Vung Tau Food Guide 2026: Local Dishes, Seafood and Banh Khot

Banh Khot

The dish most specifically associated with Vung Tau. Small crispy cups made from rice flour batter, cooked in dimpled iron pans, filled with fresh shrimp, mung bean paste, and spring onion. Served with a plate of fresh lettuce, herbs, and bean sprouts for wrapping, plus fish sauce dipping sauce.

The texture is the key — a crispy outer shell with a soft steamed interior. The shrimp is fresh from the local catch. Banh khot is a Vung Tau street food that has spread to HCMC but originated here.

Where: Small restaurants throughout the city; Banh Khot Co Ba is the most recommended specialist.

Price: ₫60,000–100,000 ($2.40–4) per serving of 6–8 pieces.

Goi Ca (Fresh Fish Salad)

Thin slices of raw or lightly marinated fresh fish — typically tra or a local whitefish — tossed with shredded green mango or banana blossom, fresh herbs (mint, perilla, cilantro), toasted peanuts, sesame, and a dressing of lime, vinegar, and fish sauce. Served with prawn crackers.

A Vung Tau specialty rarely found outside the city. The combination of textures — soft fish, crunchy peanut, chewy mango — is distinctive.

Hu Tieu Do Bien (Seafood Noodle Soup)

A clear or light tomato-based broth with rice noodles, shrimp, squid, and sometimes clams. A southern Vietnamese noodle soup adapted for Vung Tau’s seafood supply. Found in local pho/noodle restaurants throughout the city. ₫50,000–80,000 ($2–3.20).

Fresh Seafood (Hai San)

Vung Tau’s primary food draw. The fishing fleet lands daily catch of tiger prawns, mud crab, squid, clams, and various reef fish. The seafood restaurants on the Bai Dau strip and around the port area serve it grilled, steamed, or stir-fried with garlic and chilli.

Tiger prawns (tom su): Grilled on charcoal, served with salt-lime-pepper dipping sauce. ₫200,000–400,000 ($8–16) per 500g.

Mud crab (cua): Stir-fried with tamarind sauce or steamed. ₫250,000–500,000 ($10–20) per kg.

Squid (muc): Grilled whole or stuffed with pork and herbs. ₫100,000–200,000 ($4–8) per portion.

Banh Mi Vung Tau

Vung Tau has a strong banh mi culture — the city’s Vietnamese-French colonial history produced bakeries that maintained proper baguette-making. The banh mi thit here (pork roll, pate, vegetables) uses a particularly crispy baguette. Found at street stalls from 06:00 onwards.

Ca Phe Sua Da

Standard Vietnamese iced coffee is available everywhere. Vung Tau’s local coffee culture leans toward traditional phin-filter preparation. Beach cafe culture is active — watching the fishing boats from a waterfront coffee shop is a normal local morning activity.