Nha Trang is not only famous for its beautiful beaches but also attracts visitors with its rich and fresh cuisine. Food in Nha Trang is full of Central Vietnamese flavors, featuring fresh seafood, delicious local specialties, and many unique seaside restaurants. From jellyfish noodle soup and grilled pork rolls to fresh grilled seafood, every dish offers a memorable culinary experience for travelers. Let Sinhcafe guide you through the must-try dishes when visiting Nha Trang.

Bun ca sua (Jellyfish fish noodle soup)

If there is one dish that represents food in Nha Trang, it is definitely bun ca sua, the famous jellyfish noodle soup of this coastal city. The dish combines fresh rice noodles, crispy jellyfish, flavorful fish cakes, and a clear sweet broth made from sea fish. Its light, fresh taste and natural seafood flavor make it perfect for Nha Trang’s warm weather, while the fresh fish cakes add extra richness and texture.

Bun ca sua (Jellyfish fish noodle soup) (Source: Collected)

The broth of bun ca sua is simmered for hours from mackerel or sailfish bones to create a naturally sweet, clear flavor. Tomatoes and pineapple add a light sour taste, while jellyfish is cleaned and quickly blanched to keep its crunch. Fish cakes are made from fresh fish and lightly fried until golden. Locals usually eat it hot with herbs, bean sprouts, chili, and a squeeze of lime, often for breakfast or early lunch.

Price range around 25,000 - 45,000 VND per bowl, depending on the restaurant and toppings. Signature places to try bun ca sua in Nha Trang:

• Bun Ca Sua Yersin: 87 Yersin Street, Nha Trang
• Bun Ca Nguyen Loan: 123 Ngo Gia Tu Street, Phuoc Tien, Nha Trang
• Bun Ca Han Thuyen: 24 Han Thuyen Street, Nha Trang
• Bun Sua Doc Lap: Doc Lap Street area, near Dam Market

Nem nuong Nha Trang (Grilled pork sausage rolls)

The pork sausages are seasoned with garlic, fish sauce, and a hint of sugar, then grilled over charcoal until the outside is caramelized while the inside stays juicy. They are served as a DIY wrap with rice paper, fresh herbs, green banana, star fruit, cucumber, and a signature dipping sauce that is sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy. Visitors must try this dish at least once, as the interactive way of eating makes it both fun and memorable.

Nem nuong Nha Trang (Grilled pork sausage rolls) (Source: Collected)

Nem nuong offers a social dining experience where everyone assembles their own rolls at the table, making it perfect for sharing. It is often enjoyed for lunch or dinner in a relaxed setting with friends or family. Many long-standing restaurants in Nha Trang have been serving this specialty for decades and are always crowded with both locals and tourists.

Price range around 60,000 - 120,000 VND per set. Signature places to try nem nuong in Nha Trang:

• Nem Nuong Ninh Hoa: Multiple branches across Nha Trang city
• Quan Nem Nuong Thanh Huong: Near Tran Phu Beach area
• Nem Nuong 2 Ba Gia: Central Nha Trang

Banh can (Mini rice flour pancakes)

Banh can is a beloved Nha Trang street food made from small round rice flour pancakes cooked in clay molds over a charcoal flame. Each cake is filled with egg, shrimp, or minced pork and topped with spring onions, crispy on the outside and soft inside. They are served hot with a dipping sauce of fish sauce, sugar, lime, and chili, alongside fresh vegetables and pickled daikon.

Banh can (Mini rice flour pancakes) (Source: Collected)

Watching the vendor flip dozens of tiny molds at once is part of the charm. Banh can is most popular as a breakfast or afternoon snack and is one of the most affordable and accessible food experiences in Nha Trang.

Price range around 15,000 - 30,000 VND per serving (5-6 pieces). Signature places to try banh can in Nha Trang:

• Banh Can Ba Lien: Near Dam Market area
• Street stalls on Phan Boi Chau Street: Popular morning spot
• Night market area, Tran Phu Street: Evening snack stops

Goi ca mai (Young fish salad)

Goi ca mai is a uniquely refreshing dish that represents the light, coastal character of food in Nha Trang. Young silver fish are marinated in lime juice until the flesh turns opaque, then tossed with shredded green mango, roasted peanuts, sesame, fresh herbs, and a punchy dressing of fish sauce, garlic, and chili. The result is a salad that is tangy, sweet, crunchy, and herbaceous all at once, with a silky texture from the lime-cured fish.

Goi ca mai (Young fish salad) (Source: Collected)

Goi ca mai is best enjoyed as a starter or light daytime meal and is a staple at local seafood restaurants throughout the city. Price range around 40,000 - 80,000 VND per portion. Signature places to try goi ca mai in Nha Trang:

• Seafood restaurants along Tran Phu Beach Road
• Local eateries near Dam Market
• Quan Goi Ca Mai Ba Hang: A long-standing local favorite

Hai san nuong BBQ (Grilled seafood at the table)

food in Nha Trang. Restaurants along the beachfront and in back alleys let diners pick live prawns, crabs, clams, scallops, fish, and sea snails directly from tanks, which are then grilled at the table over a charcoal brazier. Everything is seasoned simply with sea salt, chili, lime, and fresh herbs to highlight the natural sweetness of the seafood.

