1. Journey to Discover Tay Ninh Cuisine
1.1. Culinary Culture Characteristic of the Land of Sun and Wind
In the land of Tay Ninh, full of sun and wind, the Tay Ninh food street emerges as a vivid picture of the culture and people here. Tay Ninh cuisine carries simple, rustic characteristics but is rich in every dish, like the sincere, hospitable character of the people of this land.
Tay Ninh cuisine is rustic yet unique. (Source: Collected)
The cuisine here is not elaborate or flashy, yet it captivates tourists with its "very Tay Ninh" flavor: the pungent spiciness of chili, the salty richness of shrimp salt, the clear sweetness of bone broth in a bowl of banh canh, or the chewy aroma of each layer of sun-dried rice paper. All blend together, creating a unique identity that cannot be mixed with countless other regions.
1.2. Why Tay Ninh becomes a culinary paradise
Tay Ninh is located at the intersection between the Southeast and Southern regions, bordering Cambodia; its special geographical location helps the local culinary culture absorb the essence from many different regions. This very interaction has formed dishes that are both familiar and new, harmonizing rustic flavors with the sophistication of traditional culinary art.
No need for delicacies, rustic dishes like Trang Bang banh canh, sun-dried rice paper, young buffalo, fermented fish, or characteristic vegetarian dishes are enough to make tourists remember forever. The soul of Tay Ninh cuisine lies in the fact that no matter where you enjoy it, you can still feel the flavors of the land, the sun and wind, and the kindhearted people.
The Tay Ninh culinary street is not just a destination to enjoy delicious food, but also a journey to explore living culture, a place where each dish tells a story about the people, nature, and the identity of the holy land.
2. Specialty dishes that make the Tay Ninh culinary street famous
2.1. Trang Bang Banh Canh
If you have strolled around the Tay Ninh culinary street, you will see Trang Bang banh canh as a symbol of this sunny and windy land. A steaming hot bowl of banh canh, inside are pure white, soft, and chewy noodles mixed in a clear broth, with a sweet and clear taste from simmered bones and perfectly cooked, crispy pork knuckle.
Not just a delicious dish, Trang Bang banh canh is also associated with a story steeped in human kindness. Legend has it that during the Nguyen Dynasty, there was a woman who sold banh canh to support her family, but out of compassion, she often gave it to the poor for free. Later, she passed down the recipe to many people, which gradually became a livelihood and a source of pride for the Trang Bang region.
Trang Bang banh canh specialty embodies the culture and tradition of the people of Tay Ninh. (Source: Collected)
Today, when enjoying a bowl of banh canh in Tay Ninh's culinary street, visitors not only feel the sweet, rich, and fragrant taste but also the warmth and sincerity of the people here, who have cherished and preserved their homeland's delicacy through generations.
2.2. Tay Ninh young beef
Young beef has long been a famous specialty, compelling anyone visiting Tay Ninh's culinary street to stop and enjoy it. Young beef has a natural tenderness, a hint of milk, a mild sweetness, and a thin skin, distinctly different from mature beef. This is young cattle, about 5 – 6 months old, raised freely on vast grasslands, so each slice of meat carries a unique fresh and delicious flavor.
Tay Ninh young buffalo is a pride of Tay Ninh cuisine. (Source: Collected)
Tay Ninh young buffalo can be prepared in many different dishes: grilled, stir-fried, dipped in vinegar, cooked in hot pot, or boiled and rolled with rice paper. Among them, grilled young buffalo and young buffalo rolled with rice paper and wild vegetables are the two most popular dishes. The golden-brown grilled buffalo pieces, dipped in spicy fish sauce, awaken all the senses of diners.
The aroma of beef mixed with kitchen smoke spreads throughout the small eateries, creating an unforgettable culinary experience.
2.3. Ba Den Mountain Snails
If banh canh and young buffalo represent the rustic flavors, then Ba Den Mountain snails carry the soul of Tay Ninh's mountains and forests. These snails live in the caves around Ba Den Mountain, eating medicinal leaves and roots, so their meat is sweet and crispy and are considered a nutritious dish, even regarded by folk medicine as a precious remedy.
Mountain snails are not easy to catch, only appearing in the rainy season, and are usually sold in large restaurants in the city. The price of snails ranges from about 200,000 – 250,000 VND/kg but they are "rare and hard to find", therefore, when you have the chance to visit the Tay Ninh food street, mountain snails are an experience you shouldn't miss.
Locals have created many unique preparation methods: rich coconut stir-fried snails, fragrant steamed snails with ginger and lemongrass, golden-brown grilled snails with fish sauce, or spicy satay stir-fried snails. Each dish has its own flavor, both rustic and refined. Sipping a spoonful of the thick sauce made from coconut, ginger, lemongrass, and Tay Ninh chili salt, diners will feel the sweet, refreshing taste mixed with a slight spiciness, fully experiencing the mountain and forest aroma in each snail bite.
2.4. Other Specialty Dishes to Try
Tay Ninh cuisine is not just about Trang Bang banh canh, young buffalo, or Ba Den Mountain snails, but also a world of delicious dishes with their own unique imprint. Strolling around the Tay Ninh food street, you can easily encounter nem buoi, an elegant vegetarian dish with a light sour taste, a satisfying crunch, and the fragrant aroma of roasted rice powder.
Besides, Ba Den Mountain lizards are an exotic specialty, with chewy, sweet meat and rich mountain forest flavors. Meanwhile, avocado rice paper is a familiar snack, chewy, soft, rich, with a hint of spiciness, associated with the childhood of many Tay Ninh natives.
From main courses to snacks, each flavor carries its own story about the people and the land. This diversity has created a colorful Tay Ninh food street, where visitors can fully experience the essence of Southern East cuisine in just one stroll.
3. Notable Destinations for the Tay Ninh Food Street Experience
3.1. Tay Ninh Night Market
- Location: Along Yet Kieu - Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, Tan Ninh Ward, Tay Ninh
Tay Ninh Night Market is the most vibrant stop when mentioning the Tay Ninh food street. From 1 PM to midnight, the market is always brightly lit and filled with laughter.
The market is divided into three main areas: food, entertainment, and shopping. Take a stroll, and you'll find a series of attractive delicacies: Trang Bang banh canh, grilled beef, dew-dried rice paper, specialty desserts, or steaming skewers of grilled food. The aroma of food spreads, blending with the lively sounds of vendors' calls, creating a vibrant picture characteristic of this sunny and windy land.
Besides food, the shopping area at the night market is also worth experiencing. Visitors can find handicrafts, souvenirs, pepper, coffee, or specialty fish sauce, all deeply imbued with the spirit of Tay Ninh's countryside. Especially, the people here are friendly and amiable; you can chat, bargain freely, and feel the simple rhythm of local life.
3.2. Canh An Ecological Cuisine
- Location: San Cu Street, Ninh Hiep Hamlet, Ninh Thanh Ward, Tay Ninh Province
Canh An Ecological Cuisine is one of the most attractive destinations on the Tay Ninh food street. This place harmoniously combines the beauty of the Vietnamese countryside with modern European-style touches.
The spacious, airy area is surrounded by lush greenery and crystal-clear lakes. Small huts built by the lake, rustic bamboo railings, simple wooden tables and chairs, all bring a sense of peace and familiarity, like returning to the countryside of one's childhood.
The menu here is equally rich, with Tay Ninh specialties such as barrel-grilled chicken, Huynh De crab, sweet and sour fried fish, coconut heart salad, vegetarian termite mushroom hot pot... All dishes are prepared from fresh ingredients and creatively presented on rustic bamboo plates and wooden boards.
Unique landscape at Canh An ecological cuisine. (Source: Collected)
Besides enjoying delicious food, visitors can also go fishing, feed Koi fish, or watch water music at night, contributing to a more memorable experience.
3.3. Long Hoa Market
- Location: Long Hoa Ward, Tay Ninh Province
If night markets are bustling and vibrant, Long Hoa Market offers a gentle, leisurely experience in the journey to explore Tay Ninh's culinary streets. Long Hoa Market, with its large scale, boasts an impressive cross-shaped architecture with 8 main gates symbolizing the Eight Trigrams, a spiritual symbol of the Cao Dai religion.
