1. Overview
Ninh Binh is a northern province of Vietnam with great potential in the tourism industry. Ninh Binh has a long history as the capital of three Vietnamese dynasties from 968 to 1010. Ninh Binh is blessed with majestic natural landscapes and historical relics such as Tam Coc – Bich Dong, Trang An Bai Dinh, Tam Chuc Pagoda, the historical ancient capital of Hoa Lu, etc. Ninh Binh is also known to tourists for its attractive and diverse cuisine prepared by the skillful hands of indigenous residents.
When you come to Ninh Binh, don’t forget to enjoy the delicious dishes here. Ninh Binh food is very diverse, from restaurant dishes to street food dishes that are not only delicious and of high quality but also very affordable.
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2. Top 25 specialties of Ninh Binh foods you must try
2.1. Ant egg sticky rice
Ant egg sticky rice is a famous specialty in Ninh Binh that you should experience. To make this sticky rice dish, Ninh Binh people will prepare it from young ant eggs taken from the Nho Quan limestone mountains. Then it will be washed, marinated with spices, and stir-fried.
Combined with this stir-fried young ant egg is sticky white sticky rice with fried onions and onion fat. In particular, this dish depends on the ants’ breeding season and is not always available to enjoy. If you want to enjoy the interesting and unique ant egg sticky rice dish, you should travel to Ninh Binh around February–March (lunar calendar).
- Reference address: Restaurants in Ngoc Luong commune, Nho Quan district, Ninh Binh province are the most famous for this specialty.
- Reference price: 2.05 USD – 4.10 USD/plate
2.2. Ninh Binh scorched rice
Burned rice is the most delicious and popular snack in Ninh Binh. Different from other scorched rice dishes, scorched rice in Ninh Binh is made from a mixture of dry and sticky rice and goes through many stages of drying and deep-frying to produce batches of crispy, fragrant scorched rice. Scorched rice is often eaten with shrimp paste or fried green onions, or more strangely, when eaten with goat meat and rich sauce, etc.
- Reference address
Hoa Lu scorched rice: 3 Vo Thi Sau, Dong Thanh, Ninh Binh.
Thu Quyen Grocery Elderberry Agent: 202 Luong Van Thang, Dong Thanh, Ninh Binh.
- Reference price: 1.44 USD – 5.74 USD depending on weight.
2.3. Ninh Binh goat meat
Ninh Binh goats are raised in the rich Hoa Lu land with many limestone mountains. Goats eat many precious medicinal herbs in the mountains, so goat meat is not only delicious but also nutritious and good for health. Dishes made from goat meat, such as fermented goat, steamed goat meat, grilled goat meat, rare goat meat with lemon, etc. What makes this dish more special than other dishes is the secret of preparation and seasoning. People often eat it with fig leaves, green bananas, star fruit, and especially soybean jam.
Most especially, most restaurants or eateries in Ninh Binh will be famous for their scorched rice dish with goat sauce. This is the perfect combination of two specialties here, creating a strange, delicious flavor. suck.
- Reference address:
Chinh Thu goat meat restaurant: Khe Thuong village, Ninh Thuan commune, Hoa Lu district, Ninh Binh province.
Thang Long Restaurant: Trang An, Truong Yen, Hoa Lu, Ninh Binh
- Reference price: 4.10 USD – 20.51 USD/piece.
2.4. Ca Kho Gao
Ca Kho Gao is one of the strange dishes with strong regional characteristics in Ninh Binh. Gao fruit has a sour, sweet taste and cool properties; it is often used to replace tamarind and Sau fruit. With a very special flavor, Gao fruit not only eliminates the fishy smell of fish but also has a unique aroma, making braised fish extremely attractive.
The Gao fruit will be cut into small slices and placed on the bottom of the pot, then the fish will be placed on top and covered with a layer of thinly sliced Gao fruit slices on top. The dish has an uncertain flavor because, depending on the taste of the Gao fruit at each time, the Ca Kho Gao will be slightly sour or a bit acrid. Because of its uniqueness and characteristics, Ca Kho Gao has become a dish loved by many diners.
- Reference address: Huong Que Restaurant: 05 Nguyen Luong Bang Street, Tan Thanh Ward, Ninh Binh City, Ninh Binh Province
- Reference price: from 4.10 USD/piece
2.5. Ninh Binh mountain snail
Mountain snails are snails that live in caves and limestone mountains and have a completely different taste than snails in rivers and seas. Mountain snails live in limestone mountains in Tam Diep, Yen Mo, and Nho Quan. They only go out to look for food during the rainy season, from April to August. Snails can be processed with many different ingredients to create many dishes. There are a variety of snail dishes, such as grilled, stir-fried, steamed with ginger, boiled, and mixed with onion salad.
