What to eat in Hanoi Old Quarter? Top 10 most delicious dishes you cannot miss

Hanoi cuisine is a pride of the Hanoi people. 

Hanoi street food is very diverse and has great appeal to most tourists coming here. Every dish is delicious, full of flavor, and awakens all 5 senses of diners. “What to eat in Hanoi?”, specifically what to eat in a day in the old quarter, must be a difficult question for you to answer because there are so many options. However, you should try the following culinary discovery journey in Hanoi’s Old Quarter with us.

What do you know about Hanoi cuisine?

Hanoi cuisine is a pride of the Hanoi people. Hanoians are famous for being elegant, and meticulous in the smallest details. And even in cuisine, Hanoians also show solemnity and sophistication. The food of this land can be said to have distinctive features in countless delicious dishes from all over the country.

What to eat in Hanoi?
What to eat in Hanoi?

The dishes of Hanoi are processed sophisticatedly and delicately, converging typical flavors. Through the skillful hands of the Hanoi people, Hanoi cuisine from simple dishes has been elevated to culture. Hanoi Old Quarter has long been famous for many specialties.

What to eat in Hanoi Old Quarter? Top 10 delicious dishes

If you do not know what delicious dishes and famous restaurants in Hanoi Old Quarter have, the following section is for you.

Phở Hà Nội (Hanoi noodle soup)

When it comes to delicious food in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, we must mention Pho. Pho Hanoi is considered one of the national dishes of Vietnam. A bowl of pho is elaborately processed with many steps. The broth is bone broth simmered for hours, and dried onions and ginger are grilled and pounded to add aroma to it. Anise, cinnamon, and complex spices are indispensable for this dish.

Pho Hanoi is considered one of the national dishes of Vietnam. 
Pho Hanoi is considered one of the national dishes of Vietnam.

A delicious bowl of Pho with white noodles, beef, tender cooked meat, scallions, and onions. The broth is clear and flavorful. You can serve this dish with a little vinegar, garlic, and chili sauce. The meats in Pho are beef, chicken, and pork.

You should try this dish at:

  • 10 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
  • 49 Bat Dan, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

Bánh mì Hà Nội (Hanoi bread)

Banh Mi or bread is a dish that is so familiar to the people of Hanoi’s Old Quarter. Compact, easy to carry, delicious taste, and affordable price have made bread a favorite choice of many people. You can use it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a late-night snack.

Banh Mi or bread is a dish that is so familiar to the people of Hanoi's Old Quarter. 
Banh Mi or bread is a dish that is so familiar to the people of Hanoi’s Old Quarter.

Traditional bread of Hanoi’s Old Quarter will bring diners back to the taste of the old days of Vietnam. The bread consists of simple ingredients of butter, pate, pork, red sausage, and pork meatloaf, it is served with cucumber. Pate must have the aroma of pork liver, pepper, and dried onion. Its structure is very cohesive and not disjointed. Banh Mi is always preheated before being delivered to customers, with a crispy crust. You just need to take a bite to feel all the delicious flavors of each ingredient in harmony.

You should try this dish at:

  • Lan Ong Bread: 20 Cha Ca, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
  • Hien’s bread: 76 Hang Giay, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi
  • Banh Mi 25 Hang Ca street, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi
  • Ba Dan Bread: 34 Lo Su, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi

Bún chả Hà Nội (Grilled pork and noodle)

Bun Cha is one of the delicious dishes in Hanoi’s Old Quarter that is known by many people and has been highly appreciated by many gourmets. A delicious Bun Cha Hanoi will be the harmony between the types of pork.

Bun Cha is one of the delicious dishes in Hanoi's Old Quarter. 
Bun Cha is one of the delicious dishes in Hanoi’s Old Quarter.

The best thing is the dipping sauce of this dish, which has a balance between sour, sweet, and salty. The Cha (grilled pieces of pork) are seasoned with spices, and they are grilled over charcoal. They will have a very characteristic smoky aroma. If you want a fuller meal, you can order some fried spring rolls.

There are too many delicious Bun Cha restaurants in the Old Quarter, but you should go to Huong Lien Bun Cha. This is where former US President Barack Obama ate at this place with super chef Anthony Bourdain in 2016. This restaurant is crowded at noon, including many foreign tourists. In order not to have to wait too long, you should arrive at this shop’s off-peak hours.

You should try this dish at:

  • Bun Cha Hang Quat: Alley 74 Hang Quat, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
  • Bun Cha Hang Than: 34 Hang Than, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi
  • Bun Cha Hoa: 17 Yen The Alley, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

Bún riêu cua Hà Nội (Hanoi crab noodle soup)

Hanoi crab noodle soup (Bun Rieu Cua) is an indispensable dish on the list of delicious dishes you should try.

The ingredients for this dish include fresh vermicelli, small crabs, tomatoes, shrimp paste, and onions. The cook will bring all the crabs to wash, puree, and filter the water. This part of the water is boiled for the crab meat to rise and stick. Bun Rieu Cua originated from the North and turned into a popular breakfast dish by Hanoians. If anyone wants to enjoy a mild, simple, and gentle bowl of vermicelli with crab, they should visit the addresses below. A full bowl of crab noodle soup will have beef, pork rolls, tofu, and vegetables.

Bun Rieu Cua originated from the North of Vietnam. 
Bun Rieu Cua originated from the North of Vietnam.