Hai san nuong BBQ (Grilled seafood at the table) (Source: Collected)

Popular dishes include scallops baked with spring onion butter and peanuts, grilled tiger prawns with garlic, and lemongrass sea snails. The combination of fresh catch, charcoal smoke, and ocean breeze turns every meal into a memorable experience. Price range around 150,000 - 500,000+ VND depending on selections. Signature places to try hai san nuong BBQ in Nha Trang:

• Seafood Street, Binh Tan alley: Near Pham Van Dong Beach
• Hai San Phuong: 67/1 Hung Vuong Street
• Restaurants along Tran Phu promenade: Popular evening dining spot

Tom hum Binh Ba (Binh Ba lobster)

Binh Ba Island, a short boat ride from Cam Ranh Bay near Nha Trang, is known as Vietnam's lobster island. The aquaculture farms here raise tropical spiny lobsters in clean bay waters, and the catch goes from sea to table within hours. Lobster on Binh Ba is served grilled with butter and garlic, steamed with ginger, or stir-fried in tamarind sauce, and prices on the island are significantly lower than in city restaurants.

Tom hum Binh Ba (Binh Ba lobster) (Source: Collected)

A day trip to Binh Ba for fresh lobster is one of the most rewarding food experiences near Nha Trang, and many Sinhcafe island tours include a lobster lunch as a highlight of the itinerary. Price range around 250,000 - 600,000 VND per kg on the island. Signature places to try tom hum Binh Ba:

• Nha Hang Hai San Binh Ba: On Binh Ba Island
• Lobster village restaurants: Along the island waterfront
• Book a Sinhcafe Binh Ba Day Tour for a full island and lobster experience

Pho Nha Trang (Nha Trang-style pho)

Nha Trang's version of pho carries its own distinct identity shaped by Central Vietnamese flavors. The broth is lighter and more fragrant than Northern-style beef pho, often with a subtle coastal sweetness from local spice blends. Many shops also offer seafood pho with shrimp, fish, or crab alongside the classic beef option.

Pho Nha Trang (Nha Trang-style pho) (Source: Collected)

Pho shops in Nha Trang open early and are a favorite breakfast choice for locals and travelers alike. The bowl is garnished with bean sprouts, fresh basil, sliced chili, hoisin sauce, and lime, and is best eaten immediately while hot. Price range around 30,000 - 60,000 VND per bowl. Signature places to try pho in Nha Trang:

• Pho Quynh: 60 Hoang Van Thu Street
• Pho 2B: Near the central market area
• Morning street stalls on Nguyen Thien Thuat Street

Banh mi que (Vietnamese baguette sticks)

with a choice of dipping sauces including pate, sweetened condensed milk, chili sauce, or savory mushroom sauce. Their satisfying crunch and versatility have made them one of Nha Trang's most popular grab-and-go snacks.

Banh mi que (Vietnamese baguette sticks) (Source: Collected)

Vendors sell them from motorcycles or small carts, often by the bundle, making them a perfect casual snack to share while walking along the beach. They are most popular in the evening and late at night. Price range around 5,000 - 15,000 VND per stick. Signature places to find banh mi que in Nha Trang:

• Roaming carts along Tran Phu Beach Road: Evening and night
• Night market area, Pho Tay (backpacker street)
• Near Dam Market: Morning and afternoon

Cha ca chien (Fried fish cake)

Cha ca chien is both a beloved street snack and a key ingredient in many Nha Trang dishes, most notably bun ca sua. Fresh local fish is ground into a smooth paste, mixed with garlic, pepper, and fish sauce, then shaped by hand and deep-fried until the outside is crispy and golden while the inside stays moist and springy.

Cha ca chien (Fried fish cake) (Source: Collected)

The best cha ca in Nha Trang is made fresh daily from newly caught fish, and the quality difference is immediately noticeable. It can be eaten on its own with dipping sauce or served alongside noodles and rice dishes. Price range around 5,000 - 15,000 VND per piece. Signature places to try cha ca chien in Nha Trang:

• Cha Ca Diem: Near Dam Market
• Morning market stalls in the Nguyen Hong Son area
• Available as a side order at most bun ca sua restaurants

Xoi ca (Sticky rice with fish)

Xoi ca is a satisfying Nha Trang breakfast of fragrant steamed sticky rice topped with flaked braised or fried fish, crispy shallots, spring onions, and a drizzle of fish sauce. The combination of chewy rice and savory fish is comforting and filling, making it an ideal morning meal before a full day of sightseeing or island hopping.

