34 Best Restaurants in The South-Central Coasts and Highlands, Vietnam

Take your pick of tom (shrimp) or bo (beef) to fill your Binh Dinh--style rice pancake. The local rendition of banh xeo is arguably the best in the country; they come smaller and zestier here than in other parts of the country, and can be wrapped in rice paper and green mango (a must). Wrap everything up, dunk it in some chili-laced fish sauce and tuck in. One's good for a snack; two makes a meal.

This is a basic metal-tables-and-chairs joint that's open to the street, serving up a delicious version of nem nuong (barbecued pork) served with platters of rice paper, herbs, pickled vegetables, fried wonton wrappers (for crunch), fresh rice noodles, sliced green banana, and star fruit, which are rolled together and dipped into a pork-and-peanut sauce. This is a Central Highlands specialty that's best washed down with a cold beer.

True to its motto of “Eat, drink, relax, be happy”, Pit Stop Food Court is shaping up to be “the” place to eat and hang out in Mui Ne. Order anything from seafood hot pot and lobster grilled with cheese to Hungarian goulash and fish tacos and find a seat under the swaying palms with sweeping views of the water. The open-air space is family-friendly during the day while the on-site Nirvana Beach Club cranks up the tunes at night.

Inside Sailing Club Resort Mui Ne in a high-ceilinged Bali-style pavilion overlooking the beach and the East Sea, Sandals is considered one of Mui Ne's best dining options even if you're not staying there. Sandals invites guests to linger a little bit longer with an excellent wine selection and a kitchen which can adapt to dietary requirements, including vegan and gluten-free options. Signature dishes include the chili salt squid and fresh poke bowls.

A centrally located, quirky, chic café-restaurant, Alpaca captures the spirit of the more artful, creative modern day with its expressive atmosphere. It also boasts a versatile menu, all prepared with great care. The Mexican options are very popular, as are the vegan and gluten free items.

Although it's by no means the best pizza in Vietnam, Bingo nevertheless hits the spot after a long day trekking or canyoning with simple, run-of-the-mill toppings, thick crusts and decent sizes. Service can be a little slow, as is the way sometimes around here.

Located high up on a hill above the tourist strip, this restaurant serves a range of Western dishes as well as great local seafood. Use of the pool in the surrounding resort is free for paying customers.

About a mile outside the main tourist strip, Cay Bang commands a prime location right on the oceanfront, with a great view of Ong Dia Rock and the hordes of surrounding kitesurfers. Popular with tour groups, the unpretentious two-story local joint with seating for up to 1,000 guests specializes in live seafood cooked to order, including the local chisel fish (ca duc). There is an English menu but expect Vietnamese-style service, which can seem rude if you're not used to it.

The small, romantic, fine-dining restaurant inside the boutique Cham Villas Resort adds an extra touch of class to a visit to Mui Ne. Overseen by a German chef, the kitchen prepares a range of Vietnamese and international dishes, including a nashi pear and shrimp cocktail, beef-and-prawn skewers, and spicy lemongrass beef served with fried thien ly flowers.

One of the most popular com binh dan (canteens) in town, Com Sau Thu has been making locals happy with their cheap and cheerful fare for more than 10 years. (The husband and wife Sau and Thu now have three shops, but locals agree the original one at this address remains the best.) The daily options are displayed in a glass case at the front of the restaurant, so you can just point to a range of dishes and then take a seat. Vietnamese people usually order one meat dish, one or two vegetable dishes, and a soup, and all are placed in the middle of the table and shared. There's no need to order rice because it comes automatically.

A quaint little café in a restored 1910 French train carriage that's now parked in lovely grounds next to a small guesthouse, this place serves up a selection of Western and Vietnamese dishes and a ton of charm. For trainspotters wanting to get a double train fix, the café and its friendly staff are an easy walk along a main road and down a narrow local road from the old Dalat Railway Station.