You should try this dish at:

  • 11 Hang Bac, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
  • 23 Nguyen Sieu, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
  • 14 Hang Luoc, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

Bún Thang Hà Nội (Vermicelli and chicken soup)

Bun Thang is a dish you should try when you do not know what to eat in Ha Noi. This dish has high requirements to be perfect, so quite a few restaurants are selling this dish in Hanoi. A delicious bowl of Bun Thang requires the chef to be knowledgeable about each ingredient and meticulous in each stage.

Bun Thang has many ingredients. 
Bun Thang has many ingredients.

The broth is stewed from the bones and must be prepared the night before. A pot of broth must have the aroma of simmered chicken bones, shrimp, and mushrooms with a rich sweetness.

The ingredients include eggs, chicken, pork bologna, and radish, which are sweet and crispy. You can’t forget some green onions and “coriander”. You can also add some shrimp paste to add more flavor to this dish.

You should try this dish at:

  • Bun Thang Ba Duc: 48 Cau Go, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
  • 29 Hang Hanh, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi
  • 25 Hang Hanh alley, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi
  • 5 Hang Thiec, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi

Chả cá Lã Vọng (La Vong grilled fish)

This is the oldest dish in the Old Quarter and is enjoyed by many diners. This dish has a delicate combination of the fatty taste of fish cakes, the aroma of vegetables, and onions, and the rich taste of shrimp paste. All these flavors create a charm for diners.

Cha Ca La Vong is the oldest dish in the Old Quarter. 
Cha Ca La Vong is the oldest dish in the Old Quarter.

Cha Ca La Vong is made from crystal-eyed catfish and snakehead fish, so the fish meat is guaranteed to be firm, chewy, and sweet. Pieces of fish are marinated with extremely rich spices and then briefly grilled over charcoal. This dish needs to be kept hot during the whole cooking process.

  • You should try this dish at 14 Cha Ca, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

Bánh tôm Hồ Tây (West Lake shrimp cake)

West Lake Shrimp Cake is so famous to all tourists. Coming to Hanoi, this is also a delicious dish for you. Banh Tom Ho Tay is a cake consisting of flour and shrimp mixture. They are deep-fried and drained. The shrimp filling is fresh and sweet. Shrimp cakes are often served with sweet and sour dipping sauce. You can enjoy this dish more with vegetables and add a little chili. It is a great combination for you.

Banh tom Ho Tay
Banh tom Ho Tay

You should try this dish at:

  • Hang Bo shrimp cake: No. 57A Hang Bo, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
  • Dumplings and shrimp cakes Hien Hao: 9 Hoe Nhai Alley, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
  • Pillow cake shrimp cake: No. 10 Hong Phuc, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

Bánh cuốn Hà Nội (Steamed rice roll)

Steamed rice roll is a delicious and affordable dish for many people. Banh Cuon is soft and has the smell of wood ear mushrooms and fried onions.

Steamed rice rolls are served with a dipping sauce made from minced pork with salt, spices, and sugar. Fish sauce will make the dish more delicious and rich. Baking powder is finely milled rice. After it has been cooked by steam, the cake will be wrapped with cooked meat, wood ear, and shiitake mushrooms. When enjoying this dish, you will eat it with herbs to add flavor. In addition, customers can order some more dishes such as roasted cinnamon pork, and pork bologna.

Steamed rice roll is a delicious and affordable dish for many people. 
Steamed rice roll is a delicious and affordable dish for many people.

You can try this dish at:

  • Banh Cuon Ba Phuong: 16 Doc Hoe Nhai, Ba Dinh district, Hanoi
  • Banh Cuon Thanh Van: 12 Hang Ga, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi
  • Banh Cuon Phuong: 68 Hang Cot, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi
  • 40 Hang Tre, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

Cốm làng Vòng (Green rice)

Com (Green Rice) is considered a specialty dish of Hanoi, especially when the weather in Hanoi is in autumn. If you have come to this land but have not enjoyed the Green Rice, it is a mistake for you. Green Rice is often combined with many different dishes. However, the right way to enjoy green rice in Hanoi people is to eat it with bananas. The soft, aromatic flavor in each grain of Green Rice blends with the strong aroma of sweet bananas. This combination is sure to make you remember it forever!

Com (Green Rice) is considered a specialty dish of Hanoi. 
Com (Green Rice) is considered a specialty dish of Hanoi.

Vong village was famous for its specialty of green rice a long time ago. The profession of making Green Rice in the village has had a process of development and maintenance, existing up to now.

You should try this at:

  • Hanoi Nguyen Ninh round green rice: 11 Hang Than Street, Hanoi

Cà phê trứng (Egg coffee)

Egg coffee (Cà phê trứng) is a type of coffee created from coffee and whipped yolk. This drink has been around for a long time and it is still loved by people. Egg coffee appeared in Hanoi in the fifties of the twentieth century. The origin of this coffee is still handed down orally to this day. When Western coffee products were introduced to Vietnam, they soon won the hearts of customers. Right now, fresh milk is scarce, so the owner of a cafe in Hanoi has used egg yolk as an alternative to milk. Surprisingly, that drink was praised by everyone and became a specialty.

Egg coffee is a type of coffee created from coffee and whipped yolk. 
Egg coffee is a type of coffee created from coffee and whipped yolk.