Mountain snail meat is chewy, crunchy, and has a flavor similar to that of traditional Chinese medicine, so it is often boiled to retain its unique taste. Each snail’s meat is sweet and crispy, dipped in lemon and chili fish sauce, and will definitely give you a strange, unforgettable flavor.
- Reference address:
Van Bao Ngoc Restaurant: 86 Luong Van Tuy Street, Tan Thanh Ward, Ninh Binh City, Ninh Binh Province
Cuc Phuong Restaurant: Cuc Phuong forest road, Cuc Phuong, Nho Quan, Ninh Binh
- Reference price: 3.28 USD – 4.10 USD/disc
2.6. Mien Luon Ninh Binh
A Ninh Binh specialty you should also enjoy is mien luon, with broth cooked from eel and shin bones for many hours to create a natural sweetness. It has an attractive dark brown color, a natural fatty taste, and is very rich.
The eels used as ingredients are nuggets of eel with a pink-brown back and a dark yellow belly. You will enjoy the fragrant and fatty pieces of eel meat. They are small, but the meat is quite firm and delicious. The delicious dish will be served with shredded banana flowers, all blended together to become a famous specialty of this region.
- Reference address:
Dung Thanh Restaurant: 999 Tran Hung Dao Street, Van Giang Ward, Ninh Binh City, Ninh Binh Province
Mien Luon Tam Hien: 336 Nguyen Cong Tru street, Van Gia ward, Ninh Binh city, Ninh Binh province
- Reference price: 0.82 USD – 1.44 USD/bowl
2.7. Nhech Fish Salad
Nhech Fish salad is a delicious and famous dish for the indigenous people of Kim Son, Ninh Binh. The salad is prepared delicately and meticulously, going through many stages to remove the fishy smell of the fish and give the fish a sweet taste mixed with the aroma of sticky rice.
Nhech Fish salad can be eaten with leaves such as star fruit leaves, apricot leaves, guava leaves, polyscias fruticosa leaves, fig leaves, etc. Add a little fish, some herbs, and a little chili sauce, and wrap it up to dip in the Cheo sauce or sweet and sour fish sauce, you can fully enjoy the delicious, sweet, fatty taste combined with an unforgettable richness. The Cheo sauce is made from crispy fried fish bones, crushed and cooked together with pickles, pork belly, eggs, and other spices.
- Reference address: Vu Bao Ninh Binh Restaurant: 6A Phat Diem Dong Street, Phat Diem Town, Kim Son District, Ninh Binh Province.
- Reference price: 5.33 USD – 10.26 USD /disc.
2.8. Banh Da Perch
Another traditional specialty dish of Ninh Binh that you must definitely enjoy when you have the opportunity to come here is Banh Da Ca Perch. In the area along the lowlands of Ninh Binh, there are a lot of perch, so people here have taken advantage of it to prepare this extremely attractive dish. Perch meat is carefully separated from the bones, mixed with spices such as salt and pepper, and then simmered with dried onions for a rich aroma. A bowl of Ninh Binh perch rice cake will be served with vegetables and fish cakes.
- Reference address: Huyen Linh Restaurant: Alley 52 Pham Van Nghi, Dong Thanh Ward, Ninh Binh City, Ninh Binh Province
- Reference price: 1.64 USD – 2.46 USD/bowl.
2.9. Nem chua Yen Mac
The origin of Yen Mac spring rolls is based on the Hue royal spring rolls of the Nguyen Dynasty. Yen Mac Nem Chua uses finely chopped pork butt meat, not pureed like other types of Nem Chua. The meat is mixed with “thinh”, boiled pork skin, and some other heirloom spices and wrapped with guava leaves and banana leaves on the outside. Served with spring rolls are leaves such as fig leaves, polyscias fruticosa leaves, and apricot leaves, dipped in chili sauce or chili garlic sauce to add a little sweet and spicy taste that is easy to eat.
- Reference address:
Yen Mac fermented pork roll production facility: No. 70, Street 11, Van Giang Ward, Ninh Binh City, Ninh Binh Province
Tuan Binh Restaurant: Hamlet 4 Dong Son, Yen Mac commune, Yen Mo district, Ninh Binh province
- Reference price: 2.05 USD – 4.10 USD.
