When it comes to traveling to Cat Ba Island, it’s not just about majestic natural landscapes and inviting clear blue beaches, but also a true culinary paradise. With its abundant and fresh seafood, Cat Ba offers countless appealing specialties that delight every diner.

If you’re planning a trip and wondering what to eat in Cat Ba, let WISTARIA HOTEL help you discover Cat Ba’s specialties with 7 unmissable dishes and delicious restaurant addresses right below.

7 Cat Ba Specialties You Definitely Must Try

Let’s highlight some genuinely good restaurants in Cat Ba:

Geoduck: The “King of Seafood” in Cat Ba

At the top of the list of Cat Ba specialties is geoduck, also known as “tu hai,” one of the rare and extremely valuable seafood species. Geoduck meat is famous for its chewy, crispy texture and characteristic sweet, refreshing taste, captivating anyone who tries it. You can enjoy geoduck grilled with scallion oil, steamed, or even cooked into porridge or a salad, all of which are delicious.

Suggested places to enjoy geoduck dishes:

Hung Manh 559 Cat Ba Floating Restaurant

• Address: Cai Beo, Cat Ba Town, Cat Hai, Hai Phong
• Phone: 0967 595 159

Hang Hai Yen – Cat Ba Seafood

• Address: 258 1/4 Street, Cat Ba Town, Cat Hai, Hai Phong
• Phone: 0982 768 678

Yummy 1 Restaurant

• Address: 140 Nui Ngoc, Cat Ba Town, Cat Hai, Hai Phong
• Phone: 0977 950 906

Mantis Shrimp: An Unmissable Specialty

Mantis shrimp, also known as “bề bề” or “tôm tít,” is a familiar seafood specialty with a distinct flavor in Cat Ba. Mantis shrimp here are often large, with firm, rich, sweet meat and creamy roe, especially during breeding season. Mantis shrimp is often prepared stir-fried with salt, steamed, or stir-fried with lemongrass and chili, offering a spicy, fragrant, and rich taste.

Suggested places to try mantis shrimp dishes:

Quang Anh Cat Ba Seafood Floating Restaurant

• Address: Cai Beo, Cat Ba Town, Cat Hai, Hai Phong
• Phone: 0941 851 984

The Three M Restaurant

• Address: 252 Mot Thang Tu, Cat Ba Town, Cat Hai, Hai Phong 01234
• Phone: 0326 333 559

Vu Duong Restaurant

• Address: 45 Tung Dinh, Cat Ba Town, Cat Hai, Hai Phong
• Phone: 0793 346 666

Horseshoe Crab: The Unique Flavor of the Pearl Island

Horseshoe crab is a uniquely shaped seafood that offers an unforgettable culinary experience. The crab meat is chewy and sweet, and the fatty roe is a favorite for many. Horseshoe crab is often meticulously prepared into many delicious dishes, requiring skill, such as grilled over charcoal, horseshoe crab salad, crispy fried horseshoe crab eggs, or horseshoe crab porridge.

Suggested places to enjoy horseshoe crab dishes:

Lang Chai Restaurant

• Address: 256 1/4 Street, Cat Ba Town, Cat Hai, Hai Phong 18000
• Phone: 0989 507 575

Hai Yen Restaurant

• Address: 258 1/4 Street, Cat Ba Town, Cat Hai, Hai Phong
• Phone: 0982 768 678

Grouper: Delicious in Hot Pot, Steamed, or Grilled

Grouper, also known as “cá mú,” is considered one of Cat Ba’s famous specialties. This fish lives in deep, clear ocean waters, which gives its meat a firm and sweet texture. Cat Ba grouper not only has high nutritional value but also a distinct delicious flavor, loved by many tourists when they visit. It’s often prepared into many appealing dishes like hot pot, porridge, or steamed with soy sauce, each offering a unique culinary experience.

