Top 5 Best Street Foods In Sapa

Not only is Sapa famous for its stunning beauty with the rice terraces, but also its cuisine and the hospitable ethnic minority communities that live there. Although you can easily find a lot of local and Western restaurants which serve delicious food, the street food here is still the best and you should definitely try it. In this article, we will list the 5 best street foods in Sapa that you can’t miss when you visit.

#1: Grilled food

Sapa has cool weather compared to other parts of Vietnam. That is one of the many reasons why grilled food is so popular here. Imagine enjoying hot delicious grilled food on the street when it is chilly, it’s always an amazing feeling. There are many kinds of Sapa barbecued dishes, including pork, ribs, beef, sausage, vegetables, fish, birds, etc.

There Are Many Kinds Of Grilled Foods

They are prepared with sticks, some ingredients are then added and then are grilled directly on the coal stove. These sticks of food will then be served right on the spot, along with a special dipping sauce. Each stick costs between VND 10,000 to VND 50,000, depending on what kind of food you want (vegetables are the cheapest, and ribs are the most expensive).

Another famous grilled food in Sapa is “Lon cap nach” which means putting the pig in your armpit. The name can be strange to most visitors but it does have a meaning which refers to a kind of pig that the H’mong people feed on their free farms. The pig is small (about 4-5 kgs) so the villagers just catch one, and then carry it under their armpits to bring it to market. The pig will be cleaned, and then grilled or roasted. This grilled/roasted pork has crunchy skin and tastes delicious. The hill tribe people also usually enjoy the dish with local wine.

#2: Bamboo-tube rice

Bamboo Tube Rice Is The Typical Food Of The Hill Tribe People

Bamboo-tube rice is a typical snack of the ethnic minority communities in Northwest Vietnam. This is a simple but tasty dish where the main ingredient is the glutinous rice which is cooked in bamboo tubes. The cooked rice will then be removed by breaking the tubes with hands. Usually, the bamboo-tube rice is served with salty peanut crumbs, which is a perfect combination. However, if you are allergic to peanuts (or just don’t like them), you can dip the rice in soy sauce, which is just as delicious. Because the weather in Sapa is chilly at night, make sure that you eat the bamboo-tube rice when it is still hot so you can better enjoy its flavor.

#3: Colorful sticky rice

Colorful sticky rice is a traditional dish of the Nung ethnic group. The seven different colors include plain red, yellow, pink, green, blue, strong red, and yellow-green. These colors are extracted naturally from the tree leaves which were grown in the area by the Nung people. That is why you can feel the sense and flavor of the mountain when you eat it. Additionally, people here believe that rice brings luck and health to them.

Colorful Sticky Rice Looks Attractive And Taste Amazing

This dish is served with salty peanut crumbs on a banana leaf. You can find the colorful sticky rice from the ladies with baskets covered with a cloth. Once the basket is uncovered, you will see multiple colors of sticky rice which is quite attractive. It will then be spooned out into a bowl and placed on a banana leaf. This dish tastes amazing and will also fill you quickly.

#4: Salmon hot pot

Salmon Hot Pot Is A Good Choice For Chilly Days

Hot pot is another good choice of food on chilly days, just like grilled food. Sapa is one of the few places in Vietnam that have fresh and sweet salmon. It also makes the hot pot broth healthier and more nutritious. The main ingredient is salmon, added with different kinds of herbs that make it taste better and benefit your health, especially after a long day biking or trekking in the area.

#5: Smoked water-buffalo flesh

Smoked water-buffalo flesh is yet another specialty of the hill tribes in Sapa. It is also one of the most desired dishes for Vietnamese tourists when they come to this mountainous town. The ethnic people will smoke the flesh and then hang it on the stove to serve. As it is so popular, you can find it in many places in Sapa, however, to get the best buffalo flesh, you should visit the villages and buy it there. People here eat smoked water-buffalo flesh and drink their wine all the time, and you can try joining them for an authentic hill tribe experience.

You Should Buy Smoked Water - Buffalo Flesh In The Villages

Visitors can easily find these foods in Ham Rong street or Cau May street which are well-known and popular for grilled foods. You can also find them in many restaurants in Sapa town. Enjoying these delicious foods on the street in chilly weather will be an amazing experience that you will never forget.

Read more: 5 Recommended Restaurants in Sapa

Here're the best deals of Sapa for you to take a foodie tour with these must-try street foods in Sapa.

Nobita Hanh

(Image source: Internet)