Local Food in Da Nang: Must-Try Dishes and Where to Eat Them

Da Nang has quickly become a popular tourist destination and is often called Vietnam’s most livable city — and we couldn’t agree more.

What keeps us coming back is the mix of city energy (it’s Vietnam’s 5th biggest city!) and the laid-back beach vibe. But there’s more to Đà Nẵng than just the setting — the local food scene is a huge part of the experience.

If you’ve been following me on Threads, you know I’m always talking about the regional diversity of Vietnamese food — and encouraging tourists and expats to go beyond phở, bánh mì, and bún chả.

Đà Nẵng is a great place to do just that. The city gives you access to a wide range of central Vietnamese specialties that are harder to find outside the region.

It’s also worth noting that Đà Nẵng’s food scene got some extra attention with the arrival of the Michelin Guide in mid-2024. The reactions from locals were mixed, but it did put a spotlight on certain places.

If you’re interested, I wrote an in-depth article sharing my thoughts on it :

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Michelin Vietnam 2024: A Personal and Critical Opinion on the Awards

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On our last trip, we spent three weeks in Đà Nẵng tasting dishes from places recommended by the Michelin Guide, local foodie groups, and — most importantly — friends who live there. We also drew from past visits to put together this guide.

The goal? Share honest impressions of the well-known places and help you discover a few lesser-known ones worth your time.

1. Seafood restaurants

Seafood is, of course, a must-try in Đà Nẵng, but it’s easy — especially for foreigners — to feel overwhelmed by all the options.

We tried several specialized restaurants, including some of the city’s most famous names—here’s what we have to say.

Bé Ni 2

This already well-known seafood restaurant has gained even more notoriety since being featured in the Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand selection, which highlights places that offer great quality at reasonable prices.

The good :

• Convenient location –  within walking distance  if you’re staying near Mỹ Khê Beach.
• Fresh, well-prepared, and flavorful seafood
• Open 24/7 : rice dishes at lunch, seafood in the evening. Since many local spots in Da Nang close early, this round-the-clock service is a definitive plus.

The not-so-good :

• It gets very crowded during peak hours, so food might take a while to arrive. If you’re visiting with a group, it’s best to come early or call ahead to reserve a table or pre-order.
• Prices are higher compared to seafood restaurants located farther from Mỹ Khê Beach.

Năm Đảnh

This is another long-standing Đà Nẵng establishment. Despite its less convenient location, it remains hugely popular among locals and has also caught the eye of the Michelin Guide, earning a spot in the ‘Selected’ category. A few of our expat friends who’ve lived in Đà Nẵng for years also speak highly of it.

The good :

• A wide selection of fresh dishes. I encourage here foreign visitors to step beyond the usual picks and try something a bit less familiar. The gỏi cá trích (raw herring salad originally from Phú Quốc) is a bestseller here—but be warned, it’s very spicy. Personally, we really enjoyed the gỏi cá lạc. It’s also eaten as a roll, but unlike the herring version, it’s not raw and not spicy.
• Prices are significantly lower than at places in more central locations
• The massive space itself feels like a distinctly Vietnamese experience.

The not-so-good :

• Located far from the city center, near the Sơn Trà Peninsula, the restaurant sits deep in a narrow alley that cars can’t access. While they do offer a free electric golf cart service to pick up and drop off guests from Nguyễn Phan Vinh Street, it can still be a bit out of the way or inconvenient to reach.
• It can get quite hot during the summer.
•  During peak season, the restaurant is very busy, so it’s best to arrive early or call ahead to reserve a table or pre-order if you’re coming with a group.

Phát Mỹ Hạnh

Formerly known as the renowned Mỹ Hạnh restaurant established in 1990 on Võ Nguyên Giáp Street, it is now in a different location and under new ownership. It remains a solid choice in the Mỹ Khê area for those seeking seafood in a pleasant setting.

The good :

•  Central location with a slightly more upscale setting compared to Bé Ni 2 or Năm Đảnh
• Suitable for bringing clients or hosting company events
• Attentive and friendly service, with dishes served fairly quickly

• Portion sizes can be adjusted upon request

The not-so-good :

• Prices are higher than at more casual and less centrally located spots.

