With its sophisticated social and cultural diversity, Hoi An now has become one of the destinations that attract plenty of tourists of all ages, whoever comes to Vietnam that could not deny that Hoi An is so charming in terms of its culture, architectural settings, festivals and especially, its culinary art.

“Cooking and eating in a foreign country may be the surest, trustest way to its soul" - Anonymous. Let your heart rule your mind and immerse yourself in the antique architecture as well as gastronomy space in Hoi An. Discover the list of best local restaurants in Hoi An for your unforgettable vacation.

1. Chicken Rice Ba Buoi ("Cơm gà Bà Buội")

There is no doubt that chicken rice is one of the must-try dishes when you travel to Hoi An. Amongst many chicken rice stalls or restaurants in Hoi An, Buoi Grandma restaurant offers a unique flavour and delicious recipes made of chicken, along with fresh ingredients and herbs. "Cơm gà Bà Buội" is the name happened in Hoi An old town from the 50s of the 20th century. The chicken rice was previously peddled in the local market by Buoi Grandma, the restaurant's owner. Her family has currently moved to the new address of No. 22, Phan Chu Trinh Street and her sons now manage the restaurant. It's true to say that Ba Buoi's chicken rice now has continued attracting lots of tourists every day due to its unique flavour and traditional cooking techniques.

Your trip to Hoi An will be fulfilled by delicious dishes made of many fresh ingredients, and in the way, they choose the ingredients as well. They only use the chicken, which is free-ranger in the garden and lay one-egg, so it makes sure that the chicken is firm and has a richer flavour. Herbs are taken directly from Tra Que village nearby to make a perfect dish. Due to a good location and the dishes with a unique flavour, this chicken rice restaurant is one of the best local restaurants for your journey in Hoi An old town.

2. Cao Lau Thanh

“Let’s travel and eat like locals”. Your trip to the ancient town cannot be completed if you miss trying Cao lau noodles which is the foremost traditional food in Hoi An. As a local, the best place to enjoy Cao lau noodles is Thanh's Cao Lau, which is unlike a restaurant but is a small and simple local food stall at No. 26 Thai Phien street.

What makes this local food stall so special? The ingredients do not differ much from other local restaurants; however, the unique and a bit richer taste of the noodles make it outstanding from others. After burning bundle of energies around the old town, your energy will be brought back with a soft, enduring and flavoured dish of Cao lau noodles right on your hands. The prices at Thanh Cao Lau are reasonable, from VND 25.000 - 30.000 for a bowl of noodles.

3. Madam Khanh – The Banh My Queen

Continuing your trip in Hoi An is by visiting one of the best local restaurants with a reputation for serving the best banh mi, called Madam Khanh or The Banh My Queen. Located at No. 115 Tran Cao Van street, this local restaurant is not far from the central town a little bit. It is characterized by a small diner with simple banh mi counter on the street. Though the counter of banh mi queen looks quite small and ordinary, you will see hundreds of compliments written by many tourists from all over the world. The tourists even show a great consideration in calling it by Madam Khanh or The Banh My Queen due to their unconditional love of banh mi.

With a mixed banh mi with fresh vegetables, pork, ham, pate, egg, pickles, cucumber and especially its sauce, foodies from all over the globe will be deluded with its unique flavour. One piece of banh mi sent me into pure banh mi bliss with unforgettable tastes in which are spicy, savoury and a bit sweet as well. That makes the food really sing. So Banh Mi Madam Khanh is considered as one of the best local restaurants or diners in Hoi An.

4. Quan Dau Bac (Northern Style Tofu)

Just a 2 minutes walk from Pagoda Bridge, Quan Dau Bac is a family-owned diner with a simple set of low tables and chairs. This local restaurant is famous for bun dau mam tom, a Hoi An speciality being served with fermented shrimp dipping sauce. It's great for getting a quick meal before exploring the ancient town of Hoi An, with the menu of Vietnamese entrees like fried spring rolls, chicken soup, crispy mushrooms with eggs, etc.

Besides that, Quan Dau Bac also offers plenty of drinks for tourists, including local style soft drink, coffee, tea, fruit juices and local beers. Quan Dau Bac is currently obtaining the popularity of many tourists due to the affordable price ranges and easy accessibility. Additionally, English-speaking owners are very hospitable and willing to share travel guides like where to go and what to eat in Hoi An. With a good location and tasty dishes, Quan Dau Bac is one of the local restaurants that's highly recommended for travellers in the journey to Hoi An.

