Ha Long (Quang Ninh) is blessed with numerous attractive sightseeing, entertainment, and resort destinations. The area also boasts delicious dishes for visitors to enjoy. Join iVIVU as we explore 13 Ha Long specialties that captivate every food lover.
Savor 13 renowned delicious Ha Long specialties
1. White sticky rice with squid patties (Xôi trắng chả mực)
White sticky rice with squid patties is a famous Ha Long specialty that you should not miss on your culinary exploration journey here. The sticky rice is cooked from fragrant, soft glutinous rice; the squid patties are made from fresh squid, giving them a delightfully crunchy texture and natural sweetness. The dish combines white sticky rice with golden squid patties, served alongside fish sauce and chili sauce that taste wonderful. The price for each serving at casual eateries ranges from 15,000 to 20,000 VND. In addition, you can also buy squid patties by the kilogram for around 250,000 VND/kg.
Addresses:
Minh Hoa Sticky Rice & Squid Patties Eatery – 38 Thuong Mai, Hong Gai Ward, Quang Ninh Province
Quang Phong Squid Patties – Lot C112A, Old Quarter, Hong Gai Ward, Quang Ninh Province
2. Steamed rice rolls with squid patties (Bánh cuốn chả mực)
Steamed rice rolls with squid patties
Steamed rice rolls with squid patties is one of the Ha Long specialties you definitely must try. The special highlight of this dish lies in the squid patties. Made from fresh squid caught right in the waters of Quang Ninh and pounded by hand, the patties achieve a crunchy, chewy texture rather than becoming overly pureed like machine-ground squid. The steamed rice sheets are soft and delicate, each roll filled with minced pork, shrimp, wood ear mushrooms, and more. The combination of steamed rice rolls, squid patties, and sweet-and-sour dipping sauce leaves a lasting impression on anyone who tastes it. Notably, the dipping fish sauce in Ha Long is lighter and milder than that in Southern Vietnam.
Addresses:
Ba Yen Steamed Rice Rolls with Squid Patties – 36 Doan Thi Diem, Hong Gai Ward, Quang Ninh Province.
Banh Cuon Cha Muc – 702 Ha Long, Bai Chay, Quang Ninh Province.
Goc Cay Bang Steamed Rice Rolls with Squid Patties – No. 189 Alley 1, Nha Hat Street, Le Thanh Tong Road, Quang Ninh Province.
3. Tien Yen hill chicken (Gà đồi Tiên Yên)
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Tien Yen is a mountainous district in Quang Ninh Province, about 90 km from Ha Long City on the way to Mong Cai. Tien Yen is famous for its free-range hill chicken, which roams naturally, climbs slopes daily, and feeds on insects, resulting in golden skin, fragrant meat, and naturally sweet broth. Tien Yen chicken is also considered a Ha Long specialty that every visitor wants to taste upon arriving in the city. Tien Yen chicken can be prepared into various dishes, but the best is simply boiled chicken served with fresh herbs and a balanced, tangy, and mildly spicy dipping sauce.
Address:
Co Xanh 2 Restaurant – Gieng Day, Bai Chay Ward, Quang Ninh Province.
4. Dishes made from ngán (mud clam)
Grilled ngan
Ngan is a type of bivalve mollusk resembling a clam but larger, and is a rare delicacy of Quang Ninh. Ngan can be prepared in various ways similar to many other fresh seafood varieties: grilled, steamed, cooked in porridge, or stir-fried with noodles or vegetables, served with delicious dipping sauce. Ngan is also used to infuse wine, producing a distinctive liquor with a unique ocean aroma.
Addresses:
Ha Long Fresh Seafood – 33 Le Quy Don, Quang Ninh Province.
Thien Anh Seafood Restaurant – No. 11, Phan Boi Chau Street, Bai Chay Ward, Ha Long City (near PhanTom Karaoke – Cai Dam Market).
