What and Where to eat in Da Nang / Hoi An: 12 Foods and Places to Eat in Da Nang Hoi An!

As self-professed foodies, what to eat in Da Nang and Hoi An was literally on top of our things to do in Da Nang Hoi An! We did some searching on the food to eat in Da Nang as well as the places to dine at Hoi An. This is the compilation of the 13 Foods and Places to Eat in Da Nang and Hoi An as part of our post-trip report!

As Da Nang and Hoi An are located more to the central part of Vietnam, the usual Vietnamese fare that we know (think pho and pork vermicelli) are not so easily found in these parts. Cao Lao (aka Cao Lau) is one such dish that is rarely found outside the Da Nang/Hoi An region. The thick yellowish noodle of this dish, is served with sliced pork, bean sprouts and fresh vegetables. It has a slight alkali taste due to it being soaked in lye water. An interesting acquired taste.

Rose dumpling is another popular dish in Hoi An / Da Nang. It is rather similar to the chinese steamed dumpling – with 2 main differences. The outer skin is rice-based and topped with crispy shallot. Inside, pork or prawn is typically used. The other difference is the sauce. While the chinese dumpling goes with vinegar and ginger slices, the rose dumpling goes with a unique dipping sauce – shrimp broth with chili and lemon. This makes the dish rather appetising.

Mi Quang, as the name suggests, originated from the Quảng Nam Province. This dish reminded us a little of our minced pork noodle in Singapore – except for three main differences. The thick noodles, grilled pork and the topping of fried flour. We received this dish a little better than Cao Lau, though we did eventually get accustomed to both of these dishes.

If you’re thinking “Egg Coffee?!“, that was our exact thoughts as well. However, after tasting this cuppa, we realised what the fuss was all about. Think of it this way. As a dessert. A sweetened egg-based dessert that is infused with a shot of espresso. It does taste really good. Smooth in texture and rich in flavour and aroma – characteristics of the egg and coffee combined. We really enjoyed the rendition of Pure Coffee’s Egg Coffee. Slurp!

Coconut coffee is another delicious drink that we hope would be common in the cafe scene in Singapore. The drink is made of shaved ice blended with coconut juice and topped with a shot of espresso. Sweetness of from the coconut somehow complemented the aroma of the espresso really well. Kate’s favourite drink during this trip to Da Nang / Hoi An. So much so that she would order it each time we stepped into a cafe!

While in Hoi An, you can afford to be a little adventurous. Head on out to the Hoi An Night Market that opens nightly from about 5pm to 11pm. Here, you’ll be able to grab all kinds of street foods ranging from Vietnamese Pizza (see above) to grilled lobsters. Yes, grilled lobsters as street food! :O This time, we sat down on one of the mini stools by the river and had a bowl of grilled pork with noodles. Just like how the locals do it!

While in Hoi An, we’d recommend dropping by The Deck. The Deck is a rooftop bar of Hotel Royal Hoi An which offers cocktails and drinks along with views of amazing sunsets every evening. During happy hour, you’ll be able to grab 1-for-1 deals for drinks while you revel in the unparalleled display of sunsets over the horizon…

First time tourists to Da Nang, will definitely visit the beautiful and picturesque Ba Na Hills. Besides taking the sights of Golden Bridge and sea of clouds during sunsets, we’d recommend heading over to Beer Plaza for dinner. This is because, for just 280K VND (or $15) per person, you’ll be able to enjoy a buffet spread, live entertainment as well as 1 litre of draft beer!

If you’re looking for a cafe that overlooks Han River, look no further than Aroi Dessert Cafe. When we entered, we saw many local couples, chilling and just enjoying the views – this was when we knew we had found the right place. With cute pastries such as Teddy Mousse as well as beautifully presented drinks (cream cheese rice tea) at affordable prices, no wonder crowds head over. For the best views, head to level 3, up a spiral staircase – that’s where chilling out really begins.

If you’re thinking of splurging in Da Nang, Novotel’s Hai Cang Restaurant might be venue for you. Sitting atop at the 33rd level, Hai Cang Restaurant offers unparalleled views of Da Nang city, Han River as well as the famous Dragon Bridge. Food was fantastic, albeit a little expensive. Nonetheless, we were glad to have seen the fire from the mouth of Dragon bridge – which only takes place at 9pm during the weekends.

Da Nang is also known for its seafood. This time, we visited Brilliant Seafood Restaurant. What attracted us was the “alfresco-like” dining environment that seamlessly integrated outdoors and indoors. We tried the fried squid and was pleasantly surprised at the freshness of the squid with light crunch on each bite. Eventhough the experience was marred by some service-related issues, we were still rather happy with the food standards here.

To really take things up a notch, head to InterContinental Danang. Known to the locals for its over-the-top Sunday Brunch and outdoor Nonla seats (Vietnamese Conical Hat) with unparalleled views of the coast, InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort is luxury dining at its best. There’s even a Michelin-starred restaurant within its premise! For a “price-friendly” option, check out the afternoon tea at InterContinental Danang.

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We hope you have enjoyed our recommendations of the 12 food and places to eat in Danang and Hoi An! Let us know if you have more recommendations in our comments section below!