When you're exploring Hai Phong, you absolutely have to try these amazing local specialties at least once. They're also perfect for picking up as souvenirs!

Discover the must-try specialties of Hai Phong! These local delights are not only essential tasting experiences during your trip but also make incredible souvenirs. We guarantee you'll find yourself fondly recalling the unique flavors of this charming Port City long after your very first bite. Make sure to save this guide now to ensure your visit is truly complete and you bring back thoughtful, meaningful gifts for all your family and friends!
If you're visiting the port city and wondering what to eat, letTravelviet.netreveal the must-tryspecialties in Hai Phongyou must try at least once when you visit and buy as gifts! From famous street food to delightful treats with a distinct taste of the sea, you're sure to be captivated and want to bring them home for your loved ones immediately.
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Must-Try Hai Phong Specialties to Enjoy and Buy as Gifts
If you're looking for delicious dishes to enjoy and bring back as gifts for your loved ones, Hai Phong has an exciting list waiting for you to discover!
Banh Da Cua
Banh Da Cua is truly the star of Hai Phong's culinary specialties, making any visitor want to try it the moment they arrive in the port city. The distinctive reddish-brown noodles are soft yet perfectly chewy, blending harmoniously with the rich, fragrant crab broth that carries a strong taste of the sea.

Banh Da Cua
Generous toppings include betel leaf patties, fish cakes, shrimp, and fresh green water spinach, creating a harmonious blend of flavors and colors. Just one spoonful of the broth, and you'll understand why this dish is considered the authentic taste of 'Hai Phong cuisine'.
Banh Mi Cay
When talking about Hai Phong specialties, Banh Mi Cay immediately comes to mind – hot, small, and charming, with an irresistibly memorable flavor. These baguettes are about three fingers long, crispy on the outside, and filled with a rich, fragrant pate that spreads its aroma with every bite. Essential to the experience is the famous 'Chiec Non Do' chili sauce, which is spicy yet deeply flavorful, making you crave more with every bite. For just a few thousand dong, this humble baguette encapsulates the essence of Hai Phong's street food culture.

Banh Mi Cay
Cat Hai Fish Sauce
Cat Hai Fish Sauce is not just a Hai Phong specialty but also a source of pride for the coastal community. Fermented from fresh sea fish over a long period using traditional methods, this fish sauce boasts a beautiful amber color and a savory taste with a naturally sweet aftertaste. Just a few drops are enough to make any dish more flavorful, truly capturing the taste of the sea. Anyone who has tried it will understand why this small bottle of fish sauce embodies the salty dedication and passion of the port city.
Dua Dam Hai Phong
When it comes to Hai Phong's best-selling desserts, Dua Dam (Coconut Jelly) is definitely a must-try. Crunchy coconut pieces are combined with lightly creamy coconut milk and a touch of cool jelly, creating a refreshing sensation from the very first spoonful. This dish is especially popular with young people; the more you eat, the more you love it. On a hot day, a glass of Dua Dam is truly a 'taste bud savior'.

Dua Dam Hai Phong
Bun Ca Cay
Bun Ca Cay (Spicy Fish Noodle Soup) has long been on the list of Hai Phong specialties you must try at least once in your life. A steaming bowl of noodles is served, its spreading aroma making your hungry stomach rumble continuously. The rich yet subtly sweet broth is poured over soft, smooth rice vermicelli strands.

Bun Ca Cay
The green of fresh vegetables, the golden crispness of fried fish, the reddish-pink of shrimp cakes, and the warm brown of fish cakes blend together like a vibrant culinary painting. Just one taste is enough for that flavor to stay with you for a long time, making you immediately crave a bowl of the famous spicy fish noodle soup every time you think of Hai Phong.
Kien Thuy Braised Sardines
When Hai Phong specialties are mentioned, Kien Thuy Braised Sardines always make diners exclaim with praise. The fish is selected from the freshest catches, seasoned perfectly, and then braised over low heat for 8-10 hours straight. Thanks to this, the fish bones become incredibly tender, yet the flesh remains firm and intact. When eaten, the rich, savory taste blends with the flavorful braising liquid, making you want to order another full bowl of white rice. It's a rustic dish that conquers every palate.

Kien Thuy Braised Sardines
Sui Din
Sui Din is a simple dish that carries the culinary soul of Hai Phong people. Soft, smooth glutinous rice flour is skillfully shaped into small balls, filled with a rich mixture of roasted peanuts, black sesame, and shredded coconut. When dropped into a bowl of hot ginger syrup, a warm, spicy aroma spreads, making you want to enjoy it immediately.

Sui Din
Each Sui Din ball gently melts in your mouth, leaving a delicate sweetness and a wonderfully comforting warmth. On a chilly monsoon day, enjoying this Hai Phong specialty feels like holding the warmth of home in your hands.
Red Jellyfish Salad
Red Jellyfish Salad is a creative combination of crisp, cool red jellyfish pieces and various aromatic herbs like perilla, Vietnamese balm, and basil. Accompanied by crispy white coconut flesh, soft grilled tofu, and a sprinkle of fragrant fried shallots, it creates a rustic yet captivating harmony.
The key highlight that defines the flavor of this Hai Phong specialty is its unique dipping sauce. Whether it's the rich fermented shrimp paste or the mildly sour rice vinegar, each sauce offers a distinct flavor experience, exciting your taste buds. It's a humble dish that truly encapsulates the unique essence of the port city.
Gia Be (Sea Mollusk)
Gia Be (also known as 'sea bean sprouts') is a mollusk that resembles a clam but has a long, protruding 'foot' like a bean sprout. Though small, Gia Be possesses a distinct sweet and delicate flavor characteristic of the Northern sea. Locals in the port city transform this ingredient into many appealing dishes: stir-fried with spicy lemongrass and chili, cooked in sour soup, mixed in a salad, or served with banh da noodles or shrimp crackers. Each preparation reveals a unique culinary nuance.

