Hoi An is not only famous for Cao Lau or My Quang, but also a paradise of seafood dishes. However, if you are looking for a Hoi An seafood experience that is elevated to an artistic level, completely different from traditional eateries, Chau Kitchen and Bar is the address not to be missed. This article will help you discover why this place is considered the top Hoi An seafood restaurant for those who seek sophistication and creativity in processing, along with a romantic space overlooking the Hoai River. Let’s dive into the unique fusion menu, where fresh seafood ingredients are combined with international culinary techniques.
Hoi An Seafood: The taste of the ocean in the heart of the ancient town
Hoi An is not only famous for its mossy old town and colorful lanterns, but also known as a culinary paradise of fresh seafood in the Central region. Thanks to its advantage of being located near Cua Dai beach, An Bang beach and Thanh Ha fishing village, the source of seafood in Hoi An is always abundant, fresh and rich all year round.
Visitors to Hoi An often cannot miss the experience of enjoying fresh seafood – where each dish has the natural sweetness of the sea and is skillfully prepared in the local style. From familiar dishes such as shrimp, squid, grilled fish, steamed clams, to specialties such as crab fried with tamarind, grilled oysters with cheese or spicy and sour seafood hotpot, all make diners exclaim.
What’s interesting is that in Hoi An, you can easily find all kinds of culinary experiences:
- A popular seafood restaurant by the sea where visitors can choose fresh seafood and have it prepared on the spot.
- Upscale restaurant in the old town where creative chefs transform seafood into exquisite fusion dishes.
Whether you are a fan of rustic meals or a lover of fine dining, Hoi An always has a seafood flavor just for you.
Figure 1. Hoi An seafood
Fresh seafood from famous fishing villages in Hoi An
To make Hoi An seafood cuisine famous, we cannot fail to mention the famous fishing villages that have existed for hundreds of years, closely associated with the lives of the people here. Each fishing village has its own story, but they all have in common the source of fresh seafood caught every day and the rustic way of processing, imbued with the soul of the sea.
- Tan Hiep fishing village (Cu Lao Cham): located offshore, famous for its high-quality seafood: snails, abalone, red grouper, squid. These products are transported to the mainland every day by speedboat to maintain their original freshness.
- Cua Dai fishing village: located right at the mouth of the Thu Bon River, is home to many long-standing fishermen. From early morning, you can see boats docking, bringing back mackerel, squid, lobsters, blue crabs… all caught during the night.
- An Bang fishing village: not only famous for its beautiful beach but also for its bustling “morning seafood market”. People fish close to shore, bringing back small but fresh seafood such as clams, mussels, snails, and mackerel – which are purchased by local restaurants and eateries that very morning.
- Thanh Ha fishing village: near the center of the old town, specializes in providing river and estuary seafood such as river shrimp, mullet, and sand goby, which are very popular in traditional Hoi An specialties.
More suggestions for you Hoi An Specialty Restaurant: Experience the Taste of Ancient Hoi An Heritage
Thanks to this natural supply chain, Hoi An seafood is always fresh, diverse and reasonably priced. In particular, the locals have the secret to preserving the natural sweetness when processing, creating a unique flavor that is hard to match anywhere else, both rustic and sophisticated.
And to ensure high quality cuisine, Chau Kitchen and Bar – the most famous and delicious restaurant in Hoi An ordered daily directly from the fishing villages of Cua Dai and An Bang. This commitment helps the restaurant always bring diners fresh, clean seafood dishes with the full flavor of Hoi An sea in every culinary experience.
Figure 2. Fishing villages in Hoi An
Typical seafood dishes you should try in Hoi An
Famous Hoi An seafood dishes
When it comes to seafood in Hoi An, it is a culinary paradise where the taste of the ocean blends with the rustic Central Vietnamese flavor. Each dish tells a unique story of the fishermen, prepared fresh right after catching.
