Food & Restaurants in Can Tho

The Mekong Delta’s largest city, Can Tho is famous not only for bustling floating markets and verdant waterways but also its diverse and delicious food. The city is home to a number of traditional Vietnamese dishes that have been given a twist by local ingredients, reflecting the rich tapestry of culture in the region.

One cannot leave Can Tho without eating Banh Xeo, which is crispy pancake filled with pork, shrimps and beansprouts served with herbs fresh from the garden. Banh Cong is another dish popular among the locals which is a rice cake containing shrimp and satisfying at once.

For an upscale option Spices Restaurant serves Vietnamese cuisine with a touch of modernity. In addition, Hieu’s Cottage Restaurant offers fusion of French, Asian, as well as international tastes while Spirito – Restaurant & Bar serves some adventurous palates.

Can Tho has a vibrant street food scene featuring many budget options available in Nem nuong Thanh Van or Tomato – Pad Thai where one can enjoy various Chinese, Asian, Thai and Vietnamese flavors respectively. For busy people who are always on the move there’s American fast food with a Viet twist called Sandwich & Coffee A.T.

Moreover, Can Tho prides herself on her fine dining establishments and farm-fresh fruits that you have never tasted before. Some exotic fruits that you may want to try out include several types of mangoes; oranges; jackfruit; pomelos; grapefruits; custard apple; corossol; longans; durian that can be bought at such marketplaces as Xuan Khanh Market for example.

In Can Tho coffee culture seems to thrive since an abundance of coffee shops are populated throughout the city. Kafe Home or WIMI Specialty Coffee and Tea would be ideal for light bites along with caffeine buzz. Additionally, healthy Asian and Vietnamese choices are available at Restaurant & Cafe Lotus Ninh Kieu Can Tho where one can have a nutritious morning meal.

Many restaurants in Can Tho offer outdoor seating with views of the city’s waterwaysFamily Wine Cần Thơ is a great choice for those looking to enjoy a meal with a glass of wine by the river, and The Grill Restaurant offers a variety of grilled dishes in an open-air setting.

Can Tho’s culinary scene is both amazing and diverse, catering to everyone. Whenever it is traditional Vietnamese dishes that you are after; or perhaps, international fusions; or even just simple snacks from street food stalls, Can Tho eateries will not let you down when it comes to your cravings or cultural expectations.

Hot Pot Alley

Hem 1 Ly Tu Trong, also known as Hm Vit Nau Chao, the Hot Pot Alley, is one of the attractions for residents and students in the Xuan Khanh Quarter, even if it has just begun to become popular with foreigners as well (especially with those who are not afraid of Vietnamese only menus). The lane is filled with over a dozen eateries serving the same delicacy, Can Tho Hot Pot with fresh fish from the Mekong River or with Duck (also a local specialty).

Hot Pots are served on a tabletop fire cooker. As the soup cooks, various vegetables, leaves, egg noodles or rice noodles, tofu, and eggs can be added. You just pay for the condiments you consume, and you may order more of any condiment you like. Additionally, you receive free refills of the hot pot soup. Request “them nuoc,” which means more water. It may seem strange to add some leaves to the boiling pot, but if you try it, you will enjoy it. The most common foods served in restaurants are:

Vit Nau Chao (Duck hot pot)
Lau Hai San (Seafood hot pot)
Lau Ca Keo (Fish hot pot, small fish that looks similar to Eel)
Lau Chua (Sweet sour hot pot with river fish)

As the menu is typically only available in Vietnamese, you may just enter the restaurant, glance around at the other tables, and indicate that you would like to order the same dish. You will also frequently encounter locals who understand English or German and are eager to assist you. They will likely toast you with beer and be eager to engage in more conversation later.

Some locations are highly crowded. This item is the greatest. Do not be scared to enter a restaurant that appears to be full; instead, take your time, hunt for the server, and announce the number of persons in your party (e.g. show two fingers and say “hai nguoi” meaning “two people”). They will then locate you a table or tidy up the area.

In the alley leading to Ly Tu Trong street is a restaurant with a more romantic atmosphere than the typical neon-lit eateries. There are colorful lighting and outdoor seating available. Choose one of the eateries further down the alley for an even more authentic local experience.

The location of Hot Pot Alley (Hm Vit Nau Chao) lies between Mau Than Street and Ly Tu Trong Street. As many of these little lanes do not appear on tourist maps or internet maps, you may need to ask someone on the street for instructions; nonetheless, it is not difficult to discover if you follow the directions provided here: After one hundred meters from the intersection of Mau Than Street and Hem 142 Mau Than, beside the yellow-painted Hotel Xoai, there is a fork. Here, turn left and continue along the alley when it curves right. Shortly after crossing a minor bridge, you will see the first restaurant. Enter Hem 1 Ly Tu Trong from Ly Tu Trong Street near Luu Huu Phuoc Park.

Phuong Nam Restaurant (Good food, good feeling), 48 Hai Ba Trung (across Ho Chi Minh statue, near Ninh Kieu park), 07103812077 (phuongnamrestaurant48@gmail.com, fax: 07103812077). 10:00-22:00. This restaurant serves snake and crocodile, chicken in a clay pot with vodka, and is one of the best in Hai Ba Trung, with prices ranging from 40.000VND to 130.000VND.
Burger King, 1 Hoa Binh street, Tan An, Ninh Kieu, Can Tho City (It’s at roof 3 of Sense City Mall, the tower opposite Ninh Kieu 4 restaurant), 0710 3819 624. 3000 VND- 150.000 VND.