Suggested restaurants to enjoy grouper dishes:

Quan Cat Ba

• Address: 180 Mot Thang Tu, Cat Ba Town, Cat Hai, Hai Phong
• Phone: 0986 590 318

Ben Cang Seafood

• Address: P2FX+RRQ, Mot Thang Tu, Cat Ba Town, Cat Hai, Hai Phong
• Phone: 0382 688 779

Grilled Oysters: An “Addictive” Dish

Cat Ba oysters are highly praised for their freshness, richness, and cleanliness. Oysters here are often caught and prepared on the same day, ensuring maximum freshness. Must-try oyster dishes when traveling to Cat Ba include grilled with scallion oil, grilled with cheese, or eaten raw with lemon and mustard.

Suggested places to enjoy oyster dishes:

Cat Ba Seafood – Marigold Restaurant

• Address: 173 – 174 1/4 Street, Cat Ba Town, Cat Hai, Hai Phong
• Phone: 0904 355 586

Thao Minh Restaurant

• Address: 197 1/4 Street, Cat Ba Town, Cat Hai, Hai Phong
• Phone: 0965 046 186

Shrimp Noodle Soup (Bún Tôm), Mantis Shrimp Noodle Soup (Bún Bề Bề): The Essence of Morning Sea Cuisine

For breakfast or a light meal during the day, Cat Ba shrimp noodle soup (Bún tôm Cát Bà) and mantis shrimp noodle soup (Bún bề bề) are unmissable choices, offering a rich and incredibly fresh taste of the sea. Cat Ba’s mantis shrimp and shrimp noodle soups are famous for their clear, rich broth simmered from bones and fresh shrimp shells. The noodles are served with peeled fresh mantis shrimp or shrimp, fried mackerel fish cakes, fresh herbs, and a hint of spicy chili paste.

Suggested good restaurants to enjoy:

Cat Ba Market

• Address: 11 Tung Dinh, Cat Ba Town, Cat Hai, Hai Phong

Breakfast Noodle Shop

• Address: 20 Tung Dinh, Cat Ba Town, Cat Hai, Hai Phong

And various breakfast stalls along 1/4 Street, especially those near the tourist pier, often serve very fresh seafood noodle dishes.

Steamed Crabs, Tamarind Stir-fried Sea Crab: “Premium” Seafood

Traveling to Cat Ba without trying crab and sea crab would be a huge omission. The seafood here is always fresh, with firm meat and rich roe. From steamed crab with beer to stir-fried sea crab with salt or tamarind, the sweet, sour, and rich flavor of the tamarind sauce permeates every fiber of the firm crab meat.

Suggested places to enjoy:

Dai Loc Quan Restaurant

• Address: 84 Tung Dinh, Cat Ba Town, Cat Hai, Hai Phong 180000
• Phone: 0968 218 201

Bao Ngoc Restaurant

• Address: 249 Mot Thang Tu, Cat Ba Town, Cat Hai, Hai Phong
• Phone: 0225 3888 510

Cat Ba Specialties to Buy as Gifts

Besides dining in, Cat Ba also offers many dried and processed specialties perfect for souvenirs for friends and family:

• Cat Hai Fish Sauce: This is a nationally famous fish sauce brand with a rich, distinctive, delicious flavor, made from pure fresh fish.
• One-Sun-Dried Mackerel: Fresh mackerel sun-dried for one day, retaining its sweetness and firmness. Easy to preserve and prepare into many delicious dishes like mackerel in tomato sauce, fried mackerel, etc.
• Dried Squid, One-Sun-Dried Squid: These dried seafood items are typical of coastal regions, easy to transport, and a popular gift. Dried squid can be grilled or fried; one-sun-dried squid is also appealing grilled or crispy fried.
• Mackerel Fish Cake: Fish cake made from fresh mackerel meat, chewy and delicious, can be bought and fried, steamed, or cooked with noodles.

Cat Ba truly is a seafood culinary paradise with dozens of appealing specialties and countless famous delicious restaurants. From high-end fresh seafood dishes like geoduck and grouper to rustic, familiar dishes like shrimp noodle soup and stir-fried mantis shrimp with salt, each dish carries the distinctive flavor of the island. Don’t forget to save the list above to confidently explore and fully experience the culinary essence during your trip.

Wishing you delicious meals and memorable experiences in Cat Ba Island.