Top 14 Most Delicious Specialty Dishes in Binh Dinh

"Whoever comes to Vinh Thanh, enjoy Chợ Huyện Spring Rolls and watch traditional opera at night."

The famous taste of Chợ Huyện Spring Rolls is not only well-known in Binh Dinh but has spread to other provinces across the country. The perfect combination of sweetness and richness, chewy yet crispy texture, and a flavor that you can't get enough of make these spring rolls a local delicacy.

According to local residents, the secret of Chợ Huyện Spring Rolls lies in using fresh guava leaves to wrap the rolls. The leaves are hand-picked and carefully wiped with a clean cloth (washing with water would lose their fragrant scent). The guava leaves not only help keep the rolls dry and absorb moisture, but they are also a digestive herb. After being wrapped, the rolls are ready for consumption in about 3-4 days.

Fresh spring rolls are already delicious, but if you grill them over charcoal and serve with rice cakes, fried spring rolls, herbs, perilla, banana, star fruit, cucumber, dipping sauce, pepper, garlic, and chili, the taste will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression. Chợ Huyện Spring Rolls have truly become a culinary brand for Binh Dinh.

Additionally, Mytour reveals that this dish is a popular choice for everyday meals, weddings, and memorials in Binh Dinh. It is also a delightful food enjoyed during late-night traditional opera performances.

"If you want to taste the gai leaf sticky rice cake,
Marry someone from Binh Dinh for a long journey."

Indeed, the people of Binh Dinh are famous for making gai leaf sticky rice cakes. Though soft, these cakes do not stick to your teeth. When you take a bite, you can savor the sweet, fragrant, rich, nutty, and slightly spicy flavor. In today's world, where modern cakes flood the market, the gai leaf sticky rice cake offers a taste of traditional, rural Binh Dinh, capturing the essence of its people.

If you want to taste authentic gai leaf sticky rice cakes in Binh Dinh, you must visit Tuy Phuoc. The cake-making process involves three main steps: preparing the dough, forming the cakes, and wrapping them. Creating these cakes properly requires skill, experience, and a passion for the craft.

There are many variations of sticky rice cakes across Vietnam—such as plain cakes, cakes with shrimp or pork fillings, or those made with green beans. However, gai leaf sticky rice cakes from Binh Dinh stand out. They embody the simplicity and strength of Binh Dinh's people: humble yet majestic, and heartwarming.

Shrimp Pancakes are a point of pride for the people of Binh Dinh when introducing their hometown. From the very name, 'shrimp pancakes' sparks curiosity and interest in diners. The dish is named so because of its key ingredient: plump, bright red shrimp, freshly caught and still lively, jumping around on the grill. At the restaurant, diners can enjoy the sizzling sound of batter cooking, the sight of fresh shrimp on the hot stove, and watch the skilled chef craft the pancakes.

Locals typically pair the shrimp pancakes with fresh sprouts to balance the richness of the dish. The sprouts are a bit spicy but very refreshing and nutritious, accompanied by shredded green mango and other fresh herbs. When eating, the pancake is wrapped in rice paper and dipped in a tangy garlic-chili fish sauce to bring out the true flavors. Those who prefer a stronger taste may add fresh garlic from the Ly Son region to enhance the aroma.

The shrimp pancakes with sprouts are a simple, yet fragrant and delicious dish that will leave you with lasting memories of Binh Dinh.

Grilled dried squid with garlic and chili, or simply ‘Muc Ngao’, is a well-known specialty from the coastal city of Quy Nhon, Binh Dinh. The preparation involves four steps: selecting the freshest ingredients, grilling the squid, preparing the sauce, and mixing everything together.

The squid used in this dish is freshly caught by local fishermen and sun-dried under the open sky. The drying process, combined with simple ingredients like chili and garlic, creates a unique flavor that lingers on the taste buds.

To make muc ngao, the chef must be meticulous and skilled, ensuring that the squid maintains its freshness and flavor. After being sourced from the freshest catches, the squid is carefully prepared to retain its natural taste.

