Bac My An Market is part of the lesson, not just a stop on the way to the kitchen. You’ll shop for the day’s ingredients with your instructor, then cook five dishes and eat what you’ve made. I especially like the market-to-table format and the mix of regional recipes, from Hue beef noodle soup to Hoi An-style rolls and avocado ice cream.
The instructors, including Jenny, Bora, Evelyn and Nhi, help make the cooking approachable for beginners and families. One thing to consider: the kitchen can get smoky when cooking banh xeo, and the class has no hotel pickup, so you’ll need to reach the meeting point yourself.
- What makes this class worth your time
- A market walk that gives the recipes context
- Five dishes, with a taste of central Vietnam
- A friendly class, not a restaurant kitchen
- Timing, meeting point and practical details
- Is the price good value?
- Who should book this class?
- FAQ
- How long does the cooking class take?
- What dishes will I cook?
- Can the class accommodate vegetarian or other dietary needs?
- What are the available start times?
- Where is the meeting point?
- Is transport or hotel pickup included?
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What makes this class worth your time
- Bac My An Market comes first: Walk with your instructor to choose ingredients and learn about local produce and everyday food habits.
- Five central Vietnamese dishes: The stated menu includes Bun Bo Hue, banh xeo, Tam Huu Hoi An, young jackfruit salad and avocado ice cream. The menu can vary.
- Beginner-friendly, hands-on cooking: Instructors guide the group through the dishes, with clear explanations and room for questions.
- Dietary needs can be accommodated: Vegetarian, vegan, gluten intolerance, lactose intolerance and allergies are listed as options.
- You eat the meal you make: The class includes food and drinks, homemade rice vodka, fruit, a printed recipe booklet and a certificate.
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A market walk that gives the recipes context
The meeting point is Apron Up at 07 Nguyen Ba Lan in the My An area of Da Nang. Arrive 10 minutes before the session you booked. From there, the instructor leads a short walk to nearby Bac My An Market, which one attendee described as only a few minutes from the classroom.
The market visit is brief, but it adds useful context. Rather than starting with a recipe sheet and a bowl of ingredients, you see what goes into the meal while learning about local produce, herbs and shopping habits. You’ll buy the ingredients needed for the class with the instructor’s help. That makes the food feel less like a cooking demonstration and more like a meal rooted in the neighborhood.
You may also find the market visit useful even if you’ve been to other Vietnamese markets. The point is not simply to browse stalls. Your instructor can explain why particular ingredients belong in a dish and how local cooks select them. Several instructors, including Jenny, Bora, Evelyn and Nhi, are named in participant accounts, and the descriptions repeatedly emphasize clear English, patience and willingness to answer questions.
Don’t expect a long market tour or a guided lesson in every corner of the market. The focus is on sourcing ingredients for the class. Still, it is a good way to get a glimpse of daily food shopping, then carry that knowledge directly into the kitchen.
You can also read our reviews of more shopping tours in Da Nang
Five dishes, with a taste of central Vietnam
Back at Apron Up, you’ll prepare five dishes associated with central Vietnam. The stated menu is Bun Bo Hue, banh xeo, Tam Huu Hoi An, young jackfruit salad and avocado ice cream. This is a broad spread: a noodle soup, a crisp savory pancake, a regional roll, a salad and a dessert.
Bun Bo Hue is a spicy beef noodle soup from the former imperial city of Hue. It is not pho, and the class gives you a chance to learn another major Vietnamese noodle dish. Banh xeo is a crisp pancake, cooked in a hot pan and folded around its filling. It can be the smokiest part of the session, so if you’re sensitive to cooking smoke, keep that in mind.
Tam Huu Hoi An brings a Hoi An-style dish into the menu, while young jackfruit salad offers a different texture and flavor from the familiar leafy salad. Avocado ice cream makes for an unusual finish. The menu is not guaranteed to be identical every day: one class account describes mango salad and fresh rolls, and avocado ice cream has been tied to the season. If a particular dish matters to you, ask the operator when confirming your session.
The class is practical rather than a formal chef course. You’ll work through the recipes with the instructor and learn techniques you can reuse, along with the purpose of seasonings and ingredients. If you’re new to cooking, that matters. You’re not expected to arrive with knife skills or a pantry full of Vietnamese staples. The class is described as suitable for beginners, and instructors are praised for explaining steps patiently.
A friendly class, not a restaurant kitchen
The teaching style seems to be one of the experience’s strongest points. Instructors such as Jenny and Bora are frequently praised for giving clear directions, keeping the group involved and adjusting explanations to suit different skill levels. Nhi and Evelyn are also named by participants as helpful, warm instructors. Names may depend on the day, so don’t book expecting a specific person unless Apron Up confirms it.
The class is hands-on, but it is also social. You cook alongside other participants, ask questions, and share the meal afterward. People have attended alone, with friends and with family. Children can join from age five, and children aged 0 to 8 must be accompanied by a paying adult. Kids aged nine and older are charged the adult rate. The experience can work well for a family outing, though younger cooks will need an adult alongside them.
