Nha Trang is no longer just a beach destination. With international arrivals booming through Cam Ranh Airport and a growing foodie scene that locals have quietly enjoyed for decades, the food here is genuinely one of the best reasons to visit Khanh Hoa province — if you know where to look.

This guide is written by locals, not travel bloggers passing through. We cover 10 dishes you should try, with honest descriptions, real price ranges in both VND and USD, and specific restaurant addresses across Nha Trang City, Cam Lam District (Bai Dai Beach area), and Cam Ranh City — so no matter where you’re staying, you’ll find somewhere close.

Exchange rate reference: 1 USD ~ 25,000 VND | 1 USD ~ 23,000 VND at some exchange counters. Prices listed are approximate and may vary slightly by season.

What’s in This Guide

Bonus: Fresh Seafood guide + useful Vietnamese phrases to order

Nha Trang Signature Dishes (unique to the region): Bun Ca, Nem Nuong, Sea Grapes

Vietnamese Classics done right here: Banh Can, Banh Xeo, Goi Cuon, Pho

Drinks & Desserts: Vietnamese Coffee, Sugarcane Juice, Che Chuoi Nuong

PART 1 — Nha Trang Signature Dishes

These are the dishes you won’t find exactly like this anywhere else in Vietnam. If you only have one meal in Nha Trang, choose from this list.

🐟 Bun Ca (Bun Ca)

“Nha Trang’s soul food — and the most underrated dish in the city”

What is it? Bun ca is Nha Trang’s version of fish noodle soup, and locals eat it for breakfast the way Hanoi eats pho. A clear, golden broth — simmered for hours from fresh fish bones, lemongrass, and turmeric — is poured over thick rice vermicelli noodles. On top: slices of fried or steamed fish, cha ca (Vietnamese fish cake), fresh dill, green onions, and a squeeze of lime.

Why it matters: Unlike pho, which you’ll find all over Vietnam, bun ca in Nha Trang has a distinct coastal lightness. The fish is from the sea that morning. The broth is clear, never cloudy. You won’t find this exact bowl in Hanoi or Saigon.

Price: 35,000 – 60,000 VND per bowl (~$1.40 – $2.40 USD)

Area	Restaurant	Address	Hours
Nha Trang City	Bun Ca Xom Moi	Xom Moi Market area, near Lo Lon St	6:00 – 10:30 AM
Nha Trang City	Bun Ca 44	44 Hoang Hoa Tham St	6:00 – 11:00 AM
Cam Lam (Bai Dai)	Ask your resort concierge	Local market near Cam Duc town	6:00 – 10:00 AM
Cam Ranh City	Bun Ca stalls at Cam Ranh Market	Cam Ranh Market, morning only	6:00 – 10:00 AM

Tip: Bun ca is a breakfast dish. Most good spots close by 11 AM. If you miss it, you’ll have to wait until tomorrow morning.

🥢 Nem Nuong (Nem Nuong)

“Grilled pork skewers that Nha Trang made famous”

What is it? Nem nuong is made from seasoned ground pork mixed with garlic, fish sauce, and spices, shaped onto skewers and grilled over charcoal until slightly charred and smoky. You wrap each skewer yourself in a sheet of rice paper along with fresh herbs (lettuce, mint, cucumber, green banana), then dip the roll into a rich, thick peanut-hoisin sauce.

Why it matters: While nem nuong exists across Vietnam, Nha Trang’s version is considered by many Vietnamese food writers to be the benchmark. The combination of the smoky meat with the tangy-sweet dipping sauce and fresh herbs is a balancing act that the best local spots have perfected over generations.

Price: 70,000 – 150,000 VND per person (~$2.80 – $6.00 USD)

Area	Restaurant	Address
Nha Trang City	Nem Nuong Ninh Hoa (most famous)	50D Le Thanh Ton St — expect a queue at lunch
Nha Trang City	Quan Nem Nuong 2 Dat	2 Dat Street, near the beach
Cam Lam (Bai Dai)	Try at local restaurants on Truong Chinh St	Cam Duc town, evening hours
Cam Ranh City	Ask locals near Cam Ranh Market	Street stalls, lunch & dinner

🍇 Rong Nho (Sea Grapes) (Rong Nho)

“The ocean snack that only grows in Khanh Hoa”

What is it? Sea grapes — called rong nho in Vietnamese — are tiny, bright green clusters of seaweed that look exactly like miniature bunches of grapes. They’re farmed almost exclusively in the coastal waters of Khanh Hoa province, which means this is genuinely something you can’t easily get elsewhere in Vietnam, let alone outside the country.

They’re served simply: a pile of fresh sea grapes on a plate with a small bowl of soy sauce, sesame oil, and a few drops of lime juice. The texture is surprising — each tiny grape pops gently between your teeth, releasing a clean, briny taste like the sea itself.

