The Most Special Local Foods In Can Tho For Mekong Tours

Iconic Dishes You Must Try on local foods in Can Tho for Mekong tours

1. Nem nuong Cai Rang – Grilled Pork Sausage Rolls

No visit to Can Tho is complete without enjoying the smoky, flavorful goodness that is Nem nuong Cai Rang. It is made with ground pork that is coated with garlic, sugar, fish sauce, and pepper, molded by hand onto bamboo sticks, and grilled over hot charcoal. Just sniffing it will make you halt.

It is enjoyed by locals wrapped in banh trang (rice paper), topped with fresh greens such as basil and mint, an unripe banana slice or green mango, and served with a signature peanut-satay fish sauce.

Where to try:

• Nem nuong Anh Map – 18 Nguyen An Ninh, Tan An, Ninh Kieu, Can Tho
• Nem nuong 91 – 91 De Tham, Tan An, Ninh Kieu, Can Tho

Price: 40,000–60,000 VND/serving

2. Banh Cong – Fried Shrimp & Mung Bean Cake

Golden, crunchy, and full of local character, Banh Cong is Can Tho’s deep-fried snack of choice. It’s a savory cake prepared from rice flour, mung beans, and ground pork, and topped with an entire shrimp before being deep-fried in a metal mold.

Crunchy on the outside, tender and tasty on the inside, served with Bun (vermicelli), fresh lettuce, herbs, pickled veggies, and sweet and sour fish sauce. One bite, you’ll be hooked.

Where to try:

• Banh cong ba Ut Lu – 18 Tran Van Hoai, Ninh Kieu, Can Tho
• Banh Cong 292 – 292 duong 30/4, Ninh Kieu, Can Tho

Price: 10,000–35,000 VND/piece

3. Lau vit nau chao – Duck Hotpot with Fermented Tofu

Feel like you need a deep, savory, warming fix? Lau vit nau chao is a luxurious, aromatic hotpot filled with duck cooked with fermented tofu (chao), taro, shiitake, and local herbs. Chao imparts a creamy, pungent umami flavor none of which you’ll have ever had before.

It is best served with egg noodles or vermicelli together with a spicy citrus-fish sauce. It is a local gathering food that is most favored by locals, especially during rainy weather.

Where to try:

• Kim Lien Quan – Hem 1 Ly Tu Trong, Ninh Kieu, Can Tho
• Quan Co Minh – Hem 1/1C Ly Tu Trong, Ninh Kieu, Can Tho
• Quan Cam Tu – Hem 1, P. An Phu, Ninh Kieu, Can Tho

Price: 150,000–250,000 VND/pot (serves 2–3)

4. Banh Xeo Can Tho – Vietnamese Sizzling Pancake

Crackling, sizzling, and so big that it fills your plate. Banh Xeo Can Tho is Vietnam’s take on the crepe let loose! It is made with rice flour and turmeric powder, with shrimp, minced pork, bean sprouts, and sometimes cu hu dua (palm heart). It is cooked in a deep round pan, with a nice crunch on the edge and tender inside.

It is generally consumed by locals with their fingers, wrapping individual pieces in strands of lettuce topped with herbs and dipping in fish sauce. Herbs, usually from around the floating markets’ gardens, provide a fresh, country flavor not found elsewhere.

Where to try:

• Banh xeo Ngoc Ngan – 74 Le Loi, Cai Khe, Ninh Kieu, Can Tho
• Banh Xeo Muoi Xiem – 13/3 Nguyen Chi Thanh, Tra An, Binh Thuy, Can Tho
• Banh Xeo Tan Dinh – Vong xoay Bai Cat, Cai Khe, Ninh Kieu, Can Tho

Price: 50,000–80,000 VND/pancake

5. Lau Mam  – Fermented Fish Hotpot

It’s Can Tho’s most adventurous, most profound take on local foods for Mekong tours, a hotpot whose odor will make you take a step back initially, but whose flavors conquer you forever after. Lau Mam starts with that same fermented fish paste (mam ca linh, ca sac), cooked until it is reduced to an inky black, highly concentrated, enormously savory, salty, full-bodied broth.

Include snakehead fish, shrimp, squid, pork belly, eggplant, okra, water lilies, and banana blossoms. Accompany with noodles, and you have the quintessential Mekong feast in a pot.

Where to try:

• Lau Mam  Tran Ngoc Que – 162/18 Tran Ngoc Que, Ninh Kieu, Can Tho
• Lau Mam  Tran Viet Chau – 75 Tran Viet Chau, An Hoa, Ninh Kieu, Can Tho

Price: 150,000–250,000 VND/pot

6. Ca loc nuong trui – Charcoal-Grilled Snakehead Fish

If what you’re looking for is a dish that shouts “countryside Vietnam," then you need to try Ca loc nuong trui. This humble peasant staple starts with fresh snakehead fish, which is not marinated but just cleaned, threaded with bamboo, and roasted on a haystack, no kidding, straw! While the straw disintegrates, the fish’s skin crisps up and cracks, encasing the smoky, tender flesh inside.

