Food lover? Yeah, tell me about it, I’m one too. Here’s a bit for the foodie in you, the best Vietnamese food here in Hoi An, and where to get it in this small town. 

Phin Coffee

In Hoi An, hunting for cafes is something you’d love doing. When we talk about this fabulous coffee house downtown with a lovely garden and outdoor seating, we wonder how this gem is hidden in some random alley of town. 

This cafe is also the first place where Jai tried the egg coffee for the first time, and how he gorged himself on it is another story altogether. We even tried the homemade toast, two of the flavors. One was the delicious avocado and tomato, and the showstopper has to be their banana and Nutella toast! 

Phi Banh Mi

Authentically, the crunchy loaf of bread topped with chili sauces, loads of veggies matched up with tofu, meat, and egg choices, furthermore toasted till perfection is a daytime snack. For us, sometimes, when we ordered two together, it was a full meal. The owner Phi is a very friendly guy, and this family-run Restaurant has only one mantra, ” If our customers are happy, we are happy.” And that reflects in their service. 

What brings Phi Banh Mi on this chart is that they make their bread fresh, and all ingredients used are homemade. Even the chilly sauces used are homemade (it takes as much as two months to marinate and to acquire the sharp, balanced taste), the food is so perfect here, we ended up going here for tasty sandwiches multiple times a week. I bet you’d too!

Phi’s mom is a very loving lady, and we met her a couple of times when we visited the Restaurant. When I used Google translate to tell her that she is beautiful, she smiled shyly. Phi’s love for Banh Mi is evident in the fact that he nicknamed his son Banh Mi.

Mix Greek

Hoi An wouldn’t have been the experience it was if we hadn’t eaten at this Greek Restaurant in the town. A very humble place with no huge banners or billboards; this Restaurant is located on the street and has a tiny entrance door. 

While we were going through the menu at the door, a couple said, “Don’t think, just go inside. You will love this place”. And that’s how we ended up being a regular. The moment you enter, you feel welcome by its lovely interiors. The host is a super cool, friendly person who’d walk table to table and talk to people. His crafty, sharing attitude was such that he’d make this connect with every person walking in the Restaurant. 

Plus, the food reaches the ‘heavenly- top-tier in our books,’ particularly we loved the Pita-Falafel and Hummus platters, such a blast of flavors. 

Salads and Souvlaki were great too, but what stole the show was the Banana-Chocolate Dessert Mosaic, which everyone would get after their meal. (Yes, it’s on the house, and yes, it’s one of the things you’d go to Greek Mix for, again and again). Mix Greek was our go-to place for dinner during our stay in Hoi An. 

Restaurant and Cafe Tuan

If neon lanterns are glowing out of a cafe on the sidewalks of Hoi An, pretty much you could be anywhere else in the town, but if you smell enticing food, hear beer mugs clunking and chatter coming down from the dining table, you probably are at this favorite cafe Tuan in Hoi An!

Swarming with foodies and travelers, they boast about their tasty options and local dishes. To make a cut above, you can choose from local lagers to go with your meal. Very basic, in-brick structure, they have a super welcoming vibe where you can meet anyone from professionals, backpackers, to an artist running a French gallery, or a group of outgoing local students enjoying their time together!

Ba Dam Vegetarian Restaurant

An apt pick for brunch in Hoi An, Ba Dam is open only for breakfast and lunch. Their buffets are loaded with a choice of 5-6 veggies and the same number of mock meat options. 

The best time to visit this Restaurant is between 11 and noon when the buffet is served with a complete menu. This cafe is run by ladies, from cooking and serving food to taking payments, everywhere you will see these beautiful smiling ladies. 

Are you craving a fulfilling meal? Go there!

Mango Mango Restaurant

Are you a fan of aesthetics, this colorful eatery is meant for you to visit. Located on the riverside, the terrace of this food joint overlooks the famous Japanese bridge of town and the silent, always-shimmering Hoi An market. Offering value for money, they have a couple of authentic Vietnamese dishes that you can enjoy with your favorite drink on the side. 

Madam Khanh: The Banh Mi Queen

With her Restaurant’s waiting lines sometimes taking over the entire street, this little basic cafe has a super simple setup, but that does not matter. Their specialty is one- Banh Mi, and trust me, they do wonder with it!

Madam Khanh serves, hands down, the best Banh Mi in town. The crunchy baguette is prepared first hand. The flavor is amazingly unique and fresh because her ingredients give Madam Khanh a signature style that no one has managed to match up with (at least anywhere else we went for a Banh Mi sandwich).

Go and sit up with locals and foreigners alike, you’d find someone to talk to at all times and go with that, a sizzling Banh Mi! 

Hoi An Roastery

A famous brand in Hoi An, this roastery has about seven outlets in Hoi An itself selling premium quality home-grown and roasted coffee beans. The strong and aromatic coffee with lovely courtyards and warm interiors, comfortable seatings, and caring staff, are few of the top things about this cafe chain. Bring your book and enjoy a lovely afternoon at this place. 

All their cafes are beautiful with old-style architecture and an organic garden. Plus, a sister brand in the name of Coco Box sells fresh jams, aroma oils, and honey for you to take along the ride. 

Lantern Town Restaurant

Bougainvillea and everything beautiful, this open space restaurant decorated in hand made artifacts and lanterns is an experience as it is. An unmatched ambiance at this place with indoor seating, front lawn open seating, and a terrace setting that overlooks the yellow lantern town. Food is excellent, and the best part is that they have a sample platter where you can taste multiple Vietnamese dishes on a testing pattern platter. 

Miss Ly Cafe

The popular name game and you would see Miss Ly everywhere on the internet. And that popularity doesn’t go unnoticed, which you’ll quickly notice once waiting for a couple of minutes before actually getting a table. They offer multiple long-standing classic Vietnamese dishes and star dishes remain, Cao Lau, deep-fried wonton, and the super-rich white rose dumplings. 

All that isn’t the end, though. Standing out in town when you see steams and vapors rising from a cart on the aisle by the road, people lining by the sidewalk with one hand stretched into their pocket wallets, and the other reaching out for a hot or cold, wrapped in newspaper or spread on a plate snack, that’s when you know that you need to stop and join the crowd, cause that’s what the language of food speaks!