Quang Ninh's Must-Try Specialties: A Culinary Journey for Travelers and Perfect Souvenirs

When you visit Quang Ninh, you absolutely must try the local specialties! They're an essential culinary experience during your trip, and they also make wonderful gifts to bring back for your loved ones.
These specialties are sure to leave an unforgettable impression on every visitor.
Specialties in Quang Ninhyou must try at least once when traveling and buy as gifts to fully experience the unique charm of this land. Quang Ninh is not only famous for its stunning landscapes but also leaves a lasting impression with its distinctive delicious dishes, making every visitor want to explore and savor them. Let's joinTravelviet.netto discover the specialties of Quang Ninh in this article!
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Quang Ninh Specialties You Must Try and Buy as Gifts When Traveling
Are you planning a trip to Quang Ninh and looking for "top-notch" specialties to savor or bring home as gifts? Don't miss the suggestions below to make your trip more complete and memorable!
Ha Long Squid Cake (Chả mực Hạ Long)
What specialties does Ha Long offer as gifts? Dubbed the "culinary essence of Ha Long," Chả mực (squid cake) is a Quang Ninh specialty you absolutely must try. This dish is made from freshly caught squid, hand-pounded to preserve its delightful chewiness and natural sweetness. Each golden, glistening piece of squid cake, when savored, awakens all senses with its rich aroma and unforgettable savory-sweet flavor.

Chả mực is often served with hot sticky rice (xôi trắng) or refreshing steamed rice rolls (bánh cuốn). No matter where you are in Ha Long, you'll easily find this appealing dish. However, for the most authentic flavor, seek out renowned brands like Chả mực Làng Chài, Hiền Nhung, or Bá Kiến.
Tien Yen Hill Chicken (Gà đồi Tiên Yên)
A Quang Ninh specialty you must try and buy as a gift when traveling? If your journey through Vietnam takes you to Quang Ninh, don't forget to discover Tien Yen Hill Chicken. These free-range chickens, raised naturally on the hills, offer sweet, firm meat that is never tough.

While it can be prepared in many ways, such as grilled, steamed, in porridge, or boiled, to fully appreciate the deliciousness of Tien Yen chicken, you should try the boiled version. Each firm piece of meat, along with its succulent skin, will surely captivate you.
Additionally, grilled hill chicken is an excellent choice. Grilled chicken boasts a vibrant golden color, tender, sweet meat, and a fragrant aroma. This dish is often served with fresh herbs and crispy rice crackers (bánh đa), creating a unique and enticing culinary experience for visitors.
Quang Ninh Peanut Worm (Sá sùng)
A Quang Ninh specialty you must try and buy as a gift when traveling? When in Quang Ninh, don't miss the chance to discover sá sùng (peanut worm). This soft-bodied creature lives in coastal sandy areas and is renowned for its high nutritional value and unique flavor. Fresh sá sùng costs around 400,000 – 500,000 VND/kg, while dried sá sùng can fetch up to 2 – 3 million VND/kg, or even 5 – 6 million VND for premium varieties.

Sá sùng can be prepared into many delicious dishes, such as stir-fried with kohlrabi, crispy stir-fried, or deep-fried in batter. Fresh sá sùng is particularly sweet and is often used to make broth or porridge, offering a refreshing and nutritious flavor. More than just a tasty dish, sá sùng is also considered a valuable traditional medicine, highly beneficial for those recovering from illness or with low vitality. To buy authentic Van Don sá sùng, you should seek out the island region of Quan Lạn.
Co To Jellyfish Salad (Nộm sứa Cô Tô)
When talking about Quang Ninh specialties, it would be a huge oversight to skip Co To Jellyfish Salad (Nộm sứa Cô Tô). This special type of jellyfish is prepared and preserved in saltwater, maintaining its delightful crunchiness and natural, delicate sweetness.

The salad is prepared with aromatic herbs, lime vinegar, roasted peanuts, garlic, chili, and more, creating a harmonious, appealing blend of sour, spicy, salty, and sweet flavors. While jellyfish can be found in many coastal areas, Co To jellyfish reaches peak deliciousness. The fresh crunch of the jellyfish, the pungent spice of chili, and the slight tang of lime combine to create a truly satisfying jellyfish salad, making it a perfect choice for hot summer days.
Quang Ninh Mud Crab (Cù kỳ)
A Quang Ninh specialty you must try and buy as a gift when traveling? Although its meat isn't as abundant or intensely sweet as regular crabs or ghẹ (flower crabs), cù kỳ (mud crab) boasts its own distinctive flavor, making it an unmissable Quang Ninh specialty. The majority of the cù kỳ's firm and sweet meat is concentrated in its two large claws.