Price: 30,000 – 80,000 VND per portion (~$1.20 – $3.20 USD)

Where to find it	Details
Seafood restaurants in Nha Trang	Most seafood restaurants on Tran Phu beachfront serve it as a starter
Nha Trang Market (Dam Market)	Buy fresh by weight, take it back to eat — about 30,000 VND / 100g
Cam Ranh seafood restaurants	Available at most seafood spots near Cam Ranh Bay
Chams Khanh Hoa online shop	[LINK: add link to your rong nho product page] — can order dried/preserved version

Vegetarian-friendly. Sea grapes contain no meat or fish. Just confirm the dipping sauce doesn’t have fish sauce if you’re strict vegetarian.

PART 2 — Vietnamese Classics, Khanh Hoa Style

These dishes exist all over Vietnam, but the local versions here have their own character — shaped by Cham culture, coastal ingredients, and decades of street food tradition.

🍳 Banh Can (Banh Can)

“The bite-sized pancake that’s uniquely south-central Vietnam”

What is it? Banh can are small, round savoury pancakes about the size of a golf ball, cooked in individual earthenware moulds over a charcoal flame. Each mould gets a pour of rice batter, then a cracked quail egg on top, then a lid goes on while it steams and crisps from below. They come out golden on the bottom, soft and custardy inside, topped with green onion, dried shrimp, or pork.

The most important element — and the thing that separates a good banh can stall from a great one — is the dipping sauce. Every cook has their own recipe: fish sauce, sugar, lime, chili, garlic, sometimes a spoonful of minced pork or meatball broth. You’ll eat 8–12 pieces minimum.

Origin note: Banh can is believed to have originated among the Cham people of Ninh Thuan (now southern Khanh Hoa after the 2025 merger), which is why you see it most in south-central Vietnam.

Price: 35,000 – 70,000 VND per person (~$1.40 – $2.80 USD)

Area	Time	Address	Notes
Nha Trang — Morning	6 AM – 11 AM	151 Hoang Van Thu St	Classic morning spot
Nha Trang — Morning	6 AM – 11 AM	47 Yersin St	Near the centre
Nha Trang — Morning	6 AM – 11 AM	32 Cuu Long St, Phuoc Hoa Ward
Nha Trang — Evening	5 PM – 10 PM	51 To Hien Thanh St	Busiest evening spot
Nha Trang — Evening	5 PM – 10 PM	48 Hoang Hoa Tham St
Nha Trang — Evening	5 PM – 10 PM	3A Thap Ba St (opp. Po Nagar Tower)	Great location
Cam Lam (Bai Dai)	Morning & evening	26 Hoang Van Thu St, Cam Duc town	Ph: 033 524 0095
Cam Ranh City	Morning	Banh Can stalls near Cam Ranh Market	Ask locals

🥞 Banh Xeo (Banh Xeo)

“The sizzling crepe Vietnam is famous for”

What is it? The name means ‘sizzling cake’ — named after the sound the rice batter makes when it hits the hot pan. The crepe is made from rice flour and coconut milk with turmeric for colour, filled with shrimp, pork, and bean sprouts, then folded and served with a mountain of fresh herbs and lettuces to wrap each piece yourself. Dip everything in fish sauce with sugar, lime, and chili.

How to eat it: Don’t eat it with a fork. Tear off a piece of the crispy crepe, place it on a lettuce leaf, add some herbs, roll it up, and dip. The whole experience is hands-on and social — perfect for sharing.

Price: 20,000 – 45,000 VND per piece or group serving (~$0.80 – $1.80 USD)

Area	Address	Notes
Nha Trang	85 To Hien Thanh St (8 AM – 7 PM)	One of the best in the city
Nha Trang	24 To Hien Thanh St
Nha Trang	120 Thap Ba St (ask for Ms Tu)	Local favourite
Nha Trang	87 Hoang Van Thu St
Cam Lam (Bai Dai)	449 Truong Chinh St, Cam Duc town	Ph: 085 315 8379 \| Google Maps link in original article
Cam Ranh City	Ask near Cam Ranh Market or along Nguyen Tat Thanh St	Many street stalls in the evening

🌿 Goi Cuon (Goi Cuon)

“Fresh spring rolls — lighter than air, better than anything fried”

What is it? Goi cuon are fresh (not fried) rice paper rolls packed with pork tenderloin, shrimp, rice vermicelli, lettuce, mint, coriander, and a stalk of garlic chive. They are served at room temperature with either hoisin-peanut sauce or nuoc cham (fish sauce dip). The CNN list of the world’s 50 best foods included these rolls — a fact the Vietnamese found both obvious and slightly amusing.

The semi-transparent rice paper wrapping is one of the most beautiful things about Vietnamese food aesthetics — you can see every colour layered inside before you take a bite.