Grilled dishes are the “stars” of seafood cuisine here:
- Grilled squid with satay sauce is the first dish that visitors should try. Fresh squid is caught, cleaned and marinated with satay sauce, lemongrass, chili, honey and then grilled on hot coals. When cooked, the outer skin is slightly charred, the squid meat is crispy, chewy, spicy, sweet – eaten with chili sauce or salt, pepper and lemon is “standard taste of the Central Coast”.
- Grilled shrimp with salt and chili is a simple yet addictive dish. The prawns are grilled whole, the lightly charred shell retains the salty taste of the sea. When peeled, the prawn meat is firm, naturally sweet, mixed with the spicy taste of salt and chili – a great snack for an afternoon in the old town.
If you like rich, sea-scented dishes, Hoi An will definitely not disappoint you. Let’s start with grilled scallops with scallion oil, a familiar dish that never goes out of style on the seafood table. Fresh scallops are grilled directly on hot coals, cooked just right to retain their natural sweetness. When scallion oil is poured on, the green onions blend with golden roasted peanuts to create a rich, fragrant, crunchy topping. Each piece of scallop is a perfect blend of sweetness, fat, aroma and mild spiciness, making diners want to order more.
Next is stir-fried snails with garlic, a dish that makes anyone who has tried it exclaim. The snails are carefully selected, with shiny shells and thick, naturally crispy meat. When stir-frying, the chef uses butter and minced garlic, fried until golden brown, adding a little chili and Vietnamese coriander to enhance the aroma. The fragrant garlic aroma combined with the rich sweetness of the snails makes the dish both rustic and unforgettable — especially when eaten hot with crispy bread or sipped with cold beer on a Hoi An afternoon.
Finally, steamed crab with lemongrass, a seemingly simple seafood dish but clearly shows the sophistication in the way Hoi An people prepare it. The crab is selected fresh, steamed with lemongrass, ginger and a few slices of chili to remove the fishy smell and preserve the sweetness of the meat. When opening the pot lid, the aroma of lemongrass spreads, the crab meat is pure white, firm and sweet. Dip it with lemon pepper salt or spicy and sour seafood sauce – you will feel the original sweetness of the sea, rustic but full of charm.
Figure 3. Outstanding Hoi An seafood dishes you should not miss
These seafood dishes are not just “food”, but also part of the culinary soul of Hoi An, where people, the sea and culture blend in every flavor.
In particular, the herring salad is a dish not to be missed. Fresh fish slices are cooked with lemon, mixed with Tra Que raw vegetables, grated coconut, fried onions and roasted peanuts, dipped in tamarind sauce or rich fish sauce – creating a fresh, delicate and very unique flavor of Hoi An.
For those traveling in groups or families, Hoi An seafood hotpot is an ideal choice. The broth is sweet from fish bones, with a slight spiciness from green chili, combined with shrimp, squid, clams, fresh fish – all creating a meal full of coastal flavor, both cozy and unforgettable.
Fusion or premium seafood dishes
Hoi An cuisine is not limited to traditional rustic dishes. Many restaurants in the old town have breathed new life into local ingredients, offering unique fusion culinary experiences, including Chau Kitchen and Baris the most typical destination.
At Chau Kitchen and Bar, fresh seafood is transformed into a modern culinary style, both preserving the original flavor and creating a sophisticated European-Asian touch. Diners can start their meal with creamy seafood pasta, where the light fatty taste of the cream blends with shrimp, squid, and fresh clams; or enjoy Western-style garlic butter grilled shrimp, cooked just right, fragrant and full of the taste of the sea.
Another dish worth trying is salmon with passion fruit sauce, where the harmonious combination of the fatty sweetness of salmon and the characteristic sourness of Vietnamese passion fruit creates an unforgettable flavor.
What makes Chau so popular with tourists is the sophistication in presentation: each dish is not only delicious but also a work of art, with harmonious colors and layout, ideal for those who love “check-in cuisine”.
For gourmets, a meal at Chau Kitchen and Bar is not just about “eating seafood” but a culinary experience with its own emotions and stories. Fresh flavors from Cua Dai and An Bang fishing villages combined with modern cooking techniques make each fusion dish here a creative taste adventure.