You can enjoy cù kỳ in many delicious dishes, such as steamed cù kỳ claws, stir-fried with lemongrass and chili, or sweet and sour stir-fry. Additionally, cù kỳ meat is excellent for making soup or seafood broth, offering a unique and appealing culinary experience for visitors.
Tien Yen Khau Nhuc (Braised Pork Belly)
When mentioning Quang Ninh specialties, the renowned Khau Nhuc cannot be overlooked. Although made simply from pork, its elaborate and unique preparation has elevated Khau Nhuc to a "delicacy" of this region. "Khâu" means steamed until very tender, and "nhục" means meat, so true to its name, this dish features pieces of meat steamed until they melt in your mouth.
Khau Nhuc is typically steamed in a bowl and then inverted onto a plate, forming an attractive golden "hill." Each bite of the meat seems to melt on your tongue, offering an unforgettable sensation. Nowadays, for the convenience of travelers, Tien Yen Khau Nhuc is cleanly prepared and packaged in convenient boxes, making it an ideal gift for family and friends.
Nem Chạo (Fermented Pork Skin Salad)
Nem chạo (also known as nem thính) is a rustic yet essential Quang Ninh specialty you must try. This nem is made from simple ingredients: thinly sliced pork skin mixed with fragrant roasted rice powder.

Although the recipe seems simple, a unique preparation secret makes nem chạo surprisingly appealing. When enjoying it, people typically wrap the nem with fresh herbs (especially fig leaves and Vietnamese coriander) in a thin rice paper, then dip it into a sweet and sour sauce. This combination creates a wonderful symphony of flavors that anyone who tastes it once will never forget.
Dong Trieu Ragworm Omelet (Chả rươi)
A Quang Ninh specialty you must try and buy as a gift when traveling? Often likened to a "gift from heaven," rươi (ragworm) is a rare delicacy not found everywhere. Dong Trieu, Quang Ninh, is one of the fortunate regions blessed with an abundant source of rươi. From these fresh ragworms, locals here prepare many delicious dishes, with chả rươi (ragworm omelet) being the most prominent.
Dong Trieu's chả rươi is appealing due to its rich fattiness, fragrant aroma, and irresistible flavor, possessing a distinct characteristic you'll be hard-pressed to find anywhere else. Savoring chả rươi is an excellent way to explore the unique tastes of Quang Ninh cuisine.
Gật Gù Cake (Bánh gật gù)
Bánh gật gù is a rustic yet captivating dish, handmade from a special local rice variety unique to the Tien Yen region. At first glance, bánh gật gù looks quite similar to phở noodles, but when you taste it, you'll experience a richer flavor and a distinctly superior deliciousness.

The name "gật gù" (meaning "nodding") comes from the cake's unique shape: when picked up, the soft pieces of cake sway, nodding delightfully. This dish originated from the preference of the ancient Tien Yen people, who wanted to fully enjoy the natural sweetness of rice without needing a filling like phở noodles. Bánh gật gù is typically served with a special dipping sauce, creating an unforgettable culinary experience.
Quang Ninh Cà Sáy (Muscovy Duck-Goose Hybrid)
A Quang Ninh specialty you must try and buy as a gift when traveling? When in Quang Ninh, don't forget to discover cà sáy, a unique hybrid animal between a Muscovy duck and a domestic duck, offering a distinctive flavor that stands out. Cà sáy meat is neither too dry nor too soft, creating a perfect balance.
Cà sáy can be prepared into many delicious dishes, but you absolutely must try steamed cà sáy or grilled cà sáy. In particular, grilled cà sáy, with its glistening golden, rich, yet crispy skin, along with firm, sweet meat that is neither tough nor mushy, will satisfy every diner. Grilled cà sáy is delicious both on its own and served with rice, making it a Quang Ninh specialty you cannot miss.
Fresh and Dried Seafood of Quang Ninh
With over 200km of coastline and the highest tidal range in the country, Quang Ninh proudly boasts an incredibly rich and diverse seafood source, offering an irresistible, robust flavor compared to other coastal regions. While it might be challenging to try everything in one trip, prioritize savoring specialties like ngán (clams), ruốc lỗ (sea worms), sam Quảng Yên (horseshoe crab), or sá sùng (peanut worm). If you're looking for gifts, dried seafood such as dried squid, dried shrimp, and dried krill paste (ruốc tép) are ideal choices, easy to preserve and transport.

