Nha Trang is a culinary paradise, where all of Central Vietnam's culinary cultures converge. Nha Trang is a great destination for foodies, with a wide variety of tasty foods available throughout the town. Below is a list of the best foods in Nha Trang you should try when discovering the coastal city’s cuisine.

1. A suggestion of 10+ best foods in Nha Trang you must try

1.1. White sardine fish salad - A signature of Nha Trang cuisine

This is a popular Nha Trang dish that is served in many restaurants. The principal ingredient of this dish is white sardine freshly caught from the sea. Tamarind, lime, or sour star fruit will be used to extract the fish bone and remove the fishy odor. After being turned ivory-white or gray, the fish meat will be mixed with “thính” (very thin sliced pork skin with smashed peanut), sliced onion, and ginger, herbs.

White sardine fish salad - must-try food in Nha Trang

To enjoy this dish, wrap white sardine salad in rice paper and mix green leaves, herbs, sour star fruit, and green banana. Then, dip it in the sauce made of fish bone stock and mix it with minced meat, chili, lemon milk, and garlic.

Reference price: 100,000 VND - 300,000 VND/dish

1.2. Grilled fish cake noodles - The most popular Nha Trang food

If Hanoi is known for Pho and Hue is known for Bun Bo Hue, then Nha Trang is known throughout the country for its grilled fish cake noodles. The broth is light, pure, and just a tad sweet. This is one of the best food in Nha Trang, and it is made from mackerel and sailfish bones that have been stewed.

Grilled fish cake noodles - A top Nha Trang food

Fresh mackerel is used to make grilled fish. As a result, each piece of grilled fish is extremely chewy, juicy, and fragrant. You cannot resist a bowl of vermicelli topped with a tasty chewy fish cake, fresh herbs, and dipping sauce. With just a bowl of fish noodles, you can already feel the breath of the Nha Trang sea. Remember to eat the noodles with fresh peppers and herbs to taste the deliciousness of the dish.

Reference price: 25,000 – 40,000 VND/bowl

1.3. Jellyfish Vermicelli - Specialty in Nha Trang

Jellyfish vermicelli is a delicacy that contributes to Nha Trang's culinary pride. The jellyfish caught by fishermen offshore is the principal ingredient in this. The rich broth made from fish and other seafood ingredients draws tourists to enjoy jellyfish vermicelli.

Aside from the thick and crunchy white jellyfish pieces, you can also add steamed and fried fish cakes, fresh onions, chili, and herbs. The jellyfish vermicelli bow is tasty, sweet, and not fishy. This is the taste of the sea you will remember long after you leave Nha Trang.

Reference price: 15,000 VND - 40,000 VND/bowl

1.4. Squid pancake - The creativity of Nha Trang cuisine

Squid pancakes in Nha Trang are like pancakes in Saigon but smaller and crisper. These pancakes include fresh squid and shrimp beside the commonly required ingredients.

All the squids are fresh and taken directly from the wharf. Then, to keep them fresh, they are washed and cooked immediately. After a while, the ink within the squid bursts and blends. Having squid pancakes with fresh vegetables and deliciously sour, spicy fish sauce will bring you a flavor that is hard to forget.

Reference price: 5,000 VND - 10,000 VND/piece

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1.5. Lac Canh grilled beef - The option for when you don’t know what to eat in Nha Trang

Lac Canh grilled beef restaurant is the most popular restaurant for grilled beef in Nha Trang. The secret to perfect grilled beef is a recipe that combines beef with honey and over ten different spices. The recipe has been passed down from generation to generation and is only known to the members of the restaurant owner's family.

In particular, the beef is cut into cubes, making it easy to eat. Diners are free to grill the beef however they see fit and enjoy the dish in their own unique way. It's as if you're having a barbecue in your backyard.

Reference price: 160,000VND for a large beef dish and 100,000VND for a small one

1.6. Binh Ba lobster - The best seafood in Nha Trang

Binh Ba lobster is a popular Nha Trang delicacy that many visitors want to try. The famous lobster, with its colossal size and plenty of fresh and sweet meat inside, can be prepared in a variety of ways, from simply steaming, grilling, or simmering to more complex dishes such as the local sweet and sour lobster soup.

Binh Ba lobster - a must-eat seafood in Nha Trang

Reference price: From 100,000 VND/dish

1.7. Cau Dua grilled duck - A special dish in every Nha Trang restaurant

Besides seafood, this coastal city also has another best food which is Cau Dua duck. Ducks are grown in the field and feed on shrimp, crabs, and fish. Therefore, their meat is rich but not fat, lean but not dry. It is even harder to ignore this option for those who can eat duck blood soup. On summer evenings, the crispy rice paper combined with duck blood curds is a distinguished feature of Khanh Hoa culinary arts.

Reference price: 120,000 VND - 180,000 VND/dish

1.8. Van Ninh squid vermicelli - Another specialty in Nha Trang

Because it is processed entirely from the most delicious materials, the most delicious squid vermicelli carries its very own flavors. The sweetness of the broth comes from fresh squids caught from the East Sea and not from flavor enhancers.

The boiled squid meat is quite soft and sweet. When you eat it, you will feel its deliciousness. Remember to squeeze in fresh lemon because seafood will taste even better with fresh lemon.

