Da Lat Cuisine — A Unique Highland Region
The cool climate and fertile red basalt soil create a fresh source of vegetables all year round. Da Lat is the vegetable basket of the entire South — artichokes, strawberries, pumpkins, carrots, and green peas are all grown here.
15 Unmissable Dishes
1. Da Lat Shumai Bread
Unlike Saigon or Hanoi bread, Da Lat bread is served with pork meatball shumai in a rich tomato sauce. The price is only from 15.000–25.000đ/loaf, usually sold early in the morning.
2. Banh Can — Eating Beside the Red Charcoal Stove
Banh can is a signature breakfast dish of Da Lat locals — small cakes baked in earthenware molds, eaten with quail eggs, dried shrimp, scallion oil, and specially prepared fish sauce.
3. Da Lat Grilled Pork Sausage
Grilled pork sausage wrapped in rice paper, rice vermicelli, fresh herbs, and dipped in a signature hoisin soybean sauce. Phan Dinh Phung Street (Ward 2) is the most famous grilled pork sausage street.
4. Fresh Strawberries & Strawberry Products
Da Lat strawberries have a much more natural sweet and sour flavor than those grown in the lowlands. Buying fresh strawberries, strawberry jam, strawberry wine, strawberry ice cream, or simply a strawberry smoothie is wonderful.
5–15. Other Worth-Trying Dishes
Artichoke stewed chicken (a famous specialty that helps clear heat), Da Lat version of Hue beef noodle soup that is less spicy, hot soy milk drunk in the morning, butter roasted sweet potatoes sold by street vendors, night market grilled rice paper, Da Lat wine made from strawberries and grapes, Central Highlands style dry pho, unique artichoke ice cream, salt-roasted chestnuts, and dried artichoke tea to bring home as gifts.
Unmissable Dining Addresses
The Da Lat Market area (Ward 1) has the highest concentration of food stalls and eateries. Phan Dinh Phung Street has grilled pork sausage and grilled rice paper. The night market area around Xuan Huong Lake is the place to enjoy street food in the evening.