5. Ba Le Well

Next, you will have a chance to pass by Ba Le Well, a local restaurant serving tasty Banh xeo "Crispy Vietnamese pancakes". The location of Ba e Well is not easy to find actually; however, numerous residents and savvy tourists have been patronizing this restaurant due to its tasty dishes. Ba Le Well is just a small local food restaurant on the road, so there is no menu on hands and no English-speaking staff. That doesn't affect many visitors coming to the restaurant. "You don’t need a silver fork to eat good food” - Paul Prudhomme. Just take a seat and they will come and serve you with a delicious dish of Banh xeo, stuffed with bean sprouts, shrimp and various fresh herbs.

6. Morning Glory Restaurant

As being located in the centre of the ancient town, Morning Glory Restaurant is one of the best local restaurants in Hoi An due to its favour location and good food. It features an open kitchen downstairs and offers a wide range of central Vietnamese street food and traditional meals in a tasteful setting. Take a chance to visit Morning Glory; it's highly recommended plenty of Hoi An specialities in one place such as Mi Quang noodles, Vietnamese caramelized fish in a clay pot or the signature squid-stuffed with pork and mushroom. Additionally, this local restaurant also offers various dining options for vegetarians. Travelling but still keeping your vegetarian diet by trying stir-fried baby celery and bean sprouts, vegetable curry soup, etc., so don't worry if you come to Hoi An.

7. Aubergine49 Restaurant

Amongst many restaurants in Hoi An, Aubergine49 Restaurant is one of the best local restaurants offering an extensive menu of Eurasian gastronomy, sparkling wine and homemade desserts. Aubergine49 Restaurant is characterized by a simple monochrome setting, black wooden furniture, an outdoor courtyard and an upstairs terrace overlooking Ly Thai To street.

What are the differences in the dishes in Aubergine49 Restaurant? It comes from the way they use local ingredients for cooking perfect meals according to other food cultures. The restaurant only uses locally-sourced meat, fish, fresh vegetables, herbs and food additives whereas pieces of bread, ice-cream and desserts are made by themselves. Due to talented cooks here, you can have a chance to enjoy some innovative dishes such as stuffed squid, roasted rack of lamb and duck liver parfait.

With its exceptional dishes and a 15-minute walk from the ancient town, this local restaurant is a perfect choice for your trip if you need a space to escape from the hustle and bustle streets and Vietnamese dishes.

8. Miss Ly Café

Having been operating for more than 20 years in Hoi An, Miss Ly Cafe is arguably the best local restaurant to enjoy authentic Hoi An specialities for your holiday. Surrounded by antique houses, the restaurant features a simple decoration of wooden furnishing, warm lighting systems and vintage pictures; meanwhile, the traditional rhythms play around. It makes you feel familiar and cosy, as well.

Imagine that you can have a chance to explore all famous Hoi An specialities, vegetarian rice and noodles, various smoothies, Vietnamese coffee, wines and beers in one place. That's pretty convenient for your short-day trip to Hoi An. Interestingly, all of the incredible dishes here are prepared by the talented cooking techniques of the owner.

Don't forget to try some signature meals such as Cao lau, white rose dumplings ("bánh bao vạc" in Vietnamese), wonton ("hoành thánh" in Vietnamese) and delicious grilled pork as well. With the unforgettable flavour and exceptional decor, the dishes will satisfy your buds of taste for the first time. That makes it become one of the best local restaurants in Hoi An.

9. Lantern Town Restaurant

There's not like other tourist attractions in Vietnam; the Lantern is an iconic symbol of Hoi An ancient town. Take your moment to enjoy one of the best local restaurants in the centre of the old city, Lantern Town Restaurant. It has gained the popularity of tourists not only by its exceptional tastes but unique decoration with modern local artworks and hand-painted silk lanterns as well. This local cater offers authentic Vietnamese cuisine, Hoi An specialities and sophisticated fusion meals. With its excellent location near the riverside area, Lantern Town Restaurant is an excellent place for all foodies during their journey to Hoi An ancient town.

10. Streets Restaurant Cafe

Just a 5-minute walk from Hoi An, Museum of History and Culture, Streets Restaurant Cafe is highly recommended as one of the top local restaurants in Hoi An by many tourists and expats. It offers a good blend of Vietnamese cuisine, especially Hoi An specialities and international delicacies in a current dining set. The harmonious mix of different gastronomies creates a unique and sophisticated aromatic flavour that's hard to forget if you try once. Besides its delicious dishes, the local restaurant is appreciated by tourists in terms of attentive services and a great location. The price range here might a bit higher than other Vietnamese restaurants, but, undoubtedly, its excellent service and the superb food won't let you down.