Signature dishes

Banh Can

Anyone who has visited Phan Thiet will surely find it hard to forget the hot, fragrant banh can dish from the clay oven. The crust is crispy, the inside is soft and fragrant, you can add eggs, squid, shrimp as you like. What makes this dish famous is the bowl of fatty fish sauce, served with chopped mango, pork rinds, fried onions, etc. - both strange and stimulating to the taste buds. Each piece of cake is a blend of crispy - fatty - sour - salty, enough to hold on to anyone who has enjoyed it. Reference price: From 20,000 - 35,000 VND/portion

Banh Can (Source: Internet)

Central Vietnamese Pancakes (Banh xeo khuon mien Trung)

This is a mini version of Central Vietnamese pancakes, poured into small clay molds. The crust is thin and crispy, filled with shrimp, squid, minced meat, quail eggs, etc. Served with raw vegetables and sweet and sour dipping sauce, adding a little pickle is delicious. Reference price: From 25,000 - 40,000 VND/portion

Phan Thiet pancakes (Source: Internet)

Banh quai vac (banh bot loc)

Phan Thiet's “Banh Quai Vac” is a snack that makes many tourists want to try it at first sight, and want to eat more after. The cake is made from clear, sticky tapioca flour, embracing a filling of braised shrimp and meat with a rich flavor, fragrant with pepper and fried onions. When just boiled, the cake will be mixed with hot scallion oil, sprinkled with crispy pork fat. Enjoyed with Phan Thiet-style sweet and sour fish sauce, the chewy texture of the cake crust, the richness of the scallion oil and the harmonious sweet and salty filling make the dish attractive to the last bite. Reference price:10,000 – 20,000 VND/portion

Banh quai vac (banh bot loc) Phan Thiet (Source: Internet)

Hot pot (Lau)

The ingredients are displayed on a bamboo tray, including fresh anchovies, green mango, cucumber, sour star fruit, shredded fried eggs, raw vegetables and grilled rice paper. The highlight is the hot pot broth made from bone broth, sour tamarind and coconut milk, creating a sweet, light, fatty, and very unique flavor. When eating, people take turns "dropping" each ingredient into the pot, and when sipping the first spoonful of hot pot broth, all senses seem to awaken because of the harmony and freshness of this dish. Reference price: about 150,000 - 250,000 VND/pot for 2-3 people

Phan Thiet hotpot (Source: Internet)

White sardine salad (Goi ca mai)

White sardine salad is a famous appetizer of Phan Thiet sea, famous for its freshness and sweet taste of fish. White sardine is carefully processed, mixed with onions, Vietnamese coriander, roasted peanuts, rice bran and a rich sweet and sour fish sauce. This dish is often served with grilled rice paper and raw vegetables, rolled up and dipped in a rich dipping sauce, bringing a feeling of crispy - chewy - sour - salty blending very attractively. The fresh taste of raw fish combined with rustic ingredients makes this salad an ideal choice on hot summer days. Reference price: 60,000 – 120,000 VND/portion

White sardine salad (Source: Internet)

Soft rice paper rolls (Banh trang cuon deo)

Without being fussy, Phan Thiet soft rice paper rolls still make people remember them thanks to their rusticity and rich flavor. The thin rice paper is softened with water, and the inside is filled with shrimp paste, pork rinds, quail eggs, Vietnamese coriander, shredded green mango, etc. Each roll is compact but full of sour - spicy - salty - sweet flavors, very delicious. This dish is often sold at carts or street vendors, suitable for walking and sipping, the more you eat, the more you like it. Reference price: 5,000 – 10,000 VND/book

Grilled soft rice paper rolls (Source: Internet)

Tuna noodles (Bun ca ngu)

The tuna is sliced, cooked in a sweet broth made from fish bones and tomatoes, with a little onion and coriander added to enhance the aroma. The noodles are soft enough, served with raw vegetables and spicy chili fish sauce. The special thing is that the fish is not fishy, the meat is firm, the broth is rich, creating a harmonious whole, making the dish an ideal breakfast for those who love coastal cuisine. Reference price: 25,000 – 40,000 VND/bowl

Tuna noodles (Source: Internet)

Phan Thiet Quang Noodles (Mi Quang Phan Thiet)

Unlike Quang noodles from Quang Nam, Quang noodles from Phan Thiet have their own variations to suit the taste of coastal people. The noodles are chewy, dark in color, and are often served with pork, quail eggs, roasted peanuts, and grilled sesame rice paper. The broth is not much, thick, and flavorful, and is poured just enough to coat the noodles. When eating, mix well with raw vegetables, add a little ground chili and lemon, and the dish brings a fatty, salty, and very appetizing feeling. Reference price: 30,000 – 45,000 VND/bowl

