Chả mực: Hạ Long Bay's hand-pounded squid cakes
Listen for the thud of a pestle. In Hạ Long, the best chả mực is still pounded by hand, which gives it a bounce machines can’t match.
Chả mực is Hạ Long’s famous squid cake: fresh squid pounded by hand into a springy paste, shaped into patties and fried until golden. It is eaten with sticky rice, rice rolls or bread. It is often sold by weight, and a restaurant plate usually starts around 100,000 VND. Order with “Cho tôi một đĩa chả mực”.
At a glance
How to order
“Cho tôi một đĩa chả mực.”
One plate of squid cakes. Ask giã tay không? (“is it hand-pounded?”) – the good shops will say yes proudly.
How to eat it
Eat it hot with xôi (sticky rice), bánh cuốn or a crusty bánh mì, and dip it in chilli sauce or fish sauce with pepper and lime.
A tip for the bay
Hạ Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On a cruise, refill a bottle instead of buying new ones, and never throw anything overboard – the bay’s fishing families depend on clean water.
Questions travellers ask
What is chả mực?
A fried cake made from pounded fresh squid, a speciality of Hạ Long in Quảng Ninh province.
How much does chả mực cost?
It is often sold by weight; a restaurant plate usually starts around 100,000 VND. Ask the price before you order.
Why is hand-pounded chả mực better?
Pounding by hand gives a springier, chewier texture than grinding by machine.
Can I take chả mực home?
Many shops vacuum-pack it for travel. Check your airline and country rules before flying with food.
Prices are typical ranges we’ve seen and change often; tourist areas can charge more. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we’ll fix it. Last updated 2026-09-30.