Price: 9,000 – 15,000 VND per piece (~$0.40 – $0.60 USD)

Area	Address	Notes
Nha Trang	16 Le Quy Don St — Cuon’s Papa	Specialist spring roll spot, popular with tourists
Nha Trang	Most pho and com tam restaurants also serve them	Ask for goi cuon at any local restaurant
Cam Lam (Bai Dai)	Com tam and pho shops on Truong Chinh St, Cam Duc	Available at most sit-down restaurants
Cam Ranh City	Restaurants along Nguyen Tat Thanh St	Widely available

🍜 Pho (Pho)

“Vietnam’s national dish — hearty, complex, worth finding a good one”

What is it? Vietnam’s most internationally famous dish needs little introduction. A deep, clear broth — simmered for 3–8 hours from beef or chicken bones with charred ginger, star anise, cinnamon, and cloves — poured over flat rice noodles with sliced meat (raw beef that cooks in the hot broth, or chicken), served with a plate of fresh bean sprouts, Thai basil, lime, and chili on the side.

North vs South: Pho Bac (northern style) is simpler and more delicate. Pho Nam (southern style) is richer and served with more toppings and hoisin sauce. Nha Trang leans toward the southern style — more flavourful, more toppings, fuller bowl.

Price: 50,000 – 90,000 VND per bowl (~$2.00 – $3.60 USD)

Area	Restaurant	Address
Nha Trang	Hanh Phuc Pho	19 Ngo Gia Tu St
Nha Trang	Phu Dong Pho	31 Tran Nhat Duat St
Cam Lam (Bai Dai)	Pho Phu (Phu Noodle)	Dinh Tien Hoang St, near Cam Duc Market — Google Maps in original article
Cam Ranh City	Pho stalls at Cam Ranh Market	Morning hours — ask any local

PART 3 — Drinks & Desserts

☕ Ca Phe (Vietnamese Coffee) (Ca Phe)

“The drink that defines the pace of Vietnamese life”

What is it? Vietnamese coffee is not espresso. It’s robusta beans, ground coarsely, brewed slowly through a small metal phin (drip filter) directly into your glass — either over ice with condensed milk (ca phe sua da), black over ice (ca phe den da), or hot. The result is thick, strong, slightly bitter, and intensely aromatic.

Nha Trang has a growing specialty coffee scene alongside the traditional phin culture. You’ll also find ca phe muoi (salt coffee) in the Cam Lam area — a Central Vietnamese specialty where a small pinch of salt-cream foam is added on top, balancing the bitterness in a way that surprises first-timers.

Price: 10,000 – 35,000 VND per cup (~$0.40 – $1.40 USD)

Area	Cafe	Address
Nha Trang	GAC ca.fe	125A Tran Nhat Duat St — great atmosphere
Nha Trang	CCCP Coffee	112 Hong Bang St — Soviet-themed, unique
Cam Lam (Bai Dai)	Dream Coffee	Dinh Tien Hoang St — good Americano
Cam Lam (Bai Dai)	Dung Dinh Coffee (salt coffee)	Ly Thai To St, Cam Duc — try the salt coffee here
Cam Ranh City	Cafes along Nguyen Tat Thanh St	Many options near the city centre

🌿 Nuoc Mia (Sugarcane Juice) (Nuoc Mia)

“The most refreshing drink you’ll have in Vietnam — and it’s everywhere”

What is it? Fresh sugarcane juice pressed on the spot from whole stalks run through a hand-cranked or electric juicer. The juice is pale green, naturally sweet, and served over ice with a squeeze of kumquat or a pinch of salt-lemon to balance the sweetness. It’s one of the most affordable and genuinely refreshing drinks in Vietnam.

Watching a vendor feed sugarcane stalks through the old-fashioned hand-cranked juicer is part of the experience. Ask to try operating it yourself — most vendors are happy to let you.

Price: 10,000 – 20,000 VND per glass (~$0.40 – $0.80 USD)

Area	Where to find it	Notes
Nha Trang	Almost any street — look for carts with sugarcane stalks	Ubiquitous along the beachfront
Cam Lam (Bai Dai)	Small shop beside Cau Moi Bridge — no sign, just ask	Google Maps link in original article
Cam Ranh City	Roadside carts near the market and main streets	10,000 VND per bottle — cheapest here

🍌 Che Chuoi Nuong / Che Bap (Che)

“Grilled banana sweet soup — the dessert that converts sceptics”

What is it? Che is a broad category of Vietnamese sweet soups and puddings. The most popular version here is che chuoi nuong (grilled banana sweet soup): a whole banana is grilled until caramelised, then served in a bowl of thick coconut milk sauce, topped with crushed roasted peanuts and sometimes tapioca pearls. The contrast between the warm grilled banana, creamy coconut sauce, and salty crunch of peanuts is genuinely addictive.