5. Dishes made from peanut worms (sá sùng)
Peanut worm porridge
Peanut worms (sa sung), also known as "earth ginseng" or sea worms, are used to prepare many nutritious dishes. Considered a precious food resource, they come with a relatively high price tag. There are numerous dishes made from peanut worms that you can try, such as garlic stir-fried peanut worms, peanut worm porridge, and grilled peanut worms. If you have the chance to visit Ha Long City, be sure to experience this unique specialty.
Where to buy:
DASAVINA – Plot 41, Group 1, Zone 6, Hong Gai Ward, Quang Ninh Province.
Fresh Sea Food – Quang Ninh Province.
Phuc Gia Seafood – Tuan Chau Ward, Quang Ninh Province
Ong Ba Seafood – Ha Long Old Quarter, Lot C122, Sun World, Quang Ninh Province.
6. Tay nong ep cake (tai long ep cake)
Photo: Bao Vy
Tay nong ep cake is a specialty of the San Diu ethnic people in Quang Ninh. The San Diu people mainly reside in Ha Long City, Cam Pha, Van Don, and several northern mountainous provinces. Tay nong ep cake is both a casual snack and an offering used during holidays and Tet by the people of Quang Ninh. The cake is made from ingredients such as glutinous rice flour, rock sugar or molasses, crushed ginger juice, peanuts, and roasted sesame seeds. When cooked, the cake takes on an appetizing golden-brown hue, topped with an evenly sprinkled layer of sesame and peanuts. It features the chewiness of glutinous rice, the spicy aroma of ginger, and the rich nuttiness of peanuts and sesame. To buy tay nong ep cake, you can visit stalls along the road leading up to the Tran Quoc Nghien Temple (or Cua Ong Temple) in Cam Pha City.
7. Ha Long tapioca pearl yogurt
Tapioca pearl yogurt is a delicious, refreshing dessert characteristic of Ha Long cuisine. The dish is a delightful combination of smooth, creamy yogurt paired with warm coconut milk tapioca pearls, various toppings, and fresh fruits. Ha Long tapioca pearl yogurt shops are typically situated in very convenient locations for tourists to visit and enjoy throughout the city.
Illustrative photo
Address:
Ha Long Tapioca Pearl Yogurt – Branch 00 – C107 Zone C, Sun World Walking Street, Quang Ninh Province.
8. Horseshoe crab (Sam biển)
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Horseshoe crab is a rare and unique seafood; however, it is tricky to prepare and requires an experienced cook. Horseshoe crab meat is aromatic, naturally sweet, and pleasantly chewy, making it a fixture on the menus of most top eateries in Ha Long. Because its appearance can easily be confused with the mangrove horseshoe crab (so - a poisonous species), great caution is required when buying or preparing it. Horseshoe crab is crafted into a variety of delicious dishes, including horseshoe crab soup, patties, roe, salad, grilled cartilage, and stir-fried glass noodles.
Addresses:
Dung Hoa Horseshoe Crab Restaurant – 96 Thanh Thien, Ha Long Ward, Quang Ninh Province.
Co Beo Horseshoe Crab – Vo Nguyen Giap, Ha Long Ward, Quang Ninh Province.
9. Stone crab noodle soup (Bún cù kỳ)
Photo: Sang Dang/Vnexpress
The stone crab (cu ky) belongs to the crab family, but has much larger claws relative to its body size, a brown carapace, and green eyes. Stone crabs have meaty claws and spongy bodies, and are abundant in Quang Ninh. Locals prepare this seafood in numerous appetizing ways, the most famous of which is stone crab noodle soup (bun cu ky).
Bun cu ky is made almost entirely from this seafood. The crab bodies are finely ground to cook the flavorful broth, while the crab roe is turned into delicate clusters; the broth carries a rich aroma of crab roe and meat. In addition, the bowl is topped with succulent claw meat, making it visually enticing. When savored, the dish offers a fragrant, mildly tangy, and appetizing flavor. When in Ha Long, you can easily find this noodle dish at several popular local eateries.
