Quick answer
Cao lầu, a noodle dish unique to Hội An, can be found for 20,000–120,000 VND across the city, with Thanh Cao Lầu being a top recommendation for its classic preparation. This Hội An specialty features thick rice noodles, char siu pork, crispy rice crackers, fresh herbs, and savory broth, creating a textural masterpiece found almost exclusively in this Vietnamese town.
- Best overall
- Thanh Cao Lầu
- Top pick
- Thanh Cao Lầu
Top verdicts
- Thanh Cao Lầu: Open through lunch and afternoon; cao lầu doesn't translate to dinner here the way phở does.
- Cao Lầu Bà Bé: Mornings into early afternoon only; the market winds down by 3pm.
- Cao Lầu Bà Lệ: Sit-down room is small; arrive before 1pm for the best supply.
Cao lầu is a noodle dish that exists almost exclusively in Hội An. Thick, slightly chewy rice noodles — somewhere between Japanese udon and Chinese egg noodles — are topped with char siu pork, crispy rice crackers, fresh herbs, and a small ladle of savory broth. The result is a complex, textural masterpiece unlike anything else in Vietnamese cuisine.
What makes it so hyper-local? Traditionally, the noodles can only be made with water from the ancient Bà Lệ well and lye from ash sourced from the Chàm Islands. Whether that's still strictly true is debatable — but the noodles you'll get in Hội An have a distinctive color and bite you won't find elsewhere. It's a one-town dish, and these are the best places to eat it.
Area map
All 10 spots at a glance
| # | Name | Style | Price | Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thanh Cao Lầu | restaurant | mid | 26 Thái Phiên, Old Town |
| 2 | Cao Lầu Bà Bé | restaurant | mid | Hội An Central Market, Trần Phú |
| 3 | Cao Lầu Bà Lệ | restaurant | mid | 49/3 Trần Hưng Đạo, Minh An |
| 4 | Hải Chiến Cao Lầu | restaurant | mid | Hội An Central Market, Trần Phú |
| 5 | Cao Lầu Cô Liên | restaurant | mid | 120 Trần Cao Vân, Minh An |
| 6 | Cao Lầu Ông Tý | restaurant | mid | 71 Phan Chu Trinh, Minh An |
| 7 | Morning Glory | restaurant | mid | 106 Nguyễn Thái Học, Old Town |
| 8 | Secret Garden | restaurant | mid | 132/2 Trần Phú, Old Town |
| 9 | Hội An Night Market Stalls | restaurant | mid | Nguyễn Hoàng, An Hội (across the bridge) |
| 10 | Cao Lầu Bà Hồng | restaurant | mid | Trần Phú (near Central Market) |
1Thanh Cao Lầu
RestaurantQuick comparison
- Best for
- A traditional well-water cao lầu
- Strengths
- Known for Restaurant · 26 Thái Phiên, Old Town
- Price / value
- 25,000–40,000 VND
- Why it made the list
- A Thái Phiên shop locals consistently name as one of the most traditional cao lầu in Hội An, with thick wheat noodles cooked in well water from one of the city's old wells — a defining requirement for real cao lầu.
- What to order
- Cao lầu with extra crispy bánh tráng (rice cracker chips) and fresh herbs.
2Cao Lầu Bà Bé
RestaurantQuick comparison
- Best for
- Market-stall cao lầu
- Strengths
- Known for Restaurant · Hội An Central Market, Trần Phú
- Price / value
- 20,000–45,000 VND
- Why it made the list
- A long-running market stall inside Hội An Central Market — exactly the kind of utilitarian cao lầu address the dish was built for, served fast and cheap to working stall-holders.
- What to order
- Cao lầu with all the toppings; eat it standing if you have to.
3Cao Lầu Bà Lệ
RestaurantQuick comparison
- Best for
- A Bà Lệ-lineage cao lầu
- Strengths
- Known for Restaurant · 49/3 Trần Hưng Đạo, Minh An
- Price / value
- 30,000–50,000 VND
- Why it made the list
- Run for decades on Trần Hưng Đạo, with a cao lầu locals consistently rate among the best in town — slightly more pork-heavy and thicker-broth than the market versions.
- What to order
- Cao lầu with extra char siu and the house chili.
4Hải Chiến Cao Lầu
RestaurantQuick comparison
- Best for
- Side-by-side market cao lầu
- Strengths
- Known for Restaurant · Hội An Central Market, Trần Phú
- Price / value
- 25,000–40,000 VND
- Why it made the list
- A second long-running Hội An Central Market stall — Hội An locals will argue about whether Hải Chiến or Bà Bé makes the better bowl, and a side-by-side tasting is a legitimate plan.
- What to order
- Cao lầu with extra rau sống (raw herbs).
