What to Eat in Ninh Binh: 10 Local Dishes and Where to Try Them

The dishes to eat in Ninh Binh are mountain goat (de nui), above all goat salad with lime and goat hotpot, followed by crispy rice (com chay) and eel vermicelli (mien luon). This guide on what to eat in Ninh Binh covers 10 local dishes, the lowest price you can expect for each one, and 1 or 2 places to try every dish. The guide also lists where to eat in Tam Coc, Trang An and around Ninh Binh Railway Station, which dishes come from the wider province created in 2025, and which edible souvenirs travel well. For transport, hotels and seasons, start with the Ninh Binh travel guide.

Ninh Binh Food at a Glance

⚠️ Prices are for reference only. Prices and restaurant details in this guide were last checked on [ngày kiểm tra]. Many Ninh Binh restaurants sell goat and snails by weight, so prices change with the season and the portion. Ask for the price before you order.

Mountain Goat (Dê Núi): Ninh Binh’s Signature Dish

Mountain goat is the dish that Ninh Binh is famous for across Vietnam. The goats are raised free on the limestone hills around Hoa Lu and Tam Coc, where they climb rocks and eat wild leaves and herbs. Ninh Binh goat meat is lean, firm and much less gamey than farm goat, so even travellers who dislike goat at home often enjoy it in Ninh Binh. Most goat restaurants in Ninh Binh serve the same animal in 5 to 7 ways, and a shared goat meal is one of the best ways to understand what to eat in Ninh Binh.

1. Goat Salad With Lime (Dê Tái Chanh)

Dê tái chanh is thin slices of goat meat that are quickly blanched, then “cooked” further in lime juice and mixed with lemongrass, ginger, sesame and herbs. The meat stays pink in the middle, and the flavour is sour, fresh and fragrant. Locals wrap each slice in sesame rice paper with fig leaves and herbs, then dip the roll in a thick fermented soybean sauce (tương). Dê tái chanh is the dish most Vietnamese visitors order first, but first-time foreign visitors should know that the meat is rare. If you prefer meat cooked through, ask for dê hấp (steamed goat) instead, which comes with the same herbs and rice paper.

• Price from: 150.000VND per plate
• Where to try: Đức Dê, 29 Alley 458 Nguyen Hue Street, Ninh Binh city, known for a 7-dish goat platter. Dê Núi Ba Cửa, Trang An village, Truong Yen, near the Trang An boat pier.

2. Goat Hotpot (Lẩu Dê)

Lẩu dê is a pot of goat broth simmered with bones, herbs and Chinese medicinal roots, cooked at your table on a gas burner. The restaurant brings goat meat, tofu, mushrooms, greens and noodles, and everyone adds the ingredients to the pot. Goat hotpot is the easiest goat dish for beginners because everything is fully cooked and the broth is mild. Goat hotpot usually comes at the end of a goat meal, after the salad and the grilled dishes, so leave some room. A pot is large, and 1 hotpot is enough for 2 to 4 people.

• Price from: 150.000VND per person
• Where to try: Thuy Linh Restaurant, Ngo Dong Street, Tam Coc, a local favourite for steamed goat and hotpot. Thành Dê, 68 Alley 497 Nguyen Cong Tru Street, Ninh Binh city. Book ahead at weekends.

3. Grilled and Stir-Fried Goat (Dê Nướng, Dê Xào)

Dê nướng is goat meat marinated with lemongrass and chilli, then grilled over charcoal until the edges turn crisp. Dê xào lăn is goat stir-fried with lemongrass, chilli and coconut milk, and the sauce is rich and slightly sweet. Both dishes are cooked through and taste close to grilled lamb, so dê nướng and dê xào are safe choices for travellers who are trying goat for the first time. Order a plate of crispy rice on the side, because the crackers soak up the sauce well.

• Price from: 120.000VND per plate
• Where to try: Đức Dê in Ninh Binh city (see above) or Thuy Linh Restaurant in Tam Coc (see above).

