As you stroll through Hanoi, you’ll find yourself spoiled for choice when it comes to food options. Read on to discover the best of what’s on offer on the streets of the Vietnamese capital.
Fresh, light and gluten- and dairy-free, Vietnamese street food is one of the healthiest cuisines in the world. It’s also one of the most delicious, thanks in part to the liberal use of herbs, lime juice and chilli. And Hanoi is one of the best places to start getting to know it. Here, you’ll find some favoured Vietnamese street-food dishes, along with the best venues at which to sample them around the city.
Pho (Noodle Soup)
We love you for your savory broth and your slow-cooked meat, both beef and chicken. We love you for your reasonable price of around $2 US. We love you for your condiments, especially the small but potent red peppers.
Most of all, we love you for your freshly made rice noodles that we always swirl on our chopsticks before slurping into our mouths. We hate to pick favorites, but we think you’re the best food to eat in Hanoi.
Pho originated in Hanoi and is arguably the national dish of Vietnam. We could eat this soup morning, noon and night. In fact, that’s what we do whenever we’re in Hanoi. Any time we wonder what to eat in Hanoi, the answer is almost always Pho.
Cha Ca (Grilled & Fried Fish with Rice Noodles)
We fell in love with the Hanoi food scene while eating Cha Ca at our first lunch at non-touristy Cha Ca Phan. Cha Ca, a Northern Vietnamese specialty involves pan-fried chunks of meaty, fatty skinned fish, turmeric, dill, peanuts, shrimp paste and rice noodles. If you haven’t tried it before, then Cha Ca may be the most unique food to try in Hanoi.
If you have limited time, you can eat Cha Ca in Hanoi’s Old Quarter where an entire street is dedicated to the popular dish. The most famous Cha Ca restaurant is called Cha Ca La Vọng.
Bun Cha (Grilled Pork & Noodles)
If Pho is Hanoi’s number one dish, then Bun Cha is easily number two when it comes to being a Hanoi local food favorite. And who can blame the locals for loving this dish where grilled pork and rice noodles are the stars and fresh herbs, sliced papaya, red chili and garlic are the supporting players? If these ingredients aren’t enough for you, then add fried spring rolls called Nem to the mix.
Xoi (Sticky Rice)
Sticky rice may be the ultimate Hanoi comfort food. We especially like the version at popular Xoi Yen, where they flavor the glutinous rice with green mung bean paste and lots of chicken fat. Topped with meat and paired with a cheap bottle of beer, Hanoi sticky rice is a true guilty pleasure.
Bun-Mien Ngan (Rice Noodles with Muscovy Duck)
For the uninitiated, Muscovy ducks are indigenous in the Americas and can be found in countries as far away as Australia and New Zealand. We don’t know why the large, meaty ducks are so popular in Vietnam, but curious diners can enjoy Muscovy duck at eateries around town in versions ranging from soups to noodle dishes.
Banh Mi (Baguette Sandwich)
As hard as we tried, we never found the best Banh Mi in Hanoi, though we ate several in our quest. They were all good but not great. Though our quest continues for Banh Mi greatness, we can’t neglect including the Vietnamese staple in our Hanoi eating guide.
Pho Cuon (Rice Noodle Rolls)
If you love rice noodles, then you will love Pho Cuon where big rice noodles are rolled around beef and green herbs to create a delightful finger food. If the delicate flavors aren’t enough for you, then ramp it up by dipping the Pho Cuon into Nuoc Cham, a mixture of fish sauce, sugar, vinegar and chili.
Banh Cuon (Steamed Rice Rolls)
When we think about our time in Hanoi, a key memory will likely be sitting on small plastic chairs and eating Banh Cuon for the first time at Banh Cuon Ba Hoanh. We had never eaten this dish before, and we immediately fell in love with the big pieces of fermented rice noodles served with fresh herbs and bowls of pork, mushroom and minced shallots.
Che (Sweet Dessert Soup)
Che is a Vietnamese dessert that we had not tried prior to our Hanoi visit, and we were unclear what it was until we tasted the sweet dish in Hanoi. Che can be either hot or cold, and it can have a wide range of ingredients like mung beans, red beans, fruit and tapioca beads.
