Hue Festival - Honoring Royal Gastronomy

Hue’s gastronomy discovery remains one of the most appealing features of the Hue Festival, promising unforgettable exotic experiences for tourists in 2025.

Attendees of the Hue Festival will have the opportunity to sample delicious Vietnamese specialties from across the country. With a diverse array of culinary options available, every palate and preference can be satisfied.

Hue Vegetarian Culinary Festival

Visitors to Hue during special occasions can delight in exquisite vegetarian banquets featuring dishes like fermented peacock rolls, phoenix pies, lean vegetable pates, and a variety of seafood alternatives, all beautifully presented and crafted primarily from vegetables and grains.

Hue’s vegetarian cuisine is often regarded as a form of visual art, with local chefs skillfully crafting impressive sculptures of chickens, fish, and other shapes from ingredients such as tofu, wheat flour, mochi, and tapioca. Additionally, Hue’s vegetarian dishes showcase a remarkable level of artistic presentation, utilizing the natural colors of various vegetables, bulbs, and fruits. Finished with vegetarian oils and soy sauces, these dishes create visually stunning edible art that is a feast for the eyes and the palate.

Vegetarian cuisine has gained immense popularity among the people of Hue. Restaurants specializing in vegetarian options are popping up everywhere, catering to a mix of diners from monks to non-practitioners and from the elderly to the youth, all enjoying the nutritional and flavorful benefits of vegetarian meals on a regular basis.

Photo: truyenhinhdulich.vn

During the festival, food lovers will easily find vegetarian options at restaurants on Nguyen Dinh Chieu and Phan Boi Chau Streets, food stalls inside Dong Ba Market, appetizing dishes featured during the Hue Festival’s “Royal Night,” or at pagodas such as Hong An Pagoda and Kieu Dam Pagoda for the most authentic experience.

Building on the success of the Gia Hoi culinary street during the Hue Festival 2008 and the Hue Jobs Festival 2011, local authorities, in collaboration with Saigon Mori Hotel and ATA Architectural Company Ltd., have transformed Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street from a quaint walking path into a vibrant culinary and entertainment hub for residents and tourists during weekends and the Hue Festival.

Once a quiet street bustling only at dawn with early risers, Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street transforms into a lively venue during festival times, showcasing numerous exciting gastronomic and social events. Open throughout the 9-day festival, it offers food enthusiasts ample opportunities to sample the finest Central and Northern delicacies, such as Chao Hen, Banh Beo, Banh It, Banh Uot, Goi Xoai Bo Kho, Banh Cuon Nam Bo, and Oc Nuong Muoi Tieu Can Tho, with prices ranging from approximately $0.75 to $4 per dish.

Hue Royal Gastronomy at Royal Night

The Royal Night, taking place on April 10 and 13, 2025, is set to be the highlight of the Hue Festival this year. This grand event will be hosted within the majestic Hue Citadel (Dai Noi) and will feature a series of exciting activities, including art performances, traditional music showcases, calligraphy sessions, classic games, and, notably, the royal banquets of Hue.

Photo: huetourism.gov.vn

Contrary to what many believe, Hue royal dishes utilize common ingredients. However, the chefs’ expertise shines through in their intricate presentation, appealing to discerning gourmets.

During the Royal Night, guests can experience dishes that symbolize the four celestial creatures—dragon, unicorn, tortoise, and phoenix. The dragon is represented by steamed carp infused with ginger and onion, elegantly decorated with bamboo shoots resembling horns and colored paper imitating scales. The unicorn is crafted from simmered pork leg adorned with similar bamboo decorations, while the tortoise is represented by braised pigeon. The phoenix, on the other hand, consists of steamed meat enhanced with eight distinct ingredients, decorated in the same ornate fashion.