2.10. Roasted field crab with lolot leaves
Roasted field crab with lolot leaves is a famous Ninh Binh specialty dish both at home and abroad. This is a countryside dish with the combination of the crunchy taste of field crabs and the aroma of lolot leaves. Field crabs are often caught by Ninh Binh people in rice fields. Field crab meat is always firm and more fragrant than other types of crab. Especially when roasted, the crab will have a high crunchiness, combined with the aroma and spicy taste of the lolot leaves, to create an attractive dish. Although prepared quite simply, this dish of roasted field crab with lolot leaves makes diners always remember it.
- Reference address: Nhu Y Restaurant: Tan Trung Residential Area, Tan Thanh Ward, Ninh Binh City, Ninh Binh Province.
- Reference price: 2.87 USD – 4.10 USD/portion.
2.11. Bun Cha Quat Ninh Binh
Hanoi has a famous bun cha dish, and Ninh Binh also has an equally delicious bun cha quat dish. Bun cha quat leaves a deep impression on diners because of the rich flavor marinated in each piece of meat. The patties are made from pork belly, marinated with rich spices, and grilled evenly until fragrant. Bun cha quat will be served with sliced vermicelli leaves, crispy pickles, and freshly grilled patties. The “soul” of this dish is the dipping sauce. The dipping sauce must be delicious; the flavor will be doubled.
- Reference address:
Bun Cha Quat: 540 Tran Hung Dao Street, Mia Street, Ninh Binh City, Ninh Binh Province
Bun Cha Tuan Anh: 168A Nam Thanh Street, Tan Thanh Ward, Ninh Binh City, Ninh Binh Province.
- Reference price: 1.03 USD – 2.05 USD/portion.
2.12. Banh Troi Ninh Binh
In Ninh Binh, banh troi is a traditional dish kneaded with rice flour, and the difference in this dish is that the filling is combined with molasses, peanuts, and chrysanthemum leaves to create a unique flavor. Banh troi has a sweet taste that is not too harsh and has a gentle aroma of moldy chrysanthemum leaves and grapefruit flowers. Attractive round white cakes combined with the richness of peanuts create a delicious dish that attracts many diners.
- Reference address: Head of Street 2, Van Giang Ward, Ninh Binh City, Ninh Binh Province
- Reference price: from 0.41 USD/piece.
2.13. Banh Xeo Ninh Binh
Ninh Binh banh xeo is also prepared similarly to other regions, but there is one difference, when eating banh xeo, Ninh Binh people eat it with grilled spring rolls. When enjoying Ninh Binh Banh Xeo, you will immediately feel the crispiness of the crust mixed with the sweetness of the meat and the aroma of grilled spring rolls, served with rich dipping sauce and sour foods to stimulate the taste buds. That’s why this Ninh Binh pancake dish attracts and holds customers so much.
- Reference address:
Banh Xeo Ut: 25 Hoang Hoa Tham Street, Van Gia Ward, Ninh Binh City, Ninh Binh Province
- Reference price: 2.46 USD/piece.
2.14. Grilled banana fish
Although grilled banana fish is just a rustic dish in Ninh Binh, it attracts many diners to enjoy it. Banana fish has a large, round body, firm, sweet meat, and is best grilled right after being caught. The special feature of the dish is that it does not need to be marinated with any additional spices so that diners can enjoy the original sweetness of the fish. Grilled banana fish is often served with fresh vermicelli, raw vegetables, peanuts, and a cup of dipping sauce.
- Reference address: Van Long stilt house – Gia Van, Gia Vien district, Ninh Binh province
- Reference price: from 4.10 USD/piece.
2.15. Nho Quan can wine
Besides the variety of traditional dishes in Ninh Binh, there is also the famous Nho Quan can wine, which is extremely popular with tourists. Nho Quan can wine is a wine of the Muong people living in Nho Quan land. This type of wine is special in that it does not need to go through the distillation stage like other popular types of wine.
Can wine is usually made from sticky rice, rice, potatoes, or brown rice, cooked and ground. Then take forest leaves or vegetables such as ebony, guava leaves, ginger, etc., pound them, squeeze the juice, mix with the ground rice, and ferment in large wine bottles for at least 3 months to create The wine’s flavor is passionate, delicious, and not too heavy. To enjoy wine, you must use bamboo stems to plug into a wine bottle to drink.
