Forget about Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. For me, Da Nang is the best place to visit in Vietnam. Not too big, no mass tourism, relaxed vibes, and a beach with almost white-looking sand. Admittedly, the sea can be a bit rough. So this is not the best place for a swim, but it is a great spot for sunbathing and surfing. When it comes to the sights, Da Nang offers a few great things to do. What about a fire-breathing dragon bridge? But honestly, if you would ask me, I don’t think you should visit Da Nang for sightseeing. You should come here to relax and to enjoy the many Da Nang restaurants and cafes. In this blog post, I am sharing 7 great places to eat in Da Nang, Vietnam.

Vegetarian & vegan restaurants in Da Nang

Ans Vegetarian Cuisine

One of my favorite restaurants in Da Nang! We discovered ANs quite late into our trip and I wish we had visited it sooner because then I could have tried so much more on their menu. The place looks very photogenic with a baby-blue wall and seats in every color of the rainbow. Navigating the menu is super easy. Vegans: just look for the dark green circle to find the vegan dishes.  We ordered bánh xèo (fried pancake with vegetables), bánh hỏi thịt nướng (rice cake with vegan barbeque ‘meat’ and vegan ‘fish’ sauce) and fresh spring rolls. Delicious! Prices may be a bit higher though than at other places.

Address: 169F Trưng Nữ Vương.

Da Nang restaurants ANs vegetarian cuisine
Da Nang restaurants Ans Vegetarian cuisine

Chay corner

For vegetarians and vegans, the word ‘chay’ is something to keep an eye on. Chay means fasting in Buddhism. In other words, not consuming animal products. So when a restaurant or a dish on the menu has the word ‘chay’ in it, it means it doesn’t contain any meat or dairy. You still need to be careful with eggs though (trung). Near Da Nang’s beach, you can find the lovely Chay Corner. A small eatery specialized in Vietnamese dumplings. The owner is super friendly and loves to learn new languages. She even knew a few Dutch words and wrote ‘Nice to meat you’ (in Dutch) on our bill. Definitely recommend checking out!

Address154 Nguyễn Thiện Kế.

Da Nang restaurants chay corner

Loving vegan

A cute pink-painted restaurant with a 100% vegan menu. You can order western-style dishes as well as local foods. Of course, I chose Vietnamese cuisine, because I didn’t come to Vietnam to have pizza. We ordered two bánh xèo plates and it was delicious. Great place near the beach, so good to combine the two.

Address: 61 Lê Quang Đạo.

Da Nang restaurants loving vegan
Da Nang restaurants bahn xeo

The Vegan ramen

Want to try something other than Vietnamese food? Head over to The Vegan Ramen, a small cafe entirely focused on Japanese ramen dishes. Ramen is a spicy noodle soup with vegetables and various meats. Of course, at this place, all the meat is mock meat. Vietnam is a true superstar when it comes to mock meats, so you will not miss out on taste. I ordered a spicy coconut curry ramen and I loved it!

Address: 4 An Thượng 11.

Great places for coffee in Da Nang

Normal black coffee is always vegetarian ánd vegan. However, not every place offers plant-based milk alternatives. Below are the cafes I visited. Some have soy milk, others do not but are still lovely places to visit.

The Hideout Cafe

Just like the name says, this cafe is tucked away from the main road and offers tranquil vibes. At the front, it has a little beautiful garden that leads up to the entrance. The menu offers plant-based dairy alternatives. I recommend vegans to order a soy coconut iced coffee. The Hideout also offers breakfast and lunch options and some are vegan.

Address: 72 24Nguyễn Văn Thoại

SIX ON SIX coffee

Another hidden coffee place for this list. When you pass SIX ON SIX, you would think it is a home rather than a cafe. This place also has plant-based dairy alternatives, so great for a vegan latte or cappuccino. The menu is quite western, but if you’re in the mood for a sandwich or falafel, then this is a place worth checking out.

Address: 1 Nguyễn Văn Thoại

Mua Coffee

MUA Coffee is a super stylish two-floor cafe. It is an open-air concept, so the wind flows right through it. I recommend getting a table with a view of the street. We chose the upper floor. My boyfriend loved the iced coconut coffee here, one of the best he had in Vietnam. Unfortunately, they don’t have plant-based milk, so it is black coffee for vegans.

Address: 28 Châu Thị Vĩnh Tế

Da Nang restaurants coffee

If I would return to Da Nang, then I would check out these cafes: Why Roastery, Wonderlust, and the Espresso Station.

And what about things to do in Da Nang?

Well, you must (of course) visit the fire-breathing bridge (Cầu Rồng). This oddly-looking bridge was built to commemorate the 38 years of liberation of Da Nang (in 2013). The dragon is an important symbol in Vietnamese culture and represents power, bravery, and good fortune. Good to know that the fire spectacle only takes place during the weekend, on Saturday and Sunday at 9.00 pm.

In addition to the dragon bridge, I also would recommend checking out the pink Đà Nẵng church in the city center. It was built by the French colonists in the 1920’s, specifically for the French Catholics to use. Today, the church is still in service, but for local Catholics.

When in Da Nang, you should also take some time to see My Khe Beach. According to many tourists, one of the most beautiful beaches in Vietnam. Stretched out, clean, and powdery sand. Other great beaches are Bac My An and Non Nuoc.

Da Nang restaurants things to do dragon bridge
Da Nang restaurants things to do pink church
Da Nang restaurants MyKhe beach
Da Nang restaurants beach area

Where to stay in Da Nang?

We stayed in a lovely garden bungalow at Bolero Garden Hostel. A great place within walking distance of the beach. The city center is a bit further away, but can easily be reached with bus R16 or a Grab taxi. If you would rather stay in the city center, then I recommend checking out May Home and Delistay. Good to know: most restaurants and coffee places are located in the beach area.

Click here for an overview of accommodations in Da Nang.

Going to Hoi An next? Read up on the yellow bus scam

Most tourists will travel from Da Nang to Hoi Ann, the next big tourist stop in Central Vietnam. We also took this route and got on the local yellow Da Nang – Hoi An bus. This bus is notorious because of the conductor scam. The ride costs 20,000 VND (luggage is free), but the conductor will charge tourists 50,000 VND. We read up about this scam beforehand (check these YouTube videos) and were prepared. We got onto the bus with two notes of 20,000 VND ready in our hands. As expected, the conductor refused our payment and demanded 50,000 each. We refused, he protested, and then walked away. A few minutes later he returned, demanded 50,000 each and we refused. This went on two more times. In the end, he accepted our two notes of 20,000 VND. So my advice: stay calm and don’t let them intimidate you.

Public buses in Vietnam are often used by locals to bring their packages to the next city.

And is this city on your radar? Do you have tips for restaurants in Da Nang? Let me know in the comments!

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"Don't let your dreams be dreams. Go live your dreams. Go travel".

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