After Saigon and Hanoi, Đà Nẵng will be the next Vietnamese city with its own Michelin Guide selections.
In a press release published earlier this week, the French tire-making company announced the return of the Michelin Guide in Vietnam for the 2024 edition. This time, food inspectors head to Đà Nẵng on the prowl for some maritime goodness. The food guide made its debut in Vietnam last year to much fanfare, even though many local foodies have questioned its curatorial vision. Read our commentary on Michelin’s first-ever Vietnam guide here.
The first edition awarded one star each to four restaurants, three in Hanoi and one in Saigon. With every annual update, Michelin has been known to remove and update its star rating depending on how past honorees have performed over time.
“The addition of Da Nang to the MICHELIN Guide’s family is another proof of the vibrancy and quality of Vietnam’s culinary scene, as well as of the richness and authenticity of its local food culture,” Michelin Guide International Director Gwendal Poullennec says in the press release.
“Our Inspectors are currently on the field to realize a restaurant selection we will be proud to share in June not only with local gourmets but also international food lovers and travelers. Da Nang has impressed the MICHELIN Guide Inspectors with the quality and variety of local specialties available to offer – be it Mì Quảng, Bún Chả Cá or famous Bánh Xèo.”
Last year, Michelin dropped the inaugural version of its guide for Vietnam, featuring 103 eateries across Saigon and Hanoi. The selections were generally well received when it comes to higher-end restaurants, but underwhelmed street food fans due to a questionable number of phở places and glaring gaps in representing some of Saigon’s most iconic dishes, like bánh mì, hủ tiếu, chè, and many many more.
The selections for the 2024 edition will be announced later this year in June.
[Photo (from left to right): Bánh xèo, bún mắm nêm, and bún cá cam]