You can try this drink at:

  • Cafe Giang: 39 Nguyen Huu Huan, Hang Bac, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
  • Cafe Lam: 60 Nguyen Huu Huan, Hang Bac, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
  • Cafe Ba Khanh: 55B Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi

The dining experience in Hanoi’s Old Quarter

If you want to travel to Hanoi and try the above dishes without being ripped off, you should refer to the notes below.

Dining experience in Hanoi's Old Quarter
Dining experience in Hanoi’s Old Quarter

Find out about the restaurants on the internet

You should carefully research information such as prices of services, and reputable restaurants when coming to Hanoi. This will help you not to fall into the trap of people who increase the price of the dish. In addition, this also helps you understand more about the culture, habits, and differences of Hanoi compared to other localities. Prices for some services in Hanoi are often higher.

Choose restaurants with menus that list prices or ask for prices before eating

Hanoi is the paradise of sidewalk food stalls. However, this street food culture sometimes makes it difficult for tourists. Because finding the price list in these restaurants is not easy. Easy-going guests will fall into the case of being ripped off. Therefore, when entering any restaurant or store, you must also ask for the price of each dish, and the surcharge for the products and dishes.

Check your invoice carefully

Some restaurants may charge the wrong amount, charge extra dishes, add plates or add some dishes that diners did not order. Therefore, you need to check the bill to see if the items you ordered are correct, the number of plates eaten, and add up the total amount before paying. The same goes for local guests. If you are a foreign visitors, you should be more careful about this.

Don’t be afraid to bargain with the restaurants

Not only in Hanoi, talking about ripping off is a common situation in most tourist destinations in the world and Vietnam. That’s why you have to plan specifically about places to have fun, check carefully online to see if the restaurant has a reputation for unexpected price increases, and don’t be afraid to bargain.

Memorize the hotline phone number

Advice for tourists when encountering ripping off is to save the phone number of the hotline of the Hanoi authorities. The hotline to receive complaints about fraud and stalking tourists in Hanoi is 1800556896. This line operates 24/7.

Hanoi Tourism Support Center. 
Hanoi Tourism Support Center.

Final thoughts

We hope you already know what to eat in Hanoi through our above article. Above is a summary of 10 delicious dishes in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. We hope that the article can help visitors to Hanoi satisfy their food preferences and culinary passions.

Top 25 best street food in Hanoi Old Quarter

Street food Hanoi features

Hanoi is famous for its 36 beautiful streets and extremely rich culinary cultures that make this place every year attract many domestic and foreign tourists. Hanoi is home to many delicious dishes in the old town that you should not miss. So is there any street food in Hanoi worth enjoying, don’t ignore the sharing below.

Street food Hanoi features

Street food Hanoi features
Street food Hanoi features

Hanoi street food is completely unique and hard to find anywhere else. The balance in sweet taste, bustling atmosphere and super cheap prices have impressed visitors every time they come here.

Listening to the name of street food, people will actually imagine the crowded scenes on the narrow streets. However, when entering these restaurants, diners really feel satisfied and it seems that the passion for eating is completely satisfied. The characteristic of street food is that it is processed quickly, without fancy and luxurious decorations, you can enjoy it while it’s still hot, rustic but very delicious.

Not prepared by professional chefs, the street food here is scored by the closeness, simplicity, simple processing but distinct flavor. The shopkeepers are always welcoming to diners and that is also what foreign tourists when coming to Hanoi are very impressed with.

Top 25 street food in hanoi old quarter you should try

Bread – Bánh mỳ Hà Nội

Bread – Bánh mỳ Hà Nội
Bread – Bánh mỳ Hà Nội

If you are looking for street food Hanoi, go to the nearest banh mi stand. Crispy fresh breads are sandwiched inside with delicious meat, vegetables and sauces. With many tourists sharing Hanoi bread is a million times better than what they heard about it. And each type of bread will have a different filling and flavor so you can have the right choices for your taste.

Pho – Phở Hà Nội

Pho – Phở Hà Nội
Pho – Phở Hà Nội

It’s no wonder that pho is at the top of the list of the 10 best Vietnamese street foods. Going through any street in the country, especially in Hanoi, you can easily see many noodle shops with thousands of customers. The dish is simple with fresh pho, chicken or beef, scallions and broth, but everyone who eats it is guaranteed to be captivated.

Rice Noodles – Các loại bún

Rice Noodles – Các loại bún
Rice Noodles – Các loại bún

Vietnamese cuisine is extremely diverse, with vermicelli alone, it is possible to combine with different ingredients and processing methods to produce countless delicious and mouth-watering dishes from Rice Noodles. Snail rice noodles, Beef rice noodles, Kebab rice noodles, and vermicelli are easy to find when wandering around the streets of Hanoi. Each type of Rice Noodles will also bring you unforgettable special flavors.

Types of Pork-pie – Các loại chả

Types of Pork-pie – Các loại chả
Types of Pork-pie – Các loại chả

Pork-pie is a dish created by the people of the capital with a very unique recipe and made into a very unique Hanoi specialty. Each Pork-pie of ham has a fatty flavor from fish meat, served with a few herbs and is made bold by a cup of dipping sauce that is considered the crystallization of this land, nothing better.

