Street Food In Hanoi
Hanoi is the foodie capital of northern Vietnam. It’s the birthplace of pho and egg coffee, and a melting pot for dishes from other northern provinces.
Food is one of the most approachable ways to get to know a culture and a part of slow travel is authentically engaging with the communities that you visit.
So as a slow traveler and an avid eater, I had to try all the signature Hanoian dishes!
I spent five days in the capital of Vietnam and here are the best street food dishes (and places to get them) in Hanoi.
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Hanoi Street Food Culture
Vietnam is a very fast-paced country. The second you hop off the bus from Noi Bai airport to Old Quarter you notice that everything is go-go-go.
From the hustling street vendors to the chaotic motorcyclists, everyone is on the move. So it’s no surprise that street food is very popular.
Despite this, one thing I found refreshing was that people actually do still take time for meals. It might be a quick bite, but they at least stop by a local restaurant for a few minutes.
Sidewalk Culture In Hanoi
That's not to say that delivery services like Grab aren't popular (especially among young folks) but I loved that most people still took the time to dine in (which is far more sustainable and economical).
While street food in Thailand or Taiwan often looks like a skewer on-the-go from hawker stall, street food in Vietnam actually consists of proper meals from local restaurants.
You’ll notice locals sitting on little stools on the sidewalk diving into a hot bowl of noodle soup or enjoying a casual cup of iced tea. The casual sidewalk culture is a big part of what makes Vietnamese dining so unique.
Navigating Restaurants In Hanoi
As a socially anxious introvert, one of the most intimidating things about visiting a foreign country for the first time is ordering from the menu.
Navigating a new language, a new culture, and unfamiliar dishes can be very scary!
So here’s what to expect when you visit a restaurant in Hanoi.
Restaurants in Hanoi don’t typically have printed paper menus. They usually just have a few signature dishes written on the wall with (or without) prices. This guide will explain some of the most popular dishes in Hanoi so you can always fall back on the basics.
Common food-related words: bo is beef, ga is chicken, chay is veg, thit lonx is pork. Com is rice and bun is rice noodles. Most dishes are a mix of these elements and unless they have a specific name, these Vietnamese basics should help you decide on a whim.
Use the image function on Google Translate to take a photo of the menu. Worst comes to worst, you can just always point to order. Heads up, some of the translations are not going to be the most appealing.
For most restaurants in Hanoi you pay after the meal but for the street stalls you’ll pay when you order.
A lot of restaurants are named after the dish they’re most famous for, there are address number and the street name. It’s a very practical approach and I love that you know exactly what you’re getting. However, the downside is that it can get pretty confusing to distinguish between different restaurants and there are a lot of store owners that mimic more famous restaurants in hopes of getting some additional customers.
So now that you have a basic understanding of street food culture in Vietnam, let’s get to the heart of it with these must try foods in Hanoi.
1. Phở Bò (rice noodle soup with beef)
Pho is arguably the most famous dish to ever come from Hanoi.
It was the first Vietnamese dish that I ever tried growing up in New York and the fact that it’s on basically every Vietnamese menu (outside of Vietnam) is a testament to just how widely popular it is.
Pho is a fragrant and warming noodle soup made of soft rice noodles, flavorful broth, tender meat or plant-based proteins, and in-season veggies and herbs.
Classic Hanoian pho is typically made with beef simmered in spices like stony’s cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, and clove.
Pho is typically a breakfast food but if having noodle soup first thing in the morning, seems weird to you. You can eat it at any time of day.
Tip: I don’t care what anyone says, pho is the best hangover cure.
✔️full of fluids ✔️light and easy to digest ✔️full of electrolytes and nutrients
Pho is the sole reason I was able to complete the Ha Giang Loop despite taking too many happy water shots the night before ☠️
Best Pho In Hanoi:
I had pho almost every day in Hanoi (minus when I took day trips out to Incense Village and Ninh Binh because we had to leave early).
Every restaurant has a unique recipe, but they’re honestly all really good. I have l never stopped by a random pho shop and been disappointed.
Find a spot with a lot of locals and you can’t go wrong. But if you need recs, here are some popular spots:
Bún Chả (grilled pork meatballs with rice vermicelli)
Bun cha is a northern Vietnamese dish comprised of thin vermicelli noodles, succulent and savory grilled pork meatballs, fresh herbs and vegetables, and a classic Vietnamese dipping sauce (nước chấm) made of fish stock, lime juice, sugar, and chili.