- Reference address:
Some locations in Nho Quan Town, Nho Quan district, Ninh Binh province
Thang Long Restaurant: Trang An, Chi Phong, Hoa Lu, Ninh Binh
- Reference price: from 2.26 USD/liter
2.16. Mam tep Gia Vien
Mentioning Mam tep Gia Vien means mentioning a delicious dish imbued with the unique culture of the ancient capital of Ninh Binh. Having a delicious batch of mam tep is a meticulous process for the paste maker, from selecting quality shrimp to ensuring hygienic production. Mam tep is made all year round, but it is considered to have the best taste in winter because at this time the appropriate temperature is reached, so the fermentation process is much more convenient. Ninh Binh’s specialty mam tep has a distinctive red color, is extremely delicious, and is easy to eat. Mam tep Gia Vien is often used to season other dishes or processed into its own dish.
- Reference address:
– Trang Quyet shrimp paste: No. 68 Me Street, Me Town, Gia Vien District, Ninh Binh Province.
– Co Hoan Shrimp Sauce: Hamlet 2, Thuong Hoa Village, Gia Thanh Commune, Gia Vien District, Ninh Binh Province.
- Reference price: 5.13 USD–9.87 USD/kg
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2.17. Goat-fermented rolls
Ninh Binh not only has Yen Mac fermented pork rolls, but here you can try enjoying goat fermented rolls with a unique flavor of sweet, chewy, sour goat meat combined with the fatty taste of roast rice powder. After being smoked, the goat meat will be mixed with shredded pork skin and spices. Then divide into small handfuls, cover with polyscias fruticosa leaves or guava leaves, and wrap in banana leaves. In particular, to enjoy the “standard” goat fermented rolls, you will eat them with fig leaves, guava leaves, star fruit, green bananas, herbs, etc., dipped in spicy, rich ginger sauce. To enjoy mountain goat-fermented rolls, you can go to Chinh Thu Restaurant:
- Address: Khe Thuong Village, Ninh Xuan, Hoa Lu, Ninh Binh Province.
- Opening hours: 07:303 a.m.–22:00 p.m.
- Tel: (+84) 94 842 68 82
- Reference price: 3.95 USD–19.74 USD.
2.18. Roasted bee pupae
Bee pupae are a Ninh Binh specialty of the Cuc Phuong mountainous region, Nho Quan district. Bee pupae are taken from wild beehives and carefully selected to get the young pupae; the inside is fatty and milky. Bee pupae can be processed into many delicious dishes, such as roasted bee pupae, stir-fried or fried bee pupae, which are also very delicious, and rolled with betel leaves and herbs,etc. If you are a person who loves to explore unique cuisine, do not miss the opportunity to enjoy roasted bee pupae when coming to Ninh Binh.
- You can enjoy roasted bee pupae at Cuc Phuong Restaurant in Dong Tam village, Cuc Phuong commune, Nho Quan district, Ninh Binh province.
- Reference price: 11.86 USD–19.77 USD/kg
2.19. Dried goat meat marinated with garlic
Dried goat meat marinated with garlic is a specialty that many people buy as a gift.To make this dish, people will choose the thigh meat, clean it, marinate it with garlic, chili, and secret spices, then dry or smoke it. This specialty is also carefully packaged and clean, so you can rest assured that you can buy it as a gift during your visit to Ninh Binh.
- Suggested places to buy: local markets, agricultural supermarkets in Ninh Binh, etc.
– Ninh Binh Dragon Market: No. 71 Van Giang Street, Thanh Binh Ward, Ninh Binh City, Ninh Binh Province
– Van Giang Quarter: The quarter stretches along Le Hong Phong Street, Tran Hung Dao Street, and Van River in Van Giang Ward, Ninh Binh City, Ninh Binh Province.
- Average price: about 31.58 USD to 35.53 USD/kg
2.20. Mam Cay
As the name suggests, mam cay has the main ingredient of fresh and delicious fiddler con cay. This is a type of crab that lives in coastal areas. After catching it, soak it in water to clean it, then pound it and marinate it with salt. Put it in a jar and leave it in a place protected from the wind. After leaving it for 1 week, mix in rice flour and yeast to fake the fishy and foul smell of the fermented fiddler crab paste. It is so simple, but it has become a popular folk specialty. Mam cay is eaten with boiled vegetables; it is simple but extremely wonderful.