Budget / Streetfood

Chao Long Vit Xiem (Yummy local style rice porridge soup), Mau Than street Hem 95 (Opposite Quang Duc Temple Pagoda in Mau Than Street at the corner of Hem 95). 10:00 – 24:00. This establishment provides two delectable porridge (congee) options: pork chitterlings and muscovy duck. As terrifying as they may sound, the eatery is one of the oldest in town providing these regional specialties.
Mi Vit Tiem – Mien Ga (24h local street restaurant with braised duck soup), Mau Than avenue (you find the restaurant opposite Mien Tay hotel and petrol station). This is a 24-hour restaurant located on the street. This restaurant’s specialty is Braised Duck in Egg Noodle Soup – “Mi Vit Tiem Cheap” for 50.000VND per plate.
Mau Than Bun Bo Hue (Located next to a gas station, but one of the best spicy Hue style Beef Noodle Soups in the city), Mau Than road (next to the petrol station). till 22h. Even though the location is not ideal, the Spicy Hue style Beef Noodle Soup – “Bun Bo Hue” – is quite famous and draws a large number of residents. Affordable/27.000VND per soup
Char Siu bread (nice roasted bread), Mau Than street (next to the corner of 1A alley). Xa Xiu literally means “skewer roast” (char being skewer (both noun and verb) and siu being roast) after the traditional cooking method for the dish: long strips of seasoned boneless pork are skewered and put in a covered oven or over a fire. A loaf of toasted bread costs 10.000VND (0.5 USD) on average.
30A Restaurant (Nice spot for evening meals and midnight munchies if you want to sample inexpensive local cuisine. The establishment features a backyard and an open restaurant with a roof, but the majority of patrons choose to sit in the front among some plants. , 30A Mau Than Street, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho, Vietnam (From Xuan Khanh market, take Mau Than Street in the direction of the university and continue over the large crossroads. A little after the large Cara café sign on the right side of the road. At night, you will observe people sitting outside under the light. ), 0710 3 834 767. Hours of operation: Noon until 1 am or later. Evening visitors frequently visit this pleasant location. Many visitors on a budget like the $2 full meals, such as beefsteak with potatoes and a small salad. Cost or price per dish that is low or average, 40-60k VND (2-3 USD).

Mid-Range

Mien Tay Tuu Quan (Specialty cuisine of the Mekong Delta), Mau Than Street (The restaurant is nestled in a garden-like house set somewhat back from the street. You access the neighborhood via Mau Than Street close to the gas station. 9h – 22h. This restaurant provides mostly Vietnamese cuisine, as well as Mekong Delta specialties, fresh fish, and seafood.
Phuong Nam (Phương Nam), 48 Hai Bà Trưng (left in the center of the Ninh Kiều pier, near the monument of Uncle Ho), 07103812077 (phuongnamrestaurant48@gmail.com). 10:00 – 23:00. The restaurant is located in a traditional structure facing the river and serves both Vietnamese and Western dishes, such as pizza and spaghetti. There are a remarkable number of languages spoken, ranging from English to French. The service is pleasant and fast, and there is a startling diversity of languages spoken. Especially popular are snake and crocodile flesh. Additionally, a fantastic selection of delicious vegetarian meals.
New Delhi Indian Food, 128 Hai Bà Trưng (The restaurant may be found on the Ninh Kieu pier.) Indian cuisine that is delicious and genuine, including a variety of vegetarian options 5$/meal.
Dog meat (Thịt cầy Trần Văn Hoài, ngon hết biết)
Duck soup (Vịt nấu chao Hẻm 1, ngon hết sảy)
Goat Specialties (Lẩu Dê Thanh Thuý) is a little outpost of the city managed by a French immigrant to Can Tho who serves a range of dishes centered on tasty goat meat.

Splurge

Sao Hom (Sao Hôm), in the old market hall facing the river (when on the Ninh Kiu pier, follow the pier with the river on your left; you can’t miss it), 0710 381 5616 (saohom@transmekong.com). 06:00 – 23:00. The Sao Hôm, located in the central market’s hall and overlooking the Can Tho River, provides a variety of Vietnamese and Western dishes. The nighttime ambience is distinct.
l’Escale (the Port of Call), 1 Ngô Quyền, 4th floor (right in the middle of Ninh Kiều pier, on the top floor of the Nam Bộ Boutique Hotel), 0710 381 9139 (escale@nambocantho.com), . 06:00 – 22:30. l’Escale is a fine restaurant with a view to the river and the bus boat wharf, with a bar and a wine cellar.
Nam Bo (Nam Bộ), 1 Ngô Quyền (right in the middle of the Ninh Kiều pier, near the statue of Uncle Ho), 0710 382 3908 (restaurant@nambocantho.com). 06:00 – 23:00. The Nam Bo, located in a beautiful structure overlooking the river, provides delicious Vietnamese and Western dishes like as pizza and spaghetti. There are a remarkable number of languages spoken there, including English, French, Dutch, and even Japanese. The service is pleasant and efficient, and there is a surprising diversity of languages spoken there, including English, French, Dutch, and Japanese.