Quang Ninh’s Specialities: Top 11 Must – try Dishes
Quang Ninh — a coastal province in northeastern Vietnam — is famous for its many unique tourist attractions and distinctive local specialties. Each dish here carries the strong essence of the sea along with a rich cultural identity that is hard to find elsewhere. Let’s join Hellovietnam in exploring the Top 15 must-try local specialties of Quảng Ninh Province!
1. Ha Long Squid Cake
Ha Long squid cake is one of the most famous specialties of Quang Ninh Province and was once ranked among the Top 50 most iconic dishes of Vietnam.
Made from fresh squid caught straight from the sea, the squid is carefully processed through several stages. A distinctive feature of authentic Ha Long squid cake is that it must be pounded by hand, which gives the cake its signature chewy texture and naturally sweet flavor. When visiting Ha Long, this is a local delicacy you definitely shouldn’t miss.
Price: about 350.000 – 450.000 VND/kg
Must – try shop:
- Squid cake Hien Nhung: Kiot 228, 230 near Ha Long 1 Market, Bach Dang, Ha Long City, Quang Ninh
- Squid cake Thoan: Near Ha Long 1 Market, Bach Dang, Ha Long City, Quang Ninh
2. Quang Yen Horseshoe crab
Horseshoe crab is a type of seafood belonging to the crab family, featuring a hard shell and typically living in pairs. When it comes to enjoying sam dishes, it is impossible not to mention Quang Yen Horseshoe crab, a well-known specialty of the coastal region near Ha Long.
Quang Yen Horseshoe crab is large in size, with firm, nutritious, and flavorful meat, making it a favorite delicacy among many visitors.
Price:Â About 100.000 – 300.000 VND/kg
Must – try restaurants:
- Horseshoe crab Hung Mit:Â 124 Gieng Don street, Bach Dang, Ha Long City, Quang Ninh.
- Horseshoe crab ba Tỵ: 7D Cao Thang, Cao Thang, Ha Long City, Quang Ninh
3. Banh gat gu Tien Yen
Banh Gat Gu is a unique local delicacy that immediately sparks curiosity with its name. Made from rice, the batter is mixed with a small amount of leftover cooked rice during the grinding process—this is the secret that gives the cake its extra softness, fragrance, and chewy texture.
Banh Gat Gu is typically served with a rich dipping sauce made from fried shallots and chicken fat. Some variations also include a bit of pork to enhance the savory flavor. When visiting Tien Yen, don’t miss the chance to try this distinctive dish. If you travel to Quang Ninh, a stop in Tien Yen to enjoy Banh Gat Gu is highly recommended.
Price: About 15.000 – 25.000 đồng/per
Must – try restaurants: Hoa Binh street, Tien Yen Town
4. Tien Yen Hill Chicken
Tien Yen Hill Chicken is a local chicken breed that is free-range raised on hills, where the chickens forage naturally for their own food. In the evening, when they return to the garden, they have the habit of sleeping on tree branches. Thanks to this natural rearing method, Tien Yen Hill Chicken has fragrant, firm meat that is never tough.
The meat of Tien Yen Hill Chicken can be prepared in many different dishes such as steaming, grilling, or cooking porridge. After being cooked, the chicken skin turns a glossy golden yellow, rich and appetizing. When eaten, the meat is pleasantly crispy, sweet, and flavorful.
Price: 150.000 – 250.000 VND/kg
Must – try restaurants: Ha Yen Restaurant – Tien Yen Hill Chicken
5. Nem Chao
Nem chao, also known as nem thinh, is a rustic Vietnamese dish made mainly from shredded pork skin and roasted rice powder. The ingredients are quite simple: finely sliced pork skin cut into thin strands, mixed evenly with thinh—roasted rice that has been ground into a fine powder. Although the preparation seems straightforward, thanks to unique processing techniques and seasoning secrets, nem chạo becomes an irresistibly flavorful and memorable dish.
Nem chao is usually enjoyed with fresh herbs, especially fig leaves. Wrap a few pieces of nem with Vietnamese coriander, roll them in a thin rice paper sheet, and dip them into sweet-and-sour fish sauce. The taste is especially delightful on a cool, slightly chilly winter afternoon.