Reference price: 30,000 VND - 40,000 VND/bowl

1.9. Lang Chai seafood

Before visiting Bai Soi, Hon Tam, or Bai Mini beaches, you should drop in Lang Chai to buy some seafood. You can choose fresh seafood which is raised by hand in a cage under the sea.

After that, you can go to the nearby restaurant by ferry, where the seafood will be instantly prepared and cooked. On the mainland, you can enjoy fresh seafood at a reasonable price at Chieu Anh Restaurant.

Reference price: 75,000 - 150,000 VND/person

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1.10. Tuna eye - A combination of Nha Trang seafood and herbs

Tuna eyes are known by many people as a typical specialty of Phu Yen, but few people know that the tuna eyes in Nha Trang have an equally delicious taste. Tuna eyes are taken from tuna with an enormous weight of about 40-50 kilograms, so their eyes are also quite large and contain many beneficial nutrients.

After being processed, tuna eyes often have an unusual greasy taste, but when eaten, after the initial discomfort, the feeling of sweetness, richness, and deliciousness becomes extremely attractive and mouth-watering.

Reference price: 120,000 - 150,000 VND/kilogram

1.11. Dac seed sweet soup - A typical Nha Trang street food

Dac seed sweet soup is a unique dish that has existed for a long time in the coastal city. This is one of the best foods in Nha Trang, and it is loved by many people. It is popularly sold in the streets and markets of Nha Trang.

A glass of dac seed sweet soup includes dew, jaggery coconut milk, and dac seed. When eating dac seed, you can feel a crunchy taste, which is soft and quite cool. If you come to Nha Trang, don’t miss this soup.

Reference price: 20,000 – 30,000/glass

2. Some lovely desserts of Nha Trang cuisine

2.1. Nha Trang bird’s nest - A gift to your health from Nha Trang cuisine

Nha Trang is known as the 'Kingdom of Swiftlets'. Bird's nest is a specialty of Nha Trang that attracts many tourists. This best food in Nha Trang is known as delicious sorghum, containing many nutrients that are beneficial to our health. The most well-known dish here is the bird's nest soup with crab meat. The soup is very tasty, sweet, and has the flavor of the sea.

2.2. Sugar-coated velvet tamarind - The sweetness from wild fruits

Velvet tamarind is a small fruit. Its outside is a skin covered in a black or dark brown color, which is smooth as velvet fabric. The meat inside is dark yellow, spongy, and soft. When eating, the first feeling you have is the sourness, but then it leaves a very special sweet taste. This best food in Nha Trang is sold everywhere in the city.

Sugar-coated velvet tamarind - best Nha Trang snack

2.3. Khanh Son durian - A specialty fruit of Nha Trang

Khanh Son durian is a famous specialty of Khanh Son District, Nha Trang. The characteristics of the soil and climate here have provided the durians with thin, delicious skin, ripe yellow meat, and flat seeds. It is considered by diners as being of higher quality than the durians grown in other regions such as the South or the Central Highlands.

Khanh Son Durian - a famous Nha Trang fruit

The juicy yellow durian is attractive. A bite into it will leave you with a rich taste. The soft meat layer slowly melts into the mouth, leaving a sweet aftertaste on the tip of the tongue, plus the powerful aroma in the oral cavity, creating a unique flavor that is hard to find in any other fruit.

2.4. Mango soft cake - A perfect combination of sweetness and sourness

Mango soft cake originates from Cam Ranh, Khanh Hoa, a region full of the best quality mangoes in Vietnam. This best food in Nha Trang is simply but ingeniously made. The mangoes are juiced, boiled then have their seeds removed. While boiling, you need to stir repeatedly until the mixture is sticky and smells good. When the boiled mango juice is available, people will put plastic on a tray and pour the mango mixture in, spread it in a circular motion, and dry it. The mango soft cake is dried until it is no longer sticky and is dried evenly.

During your exploration of Nha Trang cuisine, besides savoring some of the best local foods at nearby restaurants, you can also enjoy them at Vinpearl Nha Trang’s restaurant system. Here, travelers can experience traditional Nha Trang cuisine while relaxing at 5-star hotels, ensuring a perfect blend of luxury and culinary delight.

Guests at Vinpearl Nha Trang can indulge in exquisite cuisine from a selection of opulent restaurants offering diverse styles such as Vietnamese, Asian, and European, ensuring a culinary experience to suit every palate. Fine dining in luxurious settings is complemented by impeccable service and stunning views, enhancing the overall experience at Vinpearl Nha Trang's exquisite dining venues.

Nha Trang restaurants in Vinpearl Nha Trang

Book rooms at Vinpearl Nha Trang

While in Nha Trang, don’t miss the chance to visit VinWonders Nha Trang and Vinpearl Harbour on Hon Tre Island. VinWonders promises exhilarating rides, interactive attractions, and vibrant entertainment for all ages. Meanwhile, Vinpearl Harbour captivates with its unique blend of culinary delights, premier shopping, and spectacular shows, ensuring an unforgettable experience.

The best foods in Nha Trang have their own special feature attracting visitors to enjoy. Hopefully, the above useful information will help you better understand Nha Trang food. We hope you will have a wonderful trip to Nha Trang!