Cao Bằng Specialties You Absolutely Have to Try (And Bring Home as Souvenirs!)

When you visit Cao Bằng, the local specialties are an absolute must-try! They genuinely capture the authentic flavors of the mountains and forests, making them not only delicious but also wonderfully meaningful gifts to bring back for your family and friends.
Cao Bằng Specialties: Must-Try Dishes and Souvenirs for Travelersnot only offer unique flavors but also embody the culinary essence of the highlands. From rustic local dishes to renowned specialties, each taste evokes the wild beauty and rich cultural identity of this border region. Join63Stravelto discover these enticing specialties!
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Cao Bằng Specialties: Must-Try Dishes and Souvenirs for Travelers
Cao Bằng's must-try specialties, perfect for travelers and souvenirs, are not only appealing for their distinctive flavors but also deeply rooted in the highland culture. Let's explore these Cao Bằng delicacies!
Cao Bằng Rolled Rice Cakes (Bánh Cuốn)
Cao Bằng Rolled Rice Cakes (Bánh Cuốn) offer a unique twist on highland cuisine, providing a distinct flavor compared to other familiar versions of bánh cuốn. What makes this dish truly special is its novel way of enjoyment. Instead of dipping it in fish sauce as is common, people in Cao Bằng eat bánh cuốn with a rich broth simmered from pork bones, creating a subtly sweet and savory taste. Diners can add chili, pickled bamboo shoots, or mác mật leaves to enhance the flavor even further.

Not only the broth but also the rice cakes themselves are meticulously prepared. The rice used must be a high-quality local variety from Cao Bằng, soaked, finely ground, and mixed with just the right amount of water to achieve a perfectly smooth consistency. The thin, soft rice sheet delicately wraps a flavorful filling of stir-fried minced pork with wood ear mushrooms, or optionally, chicken eggs. All these elements come together to create a hot, rich bánh cuốn, carrying the unique taste of the Northeast mountains.
Cao Bằng Seven-Spice Roast Duck
Among Cao Bằng's must-try specialties for travelers and souvenirs, the Seven-Spice Roast Duck (Vịt Quay 7 Vị) is an absolute highlight – a renowned dish deeply infused with the flavors of the mountains. Originating from the Tày people, this dish is elaborately prepared with a blend of seven special spices, allowing the duck meat to absorb a truly unique aroma.
When you taste it, you'll experience the glistening, crispy golden skin, infused with forest honey, while the meat inside is tender, juicy, and incredibly flavorful. Today, Seven-Spice Roast Duck is not only served during important festivals but has also become an enticing specialty that keeps visitors coming back to Cao Bằng.
Cao Bằng Sour Pork (Thịt Lợn Chua)
Sour Pork (Thịt Lợn Chua) is one of Cao Bằng's unique specialties, offering an intriguing and appealing flavor. This dish is made from 'lợn bản' – a local breed of pig raised naturally on bananas, wild vegetables, and corn bran, resulting in firm, lean, and exceptionally flavorful meat. After seasoning, the pork is fermented naturally in bamboo tubes, developing a mild sourness that tantalizes the taste buds.
When eaten, it can be stir-fried with vegetables or enjoyed directly, dipped with fig leaves (lá sung) or wild betel leaves (lá lốt) to fully appreciate its distinctive taste. It's also an ideal accompaniment to sticky rice wine (rượu nếp) or white liquor (rượu trắng), further highlighting the unique culinary character of the highlands.
Cao Bằng Dried Sausage (Lạp Sườn)
Cao Bằng Dried Sausage (Lạp Sườn) is a must-try specialty when visiting this region. While it may resemble the 'lạp xưởng' (Chinese sausage) found in Southern Vietnam, Cao Bằng's lạp sườn stands out due to its special ingredients: wild boar or local 'lợn bản' pork, which gives it a more aromatic and richer flavor.
This lạp sườn is marinated with ginger juice, mác mật fruit, and leaves, then slowly dried over a wood fire for several days until it's cooked and gradually dehydrated, creating a very distinctive aroma and taste. Cao Bằng Lạp Sườn is not only a popular dish in family meals but also a meaningful souvenir for tourists to take home.
Black Canarium Sticky Rice (Xôi Trám)
Black Canarium Sticky Rice (Xôi Trám) is one of Cao Bằng's prominent specialties, often served at cozy family meals, weddings, or festivals. This sticky rice dish has a gentle aroma of glutinous rice blended with the distinctive earthy, slightly astringent flavor of wild canarium fruit (trám rừng). When savored, visitors will experience the perfect combination of the canarium fruit's rich, nutty taste and the soft, smooth sticky rice grains, creating an unforgettable culinary experience.
Cao Bằng Dạ Hiến Vegetable
Cao Bằng Dạ Hiến Vegetable is a rare specialty, growing exclusively on limestone mountains where the soil is barren. This vegetable is not only notable for its unique appearance but also for its sweet and refreshing flavor, making it appealing no matter how it's prepared.