If you want to enjoy Hoi An seafood in a luxurious and different style, come to famous fusion restaurant Hoi An Chau Kitchen and Bar, where the taste of the sea is elevated to art.
Figure 4. Top-notch seafood fusion dishes at Chau Kitchen and Bar
Suggestions for famous seafood dining areas in Hoi An
Hoi An is not only famous for its mossy old town, colorful lanterns and poetic alleys, but is also considered the “seafood paradise” of the Central region. Along the areas from An Bang beach, Cua Dai to the center of the old town, you can easily find countless options – from fresh seafood stalls to high-class restaurants serving delicately prepared dishes, bearing the imprint of local and international cuisine.
An Bang Beach Area – Affordable seafood paradise with romantic sea view
An Bang Beach is a top destination for those who love fresh seafood and cool sea air. There are dozens of affordable seafood restaurants here, including famous ones that are loved by domestic and foreign tourists thanks to fresh seafood, processed on the spot and very reasonable prices.
Seafood dishes such as grilled shrimp with salt and chili, steamed squid with ginger, crab stir-fried with tamarind, grilled fish with turmeric are all prepared to preserve the natural sweetness of the sea. Diners can choose live seafood right at the counter, from trays of fresh shrimp, crab, clams, snails and ask the chef to prepare it on the spot according to their own taste.
If you want to fully enjoy the sea space, come to An Bang in the evening. When the sunset falls, the golden sunlight reflects on the water surface, you can enjoy hot seafood while listening to the murmuring waves, a simple and memorable experience that is hard to find anywhere else.
Some typical Hoi An seafood restaurants in An Bang beach area:
Blue Sea Hoi An Restaurants – Hoi An seafood restaurant with cool sea view
- Address: 43 Nguyen Phan Vinh, Cam An, Hoi An, Quang Nam, Vietnam
- Phone: 0908537127
- Opening hours: 09:00 – 22:00
- Rating on Google Map: 4.9/5.0
Located on Nguyen Phan Vinh Street, Cam An Ward, Blue Sea Hoi An Restaurant is an ideal destination to enjoy fresh Hoi An seafood in a space overlooking the poetic An Bang sea. The restaurant has a style that blends modernity and tradition, featuring dishes such as tamarind lobster, salt and chili grilled fish, seafood salad… all made from fresh local seafood. The friendly staff and dedicated service help make the culinary experience at Blue Sea Hoi An complete and memorable.
Figure 5. Blue Sea Hoi An Restaurants
SAO BIEN Seafood Restaurant – Hoi An seafood restaurant with reasonable prices and stable quality
- Address: An Bang Beach, Hoi An, Quang Nam, Vietnam
- Phone: 0905575213
- Opening hours: 09:00 – 23:00
- Rating on Google Map: 4.7/5.0
Located right on the beautiful An Bang beach, Sao Bien Hoi An Seafood Restaurant is an ideal stop for those who love fresh seafood and want to enjoy a meal amidst a romantic sea view. The diverse menu with shrimp, crab, fish, squid, snails are delicately prepared, preserving the natural sweetness of Central seafood. The open, airy space, dining tables close to the sea bring the experience of eating while watching the beautiful sunset. Sao Bien also scores points with its friendly staff, dedicated service, making every meal a memorable memory in Hoi An.
Figure 6. STAR SEA Seafood Restaurant
Cua Dai Beach Area – Fresh seafood destination for groups and tours
Unlike An Bang with its rustic features, Cua Dai is a more vibrant area, suitable for tourists traveling in groups or on large tours. The restaurants here have spacious spaces, accommodating dozens to hundreds of guests, specializing in serving tour groups, events or family parties.
Seafood in Cua Dai is famous for its fresh ingredients caught during the day – fish, shrimp, squid, crab, snails, clams… are all carefully prepared and cooked in a rich style, suitable for the taste of many regions. Many restaurants also serve seafood hotpot, herring salad, clams steamed with lemongrass and chili – typical dishes that are indispensable in a seafood party in the Central region.
