Sapa is very famous for the natural beauty of forest and mountains and the cold atmosphere. Beside, Sapa is popular with many delicious and unique dishes, which feature the flavor of the Northwestern region. In this post, we will share you top must-eat dishes in Sapa that you should not miss when traveling here.
 

1. Com lam (Sticky rice cooked in bamboo)

Sticky rice cooked in bamboo is the featured dish of the ethnic groups in the Northwest of Vietnam. The main ingredient of this dish is sticky rice, which is cooked in a bamboo steam. When the dish is well-cooked, the burnt bamboo steam outside will be removed.



“Com lam” is very popular and is a favorite dish of the locals and tourists, thanks to the delicious taste of the sticky rice, the fragrance of bamboo and the harmonious combination of rice, stream water and bamboo.


 

2. Thang Co

Thang Co is a featured dish of Mong people. You can easily find this dish in their villages and markets. The main ingredient of Thang Co Sapa is the horse. A serving of this dish usually includes the horse’s meat, heart, liver, innards and blood and 12 kinds of spices such as Amomum tsao-ko, cinnamon, lemon grass, ginger, other special spices and especially, “thang co” is the last spice. When eating, the broth and sliced horse meat are added to the pot.



Thang Co is usually served with many kinds of vegetables such as “cai meo”, “cai lau”, turnip cabbage, etc. Especially, Thang Co tastes best when being served with corn wine- the fragrant wine of the highland region. The harmonious combination of Thang Co and corn wine brings an unforgettable and pleasant taste.
 

3. Seven-color sticky rice

Seven-color sticky rice is a traditional dish of Nung people in Muong Khuong district, Lao Cai province. The seven colors of this dish are pink, light red, dark red, indigo, yellow-green, green and yellow. The colors of sticky rice are made of different kinds of leaves in the forest. The people here believe that eating the seven-color sticky rice on special and important occasions will bring good luck.


 

4. Grilled pork

Grilled pork with Indian pepper is a must-eat dish when traveling to Sapa. The pork is marinated in India pepper and grilled on the hot stove. The softness and featured taste of the dish will be an unforgettable experience for diners.


 

5. Grilled fish

This simple dish is incredibly delicious, and it is a pity if you travel to Sapa without trying the grilled fish. Sapa has many kinds of fishes, and their flavors are different from other fishes. The goby fish, bighead carp, etc. are usually found in the stream of Sapa. Almost of them are not so big, just as big as your fingers. When completing the catching fish process, you just need to make a fire to grill the fishes or cook them with some kinds of species to have an attractive dish. The sweetness and freshness of this dish are irresistible to any diners.


 

6. Grilled Black-Bone Silky Fowl with honey

The Black-Bone Silky Fowls of Sapa are raised on the hills and fields. Thus, their meat is very delicious. The Black-Bone Silky Fowl grilled with honey, mint and served with pepper, salt and lemon is such a tasty dish that you must try once.


 

7. Salmon hot pot

Unlike the greasy imported salmon, salmon raised in Sapa is high in nutrition and less greasy. People process it in many different ways to create delicious dishes such as salmon salads, grilled salmon, sashimi, salmon cooked with curry. However, salmon hot pot is the most favorite dish of many diners.


 

8. Grilled food

At night, the cold atmosphere covers the whole town. And nothing is better than sitting near the cozy fireplace and enjoying hot grilled food. The fragrant from the tasty BBQ has such a strong attraction to whet your appetite.


 

9. Cai meo Sapa

Cai meo, which is a popular vegetable of Sapa, is processed in various ways to create different dishes. The locals usually stir-fry, cook, and boil the cai meo or serve it with the hot pot. In general, the simplest way to process this kind of vegetables is to slice it into small pieces, mix it with ginger and boil them together to have a nutritious soup. This soup is often served with wine.


 

10. Smoked meat

when visiting the houses of H’Mong people in their villages, you can see many pieces of meat gathered on a tray. The meat comes from the horse, buffalo, and pig and they are smoked to store. This method of storing food can keep the food usable up to a few years. When eating, the meat is carefully washed and fried with tomato, and bamboo sprout. The dish will have a unique fragrance and featured taste when it is done.


 

11. Pig “theft armpit”

You can easily see the locals theft the pig in their armpit at the market, and this is also the origin of the pig “theft armpit.” The pig is a localized breed. The locals let the baby pigs grow up naturally, and after one year, when they are more than 20 kilograms, they will be sold for meat.

The pig “theft armpit” is so famous that many restaurants use it to cook many delicious dishes. The soft, sweet and less greasy meat, as well as the crunchy skin, is the principal feature of the dish. Pig “theft armpit” is usually marinated carefully in many kinds of spices and served with wine. You will fall in love with this dish at first sight!


 

12. Black-Bone Silky Fowl

The Black-Bone Silky Fowl of Mong people is very special because its bone and meat are in black. The crunchy skin and the black chicken meat offer such a refreshing taste. The scientists have proven that eating black-bone silky fowl can help you increase your sexual ability and treat heart diseases.
The most famous dish processed from the Black-Bone Silky Fowl is grilled Black-Bone Silky Fowl with honey. The delicious and excellent taste of this dish will surely meet your need.