Types of porridge – Các loại cháo

Types of porridge - Các loại cháo
Types of porridge – Các loại cháo

The autumn weather and the cool breezes of Hanoi’s changing seasons are great weather to sip a bowl of hot porridge. Vendors will put porridge from a large pot to a small pot, bring to a boil on a hot coal stove, then quickly pour meat or other ingredients into the island and pour it into a bowl.

The ingredients have just been cooked to keep the porridge bowl sweet, smooth and extremely attractive. Add a little hot chili pepper and stir the ingredients and you have a delicious bowl of porridge that is hard to resist. That’s why many people are not afraid to go far to eat or buy a bowl of delicious porridge for their loved ones when they are tired.

Hot Pots – Các món lẩu

Hot Pots - Các món lẩu
Hot Pots – Các món lẩu

Coming to the capital to enjoy hot pot may be the most authentic way to experience the street food life here. The main ingredient is a pot of hot broth prepared with delicious spices and stocked with any fresh vegetables, meat and seafood you like. Enjoying hot pot with a few glasses of beer or wine adds heat to this dish.

Sticky rice dishes – Các món xôi

Sticky rice dishes - Các món xôi
Sticky rice dishes – Các món xôi

Sticky rice Xeo is a very familiar light breakfast dish but has a strange charm to hold guests from far away. Sticky rice Xeo is yellow, flexible, blended with the flavor of onions and green beans. Sticky rice is wrapped in banana leaves, fragrant lotus leaves smell of the countryside. Enjoy a handful of sticky rice, you will feel all the sweet, salty, delicious and warm in the cold weather of Hanoi.

Besides sticky rice, you can also enjoy many other sticky rice dishes such as sticky rice with beans, sticky rice with corn, sticky rice with peanuts, sticky rice with potatoes, etc. The sticky rice dishes in Hanoi all have unique flavors that make it difficult for people to find. forget every time you go away.

Steamed Rice Cake – Bánh đúc

Steamed Rice Cake – Bánh đúc
Steamed Rice Cake – Bánh đúc

If you are looking for a delicious, warm snack to enjoy on a winter day, Steamed Rice Cake is an ideal dish. Sticky rice flour mixed from plain rice flour and tapioca flour, add roasted minced meat with wood ear. Finally, add hot sweet and sour fish sauce, sprinkle some fried onions and coriander for more flavor. Steamed Rice Cake is sold all year round, but the best enjoyment is in the winter afternoon sitting on the sidewalk, eating just right and warm without being too full.

Stuffed pancake – Bánh cuốn

Stuffed pancake – Bánh cuốn
Stuffed pancake – Bánh cuốn

This is an iconic Hanoi street food of the capital that you should not miss. The flexible stuffed pancakes are rolled with ground meat and wood ear, sprinkled with fried onions and dipped with hot fish sauce. It’s not tangy or spicy like many other Vietnamese dishes but you can always add chili or lemon. Traditionally, stuffed pancakes are a breakfast dish that goes deep into the culture of the people here.

Shrimp cake – Bánh tôm

Shrimp cake – Bánh tôm
Shrimp cake – Bánh tôm

Shrimp cake is a street food loved by many tourists. Shrimp cakes originated in Hanoi, so you probably won’t find them anywhere else in Vietnam. Fried shrimp cakes with crispy crust and shrimps on top. The shrimp here are caught from West Lake, so they are very sweet to eat. When eaten with sweet and sour fish sauce, there is a little green papaya and carrot.

Sticky rice balls – Bánh khúc

Sticky rice balls – Bánh khúc
Sticky rice balls – Bánh khúc

Sticky rice balls are made from green leaves, glutinous rice, pureed mung bean paste and pork. It is most often made in the season of vegetables, around February – March of the lunar calendar. In Hanoi, handfuls of sticky rice are often peddled in the evenings and the way the seller sells sticky rice balls in a very distinctive tone has become a feature of Hanoi.

Green rice cake – Bánh cốm

Green rice cake – Bánh cốm
Green rice cake – Bánh cốm

Green rice cake Hanoi specialties as a gift is not because only in Hanoi can this kind of cake be available. But it must be Hanoi’s rice nuggets to be delicious, to have the right taste, to have the bold flavor of Ha Thanh young nuggets. The attractive feature of Hanoi’s rice cakes is that when reaching the hands of the guests, they still have a new, flexible and fragrant smell of green rice. The square represents the land, the green represents the taste of the countryside. The coconut green bean paste is as sweet as the love of the people of Hanoi to visitors.

Donuts of all kinds – Bánh rán

Donuts of all kinds – Bánh rán
Donuts of all kinds – Bánh rán

Donuts are a sweet treat for an afternoon snack that you should enjoy when you come to Hanoi. With only simple ingredients of glutinous rice flour and green bean paste, the old shops here can sell tens of thousands of them every day. The two most famous types of cakes are sugar donuts and honey donuts.

Grilled skewers – Thịt xiên nướng

Grilled skewers – Thịt xiên nướng
Grilled skewers – Thịt xiên nướng

One of the favorite dishes of the lovers of barbecue. A rustic dish but with a strong flavor, in the afternoon passing through the streets, the Hanoi food market, the school gate, the smokey skewered meat shops give off a scent that makes anyone passing by have to look back. A simple dish with delicious marinated meat, grilled on charcoal, anyone of any age will love it.