The finished dish, Grilled Squid from Binh Dinh, has a vibrant red glaze that clings to the squid, emitting the mouth-watering aroma of garlic. The taste is a perfect blend of sweetness, spiciness, and the chewy sweetness of grilled squid, making each bite irresistible. For added freshness, you can pair it with some herbs, sour starfruit, or cucumber to balance out the richness. Gather some friends and savor this delicious treat together!

Tre is a unique and fascinating dish from Binh Dinh. Its unusual name has intrigued many food lovers, making them curious to try this special delicacy. Although Tre is popular across several provinces in Central Vietnam, the one from Binh Dinh stands out for its distinctive flavor, a taste that only the locals here can perfect.

Binh Dinh Tre is easily recognizable by its shape, resembling small bundles of broomsticks tied together and hung up at roadside eateries. It is wrapped in dried straw and tightly bound at both ends, with the filling consisting of two key ingredients: pig head meat and pork belly. The meat is then seasoned with a variety of ingredients, including sesame, pepper, garlic, salt, galangal, and most importantly, rice powder and seasoning powder to achieve the perfect balance. The bundle is then wrapped in guava leaves to enhance its fragrance.

The way Tre is enjoyed varies according to personal preference. In Binh Dinh, locals often serve it with a bit of pickled garlic, using it as an appetizer during meals or pairing it with rice crackers and fresh vegetables such as cucumber, shredded green papaya, and sour bananas, all dipped in fish sauce with chili or chili paste.

Despite its humble origins, Tre has become a beloved dish in Binh Dinh. It has grown into a favorite snack that people can't resist. Anyone visiting Binh Dinh should definitely grab some “straw bundles with both ends tied” as a souvenir to bring back home for loved ones.

When visiting Binh Dinh, one cannot miss the iconic coconut milk rice paper. Its distinctive feature is the rich, aromatic flavor of coconut, paired with a crispy texture that leaves a lasting impression, making it unmistakably unique to this region.

Making coconut milk rice paper might seem simple, but the artisans behind this delicacy wake up early and stay up late, grinding fresh coconut, kneading dough, and grinding ingredients like garlic, pepper, and chili. It's a labor of love to create this delicious treat.

To enjoy it, the rice paper must be grilled. During grilling, it must be flipped constantly to ensure even cooking. When it hits the hot coals, it releases an irresistible aroma, with the flavors of garlic, coconut milk, pepper, and sesame tantalizing the taste buds, making it impossible to stop eating.

Hence, producing a batch of high-quality rice paper that embodies the authentic flavor of the region takes immense dedication and effort. The Binh Dinh coconut milk rice paper can truly be seen as a “Vietnamese masterpiece,” a testament to the meticulous, skillful, and heartfelt craftsmanship of the local artisans.

Song Than Noodles from Binh Dinh, also known as ‘Bún song thần,’ gets its name from ‘song,’ meaning two, and ‘thằn,’ meaning rope. This noodle dish features strands that resemble ropes, hence the name ‘song than noodles.’ What sets these noodles apart from regular noodles is that they are made from mung bean flour rather than rice or cassava flour.

The noodles are translucent when cooked, with a texture that's firmer and more elastic than traditional noodles. They have a slightly cloudy, white appearance when dry but become clear and smooth when boiled. Notably, these noodles are more nutritious than most other varieties and have a delightful aroma of mung beans, making them both visually appealing and delicious.

Song Than noodles can be enjoyed in many ways: served with broth and beef, cooked with pork or shrimp, or stir-fried with eel. However, according to many visitors, the best way to eat them is stir-fried with chicken gizzards, creating a perfect combination of the fragrant noodles and the rich, tender gizzards that will satisfy even the pickiest eaters. If you've visited Binh Dinh and haven't tried or brought back some Song Than noodles as a souvenir, you're missing out on a true culinary gem.

Huynh De Crab, also known as 'Emperor Crab,' is a unique seafood delicacy from Binh Dinh. Despite being a type of crab, it looks quite different from its common relatives. Unlike regular crabs with eight legs and two pincers, the Huynh De Crab has only six legs and two pincers, earning it the regal title 'Emperor Crab' as it was once offered as a royal tribute to the king.

