Cao Bằng's Must-Try Specialties: Experience Them On Your Trip and Take Them Home as Souvenirs!

When you visit Cao Bằng, the local specialties are an absolute must-try! They truly capture the authentic flavors of the mountains and forests, making them perfect, unique souvenirs to bring home. Every dish isn't just incredibly delicious; it's also a thoughtful and meaningful gift for your family and friends.
Cao Bằng's must-try specialties and souvenirs not only boast unique flavors but also embody the culinary essence of the highlands. From rustic dishes to renowned delicacies, each taste evokes the wild beauty and rich identity of this border region. Join 63Stravel to discover these enticing specialties!
Recommended articles on the same topic:
- What to buy as a gift when traveling to Cao Bang?
- Explore the 5 most beautiful and famous tourist areas in Cao Bang
- Discover 7+ beautiful tourist attractions in Cao Bang that you don't want to miss
- List of 10+ historical relics in Cao Bang that attract young people
Cao Bằng Specialties You Must Try and Buy as Souvenirs
Cao Bằng's must-try specialties and souvenirs are not only appealing for their distinct flavors but also deeply reflect the highland culture. Let's explore these amazing Cao Bằng delicacies!
Cao Bằng Steamed Rice Rolls (Bánh Cuốn Cao Bằng)
Bánh Cuốn Cao Bằng is a unique highlight in highland cuisine, offering a distinct flavor compared to familiar versions of steamed rice rolls. What makes this dish special is its surprisingly novel way of eating. Instead of dipping it in fish sauce as usual, locals in Cao Bằng enjoy Bánh Cuốn with a savory broth simmered from pork bones, creating a naturally sweet and rich taste. When eating, diners can add chili, pickled bamboo shoots, or Mắc Mật leaves for an even richer flavor.

Not only is the broth special, but the rice rolls themselves are also meticulously prepared. The rice used must be a high-quality local variety from Cao Bằng, soaked, ground finely, and mixed with just the right amount of water to create a perfectly smooth consistency. The thin, soft, and delicate wrapper embraces a fragrant filling of minced pork sautéed with wood ear mushrooms, or it can be substituted with chicken eggs depending on preference. All these elements come together to create a hot, flavorful Bánh Cuốn, carrying the unique taste of the Northeast mountains and forests.
Cao Bằng Seven-Flavor Roasted Duck (Vịt Quay 7 Vị Cao Bằng)
Among Cao Bằng's must-try specialties and souvenirs, the Seven-Flavor Roasted Duck (Vịt Quay 7 Vị) is an essential mention – a famous dish deeply imbued with the flavors of the mountains and forests. This dish originates from the Tày people and is meticulously prepared with a blend of seven special spices, allowing the duck meat to absorb a unique aroma.
When you taste it, you'll experience a golden, crispy skin glistening with forest honey, and inside, the meat is tender, succulent, and unforgettable. Today, the Seven-Flavor Roasted Duck is not only served during important festivities but has also become an enticing specialty that captivates tourists every time they visit Cao Bằng.
Cao Bằng Sour Fermented Pork (Thịt Lợn Chua Cao Bằng)
Sour Fermented Pork (Thịt Lợn Chua) is one of Cao Bằng's unique specialties, offering a distinctive and appealing flavor. This dish is made from free-range "bản" pork – pigs raised naturally on bananas, forest vegetables, and cornmeal, resulting in firm, lean, and exceptionally flavorful meat. After seasoning, the pork is fermented naturally in bamboo tubes, developing a light sour taste that stimulates the palate.

When served, it can be stir-fried with vegetables or enjoyed directly, dipped with fig leaves or wild betel leaves to fully appreciate its characteristic flavor. This also makes an ideal accompaniment to sticky rice wine or white rice wine, further highlighting the essence of highland cuisine.
Cao Bằng Sausage (Lạp Sườn Cao Bằng)
Cao Bằng Sausage (Lạp Sườn) is a must-try specialty when traveling to this region. While it resembles Southern Vietnamese Lạp Xưởng in appearance, Cao Bằng's Lạp Sườn stands out due to its special ingredients – wild boar or free-range pork, offering a more aromatic and richer flavor.
This sausage is marinated with ginger water, Mác Mật fruit, and leaves, then air-dried over a wood fire for many days until it's fully cooked and gradually dries out, creating a very distinctive taste. Cao Bằng Sausage is not only a popular dish in family meals but also a meaningful gift for tourists to bring home.
Sticky Rice with Canarium Fruit (Xôi Trám)
Sticky Rice with Canarium Fruit (Xôi Trám) is one of Cao Bằng's prominent specialties, often gracing warm family meals or appearing at weddings and festivals. This sticky rice boasts a gentle aroma of glutinous rice blended with the characteristic earthy scent of wild canarium fruit. When savored, visitors will experience a perfect combination of the mild, nutty flavor of the canarium fruit and soft, chewy sticky rice grains, creating an unforgettable culinary experience.
Cao Bằng Dạ Hiến Vegetable (Rau Dạ Hiến Cao Bằng)
Cao Bằng Dạ Hiến Vegetable (Rau Dạ Hiến) is a rare delicacy that grows exclusively on limestone mountains, in arid soil. This vegetable is not only notable for its unique appearance but also for its sweet and refreshing flavor, which remains delightful no matter how it's prepared.

