Tra Que Garden Restaurant & Cooking Class in Hoi An

The charming town of Hoi An, Vietnam is home to some of the best restaurants in the country. These restaurants cater to you and push you out of the boundaries of modern Vietnamese cuisine. Among them, Tra Que Garden Restaurant and Cooking Class is a must-try dining area in Hoi An which offers you a brand new dining experience and a great chance of tasting organic food.

Highlights of Tra Que Garden Restaurant

1. Convenient Location & Nature Friendly Design

Tra Que Garden Restaurant and Cooking Class is located in the middle of Tra Que Vegetable Village which plants and supplies every kind of herbs and vegetables for local markets in Hoi An.

Going to Tra Que Garden Restaurant, you have a chance to enjoy a meal while enjoying surrounding lush vegetable gardens and seeing the farmers who are working hard on the farm to make their living. Also, you don’t need to worry about the vegetable qualities because you can see how the farmers grow herbs and vegetables as well.

Tra Que Garden Restaurant brings you closer to nature. It looks like a typical ancient house surrounded by vegetable farms. All tables and chairs are made from wood and you can choose to sit inside the restaurant or outside in the yard. However, the outdoor seats are preferred by most customers for enjoying fresh air and seeing farmers working in the field far away.

Also, there is a small pond in the middle of the yard growing lotus and having colorful fishes, creating visual aesthetic for the restaurant. Besides, they also use lanterns, symbols of Hoi An, and beautiful pillows and flowers for decoration. 

2. Locally Sourced Produce

The produce used in the restaurant is mostly sourced from local farmers as opposed to imported goods and mass-produced. By this way, Mr Hoa, the owner of the restaurant, wants to actively contribute to the livelihood and the upliftment of the local communities while serving customers with fresh, healthy and organic meals.

3. Friendly Staff

Most of the restaurant staff can speak good English and they are always eager to share their knowledge on the local surroundings. They are supportive and serve the food with great smiles so you can feel right at home.

4. Tra Que Garden Cooking Class

If you are interested in Hoi An local cuisine, you should register for a cooking class in this restaurant called Tra Que Garden Cooking Class.

Under the local guide’s instructions, you have a chance to go to the Hoi An markets, choose ingredients, and learn how to cook some local dishes.

When it’s time to eat, chefs will also show you how to make your own spring rolls, delicious peanut sauce, and salads. The best part is that you can learn how to carve different vegetables into beautiful edible flowers which you can impress your friends back home. So don’t forget to register for this interesting cooking class, which is reckoned one of the most intereseting things to do in Hoi An.

What to Eat in Tra Que Garden Restaurant & Cooking Class?

The highlight of Tra Que Garden Restaurant is that it only serves lunch sets and local dishes. Its menu is suitable for both a solo or group travellers. 

If you are a solo traveller, the lunch set will normally include 5 dishes: shrimps and banana blossom salad, chicken cooked with lemongrass and chilli or Vietnamese clay pot fish (you can choose), local fried spring rolls or rice pancake (you can choose), steamed rice, and local dessert (fruit or cakes).

If you are group travellers, they would offer a set meal of 7 courses: shrimp and banana blossom salad, local fried spring rolls, rice-pancake with beef, chicken cooked with lemongrass and chilli, Vietnamese clay pot fish, steamed rice and desert.

If you are allergic to any ingredients or on a diet, they do have alternative dishes.

There are many dishes served on the table. However, we highly recommend the below dishes:

• Local fried spring rolls, or “cha gio”, is filled with pork, shrimp, crab meat, shredded carrots, mung bean noodles,… The deep-fried, crunchy, and golden brown exterior makes it irresistible. In Tra Que Garden, they are served with fresh herbs and lettuce leaves.
• Fish cooked with fresh turmeric in clay pot: If you are a whole fish kind of person, try this dish. It’s so delicious that you may remember it when you come back to your country. Clay pots are symbols of Vietnamese traditional meal. 

Tips on Visiting Tra Que Garden

• They often close for Lunar New Year, so if you visit Hoi An during this time, please confirm about their schedule.
• To make a reservation, you need to provide the information of your preferred dates, your hotel name and location, as well as your email address. The restaurant will answer your inquiries within 12 hours.
• Kids from 6 to 10 years old pay half of the price and kids under 6 years old are free of charge.
• They don’t accept card. So, remember to bring cash (either in VND or USD).

Overall, Tra Que Garden could be listed as one of the top 10 restaurants in Hoi An. So, don’t forget to miss a chance to have a fresh, healthy and organic meal at this restaurant. Tra Que will not disappoint you.