
There are a lot of great places to eat local Vietnamese food in Da Nang. This city has everything, from central Vietnamese specialties, to varieties of banh mi, and pho inspired by Northern and Southern Vietnamese cooking styles. When we first landed in Da Nang in May 2017 it was difficult to find good local Da Nang restaurants with local prices, close to our accommodation. We were living close to the beach, so It seemed everywhere we looked all we could find were expensive touristy restaurants, or international foods.
It turns out we just needed to walk a little further, and branch out to find great local restaurants in Da Nang, even if we didn’t know what was being served. We’ve developed a short list of small eateries where you can get the local flavors for less than $3, and we’ve already tried them out for you. This list is by no means all-inclusive, there are so many great places around, these are just our go to’s, Da Nang restaurants that we continue to eat at on a weekly basis. Be sure to do some of your own gastronomic exploring around Da Nang and tell us about your discoveries!
Some of these restaurants are easily located on Google Maps, but for others we’ve included directions. All of these places are within walking distance of An Thuong area, so go on, get out there and give your tongue the culinary stimulation it’s been waiting for.
6 LOCAL DA NANG RESTAURANTS WHERE YOU CAN EAT FOR UNDER $3

B O N E P H U O N G A N H
signature dish: bo ne or bo kho | 37k or 32k vnd // $1.60 or $1.40 usd
There aren’t many Vietnamese foods that remind us of a western breakfast. When someone mentioned Bo Ne and described it as “Vietnamese Steak & Eggs” we were sold. We’d seen Bo Ne listed on a menu outside one of the local spots so we decided to stop and give it a try, 3 months later and we’ve probably eaten here more than any other restaurant in the area.
The owner is a sweet woman named Khi Ma. She’s been living here in Da Nang for 53 years, and runs the shop with her husband, and their adorable friendly kitties. Just pull up a stool at one of her metal tables under an umbrella, or retreat inside away from the sun.

WHAT TO ORDER
Khi Ma has a few options, but we tend to stick to her specialties Bo Ne or Bo Kho.
Bo Ne announces it’s arrival to your table as the thinly sliced sizzling steak and sunny side up egg are served bubbling on a cow shaped stoneware plate. Soak up all the extra juices with the mini baguette, Banh Mi, that comes alongside or stuff it all inside and eat it like a sandwich.
Bo Kho is a Vietnamese beef stew served in a small metal dish with a banh mi on the side. Dig in and you’ll find savory chunks of tender beef, potatoes, carrots and onions with an egg on the bottom all cooked up in the satisfying broth.
There’s no wrong way to eat this dish, get creative. I typically cut the bread lengthwise like a sandwich and stuff the provided lettuce, sliced cucumbers and tomatoes inside. Next I spoon in a chunk of beef, and give the sandwich a dunk before taking a huge bite. A smile will cross your face as you wipe the juices from your thankful chin.
HOW TO GET THERE
“Bo Ne Phuong Anh” is listed in google, so it’s not hard to find. You’ll find her on Hoang Ke Viem at the western end close to the catholic church. It will be on your left side across from Sen Apartment. Look for the metal tables and stools set up under the umbrella. They are open in the morning and usually close by 2PM.
2020 Update: They have a new location! You'll find them around the corner from their old location under the same name 👍


B I C H B A N H C A N H
signature dish: banh canh bot loc | 30k - 40k vnd // $1.30 - 1.40 usd
It seems like Vietnam has hundreds of noodle varieties. Just when you think you’ve had them all you discover another one and wonder how it’s taken you this long to try it. We’ve ordered Banh Canh at a few different places in the area, but we’ve never found another one that makes it as good as Bich Banh Canh.
Banh Canh is a thick circular noodle (think very wide spaghetti), with a chewier texture than your standard Bun noodle. This is the kind of restaurant where ordering is hardly necessary. Like many restaurants in Vietnam, they have a specialty dish that they serve to every customer, with slight variations based on personal preference. Just walk in and take your seat.

WHAT TO ORDER
Banh Canh is the dish of choice. Of all the noodle soups in Vietnam, this one stands out because of the flavorful broth and the fried donut stick served on the side. They offer two different varieties of noodles, standard rice noodles (bot gao) and cassava (bot loc). They may give you the option, but typically they just serve us the cassava noodles (which we prefer anyway). The meat is a tender piece of pork short rib served on the bone. We always squeeze a bit of fresh lime juice into the broth and add a bit of chili jam, or flakes...whichever you prefer. Add a spoonful of pickled shallots, and carrots. Rip the donut in half lengthwise and dip it in your broth, allow the comfort and warmth of this dish to envelop you.
HOW TO GET THERE
Banh Canh Bich is currently not listed on Google Maps. They are located on Chau Thi Vinh Te, next to the Catholic Church (search google for An Thuong Parish) and caddy corner from the Vinmart. They’re hours are from 3pm to 10pm but they close when they sell out, which is usually by around 8pm, so getting there while they’re open is the biggest challenge.

“ T H E B A N H M I G U Y “
QUAN BANH MI SAI GON
signature dish: banh mi | 15k vnd // $0.65 usd
There are tons of places to get Banh Mi, mini baguette sandwiches, in the An Thuong area, but none of them can compare to our “Banh Mi Guy” as we’ve officially named him. To be fair, it’s not always a man, sometimes an equally friendly woman makes our toasted baguette sandwiches and hers are just as great. These guys really go the extra mile with the extra ingredients they add to their sandwiches. Trust us, it’s worth the walk.


WHAT TO ORDER
There are so many options when it comes to Banh Mi. We have very limited abilities to order in Vietnamese, so we tend to stick to a few favorites. We always start with a fried egg or trung (sounds like tung) in Vietnamese. For meat we either order thit nuong (sweet bbq pork) ,pronounced tit nung, or heo quay (roasted pork with crispy skin) pronounced like hayo way. Next he’ll pack that sucker full of extra goodies, a schmear of pate, some greens, a few cucumber slices, pickled radish and carrots, chili jam, and some flossy pork to top it off.
These guys also offer Xoi which is sticky rice topped with your choice of accouterment. We tend to order it with Thit Nuong (sweet bbq pork). They’ll also add a schmear of pate, a scoop of chili jam, and a sprinkling of flossy pork on top. This makes for a nice cheap comfort food at 15,000 vnd, and a good back up to your banh mi sandwich if you’re still feeling peckish.
HOW TO GET THERE
Our Banh Mi Guy is located on Phan Tu at the western end near the main road, Ngu Hanh Son. If you’re walking up from the beach, you’ll spot him on the left side outside a Vietnamese ca phe, just past the narrow alley Kiet 18.
Bonus: Grab a refreshingly icey cup of Nuoc Mia (sugar cane juice) on the same street to wash down your sandwich. Usually 5k or 6k vnd for 1 cup, you’ll get to watch them squeeze the juice from the cane, add a dash of salt and a squeeze of kumquat for a citrus-y blast.

L A N A N H P H O H A N O I
signature dish: pho ga | 30k vnd // $1.30 usd
There are literally hundreds of Pho restaurants in Da Nang. Each one is a little different. This place serves Northern style pho with a simply delicious broth and tender wide noodles, topped with green onion. Add your own toppings of chili sauce, pickled garlic, fish sauce, lemon, and basil.

WHAT TO ORDER
Their chicken pho won us over. They serve it without the bones, so it’s much easier to eat than in other places. We tend to order one with chicken and one with beef because we always have a hard time deciding. They’re both great. Gabby insists that this place has the best broth around, Adam’s amateur tongue can’t always tell the difference.
We recently tried their spring roll bun cha which also turned out to be amazing.
HOW TO GET THERE
Lan Anh Pho Ha Noi is on Le Quang Dao, across from the Royal Lotus Hotel.

T H A N H T A M C O F F E E & B A K E R Y
signature dish: croissant w/ passion fruit jam | 40k vnd // $ 1.74 usd
Thanh Tam is the first cafe we ever fell in love with in Da Nang. This charming spot is perfect for sipping coffee while getting some work done on your laptop. Thanh Tam Cafe is just one part of a larger mission, the school it’s attached to is a dedicated to helping physically and mentally challenged children and young adults to develop the life skills needed to integrate them into Vietnamese society. The manager, Mai, is so sweet and her kindness reflects the true mission of this place.


WHAT TO ORDER
You really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu here. They make all of their bread products fresh daily, and their coffee is organic with none of the chemicals that other vietnamese coffees are sometimes treated with. We love their coconut coffee which is a steal at 35,000 vnd. Their pastries are some of the best in the area, and their quiche is the perfect way to start your morning. Gabby relishes in her morning croissant with jam, as she sits in the wicker chairs, and sips on her frosty coconut coffee. If only every morning could be so perfect and carefree.
HOW TO GET THERE
Thanh Tam Coffee and Bakery is located on Ngo Thi Sy near the end of An Thuong 4. They’re listed in google maps, so you can just plug it into your phone.

“ T H E N O O D L E L A D Y ”
QUAN PHO HANOI
signature dish: mi quang bo | 30k VND // $1.30 USD
Our first 2 weeks in Da Nang (back in May 2017) were pretty rough, in the culture shock department. If it hadn’t been for,”the Noodle Lady,” I’m not sure we would have stayed the full month, let alone come back. We’d been having a very difficult time finding a local Vietnamese restaurant that felt authentic. We’d eaten at a few places, but none of them were the kind of place we wanted to go back to.
Finally one night while walking Nguyen Van Thoai we were warmly greeted and welcomed by the Noodle Lady. Her noodles changed our lives that night, and after a few more visits we were sold on Da Nang as a whole. That night was a turning point for us, and by the end of our initial month here we were already making plans for our return.

WHAT TO ORDER
The Noodle Lady has a very basic menu with a few different noodle dishes available. Her Mi Quang is our favorite, although we may be a little biased. Adam always orders the Mi Quang with Beef (Mi Quang Bo) and Gabby usually has the Mi Quang with meat, egg, and shrimp (Mi Quang Tom/Thit/Trung). We always add a healthy scoop of chili jam, and as many of the fresh vegetables as we can fit in our bowls.
HOW TO GET THERE
From An Thuong area, take Le Quang Dao all the way past the Royal Lotus Hotel where it meets up with Nguyen Van Thoai. There will be a seafood BBQ place on your right. The noodle lady is across the street, just to the right. Look for the yellow gate with the metal tables set up along the sidewalk. I’d post the days and hours she’s open but that doesn’t seem to have any consistency. We’ve shown up at between 9 and 11 pm on some nights and she was open, but other times she’s been closed for weeks at a time.

**BONUS**
T A M ‘ S P U B
signature dish: tam’s famous veggie burger | 80k vnd // $3.50 usd
This one isn’t under $3, but we couldn’t write a post about our favorite local restaurants without including Tam. Lunch at Tam’s is an educational experience. You’ll instantly notice the way the place is decorated meticulously with photographs of Da Nang during the war. There’s a lot to take in in here, so start with the menu and stare at the walls once the tough decisions have been made. If you’re lucky, Tam will join you at your table. Every picture on the wall has its own story and she can make each one come to life, we could sit and listen all day.

WHAT TO ORDER
Tam’s Pub is famous for her magic burgers (amazing vegetarian burgers too), though you can’t really go wrong with anything on the menu. She is very particular about the quality of the meat and ingredients she uses. She sources her meat herself and grows some of her own vegetables in her garden. Be sure to bring your appetite because her portion sizes are large.
HOW TO GET THERE
Tam’s Pub and Surf Shack is located on An Thuong 5.
2020 Update: We were sad to learn that Tam's pub is under new management and Tam is nowhere to be seen. All of the military memorabilia has been removed.

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7 Responses
Avery Koch
Thank you for this! I had already been to Tam’s and Thanh Tam…but the others were new to me. I’ve been to the pho place multiple times now and I agree with Gabby…their pho broth is amazing. Plus – they have all the add-ins I loved while in Hanoi..the fish sauce especially. I also had the pleasure of trying Bo Ne..the owner is SO kind. It was such a hearty breakfast.
Are you all Banh Xeo fans? I have a place I highly recommend if so!
LocalNomads
Hey Avery! We’re so happy that you loved the post and found it helpful.:) We love Banh Xeo and really loved Banh Xeo Ba Duong on the other side of the river, but we’d love to know of another awesome spot to check out! And by all means if you find any other gems please tell us. We just left Da Nang for a little while but we’ll check them out as soon as we get back. We’re already missing some of our favorite spots, please enjoy them for us. 😀
Nhu
Love this post <3! I am a Vietnamese but not in Vietnam right now. Just cooked Bo Kho (the first one in your list) yesterday to satisfy my stomach. 😀
LocalNomads
Hi Nhu! Thanks for checking out our post! Bo Kho is one of our favorite foods in Vietnam <3 I checked out your blog, and was pleased to find your guide to Dalat, great post! We are in Dalat now and we love it here! We'll be here for a month 😛 So where are you traveling now?
Nhu
I live in the Netherlands at the moment and planning to go to Croatia for a short trip next month. Just went back to Vietnam in June and decided to start the blog.
I found your posts very interesting and useful since I wanna learn more about digital marketing and remotely working :). Enjoy your trip to Da Lat and I am looking forward to reading your posts there. :p
Rosemary Davison
Was very excited to find all this information and ready to go to Tams tonight. Apparently family fall out and Tam not there. All photos gone and bad reviews. Might have to find the noodle lady
Jacop Hopman
This is a very useful article about what to eat in Da Nang. Honestly, we planned to travel to Vietnam this year but because of Covid 19 so we have to postpone our trip. We will travel to Vietnam right after the Covid gone and they open the border for tourists. And of course, we will enjoy all the dishes you recommended!