How to Order Goat Like a Local

• Set or single dishes. Many goat restaurants offer a set (mẹt dê or set dê) with 5 to 7 dishes on one tray, which is the easiest way to taste everything. You can also order single plates from the menu.
• How much to order. Goat is often sold by weight. Half a kilo (nửa cân) feeds 2 people, and 1 kg (1 cân) feeds about 4 people. Ask for the price per kilo before the kitchen starts cooking.
• Crispy rice comes with it. A goat meal in Ninh Binh almost always comes with a plate of crispy rice. If the plate does not arrive, ask for “cơm cháy”.
• Rice wine is shared. Some restaurants serve rượu cần, a rice wine drunk together through long bamboo straws from one jar. A shot of local rice wine costs 10.000VND to 20.000VND. Drink slowly, because the wine is often stronger than it tastes.
• Look at the display. Many restaurants show raw meat and ingredients near the entrance. Pointing at the display works as well as any menu.

Must-Try Local Dishes Beyond Goat

Goat is only half of what to eat in Ninh Binh. The rice fields, rivers and limestone hills of Ninh Binh give the province a set of simple dishes that you will not find in the same form in Hanoi.

4. Crispy Rice (Cơm Cháy)

Cơm cháy is the golden crust of rice that forms at the bottom of the pot, dried in the sun and then deep-fried until it puffs up and turns crunchy. Ninh Binh cơm cháy is the best-known version in Vietnam. Restaurants serve crispy rice in two ways. The first is topped with dried shredded pork floss (chà bông), and the second is drenched in a hot sauce of pork heart, kidney and vegetables (sốt tim cật). Crispy rice is crunchy, salty and easy to like, and children usually love it. Cơm cháy is made in many family workshops in the former Gia Vien district, about 20 minutes by car from Ninh Binh city.

• Price from: 30.000VND per plate
• Where to try or buy: Cơm Cháy Hoàng Trang, Hamlet 5, Bai Dinh, Gia Sinh, near Bai Dinh Pagoda. Cơm Cháy Cổ Đô, Cam Gia Cooperative, Ninh Khanh, Ninh Binh city.

5. Eel Vermicelli (Miến Lươn)

Miến lươn is a bowl of glass noodles with crispy fried eel or soft stir-fried eel, served in a light broth or dry with sauce, and topped with fried shallots and Vietnamese coriander. Eel is a freshwater fish from the rice fields of the Red River Delta, and the texture is closer to fish than to meat. Locals eat miến lươn for breakfast, and the best stalls in Ninh Binh city sell out by late morning. Ask for “miến lươn trộn” if you want the dry version, which is the crispiest.

• Price from: 30.000VND per bowl
• Where to try: Miến Lươn Bà Phấn, a family shop open since 1960 on Tran Hung Dao Street, Ninh Binh city. Three neighbouring shops at 995, 997 and 999 Tran Hung Dao Street all use the Bà Phấn name, so check recent reviews before you sit down.

6. Mountain Snails (Ốc Núi)

Ốc núi are snails that live in the cracks of limestone mountains and come out after rain, which is why Ninh Binh restaurants have more of them in the rainy season. Restaurants steam mountain snails with lemongrass and ginger leaves, or stir-fry the snails with chilli. You pull the meat out with a toothpick and dip it in ginger fish sauce. The meat is crunchy and slightly earthy. Mountain snails are an adventurous dish for many foreign visitors, but a small plate is a fun thing to share.

• Price from: 120.000VND per plate
• Where to try: most goat restaurants in Trang An and Tam Coc serve mountain snails when the snails are in season. Ask “có ốc núi không?” (do you have mountain snails?).

7. Fermented Raw Fish Salad (Gỏi Cá Nhệch)

Gỏi cá nhệch is a speciality of Kim Son, the coastal part of Ninh Binh. Cá nhệch is a long eel-like fish caught in the mudflats. Cooks slice the raw fish thinly, cure the slices with roasted rice powder, then serve the fish with more than 10 kinds of leaves and a thick dipping sauce. Gỏi cá nhệch is one of the most adventurous dishes on this list because the fish is not cooked. Try gỏi cá nhệch only at a busy, well-reviewed restaurant, and skip the dish if you are pregnant or have a sensitive stomach. Fish is sold by weight and is expensive because catching cá nhệch is hard work.

• Price from: 450.000VND per kg of fish
• Where to try: Kim Đa Restaurant, Kim Da village, Ninh Binh city.

