Top 5 Best Hue Food Markets For Great Culinary Experiences

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Are you looking to experience something truly unique and memorable on your trip to Hue? If so, you won’t want to miss out on the amazing Hue food market in the city. This vibrant open-air market will transport both locals and visitors alike through a culinary journey featuring delectable dishes, exciting flavors, enchanting aromas, and colorful tones that are sure to tantalize all of your senses. From traditional Vietnamese cuisine to delicious snacks among many other goodies; there is something for everyone at this one-of-a-kind destination! Come join us as we explore what famous Hue food market has in store.

1. Overview of the Hue food market

Offering an array of unique and flavorful dishes, Hue food markets are the must-visit destinations for foodies and travelers alike. What sets the Hue food markets apart from other food markets is its emphasis on local and traditional cuisine. You’ll find a variety of dishes such as banh khoai, bun bo hue, nem lui,.. that are deeply rooted in the culture of Hue. Whether you’re looking to sample new flavors or immerse yourself in Vietnamese culinary traditions, the Hue food markets are the must-see destinations.

2. 5 Best Hue Food Markets for travelers to experience

2.1. Dong Ba Market

Opening hours: 3 AM – 8 PM
Address: Tran Hung Dao Street, Phu Hoi Ward, Hue City

Dong Ba Market is a vibrant hub of culinary activity located in the heart of central Vietnam. This market was located at Dong Ba Gate, the eastern gate of the Hue Imperial Palace. From the outside, it looks similar to other normal marketplaces. But, once inside, visitors would understand why Dong Ba Market is known as “Hue’s most lively and crowded market.”

2.2. Ben Ngu Market

Opening hours: 3 AM – 6 PM
Address: 36 Pham Van Dong Street, Vy Da Ward, Hue City

Ben Ngu Market is another must-see for visitors in Hue. It’s near the An Cuu River at the intersection of Phan Dinh Phung and Phan Boi Chau streets. Ben Ngu Market is loved because it always creates a timeless, vintage atmosphere. Ben Ngu Market is particularly known for its affordable costs, especially when contrasted to the nearby Dong Ba Market. Typically, sellers here sell necessities that are used on a daily basis. In other words, you may find everything you need to start a new life here, including fresh ingredients, food, clothing and textiles, vegetables, flowers, and even live animals. If you intend to cook dinner at your homestay, it’s a good idea to swing by Ben Ngu Market to stock up on the best supplies.

2.3. An Cuu Market

Opening hours: 3 AM – 6 PM
Address: 36 Pham Van Dong Street, Vy Da Ward, Hue City

An Cuu Market was created during the Minh Mang dynasty and became a significant location for Chinese imports and exports. Based on appearances, it was the busiest market in southern Hue City. An Cuu Market is the most well-known Hue food market among travelers, among the numerous exceptional gastronomic meccas in Hue City. All of Hue’s “must-eat” classics, such as the scrumptious Grilled Pork Rice Noodles, savory “bánh bèo”, and mouthwatering “bánh ram ít”, are available for pennies on the dollar.

Because of the variety of cuisines available, you will immediately fall in love with this intriguing destination as a gourmet tourist. Aside from ethnic hallmark meals, you may readily get calming and delicious sweet delicacies like as various types of “chè”, milk tea, and so on.

2.4. Xep Market

Opening hours: 4 AM – 6 PM
Address: Ngo Duc Ke – Nhat Le Street, Thuan Thanh Ward, Hue City

Xep Market was formed around the last years of the 19th century, to the beginning of the 20th century when Dong Ba market “come out to the public”. At first, the market was formed due to the need to exchange, buy and sell necessary goods in daily life such as rice, fish sauce, salt, areca, betel nut, vegetables, etc of the townspeople living in this area. The reason it’s called “Xep market” is because the market used to be very small in size, meeting right on the last dead-end alley at the intersection of Mai Thuc Loan – Ngo Duc Ke streets.

Entering this area, you can visit fruit stalls, tea shops, and snail burdens with typical Hue flavor to enjoy. Sweet and fragrant coconut green bean soup for only 5.000 VND, mango with chili sauce 15.000 VND / bag for a few people to eat, or snails, spicy fried snails 12.000 VND / plate… well worth a try.

2.5. Hue Night Market

Opening hours: 5 PM – 2 AM
Address: 1 Pham Ngu Lao Street, Phu Hoi Ward, Hue City

Hue night market was formerly located at Big C Hue, now it has been moved to the West Street area (Pham Ngu Lao Street), which has a more favorable and busiest location in Hue. Especially, this is also a place where a large number of tourists gather for entertainment, entertainment, shopping… In the past, Hue night market was also quite popular, but later it gradually narrowed and faded, so the return of China Food shopping center Pham Ngu Lao pedestrian street is a new breeze stirring up the night air. The food at the food stalls here is generally quite rich, with the price not too expensive nor too cheap, but delicious and attractive. Especially here, we can also witness the food processing and enjoy it on the spot, like in many other famous night markets.

