The flavours of the Imperial City
Hue cuisine is refined and diverse, from royal dishes to humble street food. Taste ten specialities that put this land on the map.
#1Bun Bo Hue
Bún bò Huế
💰 25,000 - 45,000 VND
The soul of Hue cuisine — thick round rice noodles in a fiery lemongrass-and-shrimp-paste broth, topped with beef shank, pork knuckle and crab cake.
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#2Baby Clam Rice
Cơm hến
💰 10,000 - 20,000 VND
A humble dish born on Con Hen islet — cooled loose rice topped with stir-fried baby clams, crispy pork fat, peanuts and fragrant herbs, drenched in sweet clam broth.
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#3Banh Khoai
Bánh khoái
💰 15,000 - 30,000 VND
Golden crispy half-moon pancake filled with shrimp and pork, wrapped in rice paper with fresh herbs and dipped in a rich, addictive liver-and-peanut sauce.
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#4Banh Beo
Bánh bèo
💰 15,000 - 30,000 VND
Delicate steamed rice cakes in tiny ceramic saucers, topped with dried shrimp, crispy pork fat and fried shallots — the most iconic of Hue's savory cakes.
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#5Banh Nam & Banh Loc
Bánh nậm & bánh lọc
💰 3,000 - 6,000 VND / piece
Two banana-leaf-wrapped specialties — soft, smooth Banh Nam and chewy, translucent Banh Loc — both filled with shrimp and pork, served with chili fish sauce.
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#6Hue Sweet Desserts (Che)
Chè Huế
💰 10,000 - 25,000 VND
The capital of Vietnamese sweet desserts — dozens of elegant royal recipes from lotus-seed-in-longan to mung bean, taro and pomegranate seed che, each a work of art.
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#7Nem Lui
Nem lụi
💰 40,000 - 70,000 VND / combo
Charcoal-grilled pork skewers rolled in rice paper with fresh herbs, dipped in a rich peanut-and-liver sauce — a warm, communal dish best shared with friends.
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#8Bun Thit Nuong Hue
Bún thịt nướng Huế
💰 25,000 - 40,000 VND
Charcoal-grilled lemongrass pork over fresh rice noodles with herbs and crushed peanuts, drenched in a bold, spicy-sweet Hue-style fish sauce.
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#9Fermented Sour Shrimp (Tom Chua)
Tôm chua Huế
💰 Varies by jar / weight
Whole fresh shrimp fermented with galangal, garlic, chili and glutinous rice into a vivid reddish-orange, tangy-sweet-spicy delicacy — Hue's most popular edible souvenir.
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#10Hue Sesame Candy (Me Xung)
Mè xửng
💰 Affordable — varies by brand & size
The quintessential Hue souvenir — chewy malt-and-peanut candy strips coated in fragrant roasted sesame seeds, with varieties from ginger to coconut to black sesame.
View detailsGo on a food tour with a true local
Phuong Thanh will take you to the tastiest, most authentic spots that no guidebook can show you.