In addition, this area is also convenient for tourists to combine a visit to Cu Lao Cham, because the departure pier is also located nearby. After finishing the journey to explore the island, stopping by Cua Dai to enjoy a seafood dinner is a great way to end an energetic day.
Some typical Hoi An seafood restaurants in Cua Dai beach area:
HON Restaurant Hoi An – Hoi An seafood restaurant with strong local flavor
- Address: Lot 9, Cua Dai, Hoi An, Quang Nam, Vietnam
- Phone: 0905459800
- Opening hours: 08:00 – 22:00
- Rating on Google Map: 4.7/5.0
Located near Cua Dai beach, Hon Restaurant Hoi An is one of the famous seafood restaurants in Hoi An, loved for its fresh seafood and luxurious space. The restaurant serves a variety of shrimp, crab, squid, clams, snails, fish… prepared in traditional Vietnamese style, rich and sophisticated. Modern space, with private rooms and airy outdoor area, suitable for both families and groups of friends. With quality dishes and professional service, Hon Restaurant is the perfect destination for those who want to experience high-class seafood cuisine in Hoi An.
Figure 7. HON Restaurant Hoi An
KHAI Restaurant – A familiar destination for seafood lovers in Hoi An
- Address: 3 Lac Long Quan, Cua Dai, Hoi An, Quang Nam, Vietnam
- Phone: 0935065240
- Opening hours: 08:00 – 22:00
- Rating on Google Map: 4.8/5.0
Located near Cua Dai beach, Khai Restaurant Hoi An is an ideal destination for those who love fresh seafood and cool coastal space. The restaurant has a modern style mixed with traditional features, creating a feeling of closeness and relaxation. The menu is diverse with grilled, steamed, seafood hotpot dishes made from fresh ingredients of Cua Dai beach, along with Hoi An specialties such as Cao Lau, chicken rice. With a professional and friendly service team, Khai Restaurant brings a complete seafood culinary experience to visitors in Hoi An.
Figure 8. KHAI Restaurant
Seafood restaurant in the center of Hoi An ancient town – Chau Kitchen and Bar
If you are looking for a luxurious, private and experiential space, Hoi An ancient town is the perfect choice. Here, seafood is not just a dish but is elevated to culinary art, where chefs combine fresh seafood ingredients with modern processing techniques, creating flavors that are both familiar and new.
Instead of traditional grilled or steamed dishes, visitors can enjoy high-class fusion seafood dishes such as salmon with passion fruit sauce, European-style grilled shrimp with garlic butter, Italian-style seafood pasta or pan-fried scallops with signature cream sauce. This is a culinary style that combines Vietnamese soul and European quintessence, bringing a feeling of both closeness and uniqueness.
Among the outstanding restaurants in the old quarter, Chau Kitchen and Bar is considered an ideal destination for diners who love high-class seafood cuisine. Located right in the heart of Hoi An ancient town, the restaurant impresses with its cozy space, modern European-style design mixed with traditional features. Here, you will enjoy creative fusion seafood dishes, where the quintessence of Vietnamese sea meets Western culinary art. Each dish is meticulously prepared, delicately presented, bringing a complete experience for taste and sight.
Whether you are a couple looking for a romantic dinner, a group of friends who love to explore cuisine, or international guests looking for a difference in Vietnamese dishes, Chau Kitchen and Bar is always the choice that will satisfy you.
- Address: 141 Tran Phu, Minh An Ward, Hoi An Ancient Town
- Phone: 0903529377
- Opening hours: 08:30 – 22:30
- Website: https://chaukitchenandbar.vn/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Chaukitchenhoian
- You can book a table directly through the website: Reservation
- Rating on Google Map: 4.8/5.0
- TripAdvisor Rating: 4.8/5.0
Figure 9. Seafood restaurant in the center of Hoi An ancient town – Chau Kitchen and Bar
Experience in choosing a good seafood restaurant in Hoi An
Enjoying seafood in Hoi An is an experience not to be missed, but to have a truly complete meal, knowing how to choose a good seafood restaurant is extremely important. This city has hundreds of restaurants, from cheap restaurants on the beach to high-class restaurants in the old town – each with different styles and quality. Below are some “golden” tips to help you choose the right seafood restaurant that is delicious, fresh and worth the money when coming to Hoi An.
