Embark on a Culinary Journey: Top 10 Iconic Dishes to Try in Tây Ninh

When it comes to the delectable delights of Tây Ninh, one can't help but think of unique snacks like shrimp salt, rice paper... However, few know that Tây Ninh boasts a rich culinary scene that captivates every visitor's heart. From rustic dishes to specialty gifts, the culinary culture of Tây Ninh can charm even the most discerning palates. So what to eat in Tây Ninh? Where to buy Tây Ninh specialties? Which are the best eateries in Tây Ninh? All these questions will be answered in the following article.

Introduction to Tây Ninh Tourism

Although lacking the 'gold and silver forests' like other places, Tây Ninh is renowned for its spiritual significance and many enticing dishes. Visitors here have the chance to conquer the 'roof of the South' - Ba Den Mountain with its height of 986 meters. Or simply enjoy the serene scenery at Dau Tieng Lake. For spiritual devotees, you can visit and pray at Thái Sơn mountain's Chùa, Thiền Lâm Gò Kén Pagoda,... to seek peace, luck, and blessings.

Mount Black Lady is the most famous pilgrimage site in Tây Ninh (Image Source: Collection)

Best Time to Visit Tây Ninh?

Like other provinces in the Southern region, Tây Ninh also experiences two distinct seasons: rainy and dry. The rainy season lasts from May to October, while the dry season extends from December to April of the following year. To enjoy a complete journey without weather interference, it's advisable to visit Tây Ninh during the dry season.

However, visiting Tây Ninh during rainy days is not a problem either! Even during the rainy season, Tây Ninh doesn't experience prolonged heavy rainfall throughout the day. Rain in Tây Ninh comes and goes quickly.

If you're a fan of cultural festivals, head to Tây Ninh during the full moon of January or the full moon of the 8th lunar month. During this time, Tây Ninh hosts its two biggest festivals of the year: Ba Den Mountain Spring Festival on the full moon of January, and the Yen Dieu Trì Cung Festival (15th of the 8th lunar month).

Top 10 Delights in Tây Ninh That Will Enchant You

Tây Ninh is a land of richness and spirituality, located in the Southeast of Vietnam's Southern region. It boasts numerous temples, famous sacred mountains. Thus, Tây Ninh offers many delicacies with delicate and distinctive flavors. To help you navigate through the abundance of delicious dishes in Tây Ninh, Mytour presents the Top 10 most beloved dishes.

Trảng Bàng Tây Ninh Clear Noodle Soup

If you've visited Trảng Bàng without savoring bánh canh, then you haven't truly experienced Tây Ninh. At first glance, many diners may think this dish is no different from other types of bánh canh they've tried. However, it's only when you take a spoonful of the broth that you'll fully appreciate its rich and unique flavor. The secret to crafting a delicious bowl of bánh canh lies in the recipe and the harmonious combination of ingredients.

Tây Ninh's bánh canh usually boasts a rich and spicy flavor with chewy noodles (Image Source: Collection)

A genuine bowl of Tây Ninh bánh canh should include a generous mix of pork hock, pork blood pudding, and pork sausage melded with clear, flavorful broth infused with pepper. Trảng Bàng's bánh canh noodles are typically soft, yet resilient, making them incredibly easy and enjoyable to eat.

People from Tây Ninh often enjoy bánh canh with fresh herbs, raw vegetables, lime chili, and scallions accompanied by a small bowl of chili fish sauce. This unique combination creates an exquisite earthly flavor! Trảng Bàng's bánh canh consistently ranks among the most famous delicacies in Tây Ninh for many years running.

• Price Range: 35,000 VND - 45,000 VND per bowl.

A few suggested eateries in Tây Ninh:

• Năm Dung Clear Noodle Soup Stall: No. 90, Nguyen Van Rop Street, Trang Bang, Tây Ninh.

• Năm Dung Clear Noodle Soup Stall (branch 2): Located on Highway 22 - Trang Bang, Tây Ninh.

• Út Thiên Clear Noodle Soup: No. 88, Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, Tây Ninh.

Tây Ninh Beef

Tây Ninh Beef is one of the must-try delicacies in Tây Ninh. Locals affectionately call this dish 'young beef'. In reality, it's fresh beef raised freely on vast grasslands. Tây Ninh Beef features crispy thin skin and chewy, thin slices of meat.

When enjoyed, diners will experience a satisfyingly chewy texture. However, as it melts in the mouth, each slice of meat releases a rich and tender flavor.

Tây Ninh Grilled Beef is one of the most renowned specialties of this sacred land (Image Source: Collection)

Tây Ninh Beef is often prepared for hotpot, steaming, wrapping in salad rolls, or stir-frying. Regardless of the cooking style, Tây Ninh Beef is always delicious. However, for the most authentic flavor, nothing beats grilled beef. Grilled beef dishes are typically cooked right at the table to ensure the freshest, highest quality meat.

