Hoi An food tour
HUNGRY HOI AN FOOD TOUR - Most visitors only scratch the surface of Hoi An’s centuries of food traditions; our lunchtime food tour dives into the culinary underbelly of the Ancient Town.
We'll visit decades-old eateries, morning markets and legendary street food heroes, topped with a culinary discovery to the nearby farm village of Tra Que.
Prepare for 15+ tastings that tell the story of a city forged in the pestle and mortar of history. From herby clam salad to steamy wonton soup, we're uncovering the bowls that have fed hungry locals for decades.
Morning time sounds the bustle of the market, hunting down the food heroes once championed by Anthony Bourdain - tossing chewy bánh bot loc dumplings in a flavorful broth. Next, we stop by Mr. Ly’s stall, he’s been up since the early hours crafting Vietnamese "wedding dumplings," delicately bundled in green banana leaves. Try a bowl of cao lâu thick noodles and smoked pork, with roots in the historic Chinese and Japanese mercantile exchange.
Among many more surprises, is an exclusive invite to an organic farm, for a hands-on masterclass of the disappearing art of rice-paper making. Our humble hosts will fire up a tasty farm-to-fork table, with home-cooked feast that includes sizzling bánh xèo pancakes and crispy watercress prawn salad.
Back in town, witness expert ladies preparing the flower-shaped dumplings known as “white rose”, whose closely-guarded recipe has been passed down by the same family for over a century. Every tasting is a bite of Hoi An’s history. This is an odyssey through the steam, the smoke, and the stories hidden in the backstreets with our passionate foodie guide.
It's Hoi An’s ultimate story through food, and one of the most delicious (and fun) food history experiences you’ll find.
Why this tour is awesome
Hoi An is more than just a sea of yellow walls and laminated menus designed to catch the wandering eye. Forget the main drag. We’re going off-script, diving into the back-alleys where the family-run joints have been feeding hungry locals, decades before the first tour bus arrived. Vietnamese cuisine is as layered and complex as the city’s own history; we’re going way beyond the safety of pho and banh mi to find the curious, unapologetic dishes that tell the story of this place.
Your guide
Meet Quin, your homegrown Hoi An insider and the ultimate authority on all things delicious. Born and raised among the ancient town’s iconic yellow alleyways, Quin doesn't just know the food—she knows the families, the history, and the secret spots that sometimes don't make it onto a map. When she’s not busy curating her flavor-fuelled Instagram feed, she’s leading hungry travellers to the city's best-kept culinary secrets. If you want to skip the tourist traps and dive straight into the authentic heart of Hoi An’s street food scene, Quin is your pro!
Your guide
Sonny's a street food fixer with a mental map of the back-alley stalls that don’t always exist on Google. He’s spent years deep in the trenches of Hoi An’s food scene, finding the families who have spent decades perfecting signature dishes. Whether it’s hunting down a bowl of cao lau or finding the grills that matter. Sonny is your pass into the city's culinary underground. Sonny’s Rule: If the locals aren't eating there, we aren't stopping there.
Marvel at the lantern ancient town of Hoi An
We'll navigate the backstreets where the real food heroes are
Break rice crackers and new foods at streetside stalls
Discover what is served at Vietnamese weddings
Tasty wonton soup
Visit a 400-year old village community for an insider experience
A feast awaits from farm-to-fork
A fiery wok in a local kitchen
Try your hand at traditional rice paper making
The classic Hoi An speciality - Cao Lau noodles
White rose dumplings - unique to Hoi An
Fresh fruits at a sweet stop
Includes
- Price US $45 per person
- Tastings 15+ food tastings included
- Drinks Bottled water included
- Small group tour Maximum of 8 guests (private tours or groups of 9+, please contact us)
- Start time 10.00AM
- Duration Around 3.5 to 4 hours, depending on the pace of the group
- Guide Led by one of our superb Hoi An food hosts
- Transport Walking tour with 6-7 stops
- Child Policy Children aged 3-12 years: 50% discount. Infants 0-2 years: free
- Instant Confirmation Book instantly on our live calendar. If your date is unavailable, please contact us
- Cancellation policy Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
- Language English
- Pick up / Drop off Not included. Easy to find meeting point for all guests
Dietary information
- General Advice Many streetside vendors specialise in signature menus, and may not have alternatives. It is not always possible to cater for all dietary requests at every stop
- Vegetarian Meat and seafood is used in 3-4 tastings
- Vegan Unsuitable as meat, seafood and eggs are used in 5-6 tastings
- Pescatarian Possible, though meat is used in 2-3 tastings
- Pork Possible, though pork is used in 2-3 dishes. Unsuitable for halal diets.
- Halal Unsuitable, as there are no vendors on the tour route that hold halal certification.
- Gluten Intolerance / Celiac Possible, though gluten is used in 2-3 tastings, and soy sauce in more tastings. Unsuitable for celiac disease.
- Lactose intolerance Suitable for lactose intolerances, only 1-2 tastings have lactose
- Tree nut / peanut allergy Possible for mild allergies, though peanuts are used in 1-2 tastings. There are no other known tree nuts
- Seafood / Shellfish allergy Possible for mild allergies, though seafood is used in 3-4 tastings
- Severe allergies Due to the nature of street food cooking, we can never guarantee any dish to be 100% free from allergens, as there is always the risk of traces and cross-contamination. It is unsuitable for severe allergies. Contact us: info@achefstour.com
How to book
To join our Hoi An lunchtime food tour, use the live booking calendar to select your date and secure your tour. If the date is unavailable, or for special requests and private bookings, please contact us. Safety and comfort of guests is our first priority, so if you have any questions on dietary information or food allergies, please contact us before booking.
What to expect
This tour is designed for adventurous eaters with an interest in discovering the food locals eat. It’s a walking tour, but the pace is gentle, the terrain flat and there are plenty of rest (eating) stops along the way. Join us on the best Hoi An food tour in the city, you won't regret it.
Meeting point
This Hoi An food tour starts inside Hoachampa Coffee & Tea House. It's easily reachable in the centre of Hoi An. At the end of the experience, your guide can help you find transport back if you wish. More details will be sent upon booking.
Cancellation Policy
Why you should book with us
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99% 5 star reviews across our tours -
Secure payments through provider Peek
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No hidden charges - all food tastings included in the price
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Authentic food experience, escape the tourist traps