# Bún mắm nêm: Đà Nẵng's bold fermented anchovy noodles

> Bún mắm nêm is a Đà Nẵng street favourite: rice noodles with boiled and roast pork, pork roll, herbs and green papaya or jackfruit, tossed in mắm nêm – a fermented anchovy sauce with pineapple, garlic and chilli. It usually costs 25,000–40,000 VND. Order with “Cho tôi một tô bún mắm nêm”.

- URL: https://eatgreenvietnam.com/guides/bun-mam-nem-da-nang
- Region: Central Vietnam · City: Da Nang
- Published: 2026-09-29 · Last updated: 2026-09-30
- By: the Eat Green Vietnam team (https://eatgreenvietnam.com/about)

This is the dish Đà Nẵng locals miss most when they move away – and the one that tests a visitor’s courage.

## At a glance

- **What it is:** A noodle salad of rice noodles, pork, herbs and vegetables, dressed with mắm nêm (fermented anchovy sauce).
- **Where:** Đà Nẵng, especially small alley stalls and markets.
- **Typical price:** Around 25,000–40,000 VND a bowl.
- **Eat green:** Eat at the stall – it’s served in a real bowl, and there’s no broth to carry away.

## How to order

> “Cho tôi một tô bún mắm nêm.”

One bowl of bún mắm nêm. Say **ít mắm** for less sauce if it’s your first time.

## How to eat it

It’s not a soup. Mix everything from the bottom up so each noodle is coated in sauce, add chilli and herbs, and eat it at room temperature.

## Not the same as bún mắm

Don’t confuse it with bún mắm from the Mekong Delta, which is a hot soup made with fermented fish broth. Đà Nẵng’s version is a cool, mixed noodle bowl.

## Questions travellers ask

### What is mắm nêm?

A thick fermented anchovy sauce, mixed with pineapple, garlic, chilli and sugar.

### How much does bún mắm nêm cost?

Around 25,000–40,000 VND a bowl.

### Is bún mắm nêm a soup?

No. It’s a mixed noodle bowl with sauce, not broth.

### Does it smell strong?

Yes – fermented anchovy is pungent. The pineapple and lime make it much milder to eat than to smell.

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Photo: Beelerb / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:B%C3%BAn_m%E1%BA%AFm_th%E1%BB%8Bt_heo_lu%E1%BB%99c_%E1%BB%9F_%C4%90%C3%A0_N%E1%BA%B5ng.jpg
Source: Eat Green Vietnam, https://eatgreenvietnam.com/guides/bun-mam-nem-da-nang. Prices are typical ranges and change often. You may quote and summarise with attribution and a link to the original page.