Can Tho Foods & Restaurants You Cannot Ignore

Can Tho Foods & Restaurants You Cannot Ignore

There are many reasons why visiting and eating go together. Two of them are trying new foods and seeing beautiful sights. If you've never been to a place, you can't really understand its culture until you try it. Our carefully chosen Can Tho dishes and places might make you want to grab your passport and a bag of food.

Your stomach will lead you to great restaurants in Can Tho. You can also enjoy drinks and cocktails with your food in pubs and rooftop bars while traveling to Can Tho. There is a huge variety of food and things you must do in Can Tho. You can eat by the river, rent a boat, bike & local guide at Can Tho Floating Market, hang out at restaurants outside, or eat weird food like the locals.

1. Grilled Pork Saugage Thanh Van

• Find them: 17 Hoa Binh Boulevard, Tan An Ward, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City. 
• Best time: 6:30 a.m.–9:30 p.m.
• Don’t miss: Fried spring rolls
• Local’s pick: Grilled saugage Thanh Van (Nem Nướng Thanh Vân)
• Tourist’s pick: De Tham street and Can Tho night market also have grilled pork sau

Facts: Nem Nuong, or Vietnamese grilled pork skewers, are Vietnam's answer to a smoky, sweet, and delicious pork skewer. They are a party favorite for sure, and everyone will be asking for more because they are so tasty. They're great for cooking on the stove, in the oven, or on the grill!

2. Ninh Kieu Sky Bar

• Find them: Rooftop of Ninh Kieu Riverside Hotel in Ninh Kieu wharf 
• Best time: After 3 pm till late
• Don’t miss: All drinks, cocktails and wines

Facts: The rooftop sky bar of the Ninh Kieu waterfront hotel is right in the middle of the city and has two views: the Can Tho river, the Can Tho bridge, and the beautiful Ninh Kieu dock. One of the best places to see Can Tho at night is from here.

>>Read more: When Is the Best Time to Visit Vietnam's Mekong Delta?

3. Authentic Can Tho Food at Mau Than 1968 Restaurant

• Find them: Vu Dinh Lieu, Nam Long Residential Area, Cai Rang District, Can Tho City 
• Best time: After 11 am
• Don’t miss: All Mekong foods and specialties.

Facts: Mau Than 1968 is a restaurant specializing in serving authentic dishes close to the homeland of Can Tho. With the open space of the kitchen area, diners are very excited to order and enjoy. The prices are very affordable, and the food is fresh and served very quickly.

4. Vietnamese Scorched Rice with Caramelized Fish Sauce

• Find them: Tran Phu Street, Cai Khe Ward, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City.
• Best time: 6:00 p.m.–10 p.m.
• Don’t miss: Com Chay Kho Quet with sesame
• Local’s pick: CCM Cháy Kho Quẹt Má Bảy (on Tran Phu Street)
• Tourist’s pick: Ninh Kieu wharf, Ninh Kieu night market... a lot of them in Can Tho city center.

Facts: Vietnamese burnt rice with charred fish sauce, or Cơm Cháy Kho Quẹt, is a southern specialty that tourists love. The food smells good, which makes you want to eat it. Its unique, crunchy taste will make you want more as soon as you take a bite.

5. Banh Xeo at 7 Toi Pancake

• Find them: 45 Hoang Quoc Viet, An Binh Ward, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City. 
• Best time: 7:30 a.m.–9:30 p.m.
• Don’t miss: Cu hu dua (coconut core) pancake with duck meat
• Local’s pick: 7 Toi pancake restaurant
• Tourist’s pick: Many pancake restaurants in the city center, like Tan Dinh pancake (near Azerai resort, Victoria resort), Ca Mau pancake (near Muong Thanh hotel) or De Tham street (right in the city center)

Facts: Vietnamese crepes, or bánh xèo (pronounced BAN-sew) pancakes, one of the best Vietnamese street foods, are made with a light batter made of rice flour and a variety of toppings. They make a tasty, crispy breakfast or snack! People in Vietnam like to eat it on the street. In the south, bánh xèo are bigger and cooked with more mung beans and veggies.

In the middle, they are smaller and don't have mung beans in them. In English, the name means "sizzling cake," which is how the cake sounds when the rice batter is put into a hot pan. But in the US, these pancakes are also called Happy Pancakes.

