Honoring Hue beef noodle soup

To honor the art of creating unique delicious dishes, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has officially recognized "Folk knowledge of Hue beef noodle soup" as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Traditional dishes

With prices ranging from about 20,000 to 35,000 VND per bowl, Hue beef noodle soup is not only for breakfast, it is also chosen by many Hue people as an afternoon snack to enjoy a few hours before dinner.

No need to go far, whenever in need, diners just need to step out to the alley entrance to find a few small, simple beef noodle shops, cooked in traditional style.

O Cuong beef noodle shop - Uncle Diep (Thuan Hoa ward, Hue city) has been around for nearly 40 years. And there have been 3 generations in the family together continuing the family noodle stall.

Mr. Nguyen Diep shared: “For a bowl of Hue beef noodle soup to be authentic, the broth must be clear, naturally sweet and served hot. Along with the main ingredients such as bones, sausage, meat, etc., the side dishes such as lemongrass, shrimp paste, chili sauce, and lemon also play a very important role, creating a sweet, rich taste.”

In particular, Mr. Diep added, Hue people often use pots with a large bottom and a small mouth like clay pots, made of aluminum to cook beef noodle soup. This type of pot, wide at the bottom and narrow at the top, helps retain heat well, making the broth always hot and delicious.

Bun bo Hue is not just a dish. Through the choice of ingredients, tools and processing methods, Hue people have formed folk knowledge, stories about the history and indigenous culture of the ancient capital, and have passed them down through many generations.

Early in the morning, in the corner of the familiar restaurant, the cook's eyes are focused on observing, holding a ladle in his hand, constantly skimming off the foam.

Thanks to that meticulousness, the pot of beef bones, even after being simmered for many hours, still produces a clear broth. The aroma of lemongrass and shrimp paste simultaneously rises up, captivating visitors.

Everyone took turns choosing their bowl of Hue beef noodle soup with their favorite toppings: pieces of pork belly the size of the palm of their hand; pieces of pork leg with skin stewed just enough to be both crispy and fatty; pieces of red meatloaf around the edges showing off the eye-catching white crab meat; pieces of soft, fragrant, and plump blood pudding,...

Eat heritage food

Before being listed as a national intangible cultural heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Hue beef noodle soup itself was already famous far and wide.

At the end of 2023, along with 5 other dishes of the ancient capital, Hue beef noodle soup was honored and recognized by the Vietnam Culinary Culture Association as a typical Vietnamese dish.

In May 2025, international culinary magazine Taste Atlas voted Hue beef noodle soup into the list of 100 best breakfast dishes in the world .

Bun bo Hue was also included in the daily meal menu of 35 schools in Saijo city, Japan.

From North to South, it is impossible to count how many establishments sell Bun Bo Hue across the country. The delicious and unique flavor of the dish has created a brand, making the need for common eating become a culinary custom.

People's Artist Hoang Thi Nhu Huy - a lifelong culinary expert who has preserved Hue's flavor shared: "Culinary crystallization is inseparable but closely linked to life, cultural connections, and even educational institutions of the community. In terms of the foundation for culinary development, Hue is a place with more outstanding conditions than other places."

According to her, in Hue, the first girls' school in the country opened in 1917 - Dong Khanh High School for Girls - and this was also where the first women's organization was established (the Women's Worker's Association was established in 1926 - NV).

“These two organizations contribute to promoting the four virtues of Cong - Dung - Ngon - Hanh for Hue women. From that virtue, many delicious dishes have been brought to this land, including Hue beef noodle soup” - People's Artist Hoang Thi Nhu Huy shared.

The recognition of “Folk knowledge of Hue beef noodle soup” as a national intangible cultural heritage this time has great significance in identifying and affirming the brand, contributing to promoting local socio-economic development. This is not only a worthy recognition but also an important and open step in preserving and promoting the value of traditional culinary culture in the face of the wave of commercialization that is taking place everywhere.

From being viewed only from a narrow perspective such as through festivals and customs, this time the honoring of culinary heritage has been expanded to a comprehensive knowledge system of indigenous cultural beauty.

The remaining problem is how to make a culinary heritage like Bun Bo Hue continue to spread, reach and “live” forever in modern life. This requires reaffirming the role of manual techniques in maintaining and flexibly practicing the processing stage - so that the dish can both maintain the “conservatism” of the past and harmoniously blend and adapt, creating a flavor that is not lost but increasingly rich in identity and substance.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/vinh-danh-bun-bo-hue-3265603.html