Top 10 Best Restaurants in Hue [Updated]
Eating local food is an interest of most travellers. Some of the most popular Vietnamese dishes come from Hue. Therefore, when visiting Hue - the former capital of Vietnam, make sure you visit the following best restaurants in Hue.
Visiting the best restaurant in Hue, not only will you have a chance to enjoy authentic Hue foods, but they also have remarkable interiors and exceptional service. In addition to traditional Hue restaurants, there are plenty of expat-owned ones serving familiar western food including pasta, pizzas and grilled meats in this city. In this article, we will provide the list of restaurants in Hue, from local eateries to international restaurants, that are popular among locals and tourists.
1. Ancient Hue Restaurant
- Address: 104/47 Kim Long Street, Hue city
- Opening hours: 07:00 am – 10:00 pm
- Average price: 12 - 40 USD
Ancient Hue Restaurant
Just like the name of it, Ancient Hue Restaurant reminds you of the 1800s. This is the best restaurant in Hue that offers authentic royal cuisine. In addition to the food, guests can also enjoy local artwork and traditional dance performances when coming here.
The Ancient Hue restaurant is located in Kim Long Street. There are a garden and a lake outside of this restaurant. When you enter, you can find that dining sections are decorated with silk cushions and ceramic vases. If you are into Vietnam history, you will find the restaurant’s art gallery interesting. There are abstract paintings, traditional crafts, and ceramic works by local artists.
The restaurant serves regional dishes and especially the Royal Course Dinner which is highly recommended. Besides, you can attend a private cooking class about authentic Vietnamese dishes. The course costs US$100 for two, and you have a chance to take a boat trip to Dong Ba Market to get ingredients for the cooking class. Afterward, you will return to the restaurant and learn to cook dishes such as bun bo hue (Hue beef noodle soup) following the chef’s instruction.
2. Le Parfum Hue Restaurant
- Address: La Residence Hue Hotel & Spa, Hue city
- Opening Hours: 06:00 am – 10:30 am & 11:30 am – 11:00 pm
- Average price: 10 - 50 USD
If you are looking for a luxury dining venue, why don't you go to the Le Parfum Restaurant. The restaurant is famous for its French - Vietnamese dishes that are served with European wines. Some popular dishes are roasted lamb rack or chicken with smoked eggplant. It also serves local foods such as bun bo Hue.
This Hue restaurant is set within a colonial-style building of La Residence Hue Hotel & Spa. If you book a table upstairs, you will have an opportunity to enjoy amazing views of the hotel’s herb garden as well as Perfume River.
Le Parfum Restaurant
The restaurant doesn’t exclusively serve hotel guests, anyone can come and enjoy a meal here. For breakfast, guests are served buffet style. The menu includes a wide range of local and international dishes. There are also tropical fruits available on the table. However, eggs and pancakes are mostly requested here. Guests can comfortably serve themselves with both western and local style coffee.
In the evenings, Le Parfum restaurant offers a dining menu of Vietnamese and international dishes. On each table, there is a basket of warm bread with butter, balsamic and pesto – ground. You can eat them while waiting for the food to be served. The food is delicious and nutritious with diverse menus for starters and main dishes.
For starters, Hue Salads is a healthy option with items such as Pomelo, green mango and banana flower with crispy shallots and fish sauce. The flavour is amazing with fresh ingredients and spice.
For main courses, the foods look appealing as those served for royalty families under the Nguyen Dynasty. Top choices include carved veggies, rice towers and fresh herbs. A lean choice can be Grilled Red Snapper which includes sautéed vegetables, lotus rice and lemongrass sauce or Steamed Sea Bass with broccoli mash, tomato and lemongrass salsa.
Your dinner can’t be completed without dessert. Your options are Sorbet with coconut flavour or the Sweet Egg Nest of Le Parfum. The dessert hidden under a bamboo cage includes toffee and chocolate. The creamy coconut mousse look like the white of an egg with a strawberry heart in the middle. All the dishes are delicious but a bit pricey. You won’t regret coming here.
3. Tropical Garden Restaurant Hue
- Address: 27 Chu Van An Street, Hue city
- Opening Hours: 09:00 am – 10:00 pm
- Average price: 10 - 15 USD
Tropical Garden Restaurant
Tropical Garden Restaurant is close to Dong Ba Market and Truong Tien Bridge, therefore, it is a popular destination for tourists. The reason why it is in the top 10 best restaurants in Hue is that it serves a wide range of Vietnamese dishes and hosts live music at night. It is a two-storey house, built with Vietnamese architecture. You can choose to sit at a communal table inside and or a thatched hut within its tropical garden.
Thanks to its amazing garden, the restaurant is an ideal space to spend the evening. Coming here, guests should enjoy Nem Lui which is minced pork rolls wrapped in lemongrass. The dish will be served with rice paper, fresh greens, and peanut sauce. In addition, you should try traditional Hue foods such as Banh Beo (steamed rice cake), and fried crab.
Amazing garden in Tropical Garden Restaurant
4. Les Jardins De La Carambole in Hue
- Address: 32 Dang Tran Con Street, Hue city
- Opening Hours: 08:00 am – 10:00 pm
- Average price: 5 - 50 USD
Les Jardins De La Carambole is another luxury destination for your dinner with views of Perfume River and Hue City Centre. The restaurant serves authentic French, Italian, Vietnamese cuisine. In addition to a classy villa setting, it is also close to the Complex of Hue Monuments. That’s why it has been a popular dining place among travelers. Coming here, guests can also enjoy live piano performances upstairs.