It’s accompanied by an armful of herbs, rice paper, cucumber, banana blossom, and a sweet tamarind dipping sauce. Wrap, roll, dip, and you’ll see this meal is a local legend on every Mekong Tours itinerary.

Where to try:

• Dong Xanh Restaurant – 211 Nguyen Van Linh, Ninh Kieu, Can Tho
• Quan An 15–19–21 – Tran Van Hoai, Xuan Khanh, Ninh Kieu, Can Tho

Price: 150,000–300,000 VND/fish

7. Banh tam bi – Thick Rice Noodles with Shredded Pork

Now here’s something that’s quintessentially Can Tho is Banh tam bi. These chewy, thick rice noodles are topped with thinly shaven pork meat and pork skin, tossed with roasted rice powder, and finished with coconut cream. Coconut cream: yes, that’s the Southern touch that adds that exquisite blend of savory and sweet.

Pickled veggies, fresh herbs, crunchy shallots, and fish sauce with a sweet-sour flavor complete the symphony. It’s an everyday breakfast or snack that’s enjoyed by locals, and an unexpected hit among foreign tourists taking Mekong Tours with an adventurous palate.

Where to try:

• Banh Tam Tan Trao – 9 Tan Trao, Tan An, Ninh Kieu, Can Tho

Price: 15,000–25,000 VND/serving

8. Chuoi nep nuong – Grilled Sticky Rice Banana

Is sweet tooth calling? Can Tho’s simplest dessert is also one of its most popular, and for good reasons. It starts with a ripe banana, which is wrapped in sweet sticky rice, then another layer of banana leaf, grilled over charcoal until the rice is golden brown and slightly crunchy. It’s served warm, smothered in coconut milk sauce, and topped with crushed wafer-thin peanut slices or sesame.

It is simple, but so satisfying, especially following a long morning on your Mekong Tours riverboat.

Where to try:

• Cho dem Ninh Kieu – Duong Phan Chu Trinh, Ninh Kieu, Can Tho

Price: 5,000–10,000 VND/piece

9. Bun tom kho – Dry Noodles with Dried Shrimp

In need of a speedy, protein-filled noodle bowl with local character? Try bun tom kho, a sweet mix of dried shrimp, pork, blood pudding, deep-fried spring rolls, minced crab, and even fried pork fat, all comfortably piled over slippery rice noodles. It all comes together with a bold dash of mam ruoc (fermentation shrimp paste), which adds a burst of umami.

It is one of the most delicious undiscovered treasures we offer on our Mekong Tours, particularly on morning food walks.

Where to try:

• Cho Cai Rang – Lo Vong Cung, Cai Rang, Can Tho
• 46 Hai Ba Trung – Tan An, Ninh Kieu, Can Tho

Price: 20,000–30,000 VND/bowl

10. Pizza Hu Tieu – Crispy Noodle Pizza

We close this subsection with a twist on tradition – Pizza Hu Tieu, an innovation that ties Can Tho’s food scene to changing times. Deep-frying dried hu tieu noodles to make a savory dish, then topping it with shredded pork or chicken, fried shallots, ground peanuts, egg, and coconut sauce in some versions.

Imagine it to be a crunchy, fusion-friendly treat that causes locals to smile and tourists to be awed. It is that perfect bridge between experimentation and tradition, between West and East.

Where to try:

• Lo Hu Tieu Sau Hoai – 476, 14 Lo Vong Cung, An Binh, Ninh Kieu, Can Tho
• Lo Hu Tieu Chin Cua – 474c/14a, KV7, An Binh, Ninh Kieu, Can Tho

Price: 30,000–50,000 VND/pizza

Can Tho’s Culinary Gifts with local foods in Can Tho for Mekong tours

1. Banh tet la cam  – Purple Sticky Rice Cake

One of Can Tho’s most recognizable offerings, Banh tet la cam is both visually stunning and spirit-nourishing. Its dramatic purple hue is derived from la cam (magenta leaves), which are sautéed in coconut milk to dress every kernel of glutinous rice. Within lies mung bean paste, savory pork belly, and a vibrant orange salted egg yolk.

It is consumed traditionally during Tet but is available all year round from specialty street stalls. Slice it thinly, fry it in a pan for that crunch, or serve it soft with pickled veggies, it’s an adaptable souvenir that speaks of history and hue.

