Best food in Tam Coc
Tam Coc is a little village in the Ninh Binh Province that, due to the sudden rise in tourism, perhaps it hasn’t evolved as charming as it should. One example is the party bus that parks every night in the main square. That being said, it still preserves the laid back atmosphere of the region and, despite the presence of several Western-style places, you can still find genuine restaurants with homemade cooking. Continue reading to discover the best food in Tam Coc.
This post is part of my 3-week Vietnam itinerary. Check it out in the link below!
→ Ultimate 3 weeks Vietnam Itinerary: North to South
I have to say that, after reading many blog posts about it, I wasn’t expecting much of the food there. I couldn’t be more wrong! Every meal that we ate there was absolutely fantastic and prepared with care by a local family. You have to understand that these are restaurants and, as so, they have a higher price than, for example, street food in Hanoi. In any case, it still very affordable. Here’s a list of my favourite places to eat in Tam Coc, Ninh Binh.
Post Contents
Best food in Tam Coc
1. Minh Toan Restaurant Father Cooking
Minh Toan was for me the best restaurant in Tam Coc for several reasons. First of all, the food was absolutely delicious and it tasted homemade. Second, the staff was wonderful and smiling the whole time. Third, it was really close to our hotel, so it made it even easier for us to stop there. We liked it so much so that we had dinner there twice during our stay!
Recommended dishes: spring rolls, goat Pho and stir fries.
2. Ninh Loan Rose Family Restaurant
Ninh Loan Rose is another absolute gem of a restaurant run by the most welcoming family. It is a close second to Minh Toan and only because we discovered it late and we couldn’t come back to try more things! The decor is super authentic and the food is really really homemade (you can visit the kitchen on your way to the toilet and see for yourself). They traditional Vietnamese dishes without frills, just good produce and cooked with care. Do not miss it!
Recommended dishes: spring rolls, squid and sweet & sour pork.
3. Aroma Tam Coc
Aroma is the only curry house (to my knowledge) that you can find in Tam Coc. This is actually an Indian restaurant, but they make delicious curries, biryani, massive naans and juicy daals. This is the place to go if you want a change from local cuisine, eat vegetarian or halal. It is also a good place to try Dalat wine!
Recommended dishes: coconut curries, garlic naan and daal gosht.
Photo credit: Aroma Fine Indian Cuisine
4. Family Restaurant
Family Restaurant may usually be skipped because of its banner, where it says Vietnamese – European (I haven’t seen a worse marketing strategy). In fact, despite its appearance of a Biergarten, it serves some decent food, especially everything that goes in the grill! It does have a more Western vibe than other restaurants in this list, but the food is good!
Recommended dishes: roasted duck, pork in lemongrass, morning glory.
5. Bamboo Bar and Restaurant
Bamboo Bar and Restaurant is located just at the edge of Tam Coc and it has one of the most charmin terraces in town. I have to say that I didn’t eat there. Instead, we had some nice drinks in the evening and it was fantastic. I can’t say anything about the food, but it may be very targeted towards tourists for the look of it. From my experience, however, it is a perfect place to have a cold beer or a cocktail.
6. Somewhere on the road
Tam Coc is a very rural place, so when you are exploring its beautiful natural landscapes or cultural heritage, don’t be afraid of entering some joint in the road to taste the local food (particularly the goat, Com dê). We asked our driver to take us to a place he would normally visit and he took us to a nice restaurant in the road called Nhà Hàng Toàn Phán where we had some delicious self-rolled goat meat rolls with some herbs freshly cut from the garden.
When to go to Ninh Binh
You can visit Ninh Binh any time of the year. However, May to October the region is hot, humid and with high rainfall, while November to April are cooler and dryer months. That being said, the rainy season is also when the rice paddies will be more beautiful, with vivid green and yellow colours (mostly February to May).
Where to stay in Ninh Binh
Ninh Binh is a big city, capital of the region with the same name, with plenty of accommodation options. That being said, Ninh Binh has absolutely no charm, so I suggest staying in Tam Coc. The town of Tam Coc is quite small and close to most of the attractions in the region. It has seen quite an increase in tourism, which can explain the high density of bars with a more western flare, but it still retains some of the charm of a Vietnamese town, especially outside of the town center. It is also full of nice restaurants and eateries with delicious food.
Budget
If you are in a tight budget, you can stay in Dragon Boat Rock for a quieter stay or Tuan Ngoc Hotel for a more upbeat backpacker feeling.
Mid-range
For a nicer stay, I can only recommend Tam Coc Village Bungalow, a beautiful hotel with individual bamboo bungalows, a nice swimming pool and stunning views to the rice fields and mountains. this is where we chose to stay and we loved it! Also, the family that runs it is absolutely delightful and helpful, they serve a homemade breakfast and bikes are included in the price! Plus, it’s locally owned. Rooms start at around 30€ per night. Another option is the famous Mua Caves Ecolodge, also in the same price range, although it is a bit far from the town.
Luxury
If you want to have full luxury, perhaps Tam Coc is not for you, but you can try Tam Coc Rice Fields Resort or Ninh Binh Hidden Charm Hotel & Resort.
How to get to Tam Coc
From Hanoi you can reach Ninh Binh by train for only 200,000 VDN (7€) and it will take about 2 and a half hours. Another option is by bus, with prices starting at 70,000 VDN (3€). When you are in Ninh Binh, a short taxi ride will take you to Tam Coc. A more convenient option is to hire a van (starting at 300,000 VDN or 11€) that would leave you directly in town.
If you are going to Tam Coc from other places, like we did (we arrived from Halong Bay), it will be easier to rent a private driver to leave you at your hotel. Regardless of if you are going from Hanoi or other places, you will find your transportation below:
If you don’t want to plan
Have a look at these organized tours:
Closing statement
The food in Tam Coc is the cherry on the cake of wonderful nature and shocking cultural heritage, so don’t miss out! If you want to know about Tam Coc and Ninh Binh, have a look here:
Perfect 3 days Ninh Binh itinerary
If you want to know more about Vietnam, check some of my other posts about my trip or check out my Vietnam itinerary:
15 best things to do in Hanoi, Vietnam
Trekking in Sapa with Sapa Sisters
How to choose a cruise for Halong Bay
What to do in Hoi An: the ancient gem of Vietnam
What to do in Ho Chi Minh City: a quick guide to Saigon
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