The Hanoi food scene is unmatched — chaotic, cheