Eating and drinking is an indispensable part of Hue culture. Every street corner has a restaurant, street vendor, or market of some kind. However, finding the highest-quality eateries for specific dishes requires time and patience. The following suggestions represent a small fraction of Hue's possibilities.
Spring rolls: Well-known spots for nem lụi include Đông Phưong at 16-18 Nguyễn Huệ Street or similar restaurants on Bà Triệu Street. Guests enjoy meat rolls dipped in nước lèo sauce and eaten with fresh lettuce, green bananas, and thinly sliced figs for 2.000 VND ($0.13) a piece. Hue's writers and poets often meet friends at these restaurants.
Cakes and dumplings: Hue boasts close to a hundred different varieties of pancakes, rolls, dumplings, and similar snack items, all having names beginning with "bánh." Stuffed rice pancakes (bánh khoái) are available at Lac Thien and Lac Thanh Restaurants, both owned by the Le family at Thượng Tứ Gate. Mrs. Hue's restaurant on Nguyen Chi Dieu Street, "Mu T" near the edge of An Dinh, and stalls near the head of Tran Phuc Nhan Street by Ben Ngu Market all serve bánh lọc and bánh nậm. Bánh bèo and bánh ướt served with rice noodles and grilled meat are available at a restaurant near the foot of Ngự Mountain and at Kim Long Restaurant on the bank of the Hương River near Thien Mu Pagoda. Guests can order these dumplings by the plate or by the piece. One dish costs VND5,000 -VND10,000 ($0.31 -$0.63).
Mussel rice: A bowl of spicy cơm hến from Mrs. Cau costs only from 3,000 to 4,000 VND ($0.19 -$0.25) any time from morning to dusk at the corner of Truong Dinh and Ba Huyen Thanh Quan Streets.
Noodles: Truong Dinh and Pham Hong Thai Streets are known for serving Hue noodle soup (bún bò). Other well-known vendors include Mrs. Roi on Ngo Duc Ke Street, Mrs. Be on Ly Thuong Kiet, and Mrs. Vang at Ben Ngu Market. Canh noodles are a specialty on Mai Thuc Loan and Dong Da Streets.
Vegetarian foods: Vegetarianism flourishes in Hue because the city is one of the largest centres of Buddhism in Viet Nam. Hung Vuong and Ba Trieu Streets boast many vegetarian restaurants and snack bars.