A Mui Ne favorite, El Latino serves up authentic, homemade Mexican eats with a very chill vibe. Warm and cozy with exposed brick, painted murals, and loads of color, the kitchen nevertheless takes its food very seriously, making fresh tortillas, breads, brownies to accompany the mainly slow-cooked meats that will melt in your mouth.

Tourist-friendly Vietnamese cuisine is served in a relaxing, relatively upmarket atmosphere here. The street food is cooked along the sides of the restaurant, giving the place a lively edge. It's a tasty and safe option for those who are wary of real street food, or groups seeking a mixture of street food and restaurant fare. Tasting menus are available for those struck by indecision.

Ganesh serves delicious North Indian and tandoori dishes and excellent naan bread. In its homey restaurant in the heart of Mui Ne's tourist strip, Ganesh offers a sometimes-welcome and comforting break from Vietnamese cuisine.

This is a cheap-and-cheerful eatery serving up slightly Westernized versions of Vietnamese fare from a cute little place a short walk from the Central Market. The service can be a bit slow, but the food is reliably delicious and reasonably priced.

Join the locals at this popular and sometimes rowdy barbecue and hotpot joint that becomes quite smoky when the serious table-top barbecuing gets underway. The decor is very plain, the food is cheap and delicious, and there's an English menu.

Allow yourself to be transported to a French country estate, complete with chandeliers, period furniture, starched linens, gleaming silverware, flawless service, and fine French cuisine. With an extensive wine list and gentle live piano music, this is the place for a romantic—albeit expensive—evening in a superb setting.

An upmarket brewery, bar, and restaurant situated in huge beachfront premises, Lousiane Brewhouse even has its own pool and sun loungers. A good selection of well-priced European-style craft beer is on offer, as well as international, Vietnamese, and Japanese cuisine. Louisiane Brewhouse has a bit of something for everyone, including live music in the evenings, and is one of the best places in town for a sundown drink.

Beer connoisseurs should ask about the brewery tours.

This Franco-Swiss-owned resto-bar serves great European staples including Swiss fondue in a sophisticated, contemporary location right on the main strip. Sip wine and nibble on a board of cheeses and charcuterie in the fan-cooled space backed by a jazzy soundtrack.

This plain but pleasant local eatery serves only one dish: nem nuong (barbecued pork skewers), with a range of edible accoutrements that are rolled up and dunked in a delicious dipping sauce.

This is the pick of Dalat's many vegan places, with a focus on fresh local produce rather than mock meat (although that's on the menu too), served up in a bright, airy space with wooden furniture. Hoa Sen is very popular with locals for a good reason: the food is delicious.

For some of the best authentic Vietnamese food around, head 6 km (4 miles) outside the city center to this 300-year-old house surrounded by rice paddies and lotus ponds. The menu, handwritten on cardboard, features fish barbecued in bamboo, banana flower salad, crispy prawn pancakes, and Asian spinach soup with basil-seasoned rice. For a unique dessert, try the white rice and mung beans in coconut sauce.

A basic seafood eatery fronting a river lined with fishing boats, Quan 49 serves barbecued seafood, conch salad, and, when in season, dong lizard.

This basic spot specializes in roll-your-own fresh spring rolls. One serving includes a plate of various cuts of meat, sliced boiled egg, and Vietnamese sausage, a plate of herbs and cucumber sticks, a plate of fried spring rolls, and a stack of stiff rice paper. Compile, roll, then dip into the sauce provided. If you get there at the right time, they might also serve the popular southern staple dish bun thit nuong (grilled pork meat, vermicelli noodles and fresh herbs).

Opened in 2018, this Australian-owned, coastal bar reflects the growth of tourism in Quy Nhon. The multistory bar is a relaxing place to grab a bite to eat and a beer, while the roof terrace has a fantastic view of the ocean and the mountains.

Once the in-house restaurant at the Cham Villa resort, Ratinger Lowe's traditional German fare became so popular the eatery had to move to larger premises next door. The owner, who has been officially named the Phan Thiet culinary ambassador of his hometown of Ratingen, oversees a bountiful menu of German specialty dishes as a well as a selection of international and Vietnamese hits.