Phan Thiet Quang Noodles (Source: Internet)

Ham Tan grilled meatloaf (Cha lui Ham Tan)

The skewers are made from minced pork, marinated with spices and grilled over fragrant charcoal. When eating, people use rice paper to wrap the meat with raw vegetables, shredded mango, cucumber, then dip it in a special sauce made from liver, peanuts and roasted sesame. The fragrant grilled meat mixed with the fatty, sour and spicy flavors makes grilled meat a "street specialty" that everyone wants to try when coming to Phan Thiet. Reference price: 15,000 – 30,000 VND/portion

Ham Tan grilled pork roll (Source: Internet)

Chicken rice

Chicken rice in Phan Thiet is not too fussy but still impressive thanks to the meticulousness in each ingredient. The chicken is boiled or shredded, mixed with onions, Vietnamese coriander and sweet and sour chili garlic fish sauce. The rice is cooked with chicken broth, has a golden color, and a light aroma of scallion oil. Served with a bowl of chicken soup or ginger fish sauce, the chicken rice is both delicious and filling, suitable for both lunch and dinner.

Reference price: 30,000 – 50,000 VND/plate

Phan Thiet Chicken Rice (Source: Internet)

Steamed savory cake with fish sauce (Mam chung)

“Mam chung” is a familiar dish in the meals of people in the Central region, and in Phan Thiet, this dish is even more flavorful and goes well with rice. Fish sauce (usually fermented fish sauce or mackerel sauce) is mixed with minced meat, chicken eggs, shallots and then steamed until fragrant. When served, the surface is golden brown, with the aroma of fish sauce mixed with pepper and onions. Just add a plate of boiled vegetables and a bowl of white rice to have a flavorful, simple meal that will make even those far from home yearn. Reference price: 25,000 – 40,000 VND/small portion or buy the whole jar to take home

Phan Thiet fish sauce (Source: Internet)

Fresh seafood

Squid teeth

Squid teeth – the crunchy part in the middle of the squid – are marinated with spices and then skewered and grilled over hot coals. When cooked, the dish has a spicy aroma, served with Vietnamese coriander and pickles, dipped in green chili salt or chili sauce, extremely delicious. Reference price: 15,000 – 25,000 VND/small portion

Squid teeth (skewer) (Source: Internet)

Grilled monitor lizard

The monitor lizard – a reptile that lives in sand dunes – is marinated with spices and grilled whole until the meat is firm and the skin is golden and crispy. The monitor lizard meat is soft and fragrant like chicken, often wrapped in rice paper with raw vegetables and dipped in sweet and sour tamarind fish sauce. Reference price: 120,000 – 180,000 VND/portion (depending on the weight of the lizard)

Grilled monitor lizard (Source: Internet)

Steamed crab

Phan Thiet crabs are fresh and firm, and simply steamed to retain their natural sweetness. When the bright red shell is removed, each strand of white meat dipped in lemon pepper salt or green chili salt is enough to make diners fall in love. Reference price: 200,000 - 350,000 VND/kg depending on type (red crab, blue crab)

Grilled oysters with scallion oil

Fresh and delicious oysters are grilled over charcoal, covered with a layer of fatty scallion oil. The natural sweetness of the oysters combined with the fragrant scallion oil creates an attractive dish that you can eat forever without getting bored. Reference price: 10,000 - 15,000 VND/child

Grilled oysters with scallion oil (Source: Internet)

Grilled Scallops with Cheese

Grilled scallops with cheese bring a rich, fragrant flavor. The soft melted cheese blends with the sweet scallop meat, bringing an irresistible wonderful experience. Reference price: 12,000 – 20,000 VND/piece

King crab

Phan Thiet king crab has sweet, firm meat, steamed or stir-fried simply but enough to exude the characteristic flavor of the ocean. Enjoyed with salt, pepper and lemon, you will immediately feel the difference from each piece of fresh crab meat. Price: 400,000 - 900,000 VND/bird (depending on weight)

Steamed king crab (Source: Internet)

Grilled snails with salt and chili

Grilled snails with salt and chili have a spicy, salty taste mixed with the natural sweetness of the snail meat. The dish is both simple and attractive, served with raw vegetables or rice paper rolls, both are wonderful. Reference price: 180,000 – 250,000 VND/kg

Cobia hotpot

Cobia is a type of catfish with white meat and few bones, very popular in hot pot dishes in Phan Thiet. The hot pot broth is cooked with pickled bamboo shoots, tomatoes, pineapple and wild vegetables, served with fresh vermicelli. The fish meat is fatty but not greasy, imbued with sour, spicy, salty and sweet flavors - very satisfying for chilly evenings by the sea. Reference price: from 200,000 - 350,000 VND/pot for 3-4 people

Phan Thiet Cobia Hotpot (Source: Internet)