• Price Range: From 100,000 VND to 300,000 VND per serving.

Some renowned Tây Ninh beef eateries for diners to consider:

• Cây Bàng Tây Ninh Beef Stall: No. 77 Nguyen Chi Thanh, Ward 3, Tây Ninh City.

• Năm Sánh Beef Stall: Located on 30/4 Street, Ward 2, Tây Ninh City.

• Út Mây Beef Stall: 621 Ton Duc Thang, Long Thanh Nam Commune, Hoa Thanh Town, Tây Ninh.

• Út Khương Beef Stall: 24 Ba Thang Hai Street, Ward 3, Tây Ninh City.

Bà Đen Mountain Lizard

Many may be surprised by this peculiar dish as nobody would think lizards could be turned into a meal. However, in Tây Ninh, nothing is impossible. Bà Đen Mountain Lizard is considered the most unique delicacy in Tây Ninh. To catch lizards for cooking, locals have to climb cliffs and use bait to lure them out of crevices.

These mountain lizards belong to the gecko family, with light-colored tails and white-striped backs. After being caught, they are gutted, cleaned, and deep-fried until crispy. When enjoyed, diners can accompany them with fern shoots, sliced vegetables, or dip them in tamarind sauce.

Mountain lizards are the 'one-of-a-kind' specialty found only in Bà Đen Mountain (Image Source: Collection)

This type of lizard is most commonly found in the Bà Đen Mountain area. However, their numbers are rapidly declining. Therefore, to truly savor mountain lizard dishes, tourists should choose eateries near Bà Đen Mountain.

Some dining options near Bà Đen Mountain:

• Chiêng Restaurant: Located in Melia Vinpearl Tây Ninh.

• Biển Đông Seafood Restaurant: No. 686, Cach Mang Thang 8 Street, Ward 3, Tây Ninh City (near Co.opmart Supermarket).

Tamarind Rice Paper

Tamarind rice paper is a delicious snack in Tây Ninh, created by locals. Over time, tamarind rice paper has become a beloved specialty among many young people. A proper tamarind rice paper consists of thinly sliced rice paper squares. Accompanying the rice paper are packets of seasoning (including roasted shrimp powder, chili salt, peanuts, chili powder) and a packet of smooth, sweet and sour tamarind sauce.

The fame of tamarind rice paper gradually spread beyond the borders of Tây Ninh. Subsequently, this specialty quickly became a favorite snack among the youth in the Southern region. Simply mix the seasoning packets with tamarind sauce to make a tantalizing tamarind rice paper dish.

Tamarind rice paper has become a favored snack in Tây Ninh among students and young adults (Image Source: Collection)

Depending on individual tastes, diners can adjust the seasoning to their liking. Then, simply dip each piece of rice paper into the tamarind sauce before chewing. You'll experience the rich tamarind flavor melting in your mouth. This is undoubtedly one of the most addictive delicacies in Tây Ninh.

• Specific Price Range: From 10,000 VND per packet and up.

Dew-Dried Rice Paper

We can find dew-dried rice paper anywhere, but only in Tây Ninh does it offer the richest flavor. This delicacy in Tây Ninh undergoes meticulous processing, selecting the finest ingredients. After the rice paper is soaked, it is sun-dried until completely dry, completing the process.

Dew-dried rice paper in Tây Ninh is often rolled with meat and fresh vegetables (Image Source: Collection)

For dew-dried rice paper, diners can enjoy it with either pork or Tây Ninh beef. Additionally, adding basil, water spinach, perilla leaves, and mint prevents the dish from becoming too heavy!

• Price Range: From 10,000 VNĐ/pack.

• Suggested Address: Local markets and grocery stores in Tây Ninh.

Mountain Snails of Bà Đen

Mountain snails of Bà Đen are a unique delicacy found only in Tây Ninh. These snails inhabit Mount Bà Đen, resembling buffalo snails but smaller in size. The meat of mountain snails is firm and juicy, with a deliciously fragrant and sweet taste. Moreover, this delicacy in Tây Ninh is known for its health benefits, particularly in relieving joint pain and fatigue. Although mountain snails can be hard to find, they are straightforward to prepare.

Mountain snails have a sweet, rich flavor, often enjoyed with sweet and sour fish sauce (Image Source: Collection)

After catching the mountain snails from the hills, the chefs will clean them thoroughly and soak them in salty water. Then, they can prepare the mountain snails in various dishes such as stir-fried, boiled, steamed, etc. Mountain snails typically have a naturally sweet, crispy texture. Enjoying mountain snails with sweet and sour fish sauce with ginger and pepper is an unmatched experience!

