What to eat in Ninh Binh is always the first question for many tourists when traveling to Ninh Binh. When mentioning Ninh Binh, tourists not only love it for the beauty bestowed by nature and the historical value of its architectural works but also appreciate Ninh Binh for its rich cuisine and the cultural characteristics of the people in the ancient capital. The following delicious dishes are famous specialties in the ancient capital, providing tourists visiting Ninh Binh with a diverse selection for family meals and gatherings with loved ones.
Top 10+ Must-Try Delicious Dishes in Ninh Binh
Mountain Goat Meat in Ninh Binh
Goat meat is the most famous delicacy in Ninh Binh, and virtually every restaurant prepares it to offer visitors a wide selection of dishes. The region’s abundance of limestone mountains has made Ninh Binh renowned for its high-quality goat meat. Local farmers raise goats that are well adapted to the rugged, rocky terrain. Their strong climbing ability and natural diet contribute to the distinctive flavor of Ninh Binh goat meat, setting it apart from goats raised in industrial farms. The meat is firm, succulent, and noticeably more flavorful than in many other regions.
Chefs can prepare goat meat in numerous ways, including goat with lime and ginger, goat sausage, steamed goat, goat blood pudding, goat soup, goat organs, and many other delicious options. A trip to Ninh Binh wouldn’t be complete without tasting its signature goat dishes.
Recommended places to enjoy delicious goat meat:
- Huu Nghi Mountain Goat Restaurant – near Bai Dinh Pagoda – Ninh Binh
- Thang Long Restaurant – Ninh Binh cuisine
- Cuong Goat Restaurant – Ninh Binh
Fried Rice Crust (Cơm Cháy)
In the 19th century during the French colonial period, a young man named Dinh Hoang Thang from Ninh Binh worked at a Chinese restaurant in Hanoi. He worked diligently with the hope that the owner would allow him to marry his daughter. However, the owner eventually declined, leading Thang to return to Ninh Binh to establish his own business. In Ninh Binh, he opened a restaurant with his limited capital and created a brand with many delicious dishes, among which the most successful is fried rice crust. Later, the Chinese restaurant owner invited Thang to collaborate and eventually gave him his daughter in marriage.
Inspired by this success, many people in Ninh Binh learned how to make fried rice crust, achieving great success when serving this delicious dish for family meals or as gifts for visitors. Rice is dried and then deep-fried in oil, served with shredded meat. Some restaurants also serve it with goat soup, creating a fantastic combination. For tourists buying it as a gift after visiting Ninh Binh, they often purchase a box of fried rice crust with shredded meat, resulting in a rich and delicious flavor, much like the strong bonds of Ninh Binh people.
Where to buy: Hoa Lu Fried Rice Crust from Ninh Binh Food Joint Stock Company – 03 Vo Thi Sau, Dong Thanh, Ninh Binh.
Or you can purchase it at specialty stalls at tourist destinations. If you’re still unsure, you can ask a tour guide for the most reasonable price.
Ant Egg Sticky Rice (Xôi Trứng Kiến)
Ant egg sticky rice is one of the most famous and delicious dishes in Ninh Binh. In the rocky mountain region of Nho Quan, locals carefully harvest ant eggs during the right season. Once cleaned and seasoned, the eggs are stir-fried with fragrant onions and a blend of spices to create a rich, nutritious topping that pairs perfectly with warm white sticky rice.
Tourists enjoy ant egg sticky rice during the ant’s breeding season, which typically occurs in February or March of the lunar calendar. Therefore, after visiting Bai Dinh Pagoda, tourists often have the opportunity to savor this delicious dish in Ninh Binh.
Recommended place: Ninh Binh Hotel – 43 27th July Street, Nam Binh, Ninh Binh.
Snakehead Fish Salad (Gỏi Cá Nhệch)
Snakehead fish, much like eel with its long and slippery body, typically lives in muddy and freshwater areas. Among Northern provinces, Kim Son in Ninh Binh is regarded as the best place to enjoy this dish at its finest. Preparing snakehead fish salad requires great care. Cooks begin by salting the fish or scraping off its slippery outer layer. They then clean and gut the fish before separating the meat from the bones. Finally, they mix the meat with a blend of specialized spices that enhances the fish’s natural aroma and sweetness.
The fish bones are finely ground and squeezed to make a broth used as a dipping sauce for the snakehead fish salad. When consumed, tourists eat it with water mimosa leaves, lily leaves, along with various vegetables, all rolled together and dipped in the delicious broth, creating a tasty and rich flavor.
Recommended place: Tinh Goi Restaurant – Ngo Gia Tu, Ninh Binh.
Nho Quan Can Wine
Apart from its fame for ant egg harvesting, Nho Quan is also well known for the can wine crafted by the Muong ethnic community. The Muong people brew this wine in large jars using rice husks, sticky rice, and a special type of yeast. After fermenting for three months, the mixture transforms into a strong and fragrant wine. Producers then bottle it in small containers so travelers passing through Nho Quan can easily buy it and bring it home as a gift for their families.