Goose meat with garlic – Ngan cháy tỏi

Goose meat with garlic – Ngan cháy tỏi
Goose meat with garlic – Ngan cháy tỏi

Goose meat with garlic with swan meat meets hot fat sizzling, emitting a seductive aroma and, shock it with fresh garlic that has been golden, let the garlic essential oil cherish each piece of meat savoury, soft and sweet.

Egg coffee – Cà phê trứng

Egg coffee – Cà phê trứng
Egg coffee – Cà phê trứng

When visiting the city, many people will want to try this special coffee for its unique taste. Not as difficult to drink as black or brown coffee, egg coffee is quite easy to drink for everyone. However, to be able to make a delicious egg coffee with the right taste without being fishy is not an easy thing.

Tao Pho – Tào phớ

Tao Pho – Tào phớ
Tao Pho – Tào phớ

The taste of Tao Pho is cool, put in the mouth, it melts and melts in the heart of Hanoi street food. Adding sophisticated sugar water will surely satisfy the most demanding guests. This dish also has a lot of toppings to choose from such as pearls, coconut milk, and red beans.

Yogurt – Sữa chua

Yogurt – Sữa chua
Yogurt – Sữa chua

Hanoi yogurt worth trying is a homemade yogurt with many cool flavors for summer. Although it has been around for a long time, it is still a favorite cheap snack for light meals today.

Fruit beams – Hoa quả dầm

Fruit pickles are simply chopped fruit
Fruit pickles are simply chopped fruit

Fruit pickles are simply chopped fruit and mixed with condensed milk and shaved ice, but eaten on a summer day is both cool and nutritious. Visitors to any street of Hanoi can easily find themselves a snack shop selling pickled fruits.

Nuggets Hanoi – Cốm Hà Nội

Nuggets Hanoi – Cốm Hà Nội
Nuggets Hanoi – Cốm Hà Nội

When it comes to Hanoi’s culinary culture, connoisseurs will definitely talk about Nuggets as a very natural thing. Nuggets are Hanoi’s own, a very toxic snack that has been kept for many generations.

Nuggets are a gift from nature to farmers, a gift of young rice crystallized with the taste of heaven and earth and morning dew. Each granule of sticky rice has a fresh colostrum flavor, and is so fragrant that, just passing through a load of green rice nuggets, you can see that it brings back that gentle, characteristic ethereal smell. Therefore, this is a specialty food of Hanoi as the number 1 gift to bring back to relatives and friends when traveling.

Lemon Tea – Trà chanh

Lemon Tea – Trà chanh
Lemon Tea – Trà chanh

The lemon tea shops in Hanoi have appeared recently with the sidewalk model with professional services and have been the favorite choice of everyone, especially young people. You can completely comfortably hang out at the bar with your friends and sip delicious and delicious drinks at extremely student prices. Not milk tea or luxury coffee, street lemon tea is a trend of Vietnamese people now that tourists coming to Hanoi also love it.

Dried beef salad – Nộm bò khô

Dried beef salad – Nộm bò khô
Dried beef salad – Nộm bò khô

In Hanoi, whenever people mention mannequins, people immediately think of delicious and special dried beef mannequins. There are countless stalls with dried beef mannequins in Hanoi, from street vendors to luxury restaurants, each with its own distinct flavor.

Caramel

Caramel
Caramel

Homemade traditional caramel is also an attractive snack. But the caramel in Hanoi shops today also has many variations such as adding pearls, jelly, coconut, and fruit. The taste of this dish is also bold Hanoi street food that you should not miss when coming here.

Dried fruit – Ô mai

Dried fruit – Ô mai
Dried fruit – Ô mai

Dried fruit now has a multitude of options, made from many different types of fruit. Hang Duong Dried fruit is a specialty that many people choose to buy as a gift when traveling to the capital.

Trang Tien ice cream – Kem Tràng Tiền

Trang Tien ice cream
Trang Tien ice cream

Trang Tien ice cream has been a famous dish for a long time, becoming a favorite dish for many generations. Trang Tien ice cream is always the choice on major holidays and summer holidays of many families. Tourists walk around the lakeside, wander around the old town but will definitely have to come back to eat Trang Tien ice cream.

Some notes when enjoying street food Hanoi

Just like anywhere else, when visiting the capital Hanoi, you should learn carefully about information such as prices of services, reputable dining addresses. This will help you not to fall into the trap of the challenger as well as avoid the points that often cut customers.

Hanoi is a paradise of sidewalk food stalls, but this street food culture sometimes makes it difficult for tourists. Because it is not easy to find the menu with the prices listed in these restaurants. Therefore, when entering a restaurant Hanoi, before eating, you also have to ask the price because if you finish eating and drinking, you can’t argue. This can make the owner just a little uncomfortable but it is better than being charged unexpectedly high prices after eating.

The above article has summarized the best street food Hanoi as well as some notes on enjoying the food here. Before coming to Hanoi, you need to find out all the information in advance to get the best experience.

Top 5 best Bun Cha Hanoi restaurants in Old Quarter

Final Bun cha Hanoi 

Bun cha Hanoi is referring to a dish familiar to many people, especially those who live and work in the capital. With its own characteristics of color, flavor and processing, make bun cha easy to enter people’s hearts. The familiarity makes few people think that bun cha Ha Thanh is the source of the capital’s culinary culture.

