When people think of Ninh Binh, they usually picture its breathtaking scenery, often described as “Ha Long Bay on land,” where massive limestone karsts rise dramatically from flat, fertile plains.
It’s undeniably beautiful, but one thing I do regret is how little attention most visitors pay to the local cuisine. Like nearly every province in Vietnam, Ninh Binh has its own culinary traditions, and they’re absolutely worth discovering.
We’ve traveled there several times with both my family and Huong’s, most recently in September 2025. What follows are a few personal recommendations.
As always, these are completely honest and independent reviews.
Read more: Street Food in Da Nang: Must-Try Dishes and Where to Eat Them
1. Best local restaurants
Restaurant Thành Dê
Mountain goat meat is Ninh Binh’s number one specialty, and something I highly recommend trying when visiting the province.
Its reputation comes from the fact that goats are raised freely on the region’s limestone mountains. This natural lifestyle gives the meat a firm, lean texture that sets it apart from farm-raised goats.
The menu features just about every goat dish you can think of: steamed, stir-fried with lemongrass, grilled, hotpot, porridge, and even goat spring rolls.
Some of our regular picks include steamed goat with beer (250k/pot), stir-fried goat with lemongrass, and goat salad with lime (200k/plate). The meat is tender, fragrant, and full of flavor. It’s best to book a table in advance, especially on weekends, as the restaurant tends to get quite crowded.
🗺 Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/tCfTGfGgmvTdftLL6
🌐 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thanh.de.921910#
Ninh Binh has other several long-established goat restaurants, but their popularity can be a double-edged sword since quality and service are not always consistent. For example, I once tried De Chinh Thu in the past and found it rather underwhelming.
Restaurant Tam Gia Trang
The menu here has everything from simple home-style dishes to a wide range of meats, fish, and seafood, which you can check out on their Facebook page linked below. It’s a great option if you’re looking for a restaurant near Hoa Lu Old Quarter (within walking distance), especially for large groups or families with both elderly and young members who prefer variety rather than focusing only on goat dishes.
The restaurant is spacious, with two floors. From what we’ve seen, it gets quite busy after 7 p.m., and the wait for food can be long, so it’s best to come early if you can.
🗺 Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/JcowqafK1tPZM9uu9
🌐 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tamgiatrang.vn
Chef Hien
While the two places above mainly attract Vietnamese diners, the next one seems to be especially popular with foreign visitors. One of the main reasons is likely its convenient location right in the heart of the Tam Coc–Bich Dong tourist area.
This restaurant is especially famous for its roasted duck, which is tender, flavorful, and juicy without being greasy. They also have a fairly wide menu, though in our opinion, the other dishes are nothing special. In short, come here for one reason only — the roasted duck!
🗺 Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/2THRZE5ePtnNFtfa8
Read more: Street Food in Hanoi: 11 Places to Try the City’s Most Iconic Dishes
A few additional recommendation
Ninh Binh’s food scene remains fairly limited compared to larger cities like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City that we’ve covered on this site.
That said, there are still a few names I want to include in this article.
Gỏi cá nhệch Vũ Bảo
This place specializes in one of the region’s lesser-known dishes: a raw fish salad made with paddy field eels, mixed with toasted rice powder and aromatic spices such as galangal, ginger, and lemongrass.
🗺 Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/GWhyNeTZJGMs5Cg26
Miến Lươn Bà Phấn
Miến lươn is also a dish I personally enjoy and recommend trying. If the idea of eating eel doesn’t sound appealing at first, keep in mind that in this dish, the eel is fried until crispy and served with glass noodles, making it both fragrant and easy to like.
🗺 Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/YAzzxiyxzheHW1g47
Bún Chả Chung An
Bún chả is more commonly associated with Hanoi, but the dish also has a few regional variations across the northern provinces, including Ninh Binh.
🗺 Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/T4ig9xESWchPFaPY7
Bars in Ninh Binh
Read more: Top 9 Venues for Craft Beer in Hanoi – Recommendation by a local
3. Useful Travel Information
When to visit Ninh Binh?
In my opinion, the best time to visit Ninh Binh is in autumn, when the weather is relatively cool and pleasant. Note that this is also peak season for international visitors, so accommodation prices can be quite high.
Late May to early June is another popular time to go, as it’s the rice harvest season in Tam Coc, when the fields turn a beautiful golden color.
How to get to Ninh Binh?
- By limousine from Hanoi / Northern Vietnam: This is the most popular option, with many daily departures. This would be my personal recommendation. The trip takes about two hours from Hanoi. Trains and intercity buses are also available.
- From Central or Southern Vietnam: The nearest airport is Tho Xuan Airport (Thanh Hoa), located south of Ninh Binh.
Main attractions in Ninh Binh
Ninh Binh is often described as “Ha Long Bay on land.” The province is blessed with an extraordinary landscape that never loses its appeal, no matter how many times you visit. Most tourists limit their trip to Trang An (where the King Kong movie was filmed) or Tam Coc, but the list of things to see and do in the area is far broader than that :
- Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- Tam Coc – Bich Dong
- Hoa Lu Ancient Capital
- Hoa Lu Ancient Quarter / Ninh Binh Walking Street
- Cuc Phuong National Park
- Tuyet Tinh Coc (Am Tien Cave)
- Hang Mua (Mua Cave)
- Bai Dinh Pagoda
- Thung Nham Bird Garden / ecopark
And more…
Thung Nham Ecotourism Area
A place we recently visited and found truly worth it is Thung Nham Ecotourism Area. It’s famous for its beautiful wild bird garden, which visitors can explore by boat (the boat ride is included in the entrance ticket).
The best time to visit the bird garden is in the late afternoon, around 5 to 6 PM, when thousands of storks and herons return to their nests, creating a peaceful and romantic scene. Note that this is also the busiest time of the day, especially during weekends and peak season, so expect some traffic near the entrance and queues inside.
Besides the Bird Garden, Thung Nham also features a network of both dry and water caves, including Vai Gioi Cave, “Bụt”Cave, and Mermaid Cave. You can easily spend an entire day here — bring lunch for a picnic, or eat at the on-site restaurant.
🗺 Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/45QYtXbftz99eeqN8
🌐 Website: https://thungnham.com/
We’ll keep updating this article after our upcoming trips to Ninh Binh, but in the meantime, feel free to share your own recommendations with us.
Read more: Da Nang’s Best Western Restaurants: A Personal Guide
