What to eat in Huế: soup for breakfast, cake for lunch
Huế cooking is the most refined in Vietnam, and the spiciest. The dishes I grew up with, and where I would send you to try them.
Mai · 3 October 2026 · 8 min read
People say Huế food comes from three kitchens: the royal court, the Buddhist pagodas and the street. Over two hundred years they borrowed from each other, and that is why a simple bowl here can be so complicated. Here is what to eat, in the order of a day.
Breakfast: bún bò Huế
Rice noodles, beef and pork in a broth of lemongrass and fermented shrimp paste, with chilli oil on top. Every family argues about the right balance. I tried three versions for this post, a market stall, a famous shop and my aunt’s kitchen, and my aunt won, obviously. Order it with bánh mì if you are very hungry.
how to order
Point, smile, say “một tô bún bò”. Herbs and lime come on the side: add them as you go.
Go before 9 am; the best stalls sell out.
Late morning: little cakes
Huế has a whole family of steamed rice cakes, eaten in small dishes:
- bánh bèo: tiny rice cakes in saucers, topped with dried shrimp and crispy pork skin
- bánh nậm: flat rice cake with shrimp, steamed in a banana leaf
- bánh lọc: clear tapioca dumplings with shrimp and pork, chewy and addictive
- bánh ram ít: a crispy base with a soft sticky ball on top
Order a mix and share. With fish sauce and chilli, of course.
Lunch: cơm hến
Rice with tiny river clams from Cồn Hến island, peanuts, herbs, crackling and chilli. It was a poor family’s dish; now everyone eats it. The island is in the middle of the Perfume River, five minutes from the centre.
Afternoon: chè
Sweet soups served cold in glasses: beans, lotus seeds, coconut, jelly. Huế is said to have dozens of kinds. My favourite is chè hạt sen, lotus seeds in clear syrup, the most Huế of all.
Dinner: royal or vegetarian
For a special night, try a royal-style dinner: many small dishes, beautifully cut and arranged, the way the court ate. Or go vegetarian: Huế has a long Buddhist tradition, and its vegetarian restaurants make “meat” and “fish” from tofu, mushrooms and jackfruit that would fool anyone.
Souvenirs to eat
- mè xửng: sesame and peanut candy, sold at Đông Ba market
- tôm chua: sour fermented shrimp, for the brave
- dried lotus seeds, for chè at home
Hungry for more? My two-day Citadel plan fits all of this in.