Top 12 Delicious Dishes in Ha Long That Keep Diners Coming Back

Ha Long is not only famous for its stunning natural wonders but also boasts a rich culinary scene. The delicious dishes of Ha Long always leave visitors longing for more whenever they think of the city.

Ha Long is a city under Quang Ninh Province, famous for its beautiful natural scenery, especially the natural wonder of Ha Long Bay, as well as its abundant natural resources. But one of the things that contributes to this city's distinctive character is its delicious dishes of Ha Long which always leave visitors longing for more whenever they think of them.

The delicious dishes of Ha Long are often prepared from seafood using traditional coastal methods and unusual types of seafood, some of which can only be found in the waters of Quang Ninh. Once you try these dishes, they will captivate you. Let’s explore Ha Long’s signature dishes.

1. Rice Rolls with Squid Patties

One of the delicious dishes of Ha Long that must be mentioned is rice rolls with squid patties. What makes this dish special is the squid patty. The patties are made from the freshest squid, hand-pounded to retain a certain chewiness and crispness, along with the squid’s natural aroma. The squid patties are served with hot rice rolls and dipped in a bowl of mildly sweet and salty, light-flavored fish sauce. The flavor will certainly stay in your memory. The dipping fish sauce in Ha Long is lighter and more diluted than fish sauce in southern Vietnam.

2. Cù Kỳ Crab Noodle Soup

Cù kỳ is a type of sea crab with two very large claws, hairy legs, firm meat, and a rich aroma. This noodle dish is considered one of the delicious dishes of Ha Long and is loved by many people. Cù kỳ crab noodle soup is often enjoyed as a delicious and nutritious breakfast. It also contains other seafood such as mantis shrimp, sea prawns, peanut worms, and squid. The broth, with the light sweetness of seafood, is served with pickled radish to wonderfully stimulate the palate.

3. Peanut Worm Porridge

Peanut worms are also known as sea ginseng or marine worms. This is a highly nutritious and precious delicacy, so it is also somewhat expensive. However, it is a dish you should definitely try when visiting Ha Long. Peanut worms have a very sweet flavor, and cooking them with porridge creates a dish with exceptional nutritional value. They are also commonly stir-fried with morning glory and garlic, making an extremely delicious dish, although you may feel somewhat hesitant when you first see peanut worms because of their appearance.

4. Bánh tài lồng ệp

This is a specialty cake of the San Diu people, an ethnic group living in Quang Ninh. Bánh tài lồng ệp is both a snack and a cake used in New Year worship ceremonies by the San Diu people. It is made from glutinous rice flour cooked with cane molasses or rock sugar. After cooking, the cake turns golden brown and is sprinkled with sesame seeds and peanuts. It is soft, fragrant, and sweet.

5. Dishes Made from Ngán Clams

Ngán is a bivalve mollusk. The only large, edible variety is found in the area around the Bach Dang River, where it lives in brackish water. It is a specialty of Quang Ninh Province. Ngán is extremely nutritious and somewhat expensive because its numbers are increasingly declining. Although it is a nourishing food, ngán is a rare and valuable specialty in Quang Ninh and Ha Long, so sustainable harvesting and exploitation should be planned.

6. Ha Long Pearl Yogurt

This delicious and nutritious dessert combines smooth, chewy yogurt with fragrant, chewy tapioca pearls and the rich flavor of coconut milk. It can also be paired with a little fruit. Together, these ingredients create an excellent cooling dessert. It can be said that Ha Long pearl yogurt has become a nationwide sensation.

7. Horseshoe Crab

Horseshoe crab is one of the delicious dishes of Ha Long you absolutely must try. This is a precious and unique type of seafood, but it is very difficult to prepare and requires experience. Horseshoe crabs are quite common in the waters of Quang Ninh. Because their appearance can easily be confused with that of the so crab, a poisonous type of seafood, caution is necessary when buying or preparing them yourself. It is best to eat horseshoe crab prepared by reputable, established restaurants. Delicious horseshoe crab dishes include grilled cartilage and stir-fried horseshoe crab with glass noodles, among others.

In addition to the Ha Long specialties mentioned above, you can also enjoy other Quang Ninh specialties available in Ha Long, such as Tien Yen hill chicken and “gật gù” rice cakes. These are all delicious and unusual dishes that you are unlikely to find anywhere else.

8. Sticky Rice with Squid Patties

Sticky rice with squid patties is a famous specialty of Ha Long cuisine that should not be missed on a culinary exploration of the area. The sticky rice is cooked from rich, chewy glutinous rice, while the squid patties are made from fresh squid, giving them a springy texture and sweet meat. The dish combines white sticky rice with golden grilled squid, served with fish sauce and chili sauce for an exceptionally delicious taste. A serving of sticky rice with squid patties at casual eateries costs from 15,000 to 20,000 VND. You can also buy squid patties by weight for around 250,000 VND/kg.

9. Tien Yen Hill Chicken

Tien Yen is a mountainous district in Quang Ninh Province, about 90km from Ha Long City, on the route from Ha Long to Mong Cai. Tien Yen is famous for its hill chickens, which are raised naturally, climbing slopes all day and feeding themselves on insects. As a result, they have yellow skin, fragrant meat, and naturally sweet broth. Tien Yen chicken is also considered a Ha Long specialty that every diner wants to try when visiting the city. It can be prepared in many ways, but the best is still the simple boiled version, served with fresh vegetables and a pleasantly tangy and spicy dipping sauce.

10. “Gật Gù” Rice Cake

In appearance, gật gù cake is quite similar to rice rolls and phở noodles, but it is made in a more distinctive way. The cake has no filling; when eating it, diners dip pieces into a special sauce, which makes the experience enjoyable. The cake’s unique name comes from its distinctive “wobbling” appearance. The piece is long, round, and chewy, bobbing up and down when held in the hand. Gật gù cake is a familiar rustic dish sold in many places in Ha Long in particular and Quang Ninh in general.

11. Quang Yen Fermented Pork Rolls and Shredded Pork Rolls

If you have the chance to travel to Ha Long, you will also be drawn to Quang Yen’s special fermented pork rolls and shredded pork rolls. The dish has a unique flavor and is enjoyed by many visitors to the tourist area of Bai Chay – Ha Long. The ingredients are very humble: shredded pork skin and roasted rice pounded into powder. The dipping sauce is the main factor determining whether the rolls are delicious. When eating them, diners usually wrap rice paper with herbs and the rolls, then dip them into an appealing sweet-and-sour sauce. Quang Yen fermented pork rolls and shredded pork rolls are also a popular gift that many Ha Long tourists choose to buy for family and friends.

12. Tien Yen Cà Sáy

Cà sáy is the meat of a hybrid animal crossed between a duck and a muscovy duck. Tien Yen cà sáy has become one of the Ha Long specialties that you absolutely must try. It is usually boiled whole and cut into bite-sized pieces. Cà sáy meat is chewy and rich, and in some places it is also fried until the skin is crisp, then served with hot rice or bread. In particular, people in Tien Yen prepare cà sáy meat and make a special dipping sauce – a sauce fragrant with fish sauce from Cai Rong, Van Yen, and Cat Hai, combined with the sweet, rich flavor of Guangxi sassafras and the gentle spiciness of ginger grown in Tien Yen’s native soil.