What to Eat in Can Tho? Top 10 Popular Delicious Dishes

Fermented Fish Hot Pot (Lẩu Mắm) is a signature dish of the Southwestern region of Vietnam, famous for its rich flavor and distinctive aroma from fermented fish paste. The broth is made from fermented snakehead fish and other fish, combined with lemongrass, garlic, and traditional spices, creating a harmonious blend of sweetness and saltiness. The dish is often served with various seafood, meats, fish, and rustic wild vegetables such as water lilies, water spinach, water hyacinth, banana blossoms, or bitter greens.

Suggested addresses:

• Lẩu Mắm Kiều Trinh: 26 Đ. Trần Khánh Dư, Ninh Kiều, Cần Thơ
• Lẩu Mắm Quê Mi: 77 Đ. Huỳnh Cương, Ninh Kiều, Cần Thơ
• Lẩu mắm Dạ Lý : 89 Đ. Trần Hoàng Na, Tân An, Cần Thơ

Cá Kho Tộ is a traditional Vietnamese dish, known for its rich, savory flavor, slightly fatty aroma, and attractive caramel-brown color. The fish is braised in a clay pot with fish sauce, sugar, pepper, and various seasonings, creating a perfect balance of salty and sweet flavors that deeply infuse into each piece of fish. This dish is commonly served with hot steamed rice, offering a rustic yet comforting taste that is deeply familiar in Vietnamese family meals.

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• Cơm Niêu OM - Cần Thơ: 15 Lê Lợi, Cái Khế, Cần Thơ 
• Quán cơm Quê Nhà: Hẻm 132 Đ. 3 Tháng 2, Tân An, Cần Thơ
• Cơm Niêu Quê Ngoại Cần Thơ: 268D Đ. Nguyễn Văn Linh, Tân An, Cần Thơ

Goi Cuon Can Tho spring rolls are a signature dish featuring thin rice paper wrappers filled with shrimp, meat, fresh vermicelli, and fresh vegetables. Dipped in sweet and sour fish sauce or rich and fragrant peanut sauce, the dish offers a refreshing and light yet flavorful experience, reflecting the authentic taste of the Mekong Delta

Suggested address:

• Gỏi cuốn Chị Tư : Cái Răng, Cần Thơ
• Quán chú Năm: Đường Số 1/Góc Đ. Phạm Sơn Khai, Tân An, Cần Thơ

Can Tho-style banh xeo (Vietnamese savory pancake) has a thin, crispy crust and a light, creamy flavor from coconut milk, served with plenty of fresh vegetables and a refreshing taste; while banh xeo from Central Vietnam is smaller, has a thicker crust, is less creamy, and has a richer, more distinctly salty and spicy flavor.

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• Quán Bánh xèo 7 Tới: 45 Đ. Hoàng Quốc Việt, An Bình, Cần Thơ
• Bánh xèo Mai Vàng: C6B Đ. Trần Khánh Dư, Ninh Kiều, Cần Thơ
• Bánh Xèo Ngọc Ngân: 74 Lê Lợi, Cái Khế, Cần Thơ

Ca Loc Nương is a rustic dish characteristic of the Southwestern region of Vietnam, grilled directly over dry straw without elaborate marination. The fish is fragrant when cooked, with lightly charred skin, but the meat inside remains sweet, tender, and retains its natural flavor. The dish is often wrapped in fresh vegetables and rice paper, and dipped in sweet and sour fish sauce, creating a simple yet rich and unforgettable taste

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• Quán Mẫn: 184 Huỳnh Cương, quận Ninh Kiều, Cần Thơ
• Quán Đồng Xanh: 211 Nguyễn Văn Linh, quận Ninh Kiều, Cần Thơ
• Quán An: 15–19–21 Trần Văn Hoài, quận Ninh Kiều, Cần Thơ

Hu Tieu Kho Can Tho noodle soup is a familiar dish to people in the Mekong Delta, distinguished by its chewy rice noodles mixed with a rich, flavorful sauce flavored with fried garlic and characteristic soy sauce. The bowl of rice noodle soup is usually served with pork, shrimp, liver, quail eggs, and pork cracklings, creating a harmonious flavor that is both rich and aromatic. A small bowl of sweet and savory broth is also included, making the dish even more complete and easy to eat.

