Lam Dong Street Food Boosts Coastal Tourism Appeal

In the southeastern part of the province, the culinary scene is highly diverse, especially its street food culture. The region offers both unique local specialties and dishes influenced by Central, Southern, and even Northern Vietnamese cuisine, meeting the varied tastes of tourists.

Coastal Flavors Leave a Lasting Impression

I recently brought a group of former classmates to Phan Thiet for a reunion combined with tourism activities. We stopped to enjoy banh can at a sidewalk eatery on Tran Phu Street in Phan Thiet Ward.

With more than 30 people in the group, we had to wait nearly an hour for enough cakes to be made. Yet nobody complained — even first-time visitors to Phan Thiet seemed to understand that this dish is worth the wait.

Unlike pho or banh mi, banh can is freshly cooked over glowing charcoal. The cakes come out piping hot, crispy on the outside, topped with rich golden egg yolk and finely chopped green onions that create an eye-catching appearance.

Banh can is often served with boiled pork skin, braised mackerel or tuna, tamarind, green mango, boiled eggs, and a sweet-and-sour fish sauce mixed with braised fish broth, creating a rich, fragrant, and unforgettable flavor.

No wonder many visitors become “addicted” to the dish despite the long wait.

Besides banh can, I have also taken many groups to try dishes such as mai fish salad, herring spring rolls, grilled scallops with scallion oil, snails, and crabs sold at roadside eateries. Most visitors praised the dishes enthusiastically, and some even bought extra seafood specialties to bring home for their families.

Nguyen Phuong, a business owner from Ho Chi Minh City who frequently brings his family and employees to Phan Thiet, said the southeastern coastal region stretching from La Gi to Lien Huong offers not only beautiful beaches and romantic landscapes but also outstanding cuisine.

Fresh seafood is available everywhere, from affordable sidewalk stalls to luxury restaurants, catering to all types of travelers.

“That’s one of the reasons I often bring my family and company employees here for vacations and relaxation,” he said.

Diverse Cuisine Strengthens Tourism Appeal

Across the southeastern coastal region, numerous local specialties can be found along Tran Hung Dao, Hung Vuong, Le Duan, Nguyen Dinh Chieu, and Ton Duc Thang streets.

Popular dishes include cobia hotpot, fried flathead fish with scallion oil, banh can, fish noodle soup, duck banh xeo, banh quai vac dumplings, giant clam salad, mai fish salad, crab, sea snails, octopus, hairy scallops, steamed squid, and many other seafood dishes.

These foods are sold everywhere — from humble sidewalk stalls and affordable eateries to upscale restaurants. Most dishes are made with fresh local ingredients and carry distinctive regional flavors, making them delicious, unique, and highly appealing to tourists.

Cuisine Becomes a Tourism Brand

Food reflects one of the most practical concerns shared by millions of travelers: culinary experiences.

A vacation without delicious local food can easily diminish the entire trip. On the other hand, memorable dishes become part of the travel experience itself — like a symphony of local flavors.

For many years, Lam Dong’s tourism industry has continuously worked to build culinary brands. The recognition of dishes such as “lau tha” hotpot and other local specialties at the national level marked an important milestone that has encouraged further promotion of regional cuisine.

Tourism depends on many attractions, from beaches, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, mountains, forests, sand dunes, farms, spiritual destinations, and architectural models to local culture and lifestyle. Among them, cuisine remains one of the key factors that create charm and attract visitors.

The development of food streets and night markets in tourism-heavy wards and communes is considered a dual opportunity for Lam Dong to promote both its tourism and culinary brands while allowing millions of visitors to enjoy the province’s specialties and local delicacies.