Let’s find out all you need to know about Bun Cha Hanoi and where to eat the best bun cha Hanoi? Read to discover!

Overview of Bun Cha Hanoi

There is no specific date in the history of bun cha. Bun cha has been known for a long time, and Hanoians from generation to generation consider it a vital food.

Overview of Bun Cha Hanoi
Overview of Bun Cha Hanoi

Bun Cha is not luxury, nor does it arrive in a picturesque manner, yet it is profoundly imprinted in the psyche of many individuals. Bun Cha has a distinct flavor that everyone who has traveled a long distance will remember.

That is why bun cha becomes a cultural marvel worthy of inclusion in a poetry collection. Noodles go nowhere, but the aroma spreads. Vu Ngoc Phan’s book also mentions this fragrance “”Those Years”: “There’s a pleasant scent of vermicelli with bean vermicelli there, the merchant of bun cha fan cha on embers in an iron box. Smoke pouring from a raging fire. Three or five cents will get you a superb bun cha; homemade is more expensive and time-consuming.”

Bun Cha is the exquisite cuisine of the land of Kinh Ky

Bun cha Hanoi is made up of three basic components: dipping sauce, grilled pork buns, and vermicelli. The dipping sauce significantly determines whether a plate of bun cha is excellent or not. Bun Cha dipping sauce is blended with sour, spicy, salty, sweet with fish sauce, vinegar, sugar, garlic, chile with the proper amount depending on the bartender, and there is always a mannequin including green papaya, carrots, or in many locations, bean sprouts in the sauce bowl.

Hanoi cuisine
Hanoi cuisine

There are two varieties of grilled pork rolls: patties and balls. Bacon is typically created from hog belly to make the flesh tender and delicious. The ball is shaped into a circular block and marinated before being grilled over a red-hot charcoal burner.

How to eat bun cha Hanoi

How to enjoy Hanoi bun cha
How to enjoy Hanoi bun cha

Here is the best way to eat bun cha in Hanoi!

  • Method 1: According to the residents of the capital, the proper method to eat bun cha is with a range of green vegetables such as lettuce, herbs, perilla, and so on. Pick up a vermicelli chopstick and dip it into a bowl of sauce containing grilled meat and veggies. Then, live and enjoy the flavorful but harmonic spread of enjoyment!
  • Method 2: In a separate bowl, combine the vermicelli, meat, and vegetables, followed by the dipping sauce. Then combine the ingredients and serve.
  • Method 3: Select vermicelli, grilled meat, and vegetables, then top with sweet and sour fish sauce. You may easily match the bun cha flavor to your preferences using these two methods.

Hanoi cuisine in particular and Vietnamese cuisine in general are very rich and diverse. At Duongs 2 Restaurant, we have Vietnamese-style dishes, French-style fusion dishes to ensure satisfaction for any diners. In addition, we have cooking classes in Hanoi, street food tours that bring new experiences for visitors to Hanoi.

Top 5 best Bun Cha Hanoi restaurants in Old Quarter

#01 – Bun cha Obama (Bún chả Hương Liên)

Bún chả Obama 
Bún chả Obama

This is the Hanoi bun cha restaurant where US President Barack Obama once dined. As a result, the restaurant is always full, primarily with tourists. The restaurant boasts a modest but spacious and clean interior design. Bun cha here is similar to other locations, with great grilled beef, delicious spring rolls, a delectable dipping sauce, fresh vermicelli, and clean vegetables. In addition to bun cha, there are crab spring rolls and seafood spring rolls to pick from.

Address: 24 Le Van Huu, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi.

Opening hours: 8:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.

#02 – Bun cha Hang Quat (Bún chả Hàng Quạt)

Bún chả Hàng Quạt 
Bún chả Hàng Quạt

Bun Cha Hang Quat is known for their vermicelli and fried spring rolls. Vermicelli with meatballs, soft and fragrant meat marinated in spices to taste, is the restaurant’s most popular meal. This restaurant’s cuisine is unusual and wonderful. The heavy seasoning, as well as the taste of the barbecued meat soaking into the soup, will stimulate your hunger. Crispy and excellent fried spring rolls are also available. If you think the meat is not enough, you can get extra. The sweet and salty fish sauce may seem unfamiliar to the inexperienced, but we recommend diluting it with vinegar to lessen the flavor.

Try adding some garlic and chile for a more flavorful dipping sauce!

Address: 74 Hang Fan Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi

Working hours: 10:00-14:00

#03 – Bun cha Sinh Tu (Bún chả Sinh Từ)

Bún chả Sinh Từ 
Bún chả Sinh Từ

This is one of Kinh Ky’s most successful and well-known bun cha restaurant brands. Sinh Tu bun cha currently has 9 locations throughout Hanoi’s districts.

A bowl of Sinh Tu vermicelli is supposed to be full and filling. A bowl of vermicelli is seasoned to taste with raw vegetables, melon sprouts, and pork. Harmonious lean fat prepared in a unique method leaves guests with a lasting impression. Sipping a bowl of bun cha Hanoi on a cold day in Hanoi can warm your heart.

Address: Sinh Tu Bun Cha has many branches. Here are some typical establishments:

  1. 2 Nguyen Phong Sac, Cau Giay, Hanoi.
  2. 114A1 Giang Vo, Ba Dinh, Hanoi.
  3. 10 Hoang Cau Moi, Dong Da, Hanoi.
  4. 381 Hoang Quoc Viet, Cau Giay, Hanoi.

