Cần Thơ is not only the city of outstanding travel destinations, such as Ninh Kiều Pier, Cái Răng Floating Market, Bình Thủy Temple, and Mỹ Khánh Tourist Attraction, but also where you can dip yourself in irresistible special food. Nonetheless, as an international friend, you will have no idea what to eat before coming to this land. Just let’s see the following list of must-try eats in Cần Thơ.
Mười Xiềm Pancakes (Bánh xèo Mười Xiềm)
The Mekong Delta is famous for the biggest Vietnamese pancakes, so one may be enough for two people. Those giant crispy pancakes are not unusual for international friends anymore because a lot of Vietnamese pancake restaurants and stalls are found everywhere in big cities of the country, not only in Cần Thơ, the Mekong Delta. Despite this popularity, it’s not easy to reach the most delicious pancake restaurant when you come to the delta. Whether or not the pancakes are attractive and tasty enough depends on its sauce and the way they are fried. Their cook is supposed to be an artisan. Mười Xiềm Pancake Restaurant is where you can find that artisan with the perfect pancakes.
- Address: 13/3 Nguyễn Chí Thanh Street– Trà Nóc Ward– Bình Thủy District
Châu Pha Fish Rice Noodle Soup (Bún Cá Châu Pha)
This fish rice noodle soup is served as a breakfast, lunch or dinner, not a snack. Locals really love its fragrance and taste as the way they love their fishing. The food is outstanding due to its broth and pieces of fish. The broth is fatty, slightly thick, and sweet while fish is tender and aromatic. Meanwhile, rice noodles and vegetables go perfectly with the above ingredients. What makes the soup perfect is that all of the ingredients are fresh and indigenous. The way the food is seasoned makes it irresistible, so it’s with regret that you miss it on your trip to Cần Thơ City. You should try it out for breakfast before beginning your day excursion in the city.
- Address: Đinh Tiên Hoàng Street– Ninh Kiều District
Fried Rice Cake, Dim Sum (Bột Chiên, Há Cảo) – Viễn Hưng Restaurant
One of the best choices for your breakfast in Cần Thơ City is fried rice cakes & dim sum at Viễn Hưng Restaurant. Local office workers as well as travelers are fond of this food. Fried rice cakes & dim sum are enjoyed with a special sauce, which is known as the most prominent detail of Viễn Hưng Restaurant. Additionally, the cakes are crispy enough, and dim sum is tender and sweet enough to appeal to the most difficult guests. Keep in mind that there is a wide selection of dishes for breakfast on the menu, so you can find others as amazing as fried rice cakes and dim sum.
- Địa chỉ: Võ Văn Tần Street – Ninh Kiều District
Dạ Lý Fermented Fish Hopot
Far different from beef hotpot, seafood hotpot or other kinds, fermented fish hotpot is a symbol of the Mekong Delta, so it can be found everywhere in Cần Cơ City. The main ingredient making the hotpot is certainly fermented fish which helps distinguish itself from other kinds of hotpot. The place to eat the food should be Dạ Lý Fermented Fish Hotpot.
It’s believed that many international travelers find it difficult to smell the fermented fish, but when they have been familiar with that smell, they must give the food sweet words. The other ingredients consist of snakehead, linh fish, seafood, eggplants, bean sprouts, water lily stems, stork flowers, herbs, other vegetables, sauces to dip fish, and rice noodles. Never forget to taste that kind of hotpot – a memorable experience in Cần Thơ.
- Address: 89, 3/2 Street, Ninh Kiều District
A Chảy Dumplings
Dumplings are actually the food of overseas Chinese communities, but since they arrived in Vietnam in the 19th century, they have become one favorite dish of locals in the Mekong Delta. The important ingredient of the dumplings is rice flour mixed with water into dough and then flattened into sheets. After that, make balls of ground meat and wrap them in those flattened sheets. The dumplings can be boiled, steamed or fried and then served with spicy soy sauce. To have the most brilliant dumplings, you are strongly advised to drop by A Chay Dumplings – a long-standing Chinese restaurant in Cần Thơ.