Built in 1952, Long Hoa Market is the largest commercial center in the province, and also a place that clearly reflects the local people's culture and beliefs. The vegetarian food area here particularly attracts visitors with its refined and pure dishes: vegetarian spring rolls, banh canh chao, vegetarian mam nem, sweet mung bean soup, or lightly sweet mung bean cakes. Each dish is elaborately prepared, reflecting the benevolent spirit and simple lifestyle of Cao Dai followers.
Not just a shopping place, Long Hoa Market is also considered a "living museum" of Tay Ninh culture, where visitors can feel the slow pace of life, mingled with the familiar laughter and voices of the local people.
3.4. Streets Concentrating Traditional Specialty Eateries
When arriving at Tay Ninh's culinary streets, visitors cannot miss the bustling streets with numerous eateries bearing strong local imprints:
- Lac Long Quan Street: Famous for eateries like Com Chay Tri An, Banh Canh Nam Dung…
- April 30th Street: Concentrates many special eateries such as Truong Nam vegetarian restaurant – vegetarian hu tieu, Bo De Tam vegetarian restaurant, Pho Tho Da Tan Mui, Cay Bang grilled beef restaurant…
- Nguyen Chi Thanh Street: is a paradise for famous young beef eateries such as Bo Non La (No. 255) and Dat Tay Ninh young beef (No. 350).
Each street tells its own story, where every aroma, every dish encapsulates the hospitable spirit of the Tay Ninh people.
4. Suggested Tourist Destinations and Tay Ninh Culinary Experiences
4.1. Ba Den Mountain
Ba Den Mountain, with a height of 986m, is known as the "roof of the South", possessing magnificent natural beauty and profound spiritual value. With its grand spiritual complex, majestic natural landscape, and world-leading modern cable car system, this is an indispensable stop on the journey to explore the holy land.
An attractive and experiential journey to explore Nui Ba Den.
On the mountaintop, visitors have the opportunity to admire the majestic 72m-tall Phat Ba Tay Bo Da Son statue amidst the clouds and sky, along with the sandstone Bodhisattva Maitreya statue symbolizing compassion, peace, and joy. For lunch, visitors can experience cuisine at the Van Son Buffet restaurant. The restaurant serves a variety of Asian-European dishes and especially vegetarian options, suitable for all customers.
Every Saturday evening, the Lamp Offering Ceremony takes place brilliantly with thousands of sparkling lights, creating a sacred and mystical scene. Amidst the harmonious space of clouds, sky, and the sacred land, Nui Ba Den offers visitors a sense of peace, reverence, and pride in the sacred symbol of the Southern region.
4.2. Ho Dau Tieng Lake
Ho Dau Tieng Lake is considered the 'green lung' of Southern Vietnam, about 90-100 km from Ho Chi Minh City, making it an ideal choice for short trips or weekend picnics.
The beauty of Ho Dau Tieng lies in its tranquility and pristine nature. The calm lake surface reflects the clouds and sky, surrounded by green grass and a cool breeze carrying fresh moisture. Visitors can camp by the shore, picnic, paddleboard while watching the sunset, or relax by fishing amidst the serene scenery. Visitors can prepare picnic ingredients at Ho Dau Tieng by visiting local markets. This allows them to experience local culture while personally selecting the freshest and most characteristic ingredients of Tay Ninh for their meal.
4.3. Lang Trang Bang
When visiting Tay Ninh, don't miss the opportunity to visit the Trang Bang Rice Paper Village, which has preserved culinary essence for over two centuries. Visitors can witness firsthand the traditional dew-kissed rice paper making process, from batter preparation, dew-kissing, to packaging the finished product. You can also try making the rice paper yourself and enjoy the freshly made, chewy, and fragrant batches right out of the oven. Currently, the village also organizes an annual cultural tourism festival to honor the traditional craft and promote local specialties. Besides the famous dew-kissed rice paper, there are also a variety of attractive variations such as grilled rice paper, mixed rice paper, shrimp rice paper... contributing to the unique identity of the Tay Ninh region.
Pho Am Thuc Tay Ninh is where the culinary essence of the Southeastern region of Southern Vietnam converges, offering an unforgettable experience for all visitors. Each dish, each small eatery encapsulates the homeland's flavors and sincere hospitality. If you have the chance to visit Tay Ninh, don't miss the journey around the culinary street to fully appreciate the simple yet rich beauty of this land.