Ha Long Pearl Yogurt (Sữa chua trân châu Hạ Long)
If you're a fan of snacks, don't miss Ha Long Pearl Yogurt (Sữa chua trân châu Hạ Long). The perfect combination of soft, chewy pearls, refreshing yogurt, and the rich creaminess of coconut milk creates an irresistible and captivating snack that will delight anyone who tries it.
Sun-Dried Mackerel (Cá thu khô một nắng)
Sun-dried mackerel (Cá thu một nắng) is an ideal Quang Ninh specialty to bring home as a gift. Freshly caught mackerel slices are carefully prepared, cut into rounds, and sun-dried for exactly one crisp day, preserving all their nutrition and rich natural flavor.
This type of fish can be prepared into countless delicious dishes, such as sun-dried mackerel with tomato sauce, grilled, fried, or made into shredded fish floss (chà bông). Whichever method you choose, you'll enjoy a fragrant, nutritious dish with the authentic taste of the sea.
Hoanh Bo Fermented Sticky Rice Wine (Rượu nếp ngâm Hoành Bồ)
A Quang Ninh specialty you must try and buy as a gift when traveling? When in Quang Ninh, don't forget to discover Hoanh Bo wine, made from yeast fermented with forest leaves. This sticky rice wine has a pleasant sweet and sour taste, not only aiding digestion but also effectively quenching thirst on hot summer days.

Although it's very pleasant to drink, leading many to mistakenly believe it won't cause intoxication, if you overindulge, you might be deeply drunk for 2-3 days. However, the special thing is that upon waking, you won't experience a headache; your body will still feel refreshed. This is definitely a unique gift for you to savor and experience the distinctive culinary culture of Quang Ninh.
Rau Dớn (Fern Shoots)
When visiting Yen Tu, Ha Long in spring, you'll have the opportunity to discover rau dớn (fern shoots). This vegetable, similar in appearance to a fern but smaller, was once a familiar dish for local people during their farming days.
More than just a popular wild vegetable, rau dớn is also considered a valuable herb, helping to treat certain ailments and used to brew water for postpartum women. With its soft young leaves, rau dớn can be prepared into many delicious dishes such as boiled, in soup, stir-fried, or made into a salad, offering the natural and distinctive flavors of the Yen Tu mountains and forests.
Tài Lồng Ệp Cake (Bánh tài lồng ệp)
Bánh tài lồng ệp, a unique Quang Ninh specialty, originates from the Sán Dìu people. This cake has a dark brown color and is typically made in large blocks, then cut and sold according to customer demand.

The preparation of bánh tài lồng ệp is quite elaborate, resulting in its characteristic chewiness from sticky rice and the natural, delicate sweetness of molasses. The cake is not just a snack or casual treat but also carries deep cultural significance, often used as an offering during Tết (Lunar New Year) and other festivals.
Yen Tu Apricot Wine (Rượu mơ Yên Tử)
A Quang Ninh specialty you must try and buy as a gift when traveling? Produced since 2006 by Thang Long Beer Company, Yen Tu Apricot Wine (Rượu Mơ Yên Tử) has become a famous specialty, captivating the hearts of tourists visiting Yen Tu Mountain. This wine boasts a charming amber color and a distinctive warm, rich flavor.
When you taste it, you'll experience a pleasant sweet and sour flavor, with a rustic charm that rivals imported wines. More than just an appealing drink, Yen Tu apricot wine also offers numerous health benefits, such as improving stomach pain (thanks to its high citric acid content), cooling the body and detoxifying, reducing constipation, and helping to improve blood circulation, dispelling fatigue.
Chè Lam Cake (Bánh chè lam)
When you visit Yen Tu, the Chè Lam cake is sure to captivate you from the very first bite. The harmonious "meeting of minds" of its ingredients creates a truly refined sensory experience.

You'll experience the soft chewiness and distinctive aroma of Yen Tu sticky rice flour, the delicate sweetness of melted honey, a hint of warm spice from ginger, and the rich nuttiness of roasted peanuts. All these elements combine to create a classic, refined symphony of flavors that evokes a range of emotions. Especially on cold winter days in Quang Ninh, savoring a hot bowl of Chè Lam cake will bring an unusually comforting warmth.
Above are thespecialties in Quang Ninhyou must try at least once when traveling and buy as gifts. We hope this guide fromTravelviet.netwill make your trip more complete and meaningful, bringing back memorable culinary experiences and perfect gifts for friends and family. We wish you a delightful journey exploring Quang Ninh!
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Update day : 10/06/2025
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