Where to buy:

• Ba Huynh Thi Trong’s Shop – 56 Thai Thi Nhan, An Thoi, Binh Thuy, Can Tho

Price: 40,000–90,000 VND/roll

2. Ruou man Sau Tia – Traditional Plum Wine

Made from ripe plums grown in Tan Loc village and malt, Ruou man Sau Tia is a 100% naturally fermented red wine without industrial additives. Its slight sweetness, low alcohol content, and strong, fruity fragrance make it popular with everyone, even non-drinkers.

It is usually served chilled with grilled meat, dry seafood, or simply good company with it being an endearing present for food connoisseurs as well as friends.

Where to buy:

• Co So Sau Tia – Tan Loc, Thot Not, Can Tho

Price: ~350,000 VND/600ml bottle

3. Kho Nhai – Dried Frog Snacks (a.k.a “Mekong Jerky”)

Here’s a popular specialty: Kho Nhai, lovingly referred to as “Vu nu chan dai” (long-legged dancers). These are field frogs, which are cleaned, flattened, sun-dried, then seasoned with chilies, and grilled or deep-fried until golden.

Spicy, crunchy, and full of protein, you’ll love them with locals alike as a beer snack, and make for a bold, unforgettable souvenir to bring home.

Where to buy:

• 167H Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, An Lac, Can Tho

Price: 450,000–600,000 VND/kg

4. Kho ca loc – Dried Snakehead Fish

Snakehead fish, the Mekong equivalent of a national icon in terms of cuisine also provides first-rate preserved food. It’s split, gutted, marinated in salt and spices, and dried under the sun until leathery and golden. It is light, durable, and packed with that inimitable Mekong umami.

Grill it, fry it, or shred it over rice, it’s deliciously versatile.

Where to buy:

• Khu Du lich My Khanh, Phong Dien, Can Tho
• Khu Du lich Lang Ong De, Phong Dien, Can Tho

Price: ~400,000 VND/kg

5. Banh trang Thuan Hung – Traditional Rice Paper

With a history dating over 200 years, Thuan Hung Village’s rice paper is one of Vietnam’s best. It is hand-poured, sun-dried, and subtly smoked from the wood flame beneath, each sheet an edible canvas that is just right for spring rolls, salad wraps, or fried chips.

In contrast to factory-produced forms, these sheets are thicker, with a better smell, and pleasantly chewy.

Where to buy:

• Tan Phu, Thuan Hung, Thot Not, Can Tho

Price: 2,000–3,000 VND/piece

6. Cha ca Thac Lac – Snakehead Fish Cakes

Last but by no means least, Cha ca Thac Lac is a popular protein in Southern Vietnamese cuisine. Minced fish is blended with fish sauce, pepper, and garlic, formed into balls or patties, packaged in vacuum bags, and frozen for easy transport.

They are great to use for soups, stir-fry, or hotpot, simply pop them in and experience the bounce!

Where to buy:

• Local markets around Ninh Kieu and Cai Rang, Can Tho

Price: 150,000–200,000 VND/kg

Seasonal Delights with local foods in Can Tho for Mekong tours

Dry Season (December – April) with local foods in Can Tho for Mekong tours

Chilly nights, ideal for hot and crunchy foods

• Lau Mam – Hotpot made from fermented fish with fresh seafood and vegetables served hot.
• Banh xeo – Crispy, sizzling shrimp, pork, bean sprouts pancake

These foods are perfect for evening meals on your Mekong Tours, particularly following a day of floating markets and cruising.

Rainy Season (May – October) with local foods in Can Tho for Mekong tours

Time of wildflowers, fish in the river, colored broths

• Ca linh – Young fish that only exist in flood times
• Bong dien dien – Yellow Mekong flowers in hotpots and salads
• Lau ca linh – Hotpot with Ca linh fish and wild plants, sour and fresh

It is that time of year when the Mekong is full of bounty, and your Mekong Tours become scrumptiously seasonal.

Tet & Festivals (Lunar New Year & Celebrations) with local foods in Can Tho for Mekong tours

Rich symbolic foods are great for exchanging or sharing

• Banh tet la cam – Purple sticky rice cake with mung bean filling, pork, and salted egg yolk
• Mut dau Ha Chau – Candied Ha Chau gooseberries, sweet tartness

They are a must if you are traveling over holiday time, and make great edible mementos from your trip through the local cuisine in Can Tho for Mekong tours.

Conclusion

Ready to explore Vietnam in flavors? Can Tho’s local foods for Mekong tours provide not only flavors but also a window to the Mekong’s core? Beyond sightseeing, dig deeper with each bite.

Book your Mekong tours with Impress Travel and discover Can Tho’s authentic spirit.

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