Quy Nhon food at a glance
The coast around Quy Nhon, part of the old Binh Dinh region, is known for dishes made with what the fishing boats bring in, along with rice noodles, rice flour and pork. The national tourism site now files the region's food under Gia Lai, since the province merger of 1 July 2025. Binh Dinh remains the name of the historic coastal region.
This page names dishes, not restaurants. Prices, opening hours and the quality of single places change too often to list, so ask what a dish costs before you order and look at where locals eat. A busy stall with fast turnover is usually a good sign.
The local dishes compared
What each dish is and what to watch for.
| Dish | What it is | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Banh xeo tom nhay | Crispy pancake with small fresh shrimp | Shellfish |
| Banh hoi long heo and chao long | Fine rice noodle weaves with scallion oil and pork offal, rice porridge on the side | Contains offal, not vegetarian |
| Bun cha ca | Rice noodles with fish cake | Fish |
| Nem chua Cho Huyen | Sour pork snack wrapped in leaves | Pork, fermented |
| Banh it la gai | Sticky rice dumpling with dark leaves and a sweet filling | Sweet, coconut or mung bean |
| Fresh seafood | Catch of the day on the coast | Ask what is fresh |
Banh xeo tom nhay and banh hoi
The two dishes people mention first.
Banh xeo tom nhay
A crispy pancake filled with small fresh shrimp. The name, tom nhay, refers to the shrimp that seem to jump in the pan. The national tourism site links the dish to the coastal region of the former Binh Dinh. Do not expect live shrimp in every place that serves it.
Banh hoi long heo and chao long
Banh hoi are fine rice noodles woven into small bundles. In this dish they come with scallion oil and pork offal, often with herbs, fish sauce and rice porridge. It is not a vegetarian dish, and you should say so clearly if you want to avoid it.
Our picks: food tours
A street food tour in town and two day trips with a seafood lunch.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Private street food tour in Quy Nhon
Three hours with private transport, an English-speaking guide and all tastings. Water is included, tips are not.
Check availability →
Ky Co and Eo Gio full-day trip with seafood lunch
Car transport, a seafood lunch, water, a guide and the entrance fees along the route are included. Extra drinks and fees are not, so check the guide language when you book.
Check availability →
Phu Yen day trip from Quy Nhon with lunch
Car transport, a seafood lunch, water, a guide and the entrance fees along the route are included. An English-speaking guide costs extra.
Check availability →Tours and day trips from Quy Nhon
Coast tours, boat trips and island days that fit around a seafood lunch, with live prices and availability.
Noodles, nem chua and sweets
The rest of the table.
Bun cha ca
Rice noodles with fish cake, described as a Quy Nhon dish. Broths and fish vary from place to place, so do not expect a fixed recipe. If you are allergic to fish or shellfish, tell the cook before you order.
Nem chua Cho Huyen
A specialty of the former Phuoc Loc area near Tuy Phuoc. It is pork with pepper, chili, garlic and sugar, with guava leaves inside and banana leaves outside. It tastes sour. This is a fermented pork snack, not a fresh vegetable roll, so skip it if you avoid pork. Nobody can promise you how it was made at a single stall.
Banh it la gai
A dumpling of sticky rice dough with dark la gai leaves and a filling of coconut or mung bean. It is a sweet snack and travels well, which makes it easy to try on a day trip.
Seafood on the coast
Fresh seafood is the obvious choice in a fishing region. The villages along the coast, such as Nhon Ly, Nhon Hai and Trung Luong, live from the sea, and the harbor at Quy Nhon is a working fishing port. Choose a place that shows the catch, ask the price before it is weighed or cooked and agree on the total.
Seafood and storm weather go together in one respect: when the sea is rough in the storm season from May to November, boats stay in port and the choice can be smaller. For the trips that take you to the villages, see the Nhon Ly guide.
How to order well
Five habits that make eating easier.
Look and point
Point at a dish another table is eating. It is the easiest way to order, and you see the portion first.
Say what you avoid
Write down pork, offal, fish sauce, shrimp or peanuts in Vietnamese on your phone and show it. Fish sauce is common in sauces and bowls. No one can guarantee an allergen-free kitchen.
Ask the price
Prices differ by place and change over time. Ask before you order, especially for seafood.
Hot and fresh
Choose food that is cooked in front of you and served hot, and be careful with raw herbs if you have a sensitive stomach.
Plan around the day
Eat where your day ends, whether that is the city or a village on the coast. See the things to do page and the beaches page for routes.
If you continue along the coast, the neighboring province has its own table: see the Phu Yen food guide.
Quy Nhon food: frequently asked questions
What is banh xeo tom nhay?
A crispy pancake with small fresh shrimp. The name refers to shrimp that seem to jump in the pan. The dish is tied to the coastal region of the former Binh Dinh.
Is Quy Nhon food vegetarian-friendly?
Many local dishes use pork, offal, fish or fish sauce. Banh hoi with offal is not vegetarian, and nem chua is a pork snack. Say what you avoid, and show it in writing in Vietnamese. Banh it la gai is a sweet dish with coconut or mung bean filling.
What is nem chua?
A sour, fermented pork snack from the Cho Huyen area. It uses pepper, chili, garlic and sugar, with guava leaves inside and banana leaves outside. It is not a fresh spring roll.
How much does a meal cost?
Prices differ by place and change. Ask or check the menu before you order, and confirm the total for seafood.
Which restaurant is the best?
This guide does not rank places. Look for busy stalls and restaurants that show their fresh catch, and ask your hotel for current suggestions.
Is the seafood always fresh?
Quy Nhon is a fishing coast, and seafood is part of the local table. Quality still varies by place, and rough seas can reduce the catch. Ask what came in today.