8. Kim Son Rice Wine (Rượu Kim Sơn)

Rượu Kim Sơn is a clear rice wine distilled from glutinous rice in Kim Son, and Vietnamese people often call Kim Son wine one of the best rice wines in the north. Kim Son rice wine usually has 40% alcohol or more. Restaurants serve the wine in small cups with goat meals, and families buy rượu Kim Sơn by the litre in plastic cans. Kim Son wine is smooth but strong, so 1 or 2 small cups are enough for most visitors.

• Price from: 10.000VND per shot, 50.000VND per litre
• Where to try: any goat restaurant in this guide. Buy bottles in Kim Son town or at specialty shops in Ninh Binh city.

New on the Menu: Dishes From the Wider Ninh Binh Province

Ninh Binh Province became much larger in 2025, when Ha Nam and Nam Dinh merged into it under Resolution 202/2025/QH15 of the National Assembly. Two famous dishes from the new parts of the province are now also “Ninh Binh food”. Both dishes taste best in their home towns, which are 30 to 60 km from Tam Coc. Do not expect to find the original versions in Tam Coc. The Ninh Binh travel guide explains the new province map.

9. Nam Dinh Beef Pho (Phở Bò Nam Định)

Many Vietnamese food writers trace pho back to the villages of Nam Dinh, and Nam Dinh pho is still one of the most respected styles in Vietnam. The broth of phở bò Nam Định is clear, slightly sweet and strong with fish sauce, and the noodles are thin and soft. Some shops serve “phở xíu”, with small pieces of beef cooked in the broth. Pho is an easy breakfast for every traveller, and Nam Dinh city is the place to eat it.

• Price from: 40.000VND per bowl
• Where to try: Phở Bò Cụ Tặng, 23 Hang Tien Street, Nam Dinh city, a family pho shop open for decades.

10. Vu Dai Braised Fish (Cá Kho Làng Vũ Đại)

Cá kho làng Vũ Đại is black carp braised for 12 to 16 hours in a clay pot over a low fire, with ginger, galangal, chilli and fish sauce. The fish turns firm and dark, and the bones become soft enough to eat. Vu Dai village is in Hoa Hau, in the former Ha Nam province, and the village became famous through a classic Vietnamese short story. Cá kho Vũ Đại is a premium gift and not a restaurant dish. Families order the clay pots before the Lunar New Year, and only a few handmade workshops remain.

• Price from: 450.000VND per clay pot (about 1 kg)
• Where to buy: order directly from a workshop in Vu Dai village, Hoa Hau, a few days ahead.

Where to Eat in Ninh Binh

Where to eat in Ninh Binh depends on where you stay. Tam Coc has the most restaurants with English menus, Trang An has the big goat restaurants, and Ninh Binh city has the cheapest local food. For hotel areas, see where to stay in Ninh Binh.

Tam Coc

Tam Coc village is the easiest place in Ninh Binh for a first meal. Most restaurants along Ngo Dong Street and around the Tam Coc boat pier have English menus, photos of the dishes and staff who know the main goat dishes in English. Prices in Tam Coc are a little higher than in Ninh Binh city, but the choice is wide, from goat and crispy rice to pizza and smoothie bowls.

Trang An and Hoa Lu Old Town

The road to the Trang An boat pier is lined with large goat restaurants that serve tour groups at lunch, so arrive before 11:30 or after 13:00. In the evening, Hoa Lu Old Quarter in Ninh Binh city turns into a walking street with lanterns, food stalls and live music. For more on the area, see things to do in Ninh Binh and Ninh Binh at night.

Ninh Binh City

Ninh Binh city is where local families eat, and prices are often 20% to 30% lower than in Tam Coc. Ninh Binh city is the best place for breakfast dishes such as miến lươn and for goat restaurants such as Đức Dê and Thành Dê. Few restaurants in the city have English menus, so a translation app helps.

Near Ninh Binh Railway Station

Ninh Binh Railway Station is on Hoang Hoa Tham Street, in the centre of Ninh Binh city. Several cheap eateries lie within about 1 km of the station, which is enough for a quick meal before an SE train.

• Bánh Mì Bà Lan, Hoang Hoa Tham Street, for a banh mi from 25.000VND that you can take on the train.
• Duck noodle soup shop, 28 Hoang Hoa Tham Street, for phở ngan or miến ngan from 30.000VND per bowl.
• Miến Lươn Bà Phấn on Tran Hung Dao Street, about 1 km from the station, for a hot breakfast before a morning train.

