Vietnam · tool
Hanoi food guide
Signature dishes, best food neighborhoods, and the dining etiquette that actually matters — all specific to Hanoi.
Photo by buian_photos on Unsplash
What to eat in Hanoi
5 signature dishes, 3 food-forward neighborhoods, and the etiquette you actually need to know.
Must-try dishes
Phở Bò
$2–$4
Hanoi's iconic beef noodle soup, characterized by its clear, fragrant broth simmered for hours with spices and tender slices of beef. It's the quintessential breakfast dish here.
Where to try: Phở Gia Truyền Bát Đàn (49 Bát Đàn Street)
Bún Chả
$3–$5
Grilled pork patties and slices served in a sweet and savory dipping sauce with rice vermicelli noodles and fresh herbs. The smoky char of the pork is irresistible.
Where to try: Bún Chả Hương Liên (24 Lê Văn Hưu Street) - famously visited by Obama
Chả Cá Lã Vọng
$8–$12
Turmeric-marinated fish, pan-fried tableside with dill and scallions, served with vermicelli, peanuts, and shrimp paste. It's a communal, interactive dining experience.
Where to try: Chả Cá Thăng Long (19-21-31 Đường Thành Street)
Bánh Cuốn
$1.5–$3
Steamed rice rolls filled with minced pork and mushrooms, topped with fried shallots and served with a light fish sauce dip. The delicate texture is its hallmark.
Where to try: Bánh Cuốn Bà Hoành (67 Tô Hiến Thành Street)
Cà Phê Trứng
$1.5–$2.5
A unique Hanoi specialty: egg coffee, made with whisked egg yolks, sugar, condensed milk, and robusta coffee. It's rich, creamy, and tastes like liquid tiramisu.
Where to try: Giảng Cafe (39 Nguyễn Hữu Huân Street)
Where locals eat — best neighborhoods
Old Quarter
Bustling, historic, chaotic
street foodlocal eatsnightlifeshopping
West Lake (Hồ Tây)
Lakeside, relaxed, trendy cafes
cafesseafoodromantic dinnersbrunch
French Quarter
Elegant, colonial architecture, upscale dining
fine diningFrench-Vietnamese fusioncocktails
Dietary notes
Vietnamese cuisine, particularly in Hanoi, heavily features pork and fish sauce. While many dishes can be made vegetarian by omitting meat and fish sauce (requesting 'không có nước mắm' - no fish sauce), vegan options can be challenging to find outside specialized restaurants. Gluten-free options are also limited due to the prevalence of soy sauce and wheat-based noodles in some dishes.
Local etiquette
- •Tipping is not customary, but rounding up the bill or leaving a small amount for excellent service is appreciated.
- •Carry cash, as many street food vendors and smaller eateries only accept Vietnamese Dong.
- •Slurping noodles and soup is perfectly acceptable and considered a sign of enjoyment.
- •When eating at a communal table, wait for everyone to be served before you start eating.
- •It's common to eat with chopsticks and a spoon; use the spoon for broth and rice.