Che bap (corn sweet soup) is the other common variety — sweet corn kernels in coconut milk, also served warm. Both are sold from street carts in the afternoon and evening.

Price: 10,000 – 20,000 VND per bag or bowl (~$0.40 – $0.80 USD)

Area	Where to find it	Notes
Nha Trang	Street carts near Dam Market (evening)	Look for carts with grilling bananas
Cam Lam (Bai Dai)	Roadside cart — see Google Maps link in original article	Afternoon to night, daily
Cam Ranh City	Evening street stalls near Cam Ranh Market	Very cheap here

BONUS — Fresh Seafood in Khanh Hoa

Khanh Hoa province is one of Vietnam’s premier fishing regions. If you eat seafood, this may be the most important section of the guide.

Cam Ranh Bay is specifically famous for its depth and water quality — it’s one of the few bays in Southeast Asia clean enough to farm premium seafood at scale. The blood cockle (so huyet) from Thuy Trieu Lagoon and Cam Ranh lobster are two specialties you’ll see on menus across the region.

Seafood Specialty	Best Area	Price Range
Sea Grapes (Rong Nho)	Nha Trang & Cam Ranh coast	30,000 – 80,000 VND / portion
Blood Cockles (So Huyet)	Cam Lam — Thuy Trieu Lagoon	80,000 – 150,000 VND / kg
Cam Ranh Lobster (Tom Hum)	Cam Ranh Bay restaurants	600,000 – 1,500,000 VND / kg
Peanut Worms (Sa Sung)	Nha Trang Market (Dam Market)	200,000 – 400,000 VND / 100g dried
Fresh Shrimp & Crab	Any seafood restaurant, all areas	80,000 – 250,000 VND / kg
Grilled Squid (Muc Nuong)	Nha Trang beachfront evening carts	50,000 – 100,000 VND

For the best seafood experience: go to a restaurant with tanks of live seafood (you choose what’s cooking), not one with photos on the menu. If the tank has fish swimming, the fish is fresh.

BONUS — Useful Vietnamese Phrases to Order Food

Most food stalls in Nha Trang are run by people who speak little or no English. These phrases will take you far — Vietnamese people genuinely appreciate any attempt, and a smile goes a long way.

What you want to say	Vietnamese phrase	Pronunciation guide
One of this, please	Cho toi mot cai nay	Cho toy moht kai nay
Two of these	Cho toi hai cai nay	Cho toy hai kai nay
How much?	Bao nhieu tien?	Bow nyew tyen
Delicious!	Ngon qua!	Ngon kwah
No spicy please	Khong cay, lam on	Khome kay, lahm ohn
Vegetarian (no meat)	Toi an chay / khong thit	Toy an chai / khome tit
More sauce please	Cho toi them nuoc cham	Cho toy tem nook cham
The bill please	Tinh tien, lam on	Tinh tyen, lahm ohn
Thank you	Cam on	Gam ohn
One more!	Them mot cai nua!	Tem moht kai nyah

A quick tip from locals: if a restaurant or food stall has no English menu and no tourist prices on the board, that is usually a sign the food will be better and cheaper. Sit down, point at what you want, and enjoy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most famous food in Nha Trang?

Locals would say bun ca (fish noodle soup) — it’s the breakfast of choice for most Nha Trang residents. Among tourists, nem nuong (grilled pork rolls) and fresh seafood tend to be the highlights.

Is food in Nha Trang expensive?

Local food is very affordable. A full breakfast of bun ca or banh can costs under $2 USD. A generous seafood meal for two people at a mid-range restaurant runs $15–30 USD. Prices at hotel restaurants and beachfront tourist spots are significantly higher.

Where is the best food market in Nha Trang?

Dam Market (Cho Dam) in central Nha Trang has the largest variety of fresh produce, dried seafood (including sa sung and dried sea grapes), and street snacks. Go in the morning for the freshest items.

Can I find vegetarian food in Nha Trang?

Yes. Vietnam has a strong vegetarian tradition tied to Buddhist practice. Look for restaurants labelled “Com Chay” (vegetarian rice) — they serve fully plant-based menus. Sea grapes, fresh spring rolls (without meat), and banh can with egg only are naturally vegetarian-friendly. Our dedicated vegetarian restaurant guide: [LINK: /2023/10/05/nha-trang-must-visit-vegetarian-restaurants/]

What time do locals eat dinner in Nha Trang?

Most local restaurants get busy between 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM. Street food carts typically run from 4 PM to 9 PM. Some spots (like evening banh can stalls) close by 9:30–10 PM.

Is tap water safe to drink?

No. Always drink bottled or filtered water. Ice in reputable restaurants is made from filtered water and is safe; ice from street carts is also generally safe, but when in doubt, drink your cold drink without ice.