Opening hours: 7:30am – 2:00pm, 5:00pm – 9:00pm.

#04 – Bun cha Hanoi Dac Kim (Bún chả Hà Nội Đắc Kim)

Bún chả Hà Nội Đắc Kim 
Bún chả Hà Nội Đắc Kim

Bun Cha Hanoi Dac Kim has long been a popular destination for foreign travelers visiting the capital to sample Ha Thanh food. The meat is seasoned to taste, tasty, with a bit of fat mixed with a tiny aroma of onion fat, making this noodle dish more wonderful than ever.

Address: 1 Hang Manh, Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi.

Opening hours: 9am – 9pm.

#05 – Bun cha 34 Hang Than (Bún chả 34 Hàng Than)

Bún chả 34 Hàng Than 
Bún chả 34 Hàng Than

The sauce of vermicelli is produced very tasty, salty, sour, sweet and sweet with a little spicy and spicy ground pepper using the traditional recipe. A bowl of vermicelli has three varieties of delectable rolls: minced pork rolls, grilled pork rolls, and pork rolls with river bones, as well as the indispensable wonderful charcoal grilled meat, which is served with fresh veggies.

Address: 34 Hang Than, Ba Dinh district, Hanoi.

Opening hours: 7am – 5pm.

Bun cha recipe Hanoi

Ingredients for making Bun Cha Hanoi

  • Fresh vermicelli – 1 kg
  • Bacon – 700 gr
  • Minced pork – 500 gr
  • Carrot – 1 piece
  • Green enough – 1/2 left
  • Raw vegetables of all kinds 500 gr (lettuce/perilla/basil/basil/lettuce)
  • Minced red onion – 1 tablespoon
  • Minced garlic – 1.5 tbsp
  • Minced chili – 1 pinch
  • Oyster oil – 2 tablespoons
  • Honey – 3 tablespoons
  • Colored water – 2 tablespoons
  • Fish sauce 1 cup – (about 220ml)
  • Vinegar 1/2 cup – (about 100ml)
  • Cooking oil – 1 little
  • Common seasoning – 1 pinch

How to cook Hanoi Bun Cha

To eliminate dirt and odors from bacon, clean it with salt, then rinse with cold water and dry. Cut the meat into bite-sized pieces with a knife.

Marinate the meat for at least 30 minutes in 1/2 tbsp chopped shallot, 1/2 tbsp minced garlic, 1/2 tbsp seasoning, 1/2 tbsp MSG, 1/2 tbsp powdered pepper, 2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 2 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp colored water.

Add 1/2 tablespoon minced shallot and 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic, 1/2 tablespoon seasoning, 1/2 tablespoon MSG, 1/2 tablespoon powdered pepper, 1.5 tablespoons fish sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon honey, and 1 tablespoon colored water to the ground beef. Mix thoroughly with your hands and marinate the pork for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to infiltrate.

After around 30 minutes, take a suitable amount of ground meat and roll it into balls with your hands.

How to cook Bun Cha Hanoi
How to cook Bun Cha Hanoi

Prepare other ingredients

To remove plastic and grime from carrots and papayas, peel them before soaking them in diluted salt water for 5-10 minutes, then rinse with water and drain.

Continue by pruning the carrot blooms, then cutting the carrots and papaya into thin slices and placing them in a basin. Mix in 1/3 teaspoon salt, then marinate for about 15 minutes before rinsing the carrots and papaya with water.

Mix in 1.5 tbsp sugar, 1/4 tbsp salt, 1 tbsp vinegar, and 1/2 tbsp chopped garlic for another 15 minutes.

Note: If you have more conditions, you should grill meat with a charcoal grill. This way the meat will have a smoky smell and be more accurate.

Prepare other ingredients 
Prepare other ingredients

Cooking fish sauce

Cook for a few minutes on high heat with 1 cup of fish sauce (about 200ml), 1 cup of sugar (about 200gr), 1/2 cup of vinegar (about 100ml), and 2 cups of filtered water. Turn off the heat when the seasoning is entirely dissolved and the fish sauce begins to boil. Season to taste with your family’s preferences!

Final Bun cha Hanoi

On a platter, layer grilled meat, vermicelli, and raw vegetables. In a mixing dish, combine the pickled carrots, papaya, and a pinch of minced chile, then toss in the cooked sugar fish sauce.

With just a few basic steps, we can make a delicious and appealing Hanoi bun cha dish that rivals that of other restaurants. Fold a small amount of grilled meat, vermicelli, and herbs into a bowl of fish sauce and serve. The meat has a rich flavor with the aroma of lemongrass and onions, and it is served with sweet and sour fish sauce, herbs, and sour dishes to help balance the flavor, making you want to eat forever. Get in the kitchen right away and attempt this cuisine!

Final Bun cha Hanoi 
Final Bun cha Hanoi

Note when eating bun cha Hanoi

Bun cha Hanoi, a meal associated with the Ha Thanh people, is a perfect example of unapologetically exquisite food that has enduring significance over time. It is unknown when and how Bun Cha was created, but it is known that it is a Vietnamese cuisine and a source of pride for the long-standing culinary culture that Vietnamese people have always maintained.

