1. Introduction to Hai Phong Che
Hai Phong's culinary culture always has its own unique charm, among which Hai Phong Che is a vivid slice, reflecting the creativity and innovative spirit of the people of the port city. Unlike Hanoi's black bean che or the characteristic Southern sương sa hạt lựu che, Hai Phong Che makes a distinct impression thanks to the skillful combination of traditional flavors with modern elements to bring a fresh experience to diners.
The ingredients in Hai Phong Che are mainly selected from fresh, local food sources such as young coconut, green beans, sweet potatoes, lotus seeds, and green-skinned pomelo. Each processing step is carefully considered to achieve a balance of flavors, a gentle sweetness combined with natural freshness. Shops often create more options such as mixed coconut, colorful tapioca pearls, jelly, smooth pudding, and even Japanese-style mochi.
The ambiance of the che shops is also very diverse, from airy, friendly sidewalk che stalls to shops with youthful, modern decoration styles, attracting many young people to experience and take photos. The harmony between tradition and modernity helps Hai Phong Che become a unique highlight in the city's culinary landscape.
Thanks to its accessibility and suitability for many audiences, Hai Phong Che appeals to the elderly, children, and young people alike. The rich menu with various types of che caters to different tastes, while reasonable prices also make this dessert popular throughout the city, from students to tourists.
Hai Phong Che is favored by tourists. (Source: Collected)
When enjoying Hai Phong Che, diners are not just looking for a refreshing drink or a simple snack but also an occasion to enjoy unique cultural aspects. Che shops often become meeting places for friends and family after stressful study or work hours. Here, visitors have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the daily life of the port city, feeling the harmony between long-standing traditions and new ideas in every spoonful of sweet che.
2. Famous Hai Phong Che shops to try
2.1. Hang Be Che
Located at 46 Nguyen Cong Tru Street, Le Chan Ward, Hang Be Che is a familiar address chosen by many who love Hai Phong Che. The young coconut che here is made from soft fresh coconut, blended with coconut milk, creating a perfectly sweet taste and a distinctive aroma.
Appealing Khuc Bach dessert at Hang Be. (Source: Collected)
Besides that, mango pudding sweet soup is also very popular with customers, with juicy fresh mango combined with smooth pudding, giving a melt-in-your-mouth sensation. The Khuc Bach dessert here has many different flavors, from traditional to matcha and cocoa, offering diverse choices for customers. The chewy taro, made in-house, retains its natural flavor, without the use of artificial colors or industrial flavorings.
The prices of desserts at Hang Be Sweet Soup range from 15,000 – 35,000 dong per cup, suitable for the quality and quantity of dessert served. Customers can try combining young coconut sweet soup with mango pudding sweet soup to experience the diversity. The space is clean, airy, with prompt service for both dine-in and takeaway customers.
2.2. Dao Che
Dao Che is located at 122 Phan Dang Luu street, Bac Son ward, standing out with its youthful style, becoming a preferred choice for many young people who want to enjoy Hai Phong sweet soup/dessert in a modern style. The shop is designed vibrantly, with many beautiful photo spots, creating an ideal setting to capture moments with friends.
Attractive bowls of che in Hai Phong. (Source: Collected)
The menu here is diverse with attractive multi-colored mochi che, each mochi ball is soft and smooth, with different sweet and fatty fillings. Purple sweet potato che uses purple sweet potatoes from Da Lat retaining their natural color and characteristic sweet and nutty flavor. Young coconut che is also transformed with toppings like aloe vera jelly, white pearls, and flan pudding creating a novel sensation.
The shop is usually crowded in the evening around after 6 PM when students and office workers come. If you want to avoid the crowd you should come before 5:30 PM or after 8 PM when the number of customers is lower. The prices of che dishes here range from 25,000 – 35,000 VND commensurate with the quality and the care in presentation.
2.3. Co Hien's Che
At 773 Tran Tat Van, Co Hien's che shop offers a different experience with Hai Phong che dishes that retain their traditional flavor. The shop is suitable for those who want to revisit the old che flavors with a preparation process passed down through generations.
Ba ba che is cooked from green beans and chewy banh lot mixed with coconut milk creating an unforgettable rich flavor. Pomelo che is characterized by crispy green pomelo peel cool thot not water creating a pleasant feeling from the first taste. Red bean che lotus seed che are cooked just enough retaining the original taste of each type of bean. Suong sa a transparent lightly crispy seaweed jelly also creates its own unique characteristic for the shop.
The shop's space is simple reminiscent of the rustic che stalls of the past but always ensures hygiene. The shop is open from 6:00 AM - 10:00 PM with prices suitable for students. When you come here you don't forget to enjoy pomelo che and lotus seed che to fully experience the traditional flavor of Hai Phong che .
2.4. Hien Beo's Coconut Che
Located opposite 108 Lach Tray, Hien Beo's coconut che is always mentioned as one of the symbols of Hai Phong che . The coconut che here stands out with its soft and smooth fresh coconut strands served with shaved ice condensed milk and rich coconut milk.
Hien Beo's coconut dessert is fragrant and rich. (Source: VnExpress)
What customers love is the ability to add toppings like young coconut, black tapioca pearls, colorful jelly, and flan pudding according to their preference. As a result, each portion of dessert bears a personal touch, suiting each person's taste.