Price: 100.000 – 250.000 VND/per
Must – try restaurants: Heirloom Nem Chao To Huu – 3 Le Quy Don
6. Austriella corrugata
Quang Ninh is famous for its fresh and delicious seafood, and missing out on Austriella corrugata would be a major oversight. Austriella corrugata looks similar to a clam but is larger in size. It can be prepared in many different dishes such as steamed austriella corrugata, stir-fried austriella corrugata with rice vermicelli, or austriella corrugata salad.
Austriella corrugata is also used to infuse liquor. The resulting wine has a light pink color and offers a fragrant aroma, a refreshing taste, and a smooth finish. Austriella corrugata wine is particularly favored by men for its believed ability to enhance vitality. In addition, breastfeeding women who consume austriella corrugata wine are said to experience increased milk production.
Price: 300.000 – 500.000 VND/kg
Must – try shop: Ha Long Seafood Market
7. Jelly – fish Salad Co To
A trip to Quang Ninh would be incomplete without trying this unique local dish. Fresh sea jellyfish are processed immediately after being caught and soaked in saltwater to preserve their signature crispness. Jellyfish are most commonly prepared as refreshing salads.
Jellyfish salad in Co To stands out with the crunchy texture of the jellyfish, the spiciness of chili, and a perfectly balanced sourness from lime and vinegar, creating an exceptionally delicious dish. If you ever have the chance to visit Quang Ninh, be sure to enjoy this wonderful local specialty.
Price: 25.000 – 30.000 VND/300 gram
Must – try places: Co To town
8. Barnacle congee
The barnacle may be unfamiliar to many people who have never visited Quang Ninh to try it. In appearance, the barnacle is quite similar to an oyster, with a rough, spiky shell, but inside it contains a soft, milky-white flesh.
It is especially delicious when cooked into porridge. The rice grains bloom evenly and blend perfectly with the rich, fatty barnacle meat, creating a unique local specialty that is hard to find elsewhere.
Price: about 40.000 VND/per
Must – try places: Tran Hung Dao street, Ha Long city, Quang Ninh
9. Mantis shrimp noodle soup
If you visit Quang Ninh in autumn or winter, nothing compares to holding a steaming bowl of mantis shrimp noodle soup in your hands, rich in aroma and warmth. The mantis shrimp is firm and fresh, paired with soft white rice noodles and a flavorful broth slow-simmered from bones. This is a dish no visitor should ever miss when coming to this coastal region.
Price: 100.000 – 250.000 VND/per
Must – try restaurants:
- Mantis shrimp noodle soup Huy Chien:Â Thuc Thoai, Hong Hai, Ha Long City, Quang Ninh.
- Mantis shrimp Ha Long Fishing Village:Â 1 Le Thanh Tong, Hong Gai, Ha Long City, Quang Ninh
10. Squid steamed rolled rice pancake
Ha Long squid cake is a famous specialty of Ha Long, often served with soft yet pleasantly chewy steamed rice rolls, creating a unique and memorable flavor for food lovers. The rice rolls are served hot, while the squid cake is crispy and springy, combined with minced pork, shiitake mushrooms, and other ingredients that further enhance the richness of the dish. When visiting Ha Long, don’t forget to try this local delicacy.
Price: 30.000 – 55.000 VND/per
Must – try restaurants:
- Ba Yen:Â 36 Doan Thi Diem, Bach Dang, Ha Long City, Quang Ninh.
- Goc Bang:Â Nha Hat, Bach Dang, Ha Long City, Quang Ninh
11. Sa Sung
Sa sung is a type of seafood belonging to the annelid (segmented worm) family and is considered one of the rare and precious marine delicacies. Since ancient times, it was harvested and offered as a tribute to kings, and only people from wealthy families could afford to consume it due to its high price.
After being harvested, sa sung is typically sun-dried and then prepared into various dishes such as sa sung porridge or stir-fried sa sung with wild betel leaves. When eaten, it delivers a unique flavor that is both crispy and naturally sweet, leaving a lasting impression on anyone who has tried it.
Price: 2.500.000 – 4.000.000 VND/kg
Must – try restaurants: Ong Ba Seafood