6. Bun Rieu (Noodle Soup) at Can Tho Floating Market

• Find them: Cai Rang Bridge, Cai Rang District, Can Tho City. About 6 km from Can Tho city center 
• Best time: Breakfast time
• Don’t miss: Hu Tieu or Bun Rieu
• Local’s pick: Bún Rieu Cua Đồng at Cai Rang floating market

Facts: You can get fresh coconut, Vietnamese coffee, or the noodle soup called bun rieu from the boats that float in the water. The top 5 contestants on the US cooking show Masterchef season 4, episode 21 (which played on Fox TV on August 28, 2013), now have to make Vietnamese noodle soup. When Gordon Ramsay went to Can Tho Floating Market, this was his favorite food. Hu Tieu or Bun Rieu noodle soup is a must-try!

7. Ut Dzach Fine Rice Vermicelli in Phong Dien

• Find them: Nhon An, Phong Dien, and Can Tho.
• Best time: 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
• Don’t miss: Explore the fruit garden
• Local’s pick: Ut Dzach Fine Rice Vermicelli family
• Tourist’s Pick: Many of these foods are served in the city center for tourists!

Facts: One of Can Tho's best original treats is Ut Dzach fine rice vermicelli, which is also known as Bánh hỏi mặt võng Út Dzách Cần Thơ in Vietnamese. Any true food lover always puts it on their list of things they want to try. The name of this cake, "Banh hoi mat vong," which means "thin and soft vermicelli shaped like a hammock," gives you an idea of the shape and creativity that are needed to make it. The cake is named after the picture of the cake because the lines cross each other like a mesh, and the cook used their creativity to make an appealing result.

8. Countryside Foods and Garden at Mekong Silt Ecolodge

• Find them: Nguyen Van Cu Street, My Khanh Ward, Phong Dien District, Can Tho City.
• Best time: After 11am
• Don’t miss: Fried spring rolls and banana blossom salad

Facts: Mekong Silt Ecolodge is a beautiful home garden-stay that serves visitors to eat and drink and has a swimming pool.

9. Cong Cake (Banh Cong) Co Ut

• Find them: De Tham Street and Ly Tu Trong Street, An Cu Ward, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City.
• Best time: After 2pm
• Don’t miss: Fried spring rolls
• Local’s pick: Banh Cong Co Ut
• Tourist’s pick: Many Cong cake local restaurants in Can Tho city center.

Facts: The word "Banh Cong" comes from the way a "Cong" is used to cook. A "Cong" is a small milk bottle made of metal that has a long handle. People in the Mekong Delta still use "Cong" as a money unit when they buy and sell things. The different sizes of "Cong" are 1/2 "xị", 1 "xị" (4 "xị" makes 1 liter), 1/2 liter, 1 liter, and the biggest, 2 liters of Cong. To make the banh cong soft and crispy, rice flour and wheat flour are used to cook it.

>>Read more: Transfers From Ho Chi Minh To Can Tho By Car, Van, Taxi, Bus

10. Best Sandwich at Banh Mi Thuy (Ba Co)

• Find them: 2 Nam Ki Khoi Nghia Street, Tan An Ward, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City. 
• Best time: 6:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m.; 4:30 p.m.–10:30 p.m.
• Don’t miss: Banh Mi Pate and pork loaf (cha lua)
• Local’s pick: Banh Mi Thuy (Banh Mi Ba Co)
• Tourist’s pick: Can Tho night market, Ninh Kieu night market, Can Tho street foods

Facts: A sandwich called Banh Mi Vietnam has crusty bread rolls spread with pate and mayo, Asian ham that looks like something out of a cartoon, pickled vegetables, green onion, coriander or cilantro, a lot of fresh chilies, and a touch of spice. It has an Asian twist and tastes great, like a tasty ham sandwich. Everyone in the world has become a cult member of this experience of tastes and feelings. Early in the morning, there are long lines at the busiest Banh Mi shops in Can Tho and other parts of Vietnam.

11. Cafe 1985 Can Tho (Coffee and Local Live Music at night)

• Find them: 138 Huynh Cuong Street, An Cu Ward, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City. 
• Best time: Dawn-dust
• Don’t miss: Local live music
• Local’s pick: Cozy live music at Cafe 1985 Can Tho
• Tourist’s pick: Live music at Can Tho floating restaurant and Ninh Kieu floating restaurant

Facts: Cafe 1985 Can Tho has a classic style mixed with a decoration like a country house; this always makes you feel warm and relaxed when enjoying coffee with melodious music at any time.