The price for each portion of Hai Phong dessert at the shop ranges from 20,000 – 30,000 VND, depending on the number of toppings the customer adds. The shop supports orders through delivery apps. When buying for takeaway or long-distance delivery, customers can ask the shop to pack toppings and ice separately to ensure the original deliciousness and flavor are maintained.
3. Diverse Hai Phong Desserts
3.1. Traditional Dessert Flavors Preserving Ancient Essence
Traditional Hai Phong dessert is favored by many for retaining its original taste and the imprint of time. Mung bean dessert uses Hai Duong mung beans, offering a naturally sweet and savory taste combined with refreshing palm sugar syrup. Lotus seed dessert is made from fresh Bach Diep lotus seeds; each seed is carefully deseeded to retain its characteristic mild sweetness.
Pomelo peel dessert uses fresh green-skinned pomelo peel, skillfully processed to remove bitterness, retaining a crisp, refreshing sweetness. Red bean dessert, agar-agar jelly, and corn dessert all use fresh ingredients, limiting the use of additives, ensuring the desserts are both safe and rich in home-style flavor.
A special characteristic of traditional Hai Phong dessert is its harmonious sweetness, not too intense, and preserving the purity of each ingredient. Jelly and banh lot are made in-house by the shop, ensuring fresh flavors that align with health safety standards.
3.2. New Variations in Hai Phong Desserts
Besides traditional desserts, culinary creativity has made Hai Phong dessert increasingly diverse. Coconut dessert has become a famous specialty among young people nationwide. Additionally, chefs have created khuc bach dessert, combining various fresh fruits like mango, strawberry, and green grapes to create a dessert that is appealing in both color and flavor.
Rainbow mochi dessert is made from colorful mochi balls filled with mung bean paste, red bean paste, or fresh cream, featuring a Japanese style but very suitable for Vietnamese tastes. Pudding desserts also come in various flavors from caramel, vanilla to matcha, and chocolate, meeting the diverse preferences of young diners. Shops also pay attention to the decoration of desserts, using many eye-catching colors to create appeal on social media.
Delicious rainbow sweet soup. (Source: Collected)
The trend of using healthy ingredients is also of interest to many dessert shops, adding chia seeds and nut milk instead of traditional condensed milk, and reducing sugar content to suit dieters and those watching their figure. Toppings like aloe vera and basil seeds are also chosen by many people for their cooling properties and nutritional benefits.
3.3. Suggestions for choosing desserts to suit each customer's taste
If you like a light, refreshing sweetness, then traditional Hai Phong desserts such as lotus seed sweet soup, mung bean sweet soup, and grass jelly sweet soup are reasonable choices. These dishes bring a comfortable, cooling feeling without the fear of feeling overwhelmed even when eating a lot.
For those who love a rich, creamy taste, you can choose coconut sweet soup, milk-based jelly sweet soup, or chewy taro sweet soup mixed with fresh milk. These dishes are rich and easily satisfy even picky eaters thanks to the blend of milk and natural ingredients.
Young people who want to explore new flavors should try mango pudding sweet soup, five-colored mochi sweet soup, and boba jelly sweet soup. These Hai Phong desserts are not only appealing to the taste buds but also meet the need for photos thanks to their vibrant and creative colors. The diverse combination of toppings makes every spoonful full of flavor and delightful surprises.
4. Tips and notes when enjoying Hai Phong desserts
To find a quality Hai Phong dessert shop, you can observe the number of regular customers, as this is a sign that the desserts are prepared fresh daily. Reputable shops will store toppings in a refrigerated display case and only prepare desserts when customers order to ensure freshness and taste.
You can identify fresh ingredients by their natural color and the absence of strange odors. Boba pearls and jelly should have moderate elasticity, not being too hard or too soft. Fresh young coconut will have an opaque white color and a characteristic aroma.
The best times to eat Hai Phong desserts are usually in the afternoon from 3 PM to 6 PM or in the evening from 7 PM to 9 PM. On hot summer days, desserts are a great choice to cool down at any time. You can ask the shop to adjust the sweetness to your liking, especially if you are on a diet or limiting sugar intake.
Many Hai Phong dessert shops are now available on delivery apps, making it easy for you to order desserts to your doorstep. When buying for takeaway or long-distance delivery, please ask the shop to pack the ice and toppings separately so that the dessert retains its flavor and freshness upon arrival.
Besides enjoying refreshing Hai Phong desserts, tourists can continue their journey to explore the city's vibrant nightlife. One of the prominent destinations is Chợ VUI-Fest Hai Phong, a modern night market combining food, music, and shopping, where hundreds of attractive specialty dishes gather along with a check-in space dazzling with lights. This is an ideal place to enjoy a late-night meal and immerse yourself in the youthful, bustling atmosphere of the people of the port city.
Visitors visit VUI-Fest Market.
Additionally, you can take the opportunity to explore more famous tourist attractions such as Cat Ba Island, travel to the island by Sun World Cat Ba cable car to admire the magnificent panoramic view of Lan Ha Bay with its many small islands.
Hai Phong dessert is not just a familiar snack but also represents the wonderful intersection between tradition and creativity of the port city's cuisine. The skillful blending of traditional and innovative elements is the strength that makes Hai Phong dessert increasingly attract tourists from near and far. Don't forget to save this list of dessert shops so that each time you visit Hai Phong, you always have a memorable culinary experience here!
