Dalat not only is a beautiful city and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Vietnam but also the place where you can find a lot of delicious food. We've listed top 9 Dalat delicacies that you must try during your next vacation in Dalat.
1. Vietnamese Pizza (Banh Trang Nuong)
Dubbed the "pizza" of Vietnam, Banh Trang Nuong or grilled rice paper is the most popular street food in Dalat. Grilled rice paper is simply a very thin type of rice cake which is grilled over a charcoal. Vietnamese pizza is a very popular street food dish in central and southern region of Vietnam. Dalat grilled rice paper is often made with a non-aromatic onion, green scallions, quail eggs, shredded chicken, dried beef, chopped sausage, greasy cheese and even seafood.
Vietnamese Pizza can be easily found on the streets of Dalat and one piece of this street food dish is sold at only 10,000-15,000 VND.
If you will be staying at one of Dalat hotels near the night market, then you will be just steps away from the place where grilled rice paper is sold. Grilled rice paper not only has a delicious taste, watching the seller cooking it is also an interesting experience.
2. Avocado Ice Cream (Kem Bo)
Avocado Ice Cream is an extremely popular snack in Dalat. It is just pure mashed avocado with a few tablespoons of ice cream added and beaten up. The greasy taste of avocado combined with the refreshing taste of ice cream will surely satisfy you.
The most famous Dalat ice cream shop is Thanh Thao Ice Cream at 76 Nguyen Van Troi where the price of this Dalat delicacy is about 20,000 - 30,000 VND.
3. Dalat Strawberries
Strawberries are another delicacy of Dalat that cannot be missed by both tourists and locals. With attractive fragrance, sweet and sour strawberry flavor, strawberries are really popular here and often used to make various local desserts.
Dalat has many strawberry gardens for tourists to visit with a possibility to pick strawberries at the garden. Among them are the two main types of strawberry gardens in Dalat, the hydroponic strawberry gardens and the traditional strawberry gardens. Each garden is growing varieties of strawberries such as Japanese strawberries, French strawberries or New Zealand strawberries. Some of the most famous strawberry gardens can be found here: Best Strawberry Gardens in Dalat.
The price of strawberries picked in the garden is always higher than you would pay for the strawberries in the market but you can be sure about the quality when picking them by yourself. Moreover, the price of strawberries depends on the season but strawberries are usually the best in dry season (December - April). If you will go for a walk at the night market, you will see dozens of street vendors selling strawberries there.
4. Mink Coffee
When coming to Dalat, you will have an opportunity to enjoy pure mink coffee. The coffee has pleasant flavors when drinking blended as it combines the typical aroma of coffee and the pungent smell of mink.
For trying the mink coffee, you should to go to Me Linh Coffee Garden. You can learn about the famous mink coffee production process there as well.
Me Linh Coffee Garden is also known as one of the most beautiful cafes on the outskirts of Dalat. This cafe is located in the suburbs about 25 km from the city center, so it has an extremely peaceful space and fresh air. From the cafe, you can fully admire the beauty of the vast and majestic highland hills, mountains and a lake in the distance.
Cr.Mê Linh Coffee Garden Facebook Page
Address: group 20, Village 4, Ta Nung commune, Dalat
Opening hours: 07:00 - 18:30
5. Dalat Can Cake (Banh Can)
When traveling to Dalat, you cannot miss Banh Can or Can Cake. Can cake is a very popular dish in Dalat. The cakes are made from rice flour, poured cake on hot molds made of earthenware. The filling can be chicken eggs, quail eggs, minced beef, onions, seafood. The special thing about Dalat can cake is that this local dish is served with a unique sauce as it is usually served with fish sauce or seasoning sauce with a little more onions and chili added to create an attractive flavor. The inner part of the cake is soft and greasy but the outside is slightly crunchy.
You can find can cakes being sold on any corner of Dalat but the most famous place offering the most delicious cakes is located on Tang Bat Ho Street. Dalat can cake is normally eaten in the morning or evening and each pair of cakes is normally sold for a price ranging from 3,000 VND to 5,000 VND.
6. Vietnamese Meatball Banh Mi (Banh Mi Xiu Mai)
Bread (Banh Mi) is a famous specialty of Vietnam. Each region of Vietnam has its own type of bread that makes visitors fascinated and the typical type of bread in Dalat is the tiny bread.