12. Egg Coffee at Can Tho Museum Cafe

• Best time: Dawn-dust
• Don’t miss: Black coffee with ice and less sugar
• Local’s pick: Indoor with AC
• Tourist’s pick: outdoor seats with many old tanks and means of warfare on display in the courtyard of the museum.

Facts: Like one of Can Tho's hidden gems for those who love to sit back and enjoy Can Tho now and then.

13. Can Tho Street Foods in De Tham Eat Zone

• Find them: De Tham Street, An Cu Ward, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City.
• Best time: Dawn-dust
• Don’t miss: Sea food soup, chuối bọc nếp nướng (Grilled banana wrapped in sticky rice), fetal duck egg (balut), mini sticky rice cake, bánh tằm khoai mì (cassava silkworm cake) and many fresh tropical fruits and durian fruit…
• Local’s pick: De Tham street and its local eating zone
• Tourist’s pick: Can Tho night market and Ninh Kieu night market

Facts: You can find a lot of foods and fruits from dawn to dusk on De Tham Street and nearby. There are also many Can Tho vegetarian restaurants here as well.

14. Sao Hom Riverside Restaurant at Ninh Kieu Wharf

• Find them: Hai Ba Trung Street, Tan An Ward, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City.
• Best time: 6:00 a.m.–10:30 p.m.
• Don’t miss: all Mekong foods, Can Tho foods, and specialties.
• Local’s pick: There are many good local restaurants like this located along Hai Ba Trung Street and near the Ho Chi Minh Monument, Ninh Kieu wharf.
• Tourist’s pick: Sao Hom restaurant with riverside views

Facts: There is a restaurant called Sao Hom that serves traditional Can Tho food. The open-air restaurant has beautiful views of the Can Tho River all day and night. You need to make a ticket ahead of time. The prices are fair, the setting is great, and the food and service are both great.

15. Some useful tips for you

Here are some ways to calm your mind (and stomach) when you're handling food in a new situation.

Make sure the food is still hot from being cooked. When you eat hot street food, it's always safer and more fun to watch the food being made right in front of you.

Expect long lines and crowded booths. When street food sellers are busy, it means that their food is popular, and because they sell so much, the food is rarely left out for hours at a time, which is when bacteria can grow. Long lines can be annoying after a day of exploring, but it's not worth the risk of stealing ready-made meals from the empty store next door.

Take a bite when the locals do. When to eat is the last and most important thing to think about. You probably already eat at odd times when you're traveling, but it's important to try to get used to the meal times where you're living. Some people in the US eat pho for lunch, but Vietnamese people eat it for breakfast. This makes sure that the food you eat is freshly made and helps you find the best and busiest places.

You need to drink water before you eat the salad. Most people don't think about all the other ways water is used in food service because they are too busy not drinking water or skipping ice in their drinks. Most of the time, fruits and veggies are washed with tap water instead of the filtered water that people drink, or they are not washed at all. Fruits and veggies that are already peeled are good options if you really want some vegetables.

Believe in your gut. Walk away if you don't understand what's being served or how it's being made. You are not an expert just because you eat street food from all over the world. The rules can be hard to follow sometimes, and each place and country are different. If something doesn't look, smell, or feel right, don't eat it! Believe in your gut. There's a good chance that someone close is making something more delicious.

If you want to stay at the Can Tho homestay, you should bring cream that keeps bugs away.

Choose well-known companies that offer boat trips with lifebuoys and jackets, as well as motorbike and riding tours with helmets, if you go to Can Tho or have a custom tour made just for you. Safety is the most important thing! Pick sensible trips in Can Tho that let you give back while you're away. It's an overused phrase, but it's true.

The food and drink guide for Can Tho covers all kinds of food, from street food to high-end, traditional, and fusion food. Can Tho is in a tropical area with lots of fresh vegetables and fields. The food there is always fresh, close to nature, and very traditional. Don't be afraid to put Cong cake in Can Tho and Ut Dzach Fine Rice Vermicelli on your list if you like food.

You should bring a hat, sunglasses, sunblock, and a scarf with you when you visit temples, pagodas, and the church.

If you're going to Can Tho during the rainy season, don't forget to bring a jacket. The city is beautiful, rain or shine.

Those are Can Tho Foods & Restaurants You Cannot Ignore when you have the chane going this place. Vietnam Car Rental hopes you will find your best taste mong them, and if you have anything to ask, don’t be shy to contact us.