Previously, Dạ Hiến vegetable was a common staple in the daily meals of local residents. But today, it has become a specialty, appearing on the menus of many restaurants, from casual eateries to luxurious establishments, attracting not only tourists but also discerning food connoisseurs.
Cao Bằng Ant Egg Cakes (Bánh Trứng Kiến)
A Cao Bằng specialty you absolutely must try and consider as a souvenir is Ant Egg Cakes (Bánh Trứng Kiến) – a unique dish that not everyone dares to sample. While the name might make some hesitant, in reality, Bánh Trứng Kiến offers a special, surprisingly addictive flavor.
Made from young ant eggs and glutinous rice flour, the cake has a soft, chewy wrapper and a fragrant, rich filling of ant eggs and pork fat. This delicacy can only be enjoyed during the ants' breeding season, from April to May, when the ant eggs are most abundant and freshest, offering a truly novel and exciting culinary experience.
Cao Bằng Sour Pho (Phở Chua)
Cao Bằng Sour Pho (Phở Chua) is an enticing specialty that visitors shouldn't miss when exploring this region. The pho noodles are handmade and undergo a natural fermentation process, giving them a subtle sour taste and a distinctive aroma.
The sour pho noodles are blanched in boiling water, then mixed with crispy fried pork or roast duck, pork liver, mác mật leaves, pickled bamboo shoots, and peanuts, all brought together with a sweet and sour fish sauce. This creates a rich yet never overwhelming dish. It's an ideal meal to start your day when traveling in Cao Bằng.
Cao Bằng Nằm Khâu (Braised Pork Belly)
Nằm Khâu is a prominent Cao Bằng specialty, prepared from pork belly with the skin intact. After being fried until golden and crispy, the pork is then steamed with taro and red sugar, creating a dish that is both tender and fragrant.

When you taste it, you'll experience the rich fattiness of the pork blending perfectly with the soft, floury taro. What makes this dish even more appealing is the unique dipping sauce, specially prepared by the people of Cao Bằng, leaving an unforgettable aftertaste for anyone who tries it.
Cao Bằng Arrowroot Vermicelli (Miến Dong)
Cao Bằng Arrowroot Vermicelli (Miến Dong) is an ideal specialty to buy as a gift, known for its natural sweetness and distinctive chewiness. Made entirely by hand from red arrowroot tubers, this vermicelli contains no preservatives, offering high nutritional value and great health benefits.
This vermicelli is also an excellent choice for those on a diet. However, as it's a handmade product, it has a limited shelf life, so be mindful not to buy too much to prevent it from getting moldy.
Cao Bằng Chè Lam Cake
Cao Bằng Chè Lam Cake is a unique specialty that embodies the traditional flavors of this region. Compared to Chè Lam cakes found in Hanoi or other northern provinces, Cao Bằng's version has a distinct taste, made from roasted glutinous rice flour, roasted peanuts, ginger, and malt syrup.
When savored, Cao Bằng Chè Lam Cake offers a pleasant chewy, nutty, and moderately sweet sensation. This cake is often enjoyed with a warm cup of tea in the cool air of the Northwest region, creating a wonderful and unforgettable experience.
Cao Bằng Gynostemma Tea (Trà Giảo Cổ Lam)
Cao Bằng Gynostemma Tea (Trà Giảo Cổ Lam) is one of the prominent specialties that visitors should not miss when coming to this region. This herbal tea primarily grows in the northern mountainous areas and is known for its numerous health benefits, such as promoting beautiful skin, enhancing complexion, and supporting body detoxification.

Gynostemma tea was once offered as a tribute to kings, but today it has become a popular and beloved beverage. When you enjoy the tea on-site, you'll savor its delicate aroma and feel relaxed and refreshed. If you wish to buy it as a souvenir, Gynostemma tea is available in dried or cold-dried filter bags, making it very convenient and easy to store.
Trùng Khánh Chestnuts
Trùng Khánh Chestnuts are a Cao Bằng specialty you must try and buy as a souvenir, notable for their large size, thick shells, and golden, rich, fragrant kernels. These chestnuts are cultivated on hillsides at altitudes of 450-600m and meticulously cared for to achieve the best quality. The harvest season in September-October provides a significant income for local residents.
Trùng Khánh Chestnuts can be prepared in many delicious ways, such as roasted, boiled, in porridge, or sweet soup. They are not only tasty but also offer numerous health benefits, especially for cardiovascular and digestive health. This is certainly a meaningful gift for your loved ones when you visit Cao Bằng.
Bánh Khảo (Powdered Rice Cake)
Bánh Khảo is a famous Cao Bằng specialty, often appearing during Tết holidays and especially on ancestral altars. Made from fragrant, plump glutinous rice, Bánh Khảo has a rich, nutty filling of peanuts and sesame, blended with the savory richness of pork fat.