Other Suggestions

Here are a few other well-known spots we didn’t try this time, for various reasons—less convenient locations, a number of recent negative reviews on Google, and so on. Still, they might be worth checking out:

• Mỹ Hạnh – right by the beach, but prices are on the higher side
• Bà Rô – a local favorite with budget-friendly prices, though quite far from the center
• Phước Thái, Bé Anh, Bé Mặn – other popular options to consider

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More : Best Specialty Coffee Shops in Da Nang – A Personal Selection

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2. Local specialities – What to try and where?

 Seafood is only one aspect of Đà Nẵng’s food scene—it’s also an excellent place to discover Central Vietnam’s most iconic dishes.

2.1. Mỳ Quảng

To make a great bowl of Mì Quảng, the main ingredients matter—but so do the extras: sesame rice crackers (bánh tráng mè, known as bánh đa in the North), peanuts, young mustard greens, basil, lettuce, bean sprouts, scallions, and banana blossoms.

Popular toppings include shrimp, chicken, snakehead fish, pork, beef, and quail eggs. Some places also offer jellyfish or frog meat as variations.

One interesting detail we noticed: in other cities like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, the noodles are often yellow (colored with turmeric), while in Đà Nẵng, the white version is more commonly preferred.

Mỳ quảng Bà Vị – Võ Văn Kiệt

A small, simple place in a narrow alley near Mỹ Khê beach. The Mì Quảng thập cẩm (mixed bowl) includes fresh shrimp, jellyfish, and snakehead fish, with plenty of herbs and toppings. The broth is quite generous—good for those who like a more “soupy take” on this dish.

Each bowl costs between 35,000 and 50,000 VND. Friendly and welcoming service.

Nu Đồ Kitchen – MasterChef Noodle

Founded by Tuyết Phạm, runner-up of MasterChef Vietnam 2015, Nu Đồ takes its name from a Vietnamese phonetic twist on the English word “noodle.” The restaurant has been featured in the Michelin Da Nang Guide under the “Selected” category.

In Đà Nẵng—where prices are generally lower than in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City—a bowl of Mì Quảng typically costs around 35,000 VND, even at more upscale spots. That makes Nu Đồ’s ~110,000 VND price point harder for many Vietnamese diners to accept. This likely explains why, when we visited on a Saturday afternoon, the restaurant was full, but nearly all the guests were international visitors.

That doesn’t mean we wouldn’t recommend the place—quite the opposite. The service was excellent, with Tuyết herself enthusiastically present at every step, sharing her story and introducing the dishes with genuine passion.

The bowls we were served were tasty and carefully prepared, with fresh, generous toppings and a visually appealing presentation.

The menu includes chicken, snakehead fish, beef, and vegetarian versions of Mì Quảng. There are also fried spring rolls—available in both meat and vegetarian options—that were excellent, with a thin, perfectly crisp wrapper.

This makes it an ideal experience for anyone curious about Mì Quảng but looking for something more upscale than a typical street food stall.

The restaurant is open from 9 AM to 4 PM and closed on Sundays.

Other Suggestions

• Mì Quảng Quê Xưa and Mì Quảng Dung are two well-known spots, often praised by locals. We didn’t have the chance to visit them this time, but they’re on our to-do list for the next trip.
• Mì Quảng Bà Mua is a popular chain found all over the city. It’s convenient, but the quality isn’t anything special.
• Mì Quảng Cô Sáu is one place we do not recommend. Despite its nice riverside location, Michelin Selected label, and reasonable prices, the flavors were average, the toppings were lacking, and—worse—they had run out of bánh đa without informing us beforehand.

2.2. Bún Mắm

Unlike bún mắm from the Mekong Delta, which is a noodle soup with seafood, bún mắm in Đà Nẵng is a dry noodle dish mixed with mắm nêm—a fermented fish sauce made from various kinds of fish, with a strong flavor similar to shrimp paste (mắm tôm).

This dish is typically served with a layer of vegetables at the bottom, followed by noodles and toppings like roast pork, boiled pork, fermented pork roll (nem), sausage (chả), peanuts, fried shallots, and more. Finally, the sauce is poured on top.

When eating, you add herbs, lime, chili, etc., then mix everything thoroughly. You can add more sauce if you want a stronger flavor.

Bún Mắm Bé Hà is a spot we really liked.