1. Prioritize restaurants that have seafood available daily.
The best seafood is freshly caught, and Hoi An has the advantage of being close to Cua Dai and An Bang beaches, along with many fishing villages that provide fresh ingredients every morning. When choosing a restaurant, you should prioritize places that display seafood in glass cabinets or live water tanks, allowing customers to choose before cooking. This is a clear sign that the restaurant imports seafood during the day and does not keep it overnight.
Reputable restaurants often clearly state “seafood this morning” or “supplied from Cua Dai or An Bang”. For example, Chau Kitchen and Bar – a prominent restaurant in Hoi An ancient town, commits to importing fresh seafood daily from Cua Dai and An Bang fishing villages, then preparing it in fusion style, ensuring to preserve the taste of the Vietnamese sea while bringing in a breath of modern cuisine.
2. Ask for the price before ordering.
A small but very important tip: ask for the price before ordering, especially for seafood that is priced by weight such as shrimp, crab, fish, squid. Seafood prices in Hoi An often fluctuate depending on the season and type, so asking in advance will help you avoid a “shocking” situation when receiving the bill.
In addition, if you go in a group or group, you can ask the restaurant to suggest a combo or seafood set menu, which is both cost-effective and ensures there are enough dishes for everyone. Some large restaurants such as Anabas Restaurant or Chau Kitchen and Bar have set menus for groups of 4-10 people, which is convenient and of consistent quality.
3. The best time to eat seafood
In Hoi An, the afternoon and evening are the ideal times to eat seafood. At this time, the seafood has just been brought back by fishermen and the restaurants also prepare it freshest. Moreover, enjoying delicious food while watching the sunset on An Bang or Cua Dai beach will make the meal much more special.
If you prefer a more relaxing and upscale atmosphere, restaurants in the old quarter like Chau Kitchen and Bar are the perfect choice for dinner in Hoi An, where you can enjoy seafood in a luxurious space while sipping a cool glass of white wine in the shimmering lights of Hoi An.
4. Book a table in advance during peak tourist season
Hoi An is especially crowded during the summer (May–August) and festival season (December–March). If you are traveling in a large group or on a tour, you should book a table at least 1–2 days in advance, especially at famous restaurants such as Chau Kitchen and Bar or Hon Seafood. Booking in advance will not only help you get a good seat but also allow you to request a private set menu, choosing dishes that suit your taste and budget.
5. Tips:
- If you want to experience fresh seafood “like a local”, visit Thanh Ha fish market early in the morning.
- If you like to eat in an ancient, airy space, choose the restaurant in Hoi An ancient town like Chau Kitchen and Bar – a place that ensures quality and offers memorable culinary experiences.
Choosing the right seafood restaurant in Hoi An is not just about eating, it’s also how you fully experience the taste of the sea, culture and people of Quang Nam.
Hoi An truly deserves its title as the seafood paradise of the Central region, a place that brings together everything from simple beachside eateries to high-end restaurants in the old town. Wherever you enjoy it, what makes Hoi An seafood special is its freshness, rich flavor and sophistication in preparation. From freshly caught squid in Cua Dai, fragrant steamed crabs with lemongrass in An Bang, to steaming seafood hotpot in the old town, each dish contains the breath of the sea and the love of Quang people.
For those who love food, a seafood meal in Hoi An is not only a taste experience but also a journey to discover the local culture, where people, nature and cuisine blend together to create an unmistakable beauty. Take a leisurely afternoon, choose a favorite seafood restaurant, and let the taste of Hoi An sea tell you the sweet story of the heritage land.
Last updated: 28/10/2025 19:42
