Quang Ninh in general and Ha Long in particular have many delicious dishes, but visitors need to be aware of service and prices.
Vu Cong Manh, 30 years old, living in Ha Long , said that the city’s cuisine is very diverse, and converges the culinary quintessence of Quang Ninh. Here are the restaurants that Manh and friends living in the city often visit. He also shared tips to avoid being slashed and waiting for a long time when dining, especially on peak tourist occasions.
Experience eating in Ha Long in high season
In the peak summer season as well as weekends and Tet holidays, visitors should book a table in advance at big restaurants. The reason is that these restaurants will have many customers coming in large groups, running out of tables early. Should avoid eating at peak hours, lunch from 11:30 to 13:00, dinner from 18:00 to 20:00, can eat at different times to be served quickly.
Sunworld Old Quarter is convenient for eating and drinking because it is close to the center, many restaurants, but the price is expensive compared to the common ground. It is recommended to visit large, famous restaurants because the prices are not more expensive compared to small, popular restaurants, and clearly listed.
Eating at Hon Gai is cheaper and less crowded than Bai Chay. If you rent a hotel in Bai Chay, you have to take a taxi to go 7-8 km to Hon Gai. During peak season, getting a taxi is more difficult, waiting time is long. “But it’s still cheaper to eat delicious food,” Manh said.
Some famous restaurants like Hong Hanh, where a lot of tourists and locals come to eat, have the advantage of fast and delicious food. But the food is usually served on large and large plates, which will be suitable for large groups.
Many affordable seafood buffet restaurants. However, you should not expect too much to be served many “luxury” dishes. The reason is that Ha Long seafood has a high price, even when buying directly at the market. So, if you want to be fresh and delicious, it’s best to eat a la carte instead of buffet.
Another suggestion about eating well and not having to wait is to go to Loong Toong market and cook it yourself.
Pearl yogurt, a famous dish throughout the country, eating in Ha Long will be different. Instead of hard yogurt like ice cream you often eat in Hanoi, Ha Long people often eat soft yogurt, traditionally fermented with buffalo legs. “People here don’t eat like that (yogurt is hard like ice cream.) We only have Ms. Dung and Ms. Phuong yogurt, not Ha Long pearl yogurt,” Manh said.
Restaurants in Bai Chay area
Sen A Dong buffet restaurant: near the foot of Bai Chay bridge, next to Wyndham hotel. This is a large restaurant with rich food, prices from 250,000 VND to 350,000 VND per serving.
King Seafood Restaurant: door 4, Cai Dam market, fresh seafood, reasonable price. The dish that received many compliments from diners is seafood hotpot, grilled oysters with cheese. The prices of the items are clearly listed.
Hong Hanh 3 restaurant (the famous Hong Hanh restaurant chain in Ha Long) was rated by Manh as “delicious but not cheap”. The price is about 400,000-500,000 VND per person.
Hoai Thu restaurant 2: the restaurant is clean, but not too flashy like in high-end restaurants. The shop is located opposite the cable car pole.
Asian Cuisine Restaurant: at Hai Quan junction, affordable prices, each from 130,000 VND per person, suitable for large groups.
Hon Gai area
Talata Restaurant next to BigC (new name is GO): The restaurant has a view of the bay, delicious food, priced from 250,000 VND per serving. Tofu and coconut seafood salad are two dishes that guests should try.
Dong Ho Restaurant: located on the seafront next to Ha Long Museum. The restaurant has seafood hot pot, bone head hot pot, chicken frequency… Local people often eat here.
Tam Hung 2 beer shop: located on Vinashin ship port, in the evening sip drinks and watch the beautiful sea. The shop has a delicious grilled apricot fish dish, 120,000 VND per plate.
World Cuisine Restaurant – fishing village: on Cenco 5 street, near Ha Long KTV (a famous bar and karaoke place of the city). Price is about 200,000 VND per person. The restaurant has seafood dishes, northwest food and southwest grilled fish are specialties.
Phuong Thuy restaurant: along the seafront right next to Big C supermarket. The seafood here is commented by Manh as being fresh, delicious, rich in processing and has a beautiful view of the sea.
Red Tile Restaurant: located along the Licogi seafront, column 8, specializing in seafood. This place has a special grilled chicken dish that should be tried, priced at about 200,000 -300,000 VND per serving.
Hong Hanh restaurant 1 (near Hong Ha market) and 2 (Northeast of Column 5), priced from 300,000 VND per serving.
Breakfast restaurants : Goc Bang squid cake rolls; vermicelli noodles at Minh Duc restaurant near Quang Ninh museum; shrimp vermicelli in Cau Trang; vermicelli with sour ribs next to Van Lang school; pork bun bo in Cao Xanh, pork vermicelli vermicelli in the Northeast; Ha Khanh fish noodle…
Lunch shops (for customers who are tired of seafood): noodle soup with shrimp paste and shrimp at My restaurant or Co Bong restaurant; Cantonese fried rice under Bai Chay bridge; Hoang Anh ribs rice near Loong Toong market; a la carte restaurants such as Fishing Village, Gieng Don food street…
Snack shop, night : pearl yogurt, Lacassa milk tea at 11B Anh Dao; Ms. Phuong’s yogurt in Lan Be park; Ms. Dung’s yogurt at market column 2; Miss Phuong yogurt…
Bride snails in Ha Lam market; Son Beo snail in Nguyen Van Cu; mussels porridge, salted chili bread, batiso tea… at Loong Toong market; vermicelli SiTa Ha Long market 1; stewed chicken, stewed blood, duck eggs right next to the corner of Ha Lam market, swan vermicelli eaten at night by Co Thuy on Cai Dam street…
Coffee shops (Criteria to raise the camera is to have a good photo):
1988 Coffe & Bar at BT01 in Bach Dang: the shop has a nice view. The shop is on the 6th floor, with outdoor and indoor space. In the evening, there is a skybar on the 7th floor selling alcoholic beverages, cocktails… and cakes and accompanying food.
Miam’s Coffe & bakery at 32 Le Thanh Tong: also serves food.
Le House Coffee & Spa in Ben Doan: a romantic style shop, suitable for tourists who want to “live virtual”. The minus point is that the space is a bit small.
Cherry Coffee at 24B Vincom Ha Long: serving cocktails and drinks. Unique restaurant space, European style.
Zone Coffee: opposite Nguyen Van Cu cadre training school, Hai Quan street, has a wooden forest style, suitable for tourists who love nature. The shop has a large space, many floors and many beautiful angles.