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Top 8 Specialties in Mekong Delta You Should Try Once

The Mekong Delta, often referred to as Vietnam’s “rice bowl”, is a beautiful and serene region along the Mekong River. With its incredible landscape, enormous rice fields, colorful floating markets, and massive network of rivers, the Mekong Delta will easily fascinate visitors from all over the world with its unique gastronomy.

In the following article, Lua Viet Tours will introduce you to the Top 8 Specialties Mekong Delta, which will undoubtedly leave you wanting more.

Overview about Specialties in Mekong Delta

Specialties in Mekong Delta have been synonymous for generations with fresh ingredients from the river system and lush terrain, including fish, shrimp, crab, and vegetables. Rich flavors mixing sweet, sour, spicy, and salty are common in the dishes here, with sour fish soup being a popular choice. Herbs and spices like coriander, ginger, turmeric, and lemongrass are frequently used to improve flavor.

Various cuisines make specialties in Mekong Delta that visitors should not miss! (Image Source: Internet)

Numerous civilizations, particularly Khmer and Chinese, have left their mark on the local food, adding to its complexity and diversity. That is why visitors will be amazed that dishes are not only simple, rustic, but sophisticated, demonstrating the ingenuity of Mekong Delta people.

Discover Top 8 Specialties in Mekong Delta

Let’s embark on a culinary journey to the culinary heart of Vietnam, where we will explore the top 10 specialties in the Mekong Delta that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving for more.

1. Banh Pia (Pia Cake)

Vietnamese Pia cake, which originated in Soc Trang province, is ranked first on lists of sweet treats in the Mekong Delta. It is a moon-shaped cake with a sweet, soft flavor and a thin multi-layer wheat flour crust that has captured the hearts of everyone who has tried it.

When eating it, locals tend to divide the cake into 8 bite-sized portions. Green tea or ginger tea (a specialty of Soc Trang) should be a perfect combination with Pia Cake.

Pia Cake, originated in Soc Trang, is best served with ginger tea (Image Source: Internet)

2. Keo Dua (Coconut Candies)

Coconut candy, often referred to as Keo Dua, is a beloved local delicacy from the “Coconut Kingdom” of Vietnam, Ben Tre. It begins with the selection of the finest coconuts, which are then grated and mixed with malt syrup and sugar. While the classic coconut candy is made from pure coconut, there are many variations that include additional flavors such as durian, pandan leaves, peanuts, milk, and taro.

Visitors to Ben Tre can explore coconut candy factories and witness the candy-making process firsthand (Image Source: Internet)

3. Banh Bo Thot Not (Palm Sugar Honeycomb Cake)

Banh Bo Thot Not, a specialty from An Giang Province, is made from rustic ingredients like rice flours, coconut milk, and palm sugar. The combination gives the cake distinctive golden color and caramel-like sweetness.

Sweetness from Banh Bo Thot Not will make you craving more! (Image Source: Internet)

4. Hu Tieu Nam Vang

Originally from Cambodia, Hu Tieu Nam Vang has gradually become one of the specialties in the Mekong Delta with numerous variations. The main ingredients are chewy noodles and broth made from minced meat and pork offal. Over the years, this specialty has been transformed by the Vietnamese with many ingredients and processing methods, creating its own unique flavor.

Hu Tieu Nam Vang with rich nutrition from various ingredients (Image Source: Internet)

5. Bun Mam (Fermented Fish Hot Pot)

One of the most famous specialties in Mekong Delta, Bun Mam, also known as Fermented Fish Noodle Soup, is a distinctive and flavorful dish originating from the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam. The dish is usually served with a variety of ingredients, including shrimp, squid, fish, and slices of roasted pork.

Bun mam – A must-try for any lover visiting Vietnam (Image Source: Internet)

6. Banh Xeo (CrispyVietnamese Rice Pancake)

Banh xeo, also known as Crispy Vietnamese Rice Pancake, is a savory crepe made from rice flour, turmeric, and coconut milk. The filling usually includes pork belly, shrimp, mung beans, sometimes duck meat, cassava (dried yam), bean sprouts, and mung beans. To enjoy the greatest of Banh Xeo, it is typically served with a variety of fresh herbs, lettuce, rice paper, and fish sauce.

Banh xeo, or crispy Vietnamese pancake, is a prominent dish in Vietnamese cuisine. (Image Source: Internet)

7. Delicious dishes from Linh fish

Speaking of the flood season, Linh fish springs to mind instantly. Traveling from the Mekong River’s upper courses, these fish journey downstream with the sediment, arriving in the Mekong Delta as a lavish gift from nature. Tiny as a chopstick, with delicate bones and a succulently fatty belly, Linh fish lends itself to a variety of distinctive culinary creations.

Linh fish braised with pepper in a clay pot, served with plain white rice, is simple yet rich in flavor.
Linh fish rolled in flour, fried crispy, and dipped in tamarind sauce.
Linh fish salted to make fermented seafood sauce.

Dishes made from Linh fish will become more delicious (Image Source: Internet)

8. Lau cua dong (Rice Field Crab Hotpot)

The last of Lua Viet Tours’ recommendations about must-try specialties in Mekong Delta is Lau cua dong (Rice Field Crab Hotpot). As the flood season arrives, rice field crabs from all the caves crawl out after many dry months of shelter. Living in the wild, field crab meat is sweeter and firmer compared to sea crabs or farmed crabs. This delicacy is highly sought after in the big city for its rich, sweet flavor and abundance of nutrients.

Rice field crab bodies are very sweet and nutritious, often used to make soup, hotpot, or crab noodle soup. As for the large and sturdy crab claws, they are typically steamed with lemongrass or stir-fried with salt.

Lau cua dong is one of must-try dish if you visit to Mekong Delta Vietnam (Image Source: Internet)

Conclusion

Here are Lua Viet Tours’ recommendations for the top 8 specialties in Mekong Delta. These dishes are not only rich in flavor but also incredibly nutritious, promising an unforgettable culinary experience. Book your tour with Lua Viet Tours today and let us guide you through the flavors of the Mekong Delta.

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