3. Benefits of visiting Hue food market

A visit to a local Hue food market can have numerous benefits beyond satisfying one’s hunger. Firstly, fresh and locally sourced produce can be significantly healthier than pre-packaged and processed foods found in supermarkets. Not only that, supporting local farmers and producers can help build a sense of community and strengthen local economies. Food markets also provide a unique shopping experience, allowing customers to engage with vendors and learn more about the origins of their food. By shopping at a local food market, you not only nourish your body but also contribute to the growth and development of the community.

The market boasts a vast array of fresh produce, spices, and other culinary ingredients essential to Vietnamese cuisine. But where do these ingredients come from? Many are actually supplied by local businesses, which work tirelessly to ensure the ingredients are of the highest quality. From fish sauce to lemongrass, these suppliers play a crucial role in the vibrant and bustling market that is Dong Ba. It’s a testament to the strong relationships and community ties that exist between this market and the people of Hue.

4. Popular cuisines you can find at the Hue Food Market

All the Hue Food market in Hue City is a foodie paradise with an array of popular dishes that tantalize the taste buds.

4.1. Bun bo Hue (Hue beef noodle soup)

Price: ~30.000 VND

What sets bun bo Hue in Hue markets apart from other versions of the soup is the unique broth that is used to flavor it. Instead of the typical beef broth that you might expect, the broth for this soup is made from the sweetness of the corpses of tiny shrimp. This gives it a much more intense and salty flavor that is irresistible to those who love savory flavors. But it’s not just the broth that makes the bun bo Hue stand out. The dish also includes small-fiber rice vermicelli, which differs from the larger vermicelli fibers that are typically used in Vietnam.

This gives the dish a distinctive texture that adds to its unique character.

4.2. Banh bot loc (Stuffed tapioca dumplings)

Price: ~15.000 VND

If you’re a fan of Vietnamese cuisine, then you simply have to try the “bánh bột lọc”, or rice dumpling cake. This is a dish that comes in two varieties: wrapped with either banana leaves, or in an unpacked, bare cake form. Both types have a soft and transparent dough that allows you to see the flavorful shrimp and meat filling inside.

What sets bánh bột lọc in Hue markets apart from other versions of this dish is the addition of spicy dried bamboo shoots to the filling in some places. This gives the dish an extra kick that will leave a pleasant burn on your tongue. And unlike many Vietnamese dishes, bánh bột lọc in Hue only requires dipping in spicy fish sauce; no raw vegetables are needed to complete the flavor profile.

4.3. Tré (Fermented pork skin)

Price: ~40.000 VND

Tré is a unique Vietnamese dish that can be found in Hue markets. It comes in two varieties: beef and pork. The beef Tré has a beautiful brown color and a fragrant rice aroma, which adds a sweet depth of flavor. This dish is often fried with galangal, garlic, and rice auditorium, giving it a crunchy and juicy texture with a savory taste. The beef Tré is wrapped in guava leaves and banana leaves, making it similar to a fermented pork roll. On the other hand, the pork Tré is a beautiful reddish-brown dish made from bacon. It has a soft and smooth texture with a mildly sweet and salty taste. The pork Tré can be sliced thinly and fried or mixed with various materials and spices. Like the beef Tré, it is also wrapped in banana leaves.

4.4. Banh Khoai (Hue crispy pancake)

Price: ~20.000 VND

Coming to Hue, the most must-try dish is Hue crispy pancake. The pancake has a semi-circular shape, which is fried to an extremely attractive golden color, attracting the eyes of foodies. The ingredients of the pancake are made from rice flour, and chicken eggs, fried to a crispy golden color, eating a lot will not get boring. Inside the pancake includes shrimp, spring rolls, pork belly, and some other vegetables. Hue crispy pancake is served with herbs and a dipping sauce made from more than 10 different spices.

4.5. Com hen (Mussel rice)

Price: ~45.000 VND

Besides Hue beef noodle soup, mussel rice is also an old dish, very famous in most of Hue markets. Mussel rice is very simple to make, combining white rice, fat, herbs, peanuts, Hue fish sauce, and especially sweet and sour fried mussels is already a mussel rice dish.

As you can see, the Hue Food Markets have something to offer everyone; from locals to visitors alike. The markets provide the perfect mixture of flavors and ingredients that fuse traditional tastes with modern ones, creating some of the most unique dishes you can find in any part of the world. Not only does shopping at a Hue food market benefit your health, but it also serves as an excellent way to immerse yourself into a new culture and get involved in the local community through volunteer opportunities. Whether you’re looking for fresh produce and ingredients for everyday use, or want to try something new and exciting – spending just one day wandering around this vibrant marketplace is sure to be an experience unlike any other.