Recommended place: Thang Long Restaurant – Trang An, Ninh Binh.
Ninh Binh Eel Vermicelli (Miến Lươn Ninh Bình)
One of the delicious dishes commonly consumed for breakfast by every visitor exploring Ninh Binh. People in Ninh Binh typically use a type of rice eel to prepare this delicious and nutritious eel vermicelli. Each morning, tourists dining here can enjoy the sweet and fragrant taste of the vermicelli, coupled with the unique aroma of wild eel, served with banana flowers, creating an irresistible combination.
Recommended place: Tam Beo Eel Vermicelli – 260 Ngo Gia Tu, Ninh Binh.
Grilled Field Crab with Betel Leaves (Cua Đồng Rang Lá Lốt)
Nature has gifted Ninh Binh with vast fields, gentle rivers, and streams winding around small limestone hills, forming a truly picturesque landscape. Within this serene environment, field crabs have become one of the region’s cherished specialties. Local people clean the crabs, season them carefully, and fry them with betel leaves whenever needed. Thanks to their natural habitat, these crabs offer a far richer and more delightful flavor than those found in many other regions of Vietnam.
Recommended place: Hoang Giang Restaurant – Trang An, Ninh Binh.
Ninh Binh Glutinous Rice Cake (Bánh Trôi Ninh Bình)
Ninh Binh has some famous shops known for glutinous rice cakes made with the fragrant scents of pomelo and chrysanthemum flowers. Inside the cake, there is green bean filling that is meticulously prepared, making it unforgettable for visitors when tasted in Ninh Binh. After a day of sightseeing in Ninh Binh, friends can enjoy these delicious cakes in the evening in Ninh Binh city.
Recommended place: Bánh Trôi Bánh Tray – 2 Van Giang, Ninh Binh.
Kim Son Wine
One of the most famous local specialties in Ninh Binh. Kim Son wine contributes to enriching the local cuisine, and tourists from everywhere buy it as a gift for their close friends. Kim Son wine has an alcohol content ranging from 39 to 45 degrees, depending on the desired strength ordered by tourists. In Ninh Binh, it is often combined with goat’s horn chili to create a unique specialty called Ngoc Duong wine.
Recommended place: Tam Phat Restaurant – Ninh Binh.
Carp Vermicelli (Bánh Đa Cá Rô)
With numerous lakes and rivers, Ninh Binh boasts rich and diverse aquatic resources. Local fishermen harvest grass carp in large quantities, turning it into popular dishes such as carp vermicelli, carp rice noodles, and carp sticky rice.
Yen Mac Fermented Pork Roll (Nem Chua Yen Mac)
Fermented pork rolls first appeared during the Nguyen dynasty. This delicious dish delivers a unique flavor not found in any other type of nem in our country. According to historical accounts, the daughter of high-ranking official Pham Than Duat created the recipe. To prepare it, cooks finely slice the meat, compress it until cooked, and allow it to ferment naturally. Wrapped in banana leaves with a hint of omelette, the nem reveals a light pink color when unwrapped and pairs perfectly with diluted fish sauce and garlic.
Ninh Binh locals say, “Yen Mac, the specialty is fermented pork rolls; when hosting a big party, people often buy them as gifts.” Therefore, tourists visiting Ninh Binh often have the opportunity to enjoy this dish at restaurants and buy it as a gift for their families.
Ninh Binh Culinary Q&A
Where to find delicious and affordable food in Ninh Binh?
Hoang Dieu, Tran Hung Dao, and the streets in Kim Son district are the focal points for numerous Ninh Binh specialty restaurants with irresistibly attractive flavors. To save your wallet, you can explore Luong Van Tuy Street, Hoang Hoa Tham Street, or areas near high schools to try many local delicacies at extremely “budget-friendly” prices.
Upscale restaurants in Ninh Binh
While Ninh Binh may not have many 5-star standard restaurants, there is no shortage of luxurious and high-quality dining establishments with impeccable service. Let DanangPrivateCar.com suggest some options for you:
- Kim Da Restaurant
- Address: Square 2, Kim Da Village, Ninh Binh
- Price range: 100,000 – 300,000 VND/dish
- Binh Dung Restaurant
- Address: Alley 668 Ngo Gia Tu, Doan Ket Street, Ninh Binh
- Price range: 100,000 – 500,000 VND/dish
- Duc De Restaurant
- Address: 446 Nguyen Hue, Nam Binh, Ninh Binh
- Price range: 100,000 – 3,000,000 VND/dish
The list of delicious dishes in Ninh Binh is not only diverse but also unique, featuring a plethora of local produce. Combined with the skillful culinary techniques of the local residents, it truly offers a gourmet experience. What are you waiting for? Pack your bags and head to Ninh Binh with DanangPrivateCar.com!