SE trains stop at Ninh Binh several times a day in both directions. Book the Hanoi to Ninh Binh train for the trip down, or the Ninh Binh to Hanoi train for the return. Arrive at the station 30 minutes before departure.

Vegetarian Options

Vegetarian food in Ninh Binh is easy to find in Tam Coc. Ngon Vegan Restaurant on Tam Coc Road serves Vietnamese spring rolls and noodles. An Tam Coc has a clearly marked vegan menu, with tofu in tomato sauce and tofu with lemongrass. Buddha Belly is a vegetarian restaurant on the main road and accepts cash only. At Bai Dinh Pagoda, a vegetarian dining hall below the Tam The Hall serves a buffet to pilgrims and visitors. Note that “cơm chay” means two things in Vietnamese, crispy rice and vegetarian food, so say “đồ chay” or “vegetarian” to avoid confusion.

What to Buy in Ninh Binh: Edible Souvenirs

What to buy in Ninh Binh is easy if you like food. These 5 edible souvenirs keep well and pack small.

• Packaged crispy rice (cơm cháy). Sealed bags of crispy rice with pork floss last for several weeks. From 30.000VND per pack at Cơm Cháy Hoàng Trang in Gia Sinh or Cơm Cháy Cổ Đô in Ninh Binh city.
• Yen Mac fermented pork (nem chua Yên Mạc). Sour fermented pork wrapped in leaves, from Yen Mac in the former Yen Mo district. From 70.000VND per bundle at family producers in Yen Mac. Keep nem chua cool and eat it within a few days.
• Gia Vien shrimp paste (mắm tép Gia Viễn). A fermented paste of tiny freshwater shrimp, aged for 6 months to a year. Ask for the price at local markets in the former Gia Vien district.
• Kim Son rice wine (rượu Kim Sơn). From 50.000VND per litre in Kim Son town or at specialty shops in Ninh Binh city.
• Vien Chau sticky rice cake (bánh gai Viên Châu). A black sticky rice cake made with ramie leaves and filled with mung beans and coconut, from Vien Chau village in the former Nam Dinh province. From 10.000VND per cake at bakeries in Nam Dinh city.

Choose products in sealed packaging if you will carry them on a train or plane. Strong rice wine counts as a liquid, so check your airline’s baggage rules for alcohol before you pack it. For handmade gifts, look for Kim Son sedge mats and Van Lam embroidery near Tam Coc.

Food Tips for First-Timers

• Bring cash. Many restaurants and street stalls in Ninh Binh do not take cards, so carry small notes.
• Ask the price first. Goat, snails and fish are often sold by weight. Ask for the price per kilo before the kitchen starts cooking.
• Eat early. Vietnamese people eat lunch around 11:00 and dinner around 18:00, and many local restaurants close by 21:00.
• Drink bottled water. Do not drink tap water, and ask for bottled water or tea.

FAQs

What is Ninh Binh famous for food-wise?
Ninh Binh is famous for mountain goat (dê núi) and crispy rice (cơm cháy). Goat salad with lime, goat hotpot and crispy rice topped with pork sauce are the 3 dishes most visitors try first in Ninh Binh.

Is goat meat in Ninh Binh safe to eat?
Goat meat in Ninh Binh is safe to eat when it is cooked, as in goat hotpot, grilled goat and steamed goat. Goat salad with lime (dê tái chanh) is served rare, so choose a busy restaurant or order steamed goat instead. Avoid raw goat blood (tiết canh).

Where can I find vegetarian food in Ninh Binh?
Tam Coc has the most vegetarian food in Ninh Binh, at restaurants such as Ngon Vegan, An Tam Coc and Buddha Belly. Bai Dinh Pagoda also has a vegetarian buffet hall for visitors.

How much does a goat meal cost in Ninh Binh?
A goat meal for 2 people in Ninh Binh costs about 300.000VND to 600.000VND. Single goat dishes start from 120.000VND per plate, and half a kilo of goat is enough for 2 people.

What food can I bring home from Ninh Binh?
The best food to bring home from Ninh Binh is packaged crispy rice, Kim Son rice wine and Yen Mac fermented pork. Crispy rice in sealed bags keeps longest. Nem chua must stay cool and should be eaten within a few days.