• Price Range: From 40,000 VNĐ/dish.

Some suggested addresses for mountain snails of Bà Đen:

• Dong Que Bar: located on Trưng Nữ Vương street, Ward 1, Tây Ninh town.

• Bars along Gia Long street, Tây Ninh City.

Tây Ninh Shrimp Salt

When it comes to the specialties that make Tây Ninh famous, one immediately thinks of shrimp salt. It's no exaggeration to say that this renowned condiment has become a trademark of Tây Ninh. Shrimp salt is undoubtedly the most famous delicacy in this sacred land. Every visitor to Tây Ninh buys shrimp salt as a gift for their loved ones.

Although the salt and shrimp are sourced from neighboring provinces, the traditional recipe is known only to the people of Tây Ninh. Using these main ingredients, chefs combine them with garlic, red chilies... in specific proportions. Then, the ingredients are ground, roasted, and dried.

Tây Ninh Shrimp Salt possesses the strong aroma of chili, the saltiness of salt, and the eye-catching orange-red color of shrimp (Source: Collection)

The shrimp salt dish typically boasts a deep orange-red hue from the shrimp, the fragrant aroma of garlic, and a touch of spicy chili to tantalize all taste buds. If you're a fan of tropical fruits like coconut, mango, guava, or plum, then be sure to grab a jar of Tây Ninh shrimp salt to savor!

• Price range: 30,000 VND/jar.

• Suggested address: Mỹ Lan Salt Production Facility in Hòa Thành, Tây Ninh.

Tây Ninh Pomelo Salad Rolls

Pomelo salad rolls are a delightful treat from Tây Ninh often purchased by many tourists as gifts for their loved ones and friends. The main ingredient that gives the distinctive flavor to pomelo salad rolls is the peel of the pomelo fruit. And these rolls contain no meat whatsoever.

Pomelo peel is mixed together with shredded green papaya. Then, the chef adds in pepper leaves, nem wrapper, sour fig, sour star fruit, chili peppers,... The Tây Ninh pomelo rolls that come out of the kitchen are usually enticingly red. The flavor of the rolls is incredibly sweet, salty, with a hint of spicy chili and pepper. It's no exaggeration to say that Tây Ninh pomelo rolls are a one-of-a-kind delicacy because you can't find them anywhere else.

Pomelo rolls have become a popular choice for many tourists as gifts for their loved ones and friends (Source: Collected)

Pomelo rolls are also suitable for vegetarians as all the ingredients are plant-based. This is also why pomelo rolls are bought by many tourists as gifts. If you ever get the chance to visit Tây Ninh, don't forget to bring home some pomelo rolls!

Some stores specializing in selling pomelo rolls:

• Tây Ninh Pomelo Rolls: 90 Nguyen Van Rop Street, Trang Bang, Tây Ninh.

• Six Layers Nem Restaurant: 4, Hiep Nghia Hamlet, Hiep Ninh Commune, Tây Ninh City.

Tây Ninh Peanut Brittle

At first glance, diners will feel both familiar and strange with this name. However, this delicacy in Tây Ninh is quite similar to the peanut brittle often eaten in childhood. Tây Ninh Peanut Brittle is made entirely from malt, peanuts, and sesame seeds, creating a sweet, crunchy flavor.

Tây Ninh Peanut Brittle has a shape and ingredients quite similar to the 'childhood' peanut brittle (Source: Collected)

This is a delightful snack in Tây Ninh perfect for enjoying on rainy days. There's nothing more wonderful than nibbling on a plate of Tây Ninh Peanut Brittle with a cup of hot tea while listening to the rain falling outside.

Recommended address:

• Snack stall in Hòa Thành: 105/27 Nguyen Van Linh, Long Dai Hamlet - Long Thanh Bac, Hòa Thành, Tây Ninh.

Pomelo Peel Preserve

Pomelo peel preserve is a unique Tây Ninh snack with a delightful blend of light sweetness and tangy sourness, creating a truly intriguing taste. Whether eaten alone or paired with bread, this preserve is incredibly delicious! If you visit Tây Ninh in June or August, you'll have an even better chance of getting fresher pomelo peels.

Pomelo peel preserve combines the sweet taste of pomelo peel with the distinctive sourness, creating a fascinating sensation when enjoyed (Source: Collection)

• Price reference: From 70,000 VND/box.

Above are all 10 delicious dishes in Tây Ninh along with some famous eateries. With these recommendations from Mytour, travelers can discover more specialties on their upcoming trip to Tây Ninh. If you're interested in booking a tour of Southern Vietnam, please contact Mytour via hotline Mytour. The Mytour team will provide free consultation on tour prices, itineraries, and many attractive promotions.