Discover more delicious - nutritious - cheap seafood restaurants in Phan Thiet, in the article: TOP 15++ places to enjoy and buy fresh Phan Thiet seafood

Phan Thiet specialties to buy as gifts

If you want to bring back a little taste of the sea and the sun and wind of Phan Thiet as a gift, the following specialties will surely delight the recipient:

• Dried squid/Tamarind squid: Sweet and fragrant squid, easy to bring back as a gift, is an indispensable specialty when coming to Phan Thiet.
• Dried beef: Dried fish is chewy, sweet, easy to prepare and very popular.
• Dried yellowstripe scad: Crispy and fragrant dried fish, often grilled and eaten immediately or used as a snack.
• Dried anchovies: A familiar gift, easy to eat, can be braised sweet and salty or given as a gift to family.
• Dried lizardfish: Rustic but rich specialty, easy to process into many attractive dishes.
• Dried shrimp: Small but sweet freshwater shrimp, very suitable as a gift for housewives.
• Dried white sardine: Dried dish typical of Binh Thuan, often used as salad or grilled snack.
• One-sun dried mackerel:Thick fish slices, dried just right - fried until golden brown, extremely delicious with rice.
• Bamboo shoot fish cake: Delicious, chewy fish cake, rich in sea fish flavor, convenient to eat immediately or prepare.
• Re cake: Sweet and crunchy specialty made from sweet potatoes and sugar, very reminiscent of the sunny and windy land.
• Milk rice cake: A soft, sweet, rustic gift - suitable for the elderly.
• Phan Thiet fish sauce: Famous specialty nationwide, fragrant, rich in pure anchovy flavor.
• Phan Thiet fermented anchovy sauce: Traditional fish sauce flavor, great with raw vegetables or noodles.

Phan Thiet re cake (Source: Internet)

Suggested 5 Phan Thiet specialty stores to visit

If you are still wondering where to buy gifts, you can refer to the following addresses:

• Phan Thiet Specialty Center - Spacious shopping space, many seafood products, public prices, Address: Lot G39, G40, G41 Highway, Hung Vuong, Phu Thuy, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan
• Phan Thiet Khanh Huong Specialty Store - Featured with products such as dried squid, fish sauce, supporting delivery via long-distance buses. Address: 137 Ton Duc Thang, Phu Thuy, Phan Thiet city, Binh Thuan.
• Hai Nam Foods - Spacious, clean space with a variety of products from fish sauce to fresh and dried seafood. Address: 63 Bis Nguyen Thong, Phu Hai, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan.
• Phan Thiet Hai Thang Specialty Store - Diverse products, allows you to try before you buy, located on the main road. Address: Truong Chinh Street, Phong Nam, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan.
• Phu Quy Tam Island Seafood - Featured with many types of seafood caught directly on Phu Quy Island, vacuum-packed cleanly at reasonable prices. Address: 107 Le Quy Don, Phu Thuy, Phan Thiet city, Binh Thuan.

In addition, you can also visit Phan Thiet market, Mui Ne village market, Ham Tien market or Phan Rang night market to immerse yourself in the life of coastal people as well as enjoy rich cuisine and buy gifts for relatives and friends.

Phan Thiet Market (Source: Internet)

Experience buying and enjoying specialties at Phan Thiet

• Prioritize dried specialties if traveling far: When you travel far or have to fly back, dried specialties such as dried squid, dried fish, dried shrimp or fish sauce are ideal choices.
• Ask before you buy: Many shops and markets in Phan Thiet offer tasting services, especially for dishes such as banh re, cha ca, and mam nem. This is an opportunity for you to be sure of the quality of the product before deciding to buy.
• Choose a reputable store or supermarket: To ensure product quality and avoid buying at high prices, you should choose large stores or reputable supermarkets. These stores not only have quality products but also provide clear information about expiration dates and origins, helping you feel more secure when choosing gifts.
• Bring a cooler bag if buying fresh seafood: If you want to buy fresh seafood such as crab, live crab, live cobia, do not forget to bring a cooler bag or a styrofoam box with ice. This will help preserve the freshness of the seafood, avoiding loss of freshness during transportation, especially if you have to travel a long way on the journey home.
• Read baggage regulations carefully: Some types of fish sauce or fresh seafood need to be properly packaged to ensure safety during transportation. Careful preparation will help you avoid unnecessary trouble at the airport.

Traveling to Phan Thiet would be incomplete if you did not fully enjoy the specialties with the rich flavors of the sea and the sunshine of the Central region. Whether it is a dish eaten on the spot or a gift to take home, each dish is filled with local sentiment and identity. Don't forget to save the list of 31++ Phan Thiet specialties and book a flight with Vietnam Airlines to start your inspiring culinary journey today!