Bun cha frequently serves two types of rolls for the grilled portion: balls and pieces. Some people enjoy eating the ball while others do not. Cha ball will be created using finely chopped lean pork shoulder, salt, pepper, fish sauce, sugar, minced dried onions, vegetable oil, and water fat. The meatballs are extremely mushy and oily as a result of the components listed above. When it comes to patties, they normally utilize thinly sliced pork belly that has been marinated in the same seasonings as the ball. Both varieties of spring rolls are barbecued over a charcoal fire.

Note when eating bun cha Hanoi 
Note when eating bun cha Hanoi

Usually, if you haven’t learned or have known about bun cha previously, diners are easily puzzled when they don’t know how to eat properly at the first taste.

How will you eat a cup of ready-to-eat fish sauce, aromatic buns with pickles, a dish of fresh vermicelli, or a platter of green raw vegetables? Many people would undoubtedly prefer to place veggies and meat on a dish of vermicelli, then pour a cup of ready-made fish sauce on top, mix well, and enjoy it like the South does with vermicelli and grilled pig. However, this is not the “typical Ha Thanh” style of eating, as many people believe.

People in the capital believe that the proper way to eat bun cha is with a variety of green veggies. Pick up a vermicelli chopstick and dip it in a bowl of sweet and sour fish sauce with aromatic balls. Then add green vegetable pieces and enjoy the lovely mix of foods.

In summary, Bun Cha Hanoi is unique in its own right, not too flashy but appealing enough in its own right. Despite numerous ups and downs throughout its history, bun cha has retained its particular flavor and is one of the national dishes of Vietnamese cuisine! Therefore, if you get the chance to visit Hanoi, you should try the bun cha Hanoi, especially with the top 5 restaurants above, with powerful flavors from the North!

20 Facts and Questions about Vietnam… How much do you know?

Golden bridge Danang Vietnam

Facts and Questions about Vietnam  – Vietnam country, Vietnamese people, Vietnamese culture, Vietnamese cuisine, beautiful scenes of Vietnam… How much do you know? Let’s explore in the article below.

20 Facts and Questions about Vietnam

  1. Vietnamese cuisine is considered amongst the healthiest in the world!
  2. They have half-hatched eggs for breakfast, what is it called?
Hột vịt lộn
Hột vịt lộn
  1. Vietnam is the world’s leading exporter of cashew nuts and black pepper!
  2. The world’s largest caves, the Son Doong caves are situated in Vietnam, when were they discovered?
Son Doong cave Vietnam
Son Doong cave Vietnam
  1. Some gifts are considered bad luck! What are they?
  2. Some Vietnamese drink snake wine for vitality!
  3. It is easy to mix things up in the Vietnamese language, how many letters in the VN Alphabet?
  4. Motorbikes are the most common form of transport in Vietnam, how many?
  5. Their unemployment rate in is one of the lowest of all developing countries in the world.
  6. Vietnam has a literacy level of 97.3%
  7. The Vietnamese flag has a lot of meaning behind it, do you know?
Vietnam flag
Vietnam flag
  1. Vietnam is the best place for coffee lovers , 2nd largest producer in the world!
  2. You get to bargain for a better price for most products!
  3. The Binh Chau Hot Natural Springs get so hot that they can boil eggs!
  4. Vietnam is shaped like which letter of the Alphabet?
  5. How many rivers does Vietnam have?
  6. The world’s second largest producer of rice export globally!
  7. Vietnam has 8 UNESCO sights, have you been to any or all of them?
  8. Which famous Hollywood movie was filmed in Ninh Binh and Ha Long Bay in 2017?
Kong Skull Island
Kong Skull Island
  1. What has been your best experience?

Answers:

2 – Hot Vit Lon (Hột Vịt Lộn)

4 – 2009-2010

5 – White Flowers, Sharp objects, watches, Glass or cup

7 – 29 

8 – ~45 Million

11 – 5 points represent the people Worker, Teacher, Soldier, Builder, Traders. Yellow is for the skin and red is for the blood.

15 – the letter S

16 – 392 rivers

18 – Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, Citadel of the Ho Dynasty, Complex of Hué Monuments, Hoi An Ancient Town, My Son Sanctuary, Ha Long Bay, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Trang An Landscape Complex

19 – Kong – Skull Island

20 – Enjoy street food

Golden bridge Danang Vietnam
Golden bridge Danang Vietnam

Vietnamese practice – How to speak some basic Vietnamese!

1 – One – Một (Moat)

2 – Two – Hai (Hi)

3 – Three – Ba (baah)

4 – Four – Bốn (Bone)

5 – Five – Năm (nahm)

6 – Six – Sáu (saow)

7 – Seven – Bảy (Bayh)

8 – Eight – Tám (Tahm)

9 – Nine – Chín (Cheen)

10 – Ten – Mười (muhey)

Hello – Xin Chào (Sin Chow) Thank you – Cảm ơn (Kahm uhn)

How much – Bao nhiêu – (baow nyew)

What’s your name? Tên bạn là gì (Ten Bang la zi) My name is? Tên tôi là….. (Ten toy la……)

1 2 3 Cheers! Một – Hai – Ba – dzô (Zoh)

Bill – Check please. Tính tiền (Din ting)

No, Thank You! – Không! Cảm ơn (Khom, kahm uhn)