This restaurant was influenced by French architecture. The menu focuses on Gallic classics and also Vietnamese cuisine. There is also a wide range of wine, making it the best restaurant in Hue for a romantic dinner.
The main dishes include beef bourguignon, grilled chicken with chili and lemongrass, and grilled sea bass fish with Mediterranean sauce. Apart from the main course, guests have plenty of options with dessert, from French crepes, crème brûlée, and chocolate mousse to pineapple fritters and green bean ice cream. Although this restaurant is a bit pricey, it is a perfect combination of location, setting and service.
Les Jardins De La Carambole
5. Elegant Restaurant Hue
- Address: 29 Vo Thi Sau Street, Hue city
- Opening Hours: 08:00 am – 11:00 pm
- Price range: 2 - 20 USD
Located on Vo Thi Sau Street, Elegant Restaurant Hue serves affordable local delicacies and potent cocktails in a cozy atmosphere. It is just a 10-minute walk from Truong Tien bridge, a popular tourist destination in Hue.
Some standout dishes are BBQ shrimp on sugarcane, caramelized pork with sesame, and noodles with shredded chicken. If you miss Western food, you can opt for English breakfasts, sandwiches, pizzas and pasta that cost you from VND 65,000 ($2,80). There is also a wide range of beers, liquors, cocktails, and imported wines.
Elegant Restaurant Hue
6. Mandarin Cafe Hue
Address: 24 Tran Cao Van Street, Hue city
Opening Hours: Daily 06:00 – 22:00
Price range: 2 - 15 USD
Are you looking for a relaxing space while exploring the city? Come to Mandarin Café, you will find plenty of cheap options for Vietnamese and western beverages such as refreshing fruit shakes and local coffee. This Hue restaurant was founded in 1990 by a local photographer. Step inside, you will see a lot of portraits of the local lifestyle and iconic attractions. If you like them, you can buy them as a souvenir. The restaurant also serves some snacks and light meals such as fried noodle (with beef, pork, shrimp or vegetables) banh khoai with seafood (Vietnamese crepe), and banana pancake. You can also book a tour or rent a bike here.
Mandarin Cafe Hue
7. Tinh Gia Vien Restaurant Hue
- Address: 7K/28 Le Thanh Ton Street, Hue city
- Opening Hours: 08:00 am – 10:30 pm
- Average price: 10 - 30 USD
The number 7 in the list of top 10 best restaurants in Hue is Tinh Gia Vien Restaurant. It is also another place to enjoy Vietnamese imperial cuisine. With an elegant setting that reminds you of a royal palace, the restaurant’s surrounding is full of paper lanterns, bonsai and flowers. There is also a miniature pond and waterfall. Waitresses are dressed in traditional Hue costumes, which might attract tourists when they first come here.
The restaurant serves set menus that include royal costume rentals, drinks and dessert. The set menu costs from USD10 to USD17 per person. Tinh Gia Vien Restaurant Hue is also close to Thien Mu Pagoda and the Royal Citadel. So it is a good spot for a stop-over.
Tinh Gia Vien restaurant
8. Nina’s Café
- Address: 16/34 Nguyen Tri Phuong Street, Hue city
- Opening Hours: 08:00 am – 10:30 pm
- Price Range: 2 - 10 USD
Nina’s Café is a cheap destination for Vietnamese dishes. From squid cooked with lemongrass and chili peppers, bun thit nuong (barbecued pork with rice noodles and greens), mien xao (fried noodles), nem lui (pork wrapped in lemongrass) to nom hoa chuoi (banana flower salad), and banh beo (steamed rice cakes), you will find them all here with reasonable prices. Guests can also opt for set menus that cost around VND 150,000 ($6.5). Standouts desserts are caramel pudding or ice-cream. Besides, Nina’s Café offers cooking classes and tours to famous destinations in Hue. You should visit this Hue restaurant when coming to the city.
Nina’s Café
9. Hanh Restaurant Hue
- Address: 11 Pho Duc Chinh Street, Hue
- Opening Hours: Daily 10:00 – 21:00
- Average price: 2 - 10 USD
Hanh Restaurant Hue is set on Pho Duc Chinh Street, which is pretty close to Hue Imperial City. This Hue restaurant serves a set menu with all Hue’s most popular dishes with a price of VND 110,000 ($4,80). The set includes banh beo (steamed rice cake), nem lui, banh khoai (rice pancake), banh cuon thit nuong (BBQ pork wrapped in rice paper), and nem ran (fried spring rolls).
Hanh Restaurant Hue
10. Risotto Hue
- Address: 14 Nguyen Cong Tru Street, Hue city
- Opening Hours: 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
- Price range: 2 - 20 USD
Risotto Hue
Risotto Hue is the best restaurant in Hue that serves Italian cuisine at affordable prices. This is the right place to go to when you crave for home food during your holiday in this city. The restaurant is set in a two-storey house with colorful lanterns and wall murals. Having dinner at this place, you will have a chance to enjoy views of Perfume River. Standout dishes are seafood risotto, homemade spinach and ricotta gnocchi, and pizza Margherita.
In conclusion, Hue cuisine has its own unique and sophisticated. If you are planning to visit this beautiful city, don't forget to note down those best restaurants and make a try.
Now it's time for you looking for best Hue tours!
Vana Pham
Image source: Internet