Where can I eat Mì Quảng in Hoi An?
Mì Quảng Bà Mua at 19 Trần Bình Trọng is the most trusted spot — 45,000 VND, open 7am–10am daily. The broth is rich and concentrated, noodles are fresh daily, and the ratio of toppings (chicken, pork, quail egg, peanuts) is generous. Mì Quảng 1A at 1A Hải Triều is a solid backup — 40,000 VND, open until 2pm. Both are local haunts with no English menus.
What Mì Quảng actually is
Mì Quảng is often called “Quảng style noodles” — from Quảng Nam province surrounding Hoi An. It’s not a soup. The broth is minimal, concentrated, almost a sauce. The noodles are wide, flat, and yellow from turmeric.
A proper bowl has:
- Noodles: Wide rice noodles infused with turmeric (yellow color)
- Broth: Small amount, intense, pork-and-chicken based
- Protein: Chicken, pork, or shrimp (sometimes all three)
- Toppings: Boiled quail egg, crushed peanuts, fresh herbs, banana flower
- Accompaniment: Rice crackers (bánh tráng) to crush on top
It’s breakfast food. Locals eat it standing at plastic stools, slurping fast before work.
The two reliable spots
Mì Quảng Bà Mua — 19 Trần Bình Trọng
Hours: 7am–10am (closes when sold out) Price: 45,000 VND What to order: Mì Quảng gà (chicken) or mì Quảng thịt (pork)
Bà Mua has been serving Mì Quảng for 20+ years. The broth is made fresh daily from pork bones and chicken, simmered with turmeric, annatto seeds, and fish sauce. The noodles are made off-site and delivered every morning — they don’t keep well, so when they’re gone, she closes.
The ratio is perfect: enough broth to coat every noodle, not enough to drown them. The chicken is poached, not roasted, so it’s moist. The quail egg is always included — one per bowl.
Getting there: From the Japanese Bridge, walk south on Trần Phú, turn left onto Trần Bình Trọng. The shop is 200 meters down on the right — look for the crowd of motorbikes.
Mì Quảng 1A — 1A Hải Triều
Hours: 7am–2pm Price: 40,000 VND What to order: Mì Quảng tôm thịt (shrimp + pork)
1A is the backup. The broth is slightly sweeter, less intense than Bà Mua. The noodles are the same — fresh daily. The portions are larger, and they’re open longer, making it a safer bet if you sleep past 9am.
Getting there: Hải Triều runs parallel to the river. From the old town, cross the bridge and head east — 5 minutes by motorbike, 15 minutes walking.
What to expect when you order
You’ll walk into what looks like someone’s garage. There are 6–8 plastic stools, a pot of broth simmering on a gas burner, and a woman with a ladle.
You point at the chicken or pork (or both). She nods. You pay 45,000 VND. She assembles the bowl in 30 seconds: noodles, broth, protein, egg, herbs, peanuts. You sit, eat, leave. Total time: 8 minutes.
No English menu. No photos. No fuss.
Common mistakes tourists make
Going at noon: By 11am, Bà Mua is closed. 1A might still have noodles, but the best bowls are gone.
Ordering “less broth”: The broth is the point. It’s supposed to be minimal. Asking for less is like asking a phở place for “no soup.”
Adding too much chili: The chili sauce here is potent — capsaicin extract, not fresh chilies. One drop is enough. Two drops and you’re crying into your noodles.
Price comparison
| Spot | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bà Mua | 45,000 VND | Best quality, earliest close |
| 1A Hải Triều | 40,000 VND | Larger portions, open later |
| Tourist restaurants | 80,000–120,000 VND | Same dish, 3x price, softer noodles |