- You can buy mam cay at local markets and agricultural supermarkets in Ninh Binh with famous suggested mam cay brands such as mam cay Ninh Gia,mam cay Hang Vui,mam cay Ba Binh, etc.
- Reference price: 3.95 USD to 5.92 USD per 500 ml.
2.21. Bun canh Ninh Binh
Bun canh Ninh Binh are a specialty dish that cannot be missed when you visit this land. A full bowl of bun canh will have “super big” noodles, 3 or 4 times bigger than regular noodles. The seller will spread a layer of fresh spinach on top of the noodles. Add toppings such as sausage, grilled meat, fried spring rolls, or dried beef if you want to enhance the flavor of the dish. When enjoying, mix all the ingredients together and add a little vinegar and chili to create a characteristic sour and spicy flavor, giving it a strange and delicious feeling. Suggested Addresses to Eat Delicious Ninh Binh Noodles in Ninh Binh:
- Cu Ty Noodles: 8, Lane 75, Luong Van Tuy Street, Tan Thanh Ward, Ninh Binh City, Ninh Binh Province.
- Reference price: 1.18 USD/bowl.
2.22. Cuc Phuong Ri Chicken
Cuc Phuong Ri Chicken has long been a specialty of Nho Quan District (Ninh Binh). This chicken is raised in the Cuc Phuong mountainous area, with suitable climate and natural conditions, so its meat is fragrant and delicious, making it very popular. You can enjoy familiar chicken dishes such as boiled chicken, steamed chicken, shredded chicken, or roasted chicken, all of which are excellent. Suggested address to enjoy delicious Cuc Phuong Ri Chicken:
- Chin Nhung Restaurant: Cuc Phuong National Park, Dong Tam Village, Cuc Phuong Commune, Nho Quan District, Ninh Binh Province.
- Reference price: about 6.72 USD per chicken.
2.23. Kim Son Sticky Rice Wine
Kim Son Wine is made from a special type of sticky rice in the Kim Son lowland area, called yellow flower sticky rice. Through a careful fermentation process and brewing with 36 herbs according to traditional methods, Kim Son wine has a characteristically delicious flavor and clear color. This is not only a unique specialty but also has many health benefits that you may not know about.
- Some suggested addresses to buy delicious Kim Son sticky rice wine are:
– Duc De Restaurant: 446 Nguyen Hue Street, Doan Ket Street, Ninh Phong Ward, Ninh Binh City, Ninh Binh Province
– Tam Gia Trang Restaurant: 12 Trang An 2 Street, Tan Thanh Ward, Ninh Binh City, Ninh Binh Province.
– Van Beo Facility: 177 Nguyen Van Cu Street, Van Gia Ward, Ninh Binh City, Ninh Binh Province.
- The price of Kim Son wine is classified differently based on the type of wine: 1.98 USD to 2.77 USD per liter.
2.24. Qua Gao, a strange fruit in Ninh Binh
Qua gao is a specialty fruit of Ninh Binh; you can only find this fruit here, growing a lot in streams and on hills. Qua gao is used to braise fish or cook soup, which will help to cover the fishy smell of the fish, creating a slightly sour taste and a cool nature, so it is very good for your health. When coming to Ninh Binh, in addition to enjoying the unique qua gao, you should buy it at the markets in Ninh Binh as a specialty gift for friends and family!
- You can easily find this unique fruit at traditional markets for about 3.16 USD/kg.
2.25. Hoang Long, Sweet Potato
Hoang Long Sweet Potato is a specialty of Ninh Binh province in general and the Nho Quan – Gia Vien area located along the Hoang Long River in particular. Hoang Long sweet potato has soft, light-yellow flesh, is rich and sweet, and has a characteristic aroma.
The potato has a light pink skin, and the inside is a beautiful golden yellow. When eaten, you will feel the aroma, fatty taste, and sweet taste. However, to buy this specialty, it is only during the harvest season, around summer.
Additionally, you can see our other guides about Ninh Binh such as:
Discover The Top 10 Best Hotels In Ninh Binh
How Many Days To Spend In Ninh Binh – Top 3 Best Trips Of One, Two, Or Three Days?
Best Time To Visit Ninh Binh – Travel Guide And Tips Update 2023
3. Conclusion
Above are Top 25 specialties of Ninh Binh foods you must try that Metta Voyage has shared with you. With this list of diverse dishes, we hope you will have a complete exploration of Ninh Binh with these interesting and attractive dishes.
4. Contact us:
Website: www.mettavoyage.com
Email: [email protected]
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