Hoi An

The one place that I really enjoyed from Vietnam is definitely Hoi An. This place should take no more than 1h drive away from Da Nang. Most people take a day trip to Hoi An, but I would suggest to stay at least two days to explore what Hoi An has to offer. In Hoi An they luckily have sufficient vegetarian and few halal places too. Also in Hoi An, I tried some good traditional pancake.

~ Chickpea eatery

This place was slightly hidden in an alley. Once I arrived, I was doubtful if this place was safe enough for me to visit. This place really displays that local look and feel. Let me tell you, it was safe to eat here and they served tasteful traditional Vietnamese specialties which were vegan too. I tried their Banh Xeo, a traditional crispy pancake, with the main ingredients consisting of rice flour and turmeric. The pancake goes with bean sprouts, pork or shrimps traditionally. Nevertheless the vegan version tasted wonderful. Unfortunately, I did not try more dished from the menu, but you could give it a try.

Price: $ – $$
Suitable:  Vegan

~ Babas Kitchen

Indian restaurants cannot be missed in the list of vegetarian, vegan or even halal at some times. Babas kitchen offer authentic Indian experience and is not too far off the old town. Since I already had some bites elsewhere, I couldn’t take an entire meal, but Samosa and Dosa are my go to snacks. Samosa is a triangle-like pastry that comes with potato/veggie filling, and they are also known for lamb or chicken filling. Dosa is fermented crepe made from rice batter and lentils that comes with dipping sauces, such as coriander/mint chutney, coconut chutney or sambar (lentil stew). All the flavours that come together was just beautiful.

Price: $ – $$
Suitable:  Vegetarian, vegan and halal

~Little Faifo Restaurant

Another place where they serve Indian food is Little Faifo. This restaurant is located in the old town. On the other hand, they also serve some halal Vietnamese dishes. Always good to check which of the dishes are halal. I took again the Vietnamese pancake and spring roll. I wouldn’t say it was the best I had, but it was good enough for me. The interior inside looked charming/ authentic Vietnamese and if possible get a seat at their balcony so you could have a view on the old town street.

Price: $ -$$
Suitable: Vegetarian and halal

~ Hoi An Roastery – espresso & coffee house

I think there is no need to mention that Vietnam and coffee are inseparable. This is due to the fact that Vietnam is one of the largest coffee producer in the world, after Brazil. Therefor, it would be a shame if you are not trying the Vietnamese coffee. You could practically visit any of the coffee places. We took a visit at Hoi An Roastery, located in the old town. They have all the possible cold brews, espressos served hot and chilled, and so many more on their menu. There is no better way than to take a sip of your coffee, after a stroll through the old town.

Price: $ – $$
Suitable: coffee lovers and beginners