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• Hủ Tiếu A Đại:10 Nguyễn Khuyến, Ninh Kiều, Cần Thơ
• Hủ Tiếu Mì Hải Sản 2M: 8 Trần Văn Khéo, Ninh Kiều, Cần Thơ
• Hủ Tiếu Nam Vang Huỳnh Ký: 27 Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai, Ninh Kiều, Cần Thơ

Com Tam (broken rice) is a signature dish of the Mekong Delta, distinguished by its soft, fragrant broken rice, served with flavorful grilled pork ribs, pork skin, egg patties, and sweet and sour fish sauce. The harmonious blend of rich, salty, and sweet flavors creates a rustic yet very appealing dish, suitable for both breakfast and main meals.

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• Cơm tấm Cây Sung:112 Phan Đình Phùng, Ninh Kiều, Cần Thơ
• Cơm tấm Thái Cô Mai:19A Mậu Thân, Ninh Kiều, Cần Thơ
• Cơm tấm Dì Út:Trần Hoàng Na, Ninh Kiều, Cần Thơ

Banh Tet La Cam - This is one of Can Tho's famous specialties, impressive with its natural purple color from the perilla leaves. The cake is made from fragrant sticky rice, filled with mung beans, pork fat, and salted egg yolks, creating a harmonious blend of richness, nuttiness, and subtle sweetness. Not only is it appealing for its distinctive flavor, but perilla leaf sticky rice cake also embodies the culinary culture of the Mekong Delta and is often chosen as a gift for tourists visiting Can Tho.

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• Cơ sở Bánh tét lá cẩm Ba Châu: 214 Đ. Trần Việt Châu, Cái Khế, Cần Thơ
• Bánh Tét Tư Đẹp:54/6 Đ. Thái Thị Nhạn, Bình Thủy, Cần Thơ
• Bánh Tét NĂM HÒA: 150 Đ. Hai Bà Trưng, Ninh Kiều, Cần Thơ

Ba Khía - This is a specialty dish with the distinctive flavors of the Southwestern region of Vietnam. Fresh mud crabs are stir-fried with a sweet and sour tamarind sauce, creating an appealing blend of salty, sweet, and tangy flavors. The thick sauce coats each crab evenly, stimulating the taste buds from the first glance. This is a rustic yet flavorful dish, often sought after by tourists exploring the cuisine of Can Tho and the Mekong Delta.

Suggested address:

• Quán Lan: 1 Đ. Đinh Tiên Hoàng, P, Ninh Kiều, Cần Thơ 
• Khu Sinh Thái Ẩm Thực QUÊ MÌNH: 36 Đường số 3, Tân An, Cần Thơ
• Hoa Su Restaurant:KDL Cồn, Cái Khế, Cần Thơ

Banh Cong is a famous specialty dish of the Southwestern region of Vietnam, especially popular in Can Tho. The cake is made from mung bean flour and rice flour, combined with fresh shrimp and minced pork, then deep-fried until golden brown and crispy. When eaten, the cake has a crispy outer layer and a soft, creamy, fragrant interior. Served with fresh vegetables and sweet and sour fish sauce, it creates a harmonious and appealing flavor.

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• Bánh cống Cô Út: 28 Đ. Lý Tự Trọng, Ninh Kiều, Cần Thơ
• Bánh Cống Bà Út Lư:45 Đ. Lý Chính Thắng, Tân An, Cần Thơ
• Bánh cóng Huỳnh: 72 QL1A, Ấp Đại Thành, Mỹ Xuyên, Cần Thơ