Top chefs name Hoi An Vietnam’s food capital

By VnExpress February 26, 2017 | 11:10 pm PT

The street, canals, bridges and the distinctive yellow houses of Hoi An. Photo by Réhahn

Foreign travel sites seem to have gained an appetite for the ancient town.

Recognized as a World Heritage Site in 1999, Hoi An has now been honored by the World Association of Chefs as Vietnam’s Capital of Culinary Arts and Cuisine, the government online news portal reported.

Last year, travel site Lonely Planet dubbed Hoi An a global food paradise while American travel website TripAdvisor chose the town as one of the top 10 Asian food destinations in 2011.

Located on Vietnam’s central coast, Hoi An is known for its well-preserved ancient buildings and diversified cuisine.

The old town is a culinary hot spot with many local specialties like "Banh Mi Hoi An" (Vietnamese baguette), "Mi Quang" (Quang-style noodles) and "Banh Dap" (smashed rice pancakes).

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Banh Mi Hoi An. Photo by Tran Viet Anh

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Banh Dap. Photo by Ga Con

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Mi Quang. Photo by Tieu Phong

The new title was bestowed ahead of the opening of the Hoi An International Food Festival, which will take place from March 20-26 with the participation of 12 international chefs.

Local authorities said that the festival will help promote Hoi An and give a chance for local chefs to exchange experiences with international experts.

The charming town attracted 2.3 million tourists last year, up more than 18 percent from 2015.

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