# Bánh đa cua: Hải Phòng's red crab noodle soup

> Bánh đa cua is Hải Phòng’s signature noodle soup: flat, chewy red-brown rice noodles in a crab broth, topped with crab ‘riêu’, water spinach, fried tofu and pork. It usually costs 35,000–50,000 VND. Order with “Cho tôi một bát bánh đa cua”.

- URL: https://eatgreenvietnam.com/guides/banh-da-cua-hai-phong
- Region: North Vietnam · City: Hai Phong
- Published: 2026-09-29 · Last updated: 2026-09-30
- By: the Eat Green Vietnam team (https://eatgreenvietnam.com/about)

Hải Phòng is a port city about two hours from Hanoi, and locals will tell you its noodles are better. Bánh đa cua is their proof.

## At a glance

- **What it is:** Red-brown flat rice noodles (bánh đa đỏ) in a paddy-crab broth with water spinach, fried tofu, pork and fish cake.
- **Where:** Hải Phòng, and a few Hải Phòng-style shops in Hanoi.
- **Typical price:** Around 35,000–50,000 VND a bowl.
- **Eat green:** If you take the train or bus from Hanoi, bring a reusable bottle – and eat your noodles at the shop.

## How to order

> “Cho tôi một bát bánh đa cua.”

One bowl of bánh đa cua. Add **thêm chả** for extra fish cake or pork sausage.

## Why the noodles are red

The noodles are made from rice flour and are traditionally coloured with cane molasses, which gives them their reddish-brown colour and a slightly sweet, chewy bite. They hold up well in the hot broth.

## When to go

Breakfast is the classic time, but many shops serve it until the afternoon.

## Questions travellers ask

### What is bánh đa đỏ?

Red rice noodles from Hải Phòng, flat and chewy, used for bánh đa cua.

### How much does bánh đa cua cost?

Around 35,000–50,000 VND a bowl.

### How far is Hải Phòng from Hanoi?

Roughly two hours by road or train, depending on traffic.

### Is bánh đa cua similar to bún riêu?

Both use a crab broth, but bánh đa cua has flat red noodles and water spinach, and a different, deeper flavour.

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Photo: Phương Huy / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:B%C3%A1nh_%C4%91a_cua_H%E1%BA%A3i_Ph%C3%B2ng_(27.2_(3).jpg
Source: Eat Green Vietnam, https://eatgreenvietnam.com/guides/banh-da-cua-hai-phong. Prices are typical ranges and change often. You may quote and summarise with attribution and a link to the original page.