Historically, Dạ Hiến vegetable was a common staple in the daily meals of local people. But now, it has become a true specialty, featured on the menus of many restaurants, from casual to upscale, attracting not only tourists but also discerning foodies.
Cao Bằng Ant Egg Cake (Bánh Trứng Kiến Cao Bằng)
Among Cao Bằng's must-try specialties and souvenirs, Ant Egg Cake (Bánh Trứng Kiến) is a unique dish that not everyone dares to try. While the name might make some hesitant, Bánh Trứng Kiến actually offers a special, addictive flavor.
Made from young ant eggs and sticky rice flour, the cake has a soft, chewy crust and a fragrant, rich filling of ant eggs and pork fat. This cake can only be enjoyed during the ant breeding season, from April to May, when ant eggs are abundant and at their freshest, offering a truly novel and exciting culinary experience.
Cao Bằng Sour Pho (Phở Chua Cao Bằng)
Cao Bằng Sour Pho (Phở Chua) is an enticing specialty that visitors absolutely shouldn't miss when exploring this land. The pho noodles are handmade and undergo a natural fermentation process, giving them a light sour taste and a distinctive aroma.
Sour Pho is blanched in boiling water, then mixed with crispy fried pork or roasted duck, pig liver, Mác Mật leaves, sour bamboo shoots, and peanuts. All these ingredients are harmoniously combined with a sweet and sour fish sauce, creating a rich yet non-greasy dish. This is an ideal meal to start a new day when traveling in Cao Bằng.
Cao Bằng Braised Pork Belly (Nằm Khâu Cao Bằng)
Nằm Khâu is a prominent Cao Bằng specialty, prepared from pork belly with the skin left on. After being fried until golden and crispy, the skin is then steamed with taro and brown sugar, creating a dish that is both tender and fragrant.

When you taste it, you'll feel the rich fattiness of the pork blending perfectly with the tender, crumbly taro. What makes this dish even more appealing is the unique dipping sauce, specially prepared by the locals, leaving an unforgettable aftertaste for anyone who tries it.
Cao Bằng Arrowroot Vermicelli (Miến Dong Cao Bằng)
Cao Bằng Arrowroot Vermicelli (Miến Dong) is an ideal specialty to buy as a gift, notable for its natural sweetness and characteristic chewiness. Made entirely by hand from red arrowroot tubers, this vermicelli uses no preservatives, offering high nutritional value and being very beneficial for health.
This vermicelli is also an excellent choice for those on a diet. However, as it is a handmade product, it has a limited shelf life, so be careful not to buy too much to prevent mold.
Cao Bằng Che Lam Cake (Bánh Chè Lam Cao Bằng)
Cao Bằng Che Lam Cake (Bánh Chè Lam) is a unique specialty that deeply embodies the traditional flavors of this region. Compared to versions of Che Lam Cake found in Hanoi or other northern provinces, the Cao Bằng cake has a distinct taste, made from roasted sticky rice flour, roasted peanuts, ginger, and malt syrup.
When enjoyed, Cao Bằng Che Lam Cake offers a chewy, nutty, and moderately sweet sensation, which is very pleasant. This cake is often savored with a warm pot of tea in the cool atmosphere of the Northwest, creating a wonderful and unforgettable experience.
Cao Bằng Giao Co Lam Tea (Trà Giảo Cổ Lam Cao Bằng)
Cao Bằng Giao Co Lam Tea (Trà Giảo Cổ Lam) is one of the prominent specialties that visitors cannot miss when coming to this land. This herbal tea primarily grows in the northern mountainous regions, renowned for its many health benefits such as beautifying the skin, nourishing the complexion, and aiding body detoxification.

Giao Co Lam Tea was once a tribute offered to kings, but now it has become a familiar and popular beverage. When enjoying the tea on the spot, you'll experience its gentle aroma and a refreshing, invigorating sensation. If you wish to buy it as a gift, Giao Co Lam Tea can be found in dried or cold-dried filter bags, which are very convenient and easy to store.
Trùng Khánh Chestnuts (Hạt Dẻ Trùng Khánh)
Trùng Khánh Chestnuts (Hạt Dẻ Trùng Khánh) are a Cao Bằng specialty you must try and buy as a souvenir, notable for their large size, thick shell, and golden, buttery, fragrant, and delicious nuts. The chestnuts are grown on high hills ranging from 450-600m, meticulously cared for to achieve the best quality. The harvest season in September-October provides a significant source of income for local residents.
Trùng Khánh Chestnuts can be prepared into many delicious dishes such as roasted, boiled, porridge, or sweet soup. They are not only tasty but also offer numerous health benefits, especially for the heart and digestive system. This is definitely a meaningful gift for your loved ones when you visit Cao Bằng.
Khảo Cake (Bánh Khảo)
Khảo Cake (Bánh Khảo) is a famous Cao Bằng specialty, often appearing during Tết holidays, especially on ancestral altars. Made from fragrant, round, plump sticky rice, Khảo cake has a nutty, aromatic filling of peanuts and sesame, blended with the rich flavor of pork fat.