Xoi ca (Sticky rice with fish) (Source: Collected)

Unlike xoi varieties found elsewhere in Vietnam that pair sticky rice with meat or mung bean, Nha Trang's fish version reflects the city's deep coastal identity. It is sold only in the early morning and often sells out before 9 AM. Price range around 20,000 - 35,000 VND per portion. Signature places to try xoi ca in Nha Trang:

• Early morning street stalls near Dam Market
• Residential alley stalls in Phuoc Tien and Phuoc Hai wards

Goi ca thu (Mackerel salad)

Goi ca thu puts mackerel, one of the most abundant fish along the Nha Trang coast at the center of a vibrant, fresh salad. Thinly sliced raw mackerel is briefly marinated in lime juice to firm the flesh, then tossed with shredded green papaya or mango, toasted sesame, roasted peanuts, fresh mint, and a bold dressing of fish sauce, chili, garlic, and sugar.

The dish delivers salty, sour, sweet, spicy, and herbaceous flavors all at once, with a pleasing contrast between the silky fish and the crunchy vegetables. It is a standout representation of the bold, fresh character of food in Nha Trang. Price range around 60,000 - 120,000 VND per dish. Signature places to try goi ca thu in Nha Trang:

• Coastal seafood restaurants along Tran Phu Street
• Restaurants near Hon Chong rocks area

Bap nuong mo hanh (Grilled corn with spring onion butter)

Bap nuong mo hanh is a simple but deeply satisfying evening street food found all along Nha Trang's beach promenade. Sweet corn is grilled slowly over charcoal and basted generously with a mixture of pork fat, sliced spring onions, and seasoning. The fat drips onto the coals, creating fragrant smoke that gives the corn a rich, smoky aroma alongside its natural sweetness.

Bap nuong mo hanh (Grilled corn with spring onion butter) (Source: Collected)

Corn vendors appear near the beach at sunset and stay busy well into the night. For just a few thousand dong, it is one of the most enjoyable and authentically local food experiences in Nha Trang. Price range around 15,000 - 25,000 VND per cob. Signature places to find bap nuong mo hanh in Nha Trang:

• Vendors along Tran Phu Beach promenade: From sunset onwards
• Night market area, Pho Tay street

Yen sao Nha Trang (Bird's nest drink)

Nha Trang is one of the world's most important sources of edible bird's nests, harvested from sea swallows nesting in the cliffs of the Hon Yen islands. Yen sao has been prized in Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine for centuries as a nourishing health food rich in protein and natural collagen.

Yen sao Nha Trang (Bird's nest drink)

In Nha Trang, visitors can enjoy a bird's nest as a ready-to-drink bottled beverage. The local Sanest Khanh Hoa brand is iconic or fresh at specialized restaurants as a chilled sweet soup with rock sugar and pandanus leaf. It has a delicate, subtly sweet flavor and a pleasant gelatinous texture. Authentic yen sao from Nha Trang is also one of the most popular souvenirs to bring home.

Price range around 30,000 - 80,000 VND per drink, or 500,000+ VND for raw dried nests. Signature places to buy and try yen sao in Nha Trang:

• Yen Sao Khanh Hoa Company Store: 02 Tran Phu Street (official source)
• Sanest Yen Sao shops: Multiple locations throughout the city
• Supermarkets and souvenir shops citywide

Muc nuong (Grilled squid)

Muc nuong whole grilled squid is one of the most iconic evening street foods in Nha Trang. Fresh squid are skewered and grilled over charcoal, then basted repeatedly with a chili, lime, and fish sauce glaze that chars and caramelizes into a flavorful crust. The result is smoky, tender, and slightly chewy with an intensely savory finish.

Muc nuong (Grilled squid)

Grilled squid is sold by beach-side vendors and night market stalls, often enjoyed with cold beer in the open air. Whole squid, stuffed squid, and squid rings are all popular variations. The sight and smell of squid sizzling on coal by the sea is one of the most lasting sensory memories of any trip to Nha Trang. Price range around 30,000 - 80,000 VND per squid depending on size. Signature places to try muc nuong in Nha Trang:

• Beach-side vendors on Tran Phu and Pham Van Dong streets
• Night market, Ben Thuyen alley
• Seafood BBQ restaurants citywide

Food in Nha Trang is more than just dining, it is a journey through fresh seafood, bold Central Vietnamese flavors, and unique coastal dishes. From jellyfish noodle soup, nem nuong, and banh can to grilled seafood and island specialties, every dish reflects the local culture and sea-inspired lifestyle. Each bite gives travelers a memorable taste of this beautiful beach city.

To explore Nha Trang more easily and enjoy its food and attractions, you can join Sinhcafe with flexible travel options. We offer daily tours, group tours, and private tours that help you experience the best of Nha Trang in a convenient and well-organized way. It is a perfect choice for travelers who want both comfort and authentic local experiences.