It’s a light and balanced meal that is typically eaten for lunch. However, its gained so much popularity since the Anthony Bourdain and Obama episode in “Parts Unknown” that a lot of restaurants now also serve it for dinner.
The best way to eat bun cha is to grab a little bit of noodle with your chopsticks, dip it into the sauce and then make a wrap with a fresh piece of lettuce. Add some meat and herbs, and then enjoy in one bite!
That being said, as long as it ends up in your mouth, there’s no wrong way to do it…😁
Where To Try Bun Cha In Hanoi:
Bún chả Hương Liên (French Quarter spot where Obama ate!)
Bún Riêu (vermicelli crab tomato soup)
We’re back to the noodle soups!
Bun rieu is a light, tomato based crab seafood soup popular in northern Vietnam.
The dish is said to have originated during French colonial rule when Vietnamese cooks try to make a classic French tomato-based soup. They use local ingredients and created this masterpiece that is uniquely Vietnamese.
Ban rieu has a refreshingly sour flavor and is especially good during the hot summer months. It’s truly one of the most unique dishes you will try in Hanoi. Popular variations feature ingredients such as shredded crab, minced pork, tomato, shrimp paste, and pork blood.
Where To Try Bun Rieu In Hanoi:
Chả Cá Lăng (fried turmeric fish in dill)
Vietnamese cuisine tends to be quite light so if you're craving something more substantial, cha ca lang is the perfect dish to try!
This Hanoian signature features large chunks of flaky freshwater fish (usually snakehead or catfish) marinated in a turmeric sauce and grilled to smoky perfection on a flat griddle with lots of aromatic dill, scallions, and onions.
It's typically served with rice noodles, peanuts, and a variety of sauces including nuoc cham, fermented shrimp paste, and soy sauce.
My friend and I stopped by Chả Cá Thăng Long after a long day in Ninh Binh and it hit just the spot!
The portions were quite small and it was pretty expensive ($250k VND per person) but the quality was well worth the price.
Where To Try Cha Ca Lang In Hanoi:
Ốc Gừng Sả (ginger lemongrass snails)
A must try street food in Hanoi is oc gung sa or steamed lemongrass ginger snails!
Hanoi called the city of rivers and lakes and with so many bodies of freshwater around, it only makes sense that their cuisine is heavily based on those resources.
My friend and I were walking home after catching the water puppet show near Hoan Kiem Lake and saw a bunch of people sitting on those sidewalk stools, digging into plates and plates of different snails and seafood.
We had no idea that this was one of the most popular street food stalls in Hanoi, but decided to grab a seat and try some anyway.
I’ve had French escargot roasted in butter and also Chinese stir-fry snails, so I was expecting similar savory flavors, but these ginger lemongrass snails completely caught me off guard!
Light, refreshing, and fragrant served with a tangy, sweet and sour sauce.
We ordered two different types of snails and the portions were so generous that we couldn't finish them all. If you want an authentic taste of Vietnamese street food, don't miss out on this dish!
Where To Try Oc Gung Sa In Hanoi:
Bánh Cuốn (steamed rice rolls)
If you love dimsum style cheung fun, then you'll love Vietnamese banh cuon!
Banh cuon are steamed rice rolls filled with finely minced ground pork and a variety of other diced vegetables (like onions, jicama, or wood ear). They're a little thinner than the Hong Kong style dish and less punchy in flavor, but no less delicious.
Banh cuon are typically served with raw vegetables like cucumbers, lettuce, basil, mint, and bean sprouts and as usual, you'll have a nuoc cham dipping sauce.
This street food is the perfect afternoon snack or something you can dive into late at night.
Where To Try Banh Cuon In Hanoi:
Bánh Mì (Vietnamese sandwich)
If pho is Vietnam's most famous dish, banh mi would be a close second.
This Vietnamese style sandwich originated in the south during the 1950s when war-torn, resource-restricted locals took the ingredients that the French colonialists brought in and transformed them with Vietnamese flavors to create the popular sandwich that we all know and love today.
Banh Mi (which means bread) at its simplest, is made with a toasted baguette, pate or cold cuts, and pickled vegetables. Each region has its own variation with different filling and condiment combinations.
