. 2B Pham Ngu Lao Street, Ngo Quyen District, Hai Phong City
• Banh da cua thap cam: No. 135, Lam Son Street, Le Chan District, Hai Phong City

3. Banh beo

Banh Beo Hai Phong is really different in terms of form and flavor compared to the other one. The cake is placed in each cambered banana leaf mold just like a boat. The dough is skillfully poured in first and then put on the multiplier so that after steaming the cake filling, the cake looks nice. The cake filling is made from minced lean meat, stir-fried with chopped wood ear mushroom. This dish is served with dipping sauce made from bone broth, when heated, dipping sauce with chili powder, pepper, a few pieces of meatballs …

Some suggested locations where you should try Banh beo are:

• Banhbeo Co May: No. 64, Chu Van An Street
• Banh beo Luong Van Can Market: Le Loi Street

4. Snails

Coming to the coastal city of Hai Phong, gourmets should not ignore the dishes made from snails. Hai Phong snails are processed in a variety of ways, ranging from boiled snails to fried snails with coconut or tamarind. The snails are incredibly delicious, greasy, and full of flavors that will make visitors unable to forget.

Some suggested places to try snails in Hai Phong:

• Quan oc Thuy Duong: No. 30/263, Lach Tray Street
• Huong oc Hai Phong: No. 274, Hang Kenh Street

5. Nem cua be (Crab spring rolls)

The dish of Nem cua be or Vietnamese spring rolls with crab meat

It would be remiss not to mention Nem cua be when talking about Haiphong’s delicacies. Though prepared under a recipe similar to Hanoi spring rolls, the Haiphong version uses seafood rather than pork.

Nem cua be is carefully and beautifully wrapped in a square shape, with the thick rice paper keeping everything together when frying. The flavor is sure to win over diners from the very first bite!

Nem cua be is available at seafood restaurants on Cat Ba Island, at Do Son Beach, and Cat Bi and Co Dao markets in Haiphong, ranging from VND40,000 ($1.7) to VND70,000 ($3) per piece, depending on whether you try it at a market or a restaurant.

6. Coconut milk coffee

Coconut milk coffee is made from coffee powder mixed with coconut milk and condensed milk, then whisked to form a paste. Depending on the preferences of the customer, a variety of toppings can be added such as glass jelly, tapioca pearls, fresh shredded coconut, and dried coconut chips.

This drink has a slightly bitter taste of coffee combined with the sweetness of coconut milk and the aroma of condensed milk, which makes it easy to drink as it is not bitter nor too sweet. In Hai Phong, the most famous coffee shops that sell this drink is Ms Hanh Coconut Coffee at 148 Luong Khanh Thien street, Ms Hang at 124A Lam Son street, Le Chan district, and many other coffee shops across the city.

7. Banh duc tau

Banh Duc Tau is served with shrimp, meat, papaya and vinegar sauce added in the bowl. This is also one of the dishes that make up the appeal of Hai Phong.

You can enjoy this dish at Cat Dai Street, An Duong Market…

Price: 10,000 – 15,000 VND / bowl.

Coming to Hai Phong, visitors can not only explore the wonderful nature but also savor the best local specialties. Hopefully, this article has provided some useful information about worth-trying dishes and where to enjoy them.