Artisans in the craft villages create these Khảo cakes meticulously and skillfully, with their characteristic rectangular shape. When enjoyed, visitors will experience the wonderful blend of the delicate sweetness of sugar and sticky rice flour, making this cake an indispensable part of Cao Bằng's cuisine.
Black Sticky Canarium Fruit (Trám Nếp Đen)
Black Sticky Canarium Fruit (Trám Nếp Đen) is a unique specialty of Cao Bằng, typically harvested by the Tày – Nùng people during the cold season when the fruits are ripe and plump. With its deep purple color, the canarium fruit is not only visually appealing but also carries the rich flavor of the mountains and forests. The people of Cao Bằng process Black Sticky Canarium by extracting the fruit flesh, removing the seeds, and packaging it in boxes for tourists to take home as gifts.

When tasted, visitors will experience a sweet, soft, buttery, and pleasantly nutty flavor. Moreover, Black Sticky Canarium Fruit is very beneficial for health, leaving an unforgettable impression on anyone who has tried it.
Mác Mật Fruit (Quả Mác Mật)
Mác Mật fruit, which means "sweet fruit" in the Tày – Nùng language, is a distinctive and essential spice in mountain cuisine. With its delicate aroma, Mác Mật fruit is used to remove the fishy smell from fish, the gamey odor from duck, or to enhance the fragrance of braised pork hock.
This fruit has a harmonious blend of sour, spicy, salty, and sweet flavors, often used as an appetizer, mixed into dipping sauces, or added to dishes to create a unique taste. Additionally, locals dry or dehydrate Mác Mật fruit for later use, or store it in ice trays in the refrigerator to preserve its flavor when it's out of season.
Smoked Beef (Bò Gác Bếp)
Smoked Beef (Bò Gác Bếp) is a famous specialty of Cao Bằng, making it an ideal gift for those who love mountain cuisine. The beef is cut into bite-sized pieces, usually about 2-3 fingers thick, then thoroughly marinated with salt, ginger juice, and white wine.

Before being hung above the kitchen fire, locals make a few cuts into the meat to ensure the spices penetrate evenly. The smoking process dries the beef, making it fragrant, rich in flavor, and very easy to preserve. It's an ideal dish to bring home as a gift for family, friends, or colleagues.
Coong Phu Cake (Bánh Coóng Phù)
Coong Phu Cake (Bánh Coóng Phù) is a traditional and distinctive cake of Cao Bằng, embodying the simplicity yet rich flavors of the mountains. Simple ingredients like sticky rice, sugar, peanuts, sesame, and fresh ginger are skillfully combined to create this delicious cake.
The cake is made from sticky rice flour kneaded into small balls, often mixed with Gac fruit to create an eye-catching red color. After cooking, the cakes are topped with fragrant ginger syrup, sprinkled with crushed peanuts, sesame, and shredded coconut. This cake is typically enjoyed in winter, providing warmth and helping to prevent colds, offering an unforgettable sweet and comforting flavor.
Áp Chao Cake (Bánh Áp Chao)
Cao Bằng Áp Chao Cake (Bánh Áp Chao), despite its appearance similar to a fried donut, reveals a distinct difference upon tasting. The crispy crust, made from sticky rice flour, regular rice flour, soybeans, and shredded taro, creates a characteristic aromatic crispiness. The filling is savory marinated duck meat, skillfully prepared to retain its natural sweetness and captivating aroma.

When fried, the cake puffs up and turns golden, with a perfectly crispy exterior and a soft, chewy interior, making it incredibly tempting. This cake is typically served with sweet and sour fish sauce, green papaya, and fresh herbs, providing a refreshing balance to the rich flavors of the cake. Áp Chao Cake is an indispensable dish during Cao Bằng's chilly winter days, leaving anyone who tries it wanting more.
Cao Bằng is not only famous for its natural beauty but also a culinary paradise with unique specialties. These dishes and must-try specialties in Cao Bằng, perfect for enjoying during your trip and buying as souvenirs, will make your journey more complete and memorable. Come and experience it – you'll never forget the special flavors of this land!
Cao Bang 4267 view
Update day : 05/02/2025
Monuments close by
See allNearby tourist attractions
See all

