This crab is regarded as the 'king' of crabs, with a golden-red shell that resembles the majestic robes of royalty. The crab's sharp, small spines along its sides and its large, sturdy pincers add to its impressive appearance. It is typically found living in the rocky crevices of the Binh Dinh coastline. The meat of Huynh De Crab is tender, flavorful, and firm.

Due to its exquisite taste, Huynh De Crab is often served in various preparations, such as simply steamed, or cooked in savory dishes like salt-roasted crab, crab stew, or crab porridge. When preparing the porridge, the crab meat is boiled, seasoned, and then fried before being added to a pot of hot porridge. The dish is topped with a golden layer of fried shallots, creating a rich, savory flavor, complemented by the sweet, tender crab meat.

While many places across the country now offer dishes made with Huynh De Crab, this particular crab from Binh Dinh remains deeply tied to the culture and traditions of the Central Coast, with its rich flavor and unique character representing the resilient and warm-hearted people of the region.

The cuisine of Quy Nhon is characterized by its regional flavors, with an emphasis on bold, spicy, and savory dishes with minimal oil. Among these, Mai Fish Salad stands out as a unique delicacy, often compared to a Vietnamese version of sushi, offering a distinct and rare taste that can’t be found elsewhere.

Mai Fish resembles anchovies but is thinner and has more delicate scales. The flesh of the Mai fish is sweet, crisp, and fresh, making it perfect for preparing a refreshing salad. Depending on the size of the fish, the bones may be fully removed. For larger fish, the bones are completely extracted, while smaller fish might have only the belly bones removed, leaving a small portion of the tail bones for a bit of crunch.

Once deboned, the fish is clear, firm, and bursting with the ocean’s flavors. To enjoy, squeeze a bit of lime juice over the fish, then wrap it in a soft rice paper that’s been dipped in water. Add a mix of fresh herbs and vegetables such as banana flower, dill, cilantro, lettuce, and strips of sour-sweet mango. For the perfect finishing touch, dip it in a sauce made from soy sauce, lemongrass, chili, garlic, and ground fermented soybean paste, which adds a spicy and aromatic kick.

Gie Bo is a traditional dish of the Bana people from the highlands of An Khe and Vinh Thanh districts. Over time, it gained popularity among the lowland Kinh people, and thus became a renowned dish in the Tây Sơn region of Bình Định.

The key ingredient of Gie Bo is the beef small intestine. When slaughtering the cow, the best part of the small intestine is chosen, still fresh, with a clear mucous substance inside, known as ‘gie.’ After going through several steps of cleaning and seasoning, the final result is a steaming bowl of hot gie, with a brownish-green broth. The rich aroma of chili, ginger, and lemongrass, combined with the tanginess of the giang leaves and the mild bitterness of the gie, creates a perfect dish when served with noodles and fresh herbs.

This is a unique and somewhat acquired taste dish from Bình Định. However, those who try it for the first time may find it difficult to swallow due to the bitterness and distinct smell of the beef intestines. For some, this dish may not be easy to enjoy, but once you get past the initial experience, it becomes highly addictive. Gie Bo is a hearty, affordable, and filling dish suitable for people of all walks of life, as a bowl of gie only costs a few thousand dong.

Châu Trúc Village, located by the Châu Trúc Lagoon (also known as Trà Ổ Lagoon), is one of the largest freshwater lakes in the province, bordered by the communes of Mỹ Châu, Mỹ Lợi, and Mỹ Thắng. The villagers of Châu Trúc make their living through farming and fishing, and these two professions, along with the soul of the hardworking people, have created a dish that reflects the essence of the land and water – Châu Trúc Shrimp Noodles.

To make this dish, there are two key ingredients: shrimp and rice noodles. The noodles, made from rice, are paired with fresh shrimp caught from the lagoon, simple but so delightful that once you’ve tasted a bowl of Châu Trúc Shrimp Noodles, you’ll find yourself craving its rustic, rich flavor.