Meat under the knuckle and claw of the stone crab. Photo: Sang Dang.
Addresses:
Ba Lan Stone Crab Noodle Soup – Garden Area, Lot 12 Thuong Mai, Cai Dam, Bai Chay Ward, Quang Ninh Province.
Huong Beo Stone Crab Noodle Soup – 20 Tan Mai, Bai Chay Ward, Quang Ninh Province.
10. Nodding cake (Bánh “gật gù”)
In appearance, banh gat gu looks quite similar to steamed rice rolls (banh cuon) or flat rice noodles (banh pho), but features a unique preparation method. The cake has no filling; diners dip the soft rolls into a special dipping sauce, creating a delightful experience. The dish earns its whimsical name ("nodding cake") from its wobbly appearance—long, rolled, and pliable, it gently bobs up and down when held. Gat gu cake is a familiar rustic treat available in many places across Ha Long and Quang Ninh in general.
Dipping sauce with a special recipe. Photo: Vnexpress.
Address:
Ba Cuc Eatery at 73 Hoa Binh – No. 73, Hoa Binh Street, Quang Ninh.
11. Fermented pork roll and shredded pork skin salad from Quang Yen Town
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If you have the chance to visit Ha Long, you will surely be charmed by the distinctive nem chua (fermented pork rolls) and nem chao (shredded pork skin with toasted rice powder) from Quang Yen. Carrying unique flavors, these dishes are sought after by many tourists visiting the Bai Chay - Ha Long area. The ingredients are rustic: thinly sliced pork skin mixed with finely ground roasted rice powder. The dish's excellence largely depends on the dipping sauce. When eating, diners wrap the nem with fresh herbs in rice paper and dip it into an enticing sweet-and-sour sauce. Quang Yen's nem chua and nem chao are also popular gifts chosen by Ha Long visitors for their family and friends.
Photo: Facebook Nem Chao Gia Truyen Co Huu – Quang Yen
Addresses:
Co Huu Traditional Nem Chao – Quang Yen – No. 3 Le Quy Don, Quang Yen Ward, Quang Ninh Province
Thanh Thai Nem Chua & Nem Chao – No. 68 Tran Khanh Du Street, Hiep Hoa Ward, Quang Ninh Province
Ha Long Market – Bach Dang Street, Quang Ninh Province.
12. Tien Yen ca say (Mule duck)
Ca say is the meat of a hybrid waterfowl bred from duck and Muscovy duck. Tien Yen ca say has become one of the Ha Long specialties you must try. This dish is usually boiled until tender and cut into bite-sized pieces. Ca say meat is firm and rich; in some places, it is also fried until the skin is crispy, served alongside hot rice or bread. In particular, the people of Tien Yen prepare ca say with a dedicated dipping sauce – a sauce imbued with the fragrant aroma of fish sauce from Cai Rong, Van Yen, and Cat Hai, combined with the rich, sweet undertone of Guangxi sarsaparilla and the gentle spiciness of locally grown Tien Yen ginger.
Illustrative photo
Addresses:
Ca say restaurant in Cao Xanh area, Quang Ninh Province.
Ca say in Bai Chay area, Quang Ninh Province.
Tan Yen Ca Say, Dong Trieu, Quang Ninh.
13. Hoanh Bo soaked sticky rice wine
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Hoanh Bo soaked sticky rice wine is a unique beverage that visitors to Ha Long must try. The wine is brewed from a specialty glutinous rice of Ha Long. The unpolished glutinous rice is cooked and fermented. Once fermented and properly aged, it is steeped with herbal yeast gathered from the Hoanh Bo forest; after a period of transformation into wine, it is decanted into jars and pots for gradual consumption, a few small cups with each meal. Hoanh Bo sticky rice wine has a sweet-and-sour taste, promotes digestion, and provides great refreshment, especially during summer. You can also purchase Hoanh Bo sticky rice wine as a gift for family and friends. To buy this specialty, you can visit local markets throughout Ha Long City.