My tour guide on the ride down from Hue to Hoi An said that Banh Mi was an everyday food. Breakfast on the go? Banh Mi. Quick afternoon snack? Banh Mi. Dinner before an evening shift? Banh Mi.
It's kind of that reliable dish that you always count on to be convenient, cheap, delicious and filling.
It's clear that this sandwich is an important part of Vietnamese street food, so definitely make sure to try a northern version while you're in Hanoi!
Where To Try Banh Mi In Hanoi:
To get the most authentic experience, stop by your neighborhood stall.
However, I've found this tactic to be hit or miss because I like my sandwiches packed full of goodies and sometimes the sandwiches are just not decadent enough.
So for more ideas, here are some banh mi spots to try in Hanoi:
Banh Mi 25 (super trendy with vegetarian and vegan options)
Cà Phê Trứng (egg coffee)
A coworker first introduced me to the idea of ca phe trung in 2016. At that time, the concept seemed outrageous. Egg? In coffee? Super weird.
But now that I've had a chance to actually experience it, it's delightful!
Ca phe trung is a thick, creamy, indulgent drink made with four simple ingredients: egg yolks, sugar, condensed milk, and robusta coffee. The egg yolk is whipped with sugar and condensed milk until it's a thick foam and then placed on top of hot coffee for a delicious dessert beverage.
This concoction was first created by Cafe Giang in Old Quarter and I highly recommend that you check the original out, but it's gotten so popular that you can basically find it at any cafe.
I had the iced version because it was so hot when I visited in November but if you can, order it hot to get the full original experience!
Where To Try Ca Phe Trung In Hanoi:
Cà Phê Muối (salt coffee)
Ca phe muoi, or salt coffee, is originally from Hue in central Vietnam but has made a name for itself in Hanoi.
If you've had cheese foam bubble tea (奶蓋手搖) it's kind of similar but with coffee instead!
Salt coffee features hand-filtered robusta coffee topped with a salty whipped cream for a balanced sweet and savory beverage. It's the perfect drink for people who find traditional Vietnamese coffee to be too sweet.
Where To Try Ca Phe Muoi In Hanoi:
Chè:
Every meal must end with dessert so finish your Hanoian street food adventures with Che.
Che is the umbrella term for traditional Vietnamese sweet soup or pudding. It includes a wide variety of different dessert soups that use glutinous rice toppings, puddings, jellies, fruit, and beans for a unique sweet treat.
Some common toppings include mung beans, black-eyed peas, kidney beans, tapioca, jellies, longan, durian, lychee, and coconut cream. It may or may not be served with ice (depending on what you order).
There are a lot of variations on this and some places even allow you to choose specific toppings so you'll always end up with a dessert that perfectly aligns with your cravings.
Where To Try Che In Hanoi:
Best Street food In Hanoi Old Quarter
Most of the restaurants above are located in Hanoi Old Quarter but if you need additional suggestions, here are some places to check out:
Nộm Bò Khô Long Vi Dung for beef jerky salad (Nom Bo Kho)
Nem Nướng Nha Trang Quế Hoa for fresh spring rolls (Nem Cuon)
Xôi vỉa hè for savory sticky rice (Xôi)
Cửa hàng bánh gối Lý Quốc Sư for fried Vietnamese dumplings (Bánh Gối)
Quán Cháo Đậu Cà Đào Duy Từ for pork offal congee (Cháo Lòng)
Street Food Tour In Hanoi
One of the best tours that I experienced in Vietnam was go on a women-led vespa food tour in Ho Chi Minh City and imagine that it would be just as fun in Hanoi. So here are some of the best street food tours in Hanoi:
Vegetarian / Vegan Food In Hanoi
As someone who cares about the environment, I know that going vegan or at least vegetarian is better for the environment. However, food is such an important part of culture that even though I mostly eat plant-based at home, I break it when I travel.
That being said, I appreciate those who stick to their convictions and you can definitely see a growing trend of vegetarian/vegan food in Hanoi.
Here are some of the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Hanoi:
Whether you're a foodie eating your way across southeast Asia or are a novice traveler simply trying to navigate a foreign menu, I hope this guide to street food in Hanoi was helpful!
Now that you know what to expect when dining out in Hanoi, double check on your itinerary with this ultimate 3-day guide to the city or figure out your next moves by deciding if Sapa or Ha Giang are worth visiting.
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