Expect a generous amount of food. You’ll sit down together and eat the dishes you’ve prepared, with fruit and homemade rice vodka included. The food is both the reward and part of the lesson: you get to taste how the dishes work as a meal, not just sample a few bites. If you can’t finish everything, one participant suggests taking leftovers back to your hotel, though you should check with staff about what can be packed.
The class provides a printed cookbook and certificate at the end. The booklet is useful if you want to try the recipes at home, and the certificate is a pleasant memento rather than the main event. The more lasting souvenir is knowing what went into the food and having practiced the steps yourself.
Timing, meeting point and practical details
Apron Up offers start times at 09:00, 12:00 and 16:00. The corresponding end times are listed as 13:00, 16:00 and 20:00, though available return times can depend on the session and itinerary length. Some participants describe the full experience as around four hours, while another reports about two and a half hours including the meal. Plan for a substantial part of your day, and avoid scheduling a tight commitment immediately afterward.
You need to make your own way to 07 Nguyen Ba Lan, My An, Ngu Hanh Son. Walking, Grab or a bus are listed ways to get there, but hotel pickup, drop-off and transport are not included. You’ll receive the exact booking time and should arrive 10 minutes early. Late arrivals and no-shows are not refundable.
The activity is beginner-friendly and casual clothing is appropriate. Dietary needs listed as possible include vegetarian, vegan, gluten intolerance, lactose intolerance and allergies. Tell the operator about your needs before the class rather than waiting until ingredients are being prepared. Additional food and drinks can be purchased at the venue, and storage is available for a fee.
A practical note: the schedule can change with traffic and weather. The operator is expected to contact you between 16:00 and 20:00 on the day before the activity to reconfirm the pickup time and location, though this class has no hotel pickup. Keep an eye out for that message and confirm where you should meet.
Is the price good value?
The supplied starting prices differ: one package price is listed from US$33.75, while the experience summary gives a starting price of $37.15. Your actual cost may depend on the date and option, so check the amount shown for your booking before you pay.
For that price, you’re getting more than a cooking lesson. The market visit, ingredients, five dishes, meal, beverages, printed cookbook and certificate are included. You also get an English-speaking guide and staff. There is no transport to the meeting point, so factor in your own ride or walk when comparing this with classes that include transfers.
The strongest value is the combination of food, instruction and local shopping. If you only want to eat central Vietnamese dishes, a restaurant will take less time and cost less. But if you want to understand the ingredients and practice making the food, the market and kitchen time make the added cost easier to justify. The experience has a 4.9 out of 5 rating from 105 activity reviews, and Apron Up’s overall provider rating is reported as 97% positive across 942 reviews. Those figures are encouraging, though the details that matter most for you are the menu, group experience and timing.
You can also read our reviews of more tours and experiences in Da Nang
Who should book this class?
Book it if you enjoy food and want to do more than order familiar dishes from a menu. It suits curious beginners, solo participants who like a shared group activity, and families with children old enough to take part. The market visit also makes it a good choice if you want a short, guided look at local food shopping without committing to a full market tour.
Vegetarians and people with listed dietary needs should contact the operator ahead of time to confirm the menu adjustments. The class does not promise that you can choose every dish, and the menu can vary. If you have a must-try recipe in mind, ask before booking.
Skip it if you’re short on time, don’t enjoy group cooking, or simply want a quick meal. Also consider another activity if you are very sensitive to kitchen smoke, especially when banh xeo is being cooked. For most food-minded visitors, though, the mix of market, cooking and shared meal offers a satisfying half-day, with recipes and practical kitchen tips to take home.
Da Nang Cooking Class: Famous Local Dishes & Market Tour by Apron Up
“The location is not far from the beach. The instructor also takes us grocery shopping at the local market. We got to learn five classic Vietnamese…”
FAQ
How long does the cooking class take?
Plan for about two and a half to four hours, including the market visit, cooking and meal. The exact duration can vary by session.
What dishes will I cook?
The stated menu includes Bun Bo Hue, banh xeo, Tam Huu Hoi An, young jackfruit salad and avocado ice cream. Dishes may vary, so ask the operator if you want to confirm a particular menu.
Can the class accommodate vegetarian or other dietary needs?
Vegetarian, vegan, gluten intolerance, lactose intolerance and allergies are listed as dietary needs the activity can accommodate. Contact the operator in advance to discuss your requirements.
What are the available start times?
The listed departure times are 09:00, 12:00 and 16:00. Available end times vary according to the departure time and itinerary.
Where is the meeting point?
Meet at 07 Nguyen Ba Lan, My An, Ngu Hanh Son, Da Nang. Arrive 10 minutes before your booked start time.
Is transport or hotel pickup included?
No. Hotel pickup, drop-off and transport are not included. You can walk, take a Grab or use a bus to reach the meeting point.