Dalat Banh Mi is a dish not to be missed when coming to this city. Bread in Dalat is eaten in a unique way. The bread here is crunchy, fragrant, and eaten with a small bowl of broth full of spices and soft aromatic meat. When eating, people often cut bread into small pieces, dip in the cup of broth, and add a bit of sauce to make it spicier. This dish is definitely a great choice for breakfast in Dalat.
You can find Banh Mi Xiu Mai being sold by the vendors on the crowded streets of Dalat. However, for you to enjoy the best experience of tasting this local food, the most well- known place selling the ancient Dalat Banh Mi is at 26 Hoang Dieu Restaurant, which opens from 6:00.
7. Wet Cake with Chicken Organs (Banh Uot Long Ga)
If you would ask the local what food to eat in Dalat, Wet Cake is almost always the first name people mention. Wet cake is considered as a specialty of the mountain town which offers a unique taste. This Dalat dish is made from steamed soft rice flour. Unlike wet cakes in other regions served with spring rolls, Dalat's wet cakes are served with chicken hearts and shredded chicken. The combination of soft wet rice paper with sweet boiled chicken and chewy chicken heart, along with a little bit of garlic and chili sauce makes this food an extremely interesting dish. The price of Wet cake is about 15,000-25,000 VND per bowl.
8. Grilled Pork Rolls (Nem Nuong Ba Hung)
Grilled pork rolls are known as a dish not to be missed when traveling to Dalat. This is a suitable snack for the afternoon.
Dalat grilled pork rolls are made from selected pork, finely grounded, flavored with garlic and onion according to the traditional recipe. Then, it is rolled in a piece of rice paper with lettuce, cucumber, banana, and star fruit. Not only that, the dipping sauce here is even more special as it is made from the pork bone broth, combined with soy sauce, roasted sesame and then seasoned to add flavor.
The best place to enjoy grilled pork rolls in Dalat is the famous Ba Hung Fried Rolls at 328 Phan Dinh Phung Street. The price of this local dish is about 40,000 VND per piece.
9. Beef Hotpot (Lau Bo Ba Tao)
Dalat beef hotpot is always at the top of the choices of food to eat in Dalat when coming in groups, couples or with a family as you can all gather around the hotpot.
If you have an opportunity to come to Ba Toa area in Dalat, you will immediately see many restaurants specializing in sering beef hotpot. Perhaps that is why the name Ba Toa has been used to name the beef hotpot in Dalat. Ba Toa beef hotpot is delicious and has a rich aroma and the taste of the broth with thick beef pieces. Beef is fragrant, softer in other places. Ba Toa beef hotpot is served with noodles, eggs, white tofu and vegetables such as broccoli, Chinese cabbage, and other herbs. In particular, this hotpot is combined with a cup of spicy chili sauce.
The best beef hotpot restaurant in Dalat is Lau Bo Quan Go. The restaurant is just a small wooden house on 1/29 Hoang Dieu Street, not so far from the city center. The price of this Dalat dish is about 150,000-300,000 VND per pot.
Cafes in Dalat
Dalat is taking coffee culture to the next level and each cafe here has a unique feature to attract visitors.
If you're a sweet tooth or a coffee lover looking for a good place to sit and enjoy time in Dalat, here's our list of the best coffee shops and cafes in Dalat.
Cafes in Dalat are also the place for gorgeous photo-shoots. If you need to add more colors and life to your feed, get the perfect picture at the Best Instagrammable Cafes in Dalat.
For a romantic night out with your partner, get one of the best sunset viewpoints from the list of Best Cafes in Dalat for Sunset & Night View.
Dalat also offers a surprisingly great number of themed cafes. Check our list of the most unique themed cafes in Dalat to find an interesting place that you'll want to visit.
No matter where you go to Dalat, don't miss these beautiful coffee shops with the best view that you won't find anywhere else in the world.
Travel Tips in Dalat
In case your next adventure takes you to Dalat, you'll need this list of the best hotels in Dalat with great reviews to choose. If you are looking for a luxury holiday in Dalat, we've listed out the top luxury Resorts & Hotels in Dalat for the most comfortable stay.
Dalat is a city with so many unique things to do at night, discover the best nightlife activities in Dalat to have fun after sunset.
This complete guide to the top tourist attractions in Dalat will give you the in-depth information and inspiration to help you plan your visit.