Sapa might be famous for misty peaks, rice terraces, and endless trekking trails, but food in Sapa is just as unforgettable. This isn’t your average pho-and-banh-mi Vietnam. We’re talking grilled mountain meats, homemade hooch, tribal stews, and a few surprises that make this place stand out on any foodie’s map.
Whether you’re freezing in a homestay or warming up at the weekend night market, these are the 15 must-try foods in Sapa that’ll have you eating like a local and drinking like a slightly confused tourist.
Click to read about street food in Dalat.
Table of Contents
15. Chè Sắn (Cassava Dessert Soup)
Sticky cassava in a sweet syrupy soup. Cheap, filling, and one of those things you try thinking it’s weird, then end up finishing the bowl.
14. Bánh Mì with Smoked Pork
Not your Saigon street baguette. Here you get it filled with smoked or grilled mountain pork, herbs, and homemade chilli sauce.
13. Fried Spring Rolls (Nem Rán)
Yes, these are everywhere in Vietnam, but the ones in Sapa are often stuffed with local veggies or minced pork and fried fresh on the spot.
12. Chè Trôi Nước (Glutinous Rice Balls in Ginger Syrup)
Sweet, warm, and perfect for cold nights. Little rice balls stuffed with mung bean paste floating in ginger syrup. Simple comfort food.
11. Buffalo Jerky
Sliced, seasoned, sun-dried, and sometimes smoked – Sapa buffalo jerky is chewy, spicy, and sold by the kilo. Don’t want to commit? Just ask for a free sample.
10. Xôi Ngũ Sắc (Five-Colour Sticky Rice)
Sticky rice dyed with natural herbs to make a rainbow plate. Served with grilled meat or on its own with sesame salt. Looks great, tastes even better.
9. Khâu Nhục (Hmong Braised Pork)
A sticky, fatty chunk of pork belly slow-cooked with spices until it melts in your mouth. Usually eaten with rice and best found at proper Hmong restaurants.
8. Mèn Mén (Steamed Cornmeal)
A traditional Hmong dish made from corn flour and often served with meat and greens. Earthy, simple, and a proper taste of local life.
7. Cá Tầm (Sturgeon)
Another cold-water fish done well in Sapa. Best served in a bubbling hotpot with mushrooms, tomato, and mountain veggies.
6. Cá Hồi Sapa (Sapa Salmon)
Thanks to the cooler climate, salmon is farmed right here in the hills. It’s usually served hotpot-style or grilled with local herbs. Fresh, fatty, and not what you expect from Vietnamese cuisine.
5. Bia Hoi
A relative of Bia Hoi of Hanoi fame it quite literally means “fresh beer”. To us that is draft and unpasteurized. Not everywhere, but if you can find it makes a great alternative to Tiger, or Bia Hanoi.
4. BBQ Skewers at the Night Market
From pork belly to mushrooms wrapped in beef, the BBQ section at Sapa Night Market is fire – literally. Dip in spicy sauce, wrap in lettuce, and try not to burn your tongue.
3. Dâu Tây Muối Ớt (Strawberries with Salt and Pepper)
Strawberries from Sapa are next-level. Add salt, chilli, and a squeeze of lime and you’ve got the ultimate snack. Strange? Yes. Addictive? This is like food crack!
2. Thắng Cố (Horse Meat Stew)
Yes, it’s horse. And yes, it’s a big deal in Sapa. A mix of meat, bones, herbs, and offal all boiled into a spicy broth. It’s not for everyone, but it’s local, it’s traditional, and it’s a rite of passage.
1. Rượu Ngô Sapa (Corn Wine Sapa)
The drink that might just steal the show. Corn wine, slightly green, potent, and unforgettable. Perfect to wash down everything else on this list.
Final Thoughts
Food in Sapa is a proper mix of mountain comfort, tribal traditions, and Vietnamese favourites with a twist. Some dishes might shock you (hello, horse stew), while others will have you wondering why they’re not more famous.
Don’t come expecting high-end fine dining, but if you’re down to eat what the locals eat – in the cold, over a fire, with a shot of something sketchy on the side – then you’re in the right place.
And if all else fails? Just grab a stick of grilled meat, a bag of spicy strawberries, and chase it down with a bottle of Rượu Ngô Sapa. Mountain life doesn’t get better than that.
Click to read about my Vietnam Tours with Young Pioneer Tours