It’s located not far from Mỹ Khê Beach. Besides the bún mắm, which was great, they also serve bánh tráng đập and bánh ướt — both worth trying. The owners are friendly, and the prices are surprisingly cheap — we ordered quite a few dishes for two people and the total was only 80,000 VND!

2.3. Bún Chả Cá

This is a noodle soup from Central Vietnam that typically includes ingredients like mackerel, tuna, crab paste, and fish cakes. The broth leans on the sweeter side, which can come as a surprise — the trick is to adjust it to your taste using the condiments (chili, fish sauce, mắm…) provided at the table.

The place we tried was Bún Chả Cá Bà Phiến — a spot recommended by locals that ended up being satisfying. Another place worth checking out is Bún Chả Cá 109 (a Michelin Bib Gourmand pick), which is also a favorite among many in Đà Nẵng.

2.4. Bánh Huế

Huế specialties are also among the popular everyday dishes you’ll find in Đà Nẵng — though some ingredients may differ slightly from the original versions.

A place we really liked was Làng Tôi – Bánh Khoái Cá Kình Huế. It’s located in a small alley in the city center — compact but cozy.

The main draw here is  bánh khoái, a crispy pancake typically eaten as roll (like Bánh xèo) with herbs and a rich peanut dipping sauce. This restaurant offers a particularly wide range of toppings to choose from: rabbitfish, shrimp, squid, beef, pork, and baby clams.

The menu also includes tré trộn — another Central Vietnamese specialty from Bình Định.

Tré is made from pork belly, pig ears, pork skin, and a variety of spices, then mixed with fresh herbs, chili, and more, and typically eaten with sesame rice crackers (bánh tráng mè). It’s quite spicy but and unique — a must-try I would say.

 One last recommendation — especially if you’re a fan of Hanoi’s bánh cuốn — is bánh ướt, a chewier, silkier version of the famous steamed rice “sheet” that I really enjoyed here.

2.5. Nem nướng, Nem lụi, Bún thịt nướng

Although both come from Central Vietnam, nem nướng is a specialty of Nha Trang, while nem lụi is a specialty of Huế. They differ in certain ingredients and dipping sauces, even though at first glance, they might look quite similar.

Restaurants that specialize in nem nướng or nem lụi often serve other similar dishes as well, such as bún thịt nướng(grilled pork with vermicelli) or bò nướng lá lốt (beef wrapped in betel leaves).

Bún thịt nướng Bà Trai

Bà Trai is a long-standing, well-regarded spot in Đà Nẵng that we really liked—but it wasn’t our first time. We had already tried it before… at their second branch in Hanoi’s Old Quarter (6 Đào Duy Từ).

I actually wrote a dedicated review about the place earlier:

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Bà Trai Đà Nẵng: Nem Lụi in Hanoi Old Quarter

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Nem Nướng Phú Hồng

We also tried Nem Nướng Phú Hồng (a Michelin Bib Gourmand spot), but it didn’t quite live up to the hype for us. The dipping sauce was too sweet for our taste. The other ingredients were fine, but nothing really stood out or made a lasting impression

2.6. Bánh Xèo

For context, bánh xèo is a savory Vietnamese rice flour pancake that’s pan-fried until crispy, then filled with ingredients like shrimp, pork, and bean sprouts. It’s usually eaten wrapped in fresh greens and dipped in a flavorful sauce.

Unlike the southern-style bánh xèo from the Mekong Delta, which is large with a very thin, crispy shell, Central Vietnam’s version is smaller and thicker—just right for a single serving.

Bánh Xèo Nhung

The most famous spot in Đà Nẵng (though also often criticized) is Bánh Xèo Bà Dưỡng. We didn’t try it but instead opted for Bánh Xèo Nhung—another local favorite not far from Mỹ Khê Beach.

The bánh xèo here is made in the traditional Đại Lộc style (from Quảng Nam), topped with shrimp, pork, beef, and egg, and served with a generous plate of fresh herbs. It was excellent and very filling.

Prices are quite affordable, ranging from 25,000 to 40,000 VND per piece. They also serve nem lụi and bún thịt nướng.

2.7. Bún Bò

Bún bò in Đà Nẵng is quite different from the Huế version: the bowl is larger, the noodles are thinner, and the broth is less spicy. Some of the toppings are also less common in the Huế style, like brisket, for example.