Skilled artisans meticulously craft these Bánh Khảo cakes into their distinctive rectangular shape. When savored, visitors will experience the wonderful harmony between the subtle sweetness of sugar and glutinous rice flour, making this cake an indispensable part of Cao Bằng's cuisine.
Black Sticky Canarium Fruit (Trám Nếp Đen)
Black Sticky Canarium Fruit (Trám Nếp Đen) is a unique Cao Bằng specialty, typically harvested by the Tày – Nùng people during the cold season when the fruit is ripe and plump. With its deep purple color, the canarium fruit is not only visually appealing but also rich in the flavors of the mountains. The people of Cao Bằng prepare Trám Nếp Đen by extracting the fruit pulp, removing the seeds, and packaging it in boxes for tourists to take home as souvenirs.

When tasted, visitors will experience a delightful sweet, soft, rich, and nutty flavor. Moreover, Black Sticky Canarium Fruit is very beneficial for health, leaving an unforgettable impression on anyone who has tried it.
Mác Mật Fruit
Mác Mật fruit, meaning 'sweet fruit' in the Tày – Nùng language, is a distinctive and indispensable spice in highland cuisine. With its delicate aroma, Mác Mật fruit is used to neutralize the fishy smell of fish, the gamey odor of duck, or to enhance the fragrance of braised pork hock dishes.
This fruit offers a harmonious blend of sour, spicy, salty, and sweet flavors. It's often used as an appetizer, mixed into dipping sauces, or added to dishes to create a unique taste. Locals also sun-dry or dehydrate Mác Mật fruit for later use, storing it in ice trays in the refrigerator to preserve its flavor during the off-season.
Cao Bằng Smoked Beef (Bò Gác Bếp)
Smoked Beef (Bò Gác Bếp) is a famous Cao Bằng specialty and an ideal gift for those who appreciate highland cuisine. The beef is cut into bite-sized pieces, typically about 2-3 fingers thick, then thoroughly marinated with salt, ginger juice, and white liquor.

Before hanging the meat above the kitchen hearth, locals make a few incisions on each piece to allow the spices to penetrate more deeply. The smoking process dries the beef, making it flavorful, rich, and very easy to preserve, making it an ideal gift for family, friends, or colleagues.
Coóng Phù Cake
Coóng Phù Cake is a traditional Cao Bằng specialty, embodying simplicity yet rich with the flavors of the mountains. Simple ingredients like glutinous rice, sugar, peanuts, sesame, and fresh ginger are skillfully combined to create this delicious cake.
The cakes are made from glutinous rice flour kneaded into small balls, often mixed with gac fruit to create an eye-catching red color. After cooking, the cakes are topped with fragrant ginger-infused sugar syrup, then sprinkled with crushed peanuts, sesame seeds, and shredded coconut. This cake is typically enjoyed in winter, warming the body and helping to ward off colds, offering an unforgettable sweet and comforting flavor.
Bánh Áp Chao (Fried Duck Cake)
Cao Bằng Bánh Áp Chao, though resembling a donut in appearance, reveals its distinctiveness upon tasting. The crispy crust, made from glutinous rice flour, ordinary rice flour, soybeans, and shredded taro, creates a uniquely aromatic and crunchy texture. The filling consists of richly marinated duck meat, skillfully prepared to retain its natural sweetness and enticing aroma.

When fried, the cakes puff up to a golden crisp, with a crunchy exterior and a soft, chewy, very appealing interior. This dish is typically served with sweet and sour fish sauce, green papaya, and fresh herbs, offering a refreshing balance to the cake's rich flavor. Bánh Áp Chao is an indispensable dish during Cao Bằng's cold winter days, making anyone who tries it want to come back for more.
Cao Bằng is not only famous for its natural beauty but also a culinary paradise with unique specialties. These dishes andCao Bằng specialties you must try and buy as gifts when travelingwill make your trip even more complete and memorable. Come and experience it; you'll never forget the special flavors of this land!
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Update day : 05/02/2025
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