5Cao Lầu Cô Liên
RestaurantQuick comparison
- Best for
- A locals' off-Old-Town cao lầu
- Strengths
- Known for Restaurant · 120 Trần Cao Vân, Minh An
- Price / value
- 25,000–40,000 VND
- Why it made the list
- A Trần Cao Vân neighbourhood shop favoured by Hội An residents for a cleaner, less-tourist-priced bowl — one of the city's lower-key cao lầu addresses.
- What to order
- Standard cao lầu with extra crispy bánh tráng.
6Cao Lầu Ông Tý
RestaurantQuick comparison
- Best for
- A locals' breakfast cao lầu
- Strengths
- Known for Restaurant · 71 Phan Chu Trinh, Minh An
- Price / value
- 20,000–35,000 VND
- Why it made the list
- A Phan Chu Trinh shop with a small but loyal following — Hội An residents who eat the dish weekly often have a strong opinion on Ông Tý's cao lầu.
- What to order
- Cao lầu with extra tóp mỡ (crispy pork fat).
7Morning Glory
RestaurantQuick comparison
- Best for
- A sit-down regional set
- Strengths
- Known for Restaurant · 106 Nguyễn Thái Học, Old Town
- Price / value
- 50,000–120,000 VND
- Why it made the list
- Ms. Vy's flagship Old Town restaurant — Hội An's most influential modern Vietnamese kitchen, where the cao lầu is presented at sit-down restaurant standard with a wider menu of regional dishes around it.
- What to order
- Cao lầu plus white-rose dumplings and a Hội An wonton, to round out the regional table.
8Secret Garden
RestaurantQuick comparison
- Best for
- A courtyard cao lầu dinner
- Strengths
- Known for Restaurant · 132/2 Trần Phú, Old Town
- Price / value
- 40,000–100,000 VND
- Why it made the list
- Set in a converted courtyard house off Trần Phú, with a more polished sit-down format and a kitchen that takes regional Hội An dishes seriously — including a well-made cao lầu.
- What to order
- Cao lầu plus the bánh xèo (sizzling pancake) for variety.
9Hội An Night Market Stalls
RestaurantQuick comparison
- Best for
- A late-night cao lầu
- Strengths
- Known for Restaurant · Nguyễn Hoàng, An Hội (across the bridge)
- Price / value
- 25,000–40,000 VND
- Why it made the list
- Across the bridge on Nguyễn Hoàng, the An Hội night market has multiple cao lầu stalls — useful for a late, casual version of the dish when most Old Town shops have closed.
- What to order
- Cao lầu from any open stall; the format is consistent across vendors.
10Cao Lầu Bà Hồng
RestaurantQuick comparison
- Best for
- An underrated Trần Phú stall
- Strengths
- Known for Restaurant · Trần Phú (near Central Market)
- Price / value
- 25,000–45,000 VND
- Why it made the list
- A Trần Phú stall near Central Market with a small but devoted local following — Hội An regulars will sometimes name it before the more famous Bà Lệ name.
- What to order
- Standard cao lầu with extra herbs and a glass of trà đá.
Frequently asked questions
What is cao lầu and why is it unique to Hội An?
Cao lầu is a noodle dish found almost exclusively in Hội An, Vietnam. It features thick, chewy rice noodles (similar to Japanese udon) tossed with sliced char siu pork, crispy rice crackers, fresh herbs, and a small amount of savory broth. What makes it unique is the noodles — traditionally made with water from the ancient Bà Lệ well and treated with lye from ash of trees on the Chàm Islands, giving them their distinctive yellow color and firm, slightly crunchy texture.
How much does a bowl of cao lầu cost in Hội An?
A bowl of cao lầu at a street stall or market vendor typically costs 20,000–40,000 VND ($0.80–$1.60 USD). Sit-down restaurants in the Old Town charge 35,000–70,000 VND ($1.40–$2.80 USD). Upscale restaurants like Morning Glory charge 50,000–120,000 VND ($2–$5 USD). It's one of the most affordable iconic dishes in Vietnam.
Where is the best cao lầu in Hội An?
Based on local consensus, Thanh Cao Lầu at 26 Thái Phiên is the most frequently recommended spot. For the most traditional experience, Cao Lầu Bà Lệ uses water from the ancient Bà Lệ well. For Central Market atmosphere, Bà Bé and Hải Chiến are top picks. Each spot has its own loyal following — there's no single 'best' because locals will argue passionately for their favorite.
When is the best time to eat cao lầu in Hội An?
Cao lầu is traditionally a lunch dish, with most dedicated stalls serving from around 11 AM to 2-3 PM. Some spots like the Central Market vendors start in the morning. Evening options are available at the Night Market and sit-down restaurants. For the freshest noodles, go before noon — many stalls make noodles fresh daily and close when they run out.
Is cao lầu gluten-free?
Yes, traditional cao lầu noodles are made from rice flour, making them naturally gluten-free. The dish doesn't typically contain wheat-based ingredients. However, some modern restaurants may use soy sauce that contains wheat, so ask if you have a severe allergy. The crispy rice crackers (bánh tráng) are also rice-based.