Gia Be
The most delightful moment is when the Gia Be shell unexpectedly pops open, and the sweet, rich seafood broth floods your mouth, making everyone exclaim with delight. Perhaps because you have to eat slowly, savoring each one, this Hai Phong specialty makes diners even more eager and nostalgic.
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Banh Duc Tau
Banh Duc Tau is a famous Hai Phong street food originating from Chinese cuisine. Soft, smooth, pristine white rice cake pieces are combined with pork, shrimp, crispy papaya, finely sliced wood ear mushrooms, then topped with a sweet and sour chili fish sauce.

Banh Duc Tau
The rich, savory, with a hint of spice creates a dish that is simple yet incredibly unique. It's no wonder Banh Duc Tau is always on the list of Hai Phong specialties that visitors eat once and remember forever.
Ruou Nep Cai Hoa Vang
If you want to choose a traditional gift to bring home, Hai Phong's Ruou Nep Cai Hoa Vang (Yellow Blossom Sticky Rice Wine) is the ideal choice. Distilled from the 'Cai Hoa Vang' glutinous rice variety, the wine boasts a delicate aroma and a captivatingly sweet aftertaste.
Locals ferment the wine using traditional rice husk yeast, allowing it to ferment slowly to preserve the essence of heaven and earth in every drop. Just a sip, and diners can feel the rich and robust flavor, much like the people of the port city themselves.
Chrysanthemum Tea
Hai Phong Chrysanthemum Tea is famous for its delicate taste and gentle aroma, made from carefully selected yellow or purple chrysanthemum flowers. This Hai Phong specialty is not only delicious but also offers numerous benefits such as stress reduction, cooling the body, aiding digestion, and improving eyesight. Sipping a hot cup of tea while watching the bustling coastal city is a relaxing experience everyone visiting Hai Phong should try. Chrysanthemum tea is also beautifully packaged, making it an excellent gift for bosses or elders.

Chrysanthemum Tea
An Tho Fermented Pork Roll
An Tho Fermented Pork Roll has long been a beloved dish on the list of Hai Phong specialties. Made from lean pork and pork skin mixed with perfectly balanced spices, it offers a natural mild sourness and a harmonious sweet and savory taste. It's perfect for snacking with drinks or as an accompaniment to a meal. This small gift fully encapsulates the distinctive flavor of the port city, making it well worth bringing home for your loved ones.
Crab Spring Rolls
Hai Phong Crab Spring Rolls have a unique square shape, distinct from spring rolls in other regions. The filling consists of crab meat, crab roe, pork, vegetables, and blended spices, which, when fried, turn golden, crispy, and appealing. Dipped in sweet and sour fish sauce, the delicious flavor immediately spreads. Today, this Hai Phong specialty is conveniently packaged for easy transport, making it an ideal gift choice for tourists.

Crab Spring Rolls
Fermented Shrimp Paste
Hai Phong Fermented Shrimp Paste is meticulously prepared from fresh sea shrimp, fermented with salt and spices in traditional proportions to create a distinctive pungent aroma. Though a humble dish, it is extremely appetizing with rice and can be used to prepare countless delicious dishes. Therefore, fermented shrimp paste is always among the top Hai Phong specialties sought after as a gift, especially by those who love local cuisine.
Sa Sung (Peanut Worm)
Sa Sung, also known as sea worm, is a premium ingredient in coastal cuisine. Despite its rather unusual appearance, when prepared by grilling, stir-frying, or cooking in porridge, it offers a delicate sweet flavor and is highly nutritious. This Hai Phong specialty is often given as a luxurious gift due to its high nutritional value and rarity. It's a 'classy' and meaningful gift for family and partners.

Sa Sung
Coconut Cake
Coconut Cake has a beautiful amber-brown color, a crispy crust, and a rich, fragrant coconut filling that will make you remember it instantly after just one bite. It's best enjoyed with a hot cup of tea! Small, charming, easy to carry, and reasonably priced, there's no reason not to choose this Hai Phong specialty as a gift for friends and family after your trip.

Coconut Cake
Hai Phong Dried Squid
Hai Phong Dried Squid has long been famous for its perfect chewiness and rich, sweet oceanic flavor. The squid is selected from the freshest catches, then sun-dried naturally to preserve its full flavor. Just grill it, and the aroma alone is enough to win over any foodie. This is also a truly 'precious' gift, especially for those who enjoy snacking with a few cold beers!
Red Banh Da Noodles
Your trip to Hai Phong isn't complete without trying Red Banh Da Noodles! Made from high-quality rice, with thick, wide strands that are firm, not mushy, and release a distinctive aroma. Red Banh Da Noodles are now conveniently packaged, making them perfect to bring home and prepare into many delicious dishes like Banh Da Cua (crab noodle soup) or mixed banh da. It's a gift that is both delicious and a true Hai Phong specialty!

Red Banh Da Noodles
Cha Chia
An unusual name – a captivating flavor; that's how to describe Hai Phong Cha Chia. Made from fatty pork, pork shoulder, dried squid, and aromatic herbs, wrapped around fresh sugarcane sticks, when steamed and then fried, they release an irresistible aroma. Served with fresh herbs and sweet and sour dipping sauce, one bite is guaranteed to captivate you, making it an ideal gift for family!

Cha Chia
With theseHai Phong specialtiesyou must try at least once when traveling and buy as gifts, whichTravelviet.netsuggests, be sure to save them for your upcoming exploration. Don't forget to savor them to your heart's content and choose a few favorite items to bring home as gifts, sharing the distinctive flavors of Hai Phong!
Hai Phong 1993 view
Update day : 02/11/2025
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