We went to Bún Bò Bà Thủy on Đống Đa Street (since 1988), a spot recommended by many locals. The place is open from 2 PM to 9:30 PM, but when we arrived around 7:30, they were nearly sold out and getting ready to close.

At that point, special cuts like oxtail, tongue, and tendon were already gone—only brisket, bone, and ribs were left. Possibly because it was late in the day, the broth—though rich and flavorful—felt a bit too oily, and the bones and ribs were quite fatty.

It’s probably best to visit earlier in the day, and given its strong reputation, we’ll likely give it another try.

Each bowl costs between 40,000 and 55,000 VND.

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More: Street Food in Hanoi: 11 Places to Try the City’s Most Iconic Dishes

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2.8. Cơm Gà Hội An

Hội An-style chicken rice is also quite popular in Đà Nẵng. A modest spot in the Mỹ Khê area that we liked was Cơm Gà Bà Thủy.

Both the shredded chicken rice and the roti chicken rice were flavorful and nicely seasoned.

2.9. Cao Lầu

This is one of my favorite noodle dishes in Vietnam, and considering everything the country has to offer in that area, that’s not an easy thing to say.

Unfortunately, it’s not easy to find authentic Cao Lầu outside of Hội An. The main reason is the noodles, which need to be made using two special ingredients:

• Water from Hội An wells (some of which date back to the 10th century)
• “Lye water,” traditionally called hash water in Hội An. It’s made by mixing ashes—historically obtained from burning wood from Cham Island—with water. The resulting alkaline solution helps the noodles become elastic and springy.

Cao Lầu – Mỳ Quảng An Mỹ 8

Most places in Vietnam outside of Hội An don’t bother with this and just use the “dry version” of the noodles. But in Đà Nẵng, we found a true hidden gem run by a very welcoming elderly couple : Cao Lầu – Mỳ Quảng An Mỹ 8

The lady is originally from Hội An and told us she gets fresh Cao Lầu noodles delivered daily from there.

The result lived up to the promise—the noodles had that signature chewy and elastic texture that makes them so good.

2.10. Cháo Vịt

Duck porridge is another popular street food and late-night dish in Da Nang. Several spots have been listed in the Michelin Guide, including two centrally located eateries directly across from each other: Quán Nhân and Cô Chủ Nhỏ.

Huong has only tried Quán Nhân so far and wasn’t fully satisfied. I’m sharing her experience here, as I must shamefully confess that I’m not much of a cháo fan myself.

According to her, although the duck meat was tender, the blood pudding traditionally served alongside wasn’t to her taste. Meanwhile, Cô Chủ Nhỏ seems significantly busier, suggesting it might be the better spot to try.

2.11. Desserts

Vietnamese desserts are often overlooked—a real mistake, as the country has also  plenty to offer in this area. We should (and will have)  a dedicated article on the topic.

For now, we just wanted to mention quickly two of them :

Chè

This traditional sweet soup, made with jelly and pieces of fruit, is popular all over Vietnam — and Da Nang is no exception.

The city’s most well-known spot is Chè Liên, particularly famous for its durian chè. It has used its popularity to expand to other cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Huong thought it was good, though not particularly memorable.

According to locals, a better option might be Hương Chè Thái on Chi Lang Street. We’ll give it a try next time.

Kem bơ

Kem bơ is one of my favorite desserts in Vietnam and is especially popular in the central region. It’s made with a blend of ripe avocado, coconut ice cream, and  topped with  shredded coconut. Rich, creamy, and refreshing!

One of the city’s most popular spots is Kem bơ Cô Vân, located in Bắc Mỹ A Market.

We gave it a try — it was good, though not exceptional. I’m pretty sure plenty of other places in the city serve something similar.

2.12. Chợ Cồn

Da Nang has several markets, but for food lovers, Chợ Cồn is the one to visit.

One of the most famous stalls here is Bánh tráng cuốn thịt heo Bi Mỹ, which serves pork belly wrapped in rice paper. But that’s not all — visitors will find an overwhelming variety of dishes, both savory and sweet.

It’s also a great spot to pick up Central Vietnam  specialties like dried fish, rimmed squid, sun-dried squid, mắm nêm (fermented fish sauce), or tré (a type of fermented pork sausage).

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Hungry for more? Explore all our articles about Da Nang : 

• Best Specialty Coffee Shops in Da Nang: A Personal Selection

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