Mr Hoà’s Kitchen restaurant

Mr Hoà runs the kitchen himself at this An Bang Beach spot, which means the food has actual consistency – his wood-fired pizzas hold up against what you’d expect in Italy, and his Vietnamese dishes use seafood pulled from close by. The menu jumps between cuisines (homemade pizza, pasta, grilled fish in foil, prawn rolls, minced beef wraps) and somehow lands each one.

Prices are low enough that regulars come back four times in a week without guilt. The atmosphere is personal – Hoà is both owner and chef, so you’re eating his food, not a menu committee’s.

One note: if you arrive late in the evening during a rush, service slows considerably. Come earlier or plan to wait.