The first thing you notice when you see a bowl of shrimp noodles is the harmony of colors – clean and pure, without any excessive garnishing or oily appearance. The steaming bowl of shrimp noodles can be enhanced to suit your taste by adding a bit of chili salt or a splash of fish sauce to make it even more flavorful. What makes it special is the natural sweetness of the fresh lagoon shrimp, the saltiness of the rice noodles, the spicy kick from pepper and chili, the sharpness of onions, and the rich yet smooth taste of the broth that isn’t overly greasy.

Fish Cake Noodles is a beloved dish found in many regions across Vietnam, but its unique flavor and vibrant colors make the Fish Cake Noodles in Bình Định unforgettable for anyone who has had the chance to taste it. Many visitors have shared with Mytour that when asked what to eat for breakfast in Bình Định, the answer is almost always the same: Fish Cake Noodles.

The fish cakes here are made from the freshest fish, caught that very day, ensuring a fragrant and savory flavor. The key characteristic of this dish is its clear broth. To achieve this, the broth must be simmered gently while skimming off the foam regularly. Additionally, tomatoes and pineapples are cut into chunks and sautéed with shallots to add a light tanginess and vibrant color to the soup base.

When enjoying Fish Cake Noodles, you’ll also have a side of fresh greens like lettuce, water spinach, banana flower, and bean sprouts, along with lime and the famous Bình Định chili sauce. All these elements come together to create a dish that represents the essence of the coastal culture of Central Vietnam.

One of the must-try dishes when visiting Bình Định is Rice Vermicelli with Pig's Offal Soup.

The standout feature of Bình Định Pig's Offal Soup is its consistency—it's prepared quite watery. Once cooked, the soup takes on a white color from the rice and a golden hue from turmeric, not the dark, thickened color of blood-based broths. No added oil is necessary; the fat from the pig's intestines provides a natural sheen to the soup. When the soup is ready, finely chopped green onions or some chives are added, and in some places, fragrant fried shallots are sprinkled in for extra flavor.

Rice Vermicelli is made from rice flour, giving it a fragrant, chewy texture. The rice noodles are thin and delicate, topped with a bit of fried oil and finely chopped chives. For the pig's offal, the intestines, heart, liver, and lungs of freshly slaughtered pigs are carefully cleaned, then boiled with rice. Once cooked, the organs are sliced and served on a plate.

This dish is enjoyed by pairing the rice vermicelli with slices of pig's meat and offal, alongside a steaming bowl of soup. The unique combination of the tender rice noodles, the chewy, crispy offal, and the savory sweetness of the broth creates an unforgettable experience that captivates not only visitors but also the locals themselves.

The central region of Vietnam is not only known for producing brilliant individuals and breathtaking beaches but also for its rich culinary heritage, offering a variety of unique and delicious dishes. Among these is Mỹ An Sea Urchin Fish Sauce from Bình Định, a rare specialty that is said to have once been presented as a royal offering to kings and nobles.

Sea urchins are marine creatures related to clams and oysters, commonly found in the rocky coastal areas, entangled in seaweed. There are several types of sea urchins, but only the black variety, known as 'Nhum Ta,' is used to make this delicacy. The fish sauce made from these sea urchins has a smooth, thick consistency with a deep red hue and an incredibly fragrant aroma.

Sea Urchin Fish Sauce is versatile and can be enjoyed in many ways. The most popular method is to pair it with rice vermicelli or use it as a dipping sauce for fresh vegetables and grilled pork belly wrapped in rice paper. The sweet pork, forest herbs, and the pungent, tangy, salty, sweet, and spicy flavors of the fish sauce combine to create a dish that will have you craving more.

Mỹ An Sea Urchin Fish Sauce is considered a luxury dish, not something that can be easily bought. It's reserved for special occasions, and only guests of honor are typically served this exquisite treat. Any tourist lucky enough to taste this dish in Bình Định can proudly boast about having had a truly memorable experience.