- Address: 28/4A Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa Street– Cần Thơ District
Hồi Đó Stall
Hồi Đó Stall means a long time ago in Vietnamese. This name entitles you to perceive how long the stall has existed. Indeed, it dates back to the 1980s and is famous for spring rolls, stir-fried rice noodles, stir-fried noodles, rice in earthenware pot (cơm niêu), etc. The spacious stall in an ancient style is often the place for groups of families and friends to gather. Coming to the stall, you take a chance to witness the way a Vietnamese family enjoys a meal – the Vietnamese family culture.
Perhaps, far different from your culture, a meal where family members gather and enjoy together is an essential part in the life of Vietnamese people. That’s why you see there are often a lot of people during the meal, and even it can last 1-1.5 hours. Hồi Đó Stall seems to help people save time but ensure that they have a happy meal with their family as well as embrace their family culture.
- Address: 227/15A – Trần Bình Trọng Street– Ninh Kiều District
Edible Snails Grilled with Fresh Peppercorns (Ốc nướng tiêu xanh)
Edible snails cooked by many recipes have become one of the great specialties when it comes to Vietnamese cuisine in general and the cuisine of the Mekong Delta in particular. As soon as you come to Cần Thơ City, take time to taste one of those recipes: edible snails grilled with fresh peppercorns. The recipe is a perfect combination of edible snails, fresh peppercorns, and a special sauce. The snails are not too chewy, but tender, tangy, sweet and slightly salty. It’s great to try it out. The places to get the best grills are Chị Tôi, La Cà or Quê Hương.
Địa chỉ:
- Chị Tôi Stall: 118/9/48 – Trần Văn Khéo Street – Ninh Kiều District
- La Cà Stall: 118 – Trần Văn Khéo Street – Cái Khế Ward – Ninh Kiều District
- Quê Hương Stall: 23B Mậu Thân Street – Xuân Khánh Ward– Ninh Kiều District
Thanh Vân Grilled Sausage Stall
Grilled sausage is known as an attractive specialty throughout Vietnam. The food can be bought everywhere, ranging from the North to the South, but it will have a specific taste in each of the regions. Compared to grilled sausage in the North, it is slightly sweet in the Mekong Delta. To help you visualize the food in your mind, it’s possible to say that it’s quite the same as some barbecued pork skewers frequently appearing at parties you had or joined before.
The ingredients to make the food simply include pork, pork skins, and seasoning, and even its recipe is not complicated at all. Nevertheless, it’s too hard to resist its tangy flavor. In Cần Thơ, you shouldn’t lose out on a chance to savor the grilled sausage as it’s indeed unique, and where to try out should be Thanh Vân Grilled Sausage Stall
- Address: 17, Hòa Bình Avenue – Ninh Kiều District
Duck Cooked with Fermented Bean Curd (Vịt Nấu Chao)
Perhaps, you have ever savored anything like duck cooked with fermented bean curd before. It’s because fermented bean curd is popular in Asia, especially in Vietnam, but not in western countries or other parts of the world. Bean curd is fermented in a special way and then packaged in a jar or a pot for sale. It can be found at most markets in Vietnam and often enjoyed as a part of a vegetarian meal. Somehow, locals added it to a duck soup, and since then it has become a perfect combination, called duck cooked with fermented bean curd.
Today, duck cooked with fermented bean curd is a culinary delight of Cần Thơ, so it’s strongly recommended that you must taste it when you visit this city. pieces of duck are cooked with fermented bean curd, taro roots and water until it becomes a kind of slightly thick broth. The food is served as a hotpot; it goes well with water morning glory and rice noodles.
- Address: Alley 1, 1/8 Lý Tự Trong Street, An Phú Ward, Ninh Kiều District, Cần Thơ City
To get a full experience of some place, e.g. Cần Thơ City, the Mekong Delta, Vietnam, it’s clear that there are a lot of things to plan, ranging from where to stay, what to do, what to see, how to get there, and how to get around, and especially what to eat. Trying out many specialties in the city, you can get to know more about its culture and cuisine. The food is delicious and mouth-watering, but what is most meaningful and valuable after those culinary experiences is that you will view the world in another different way which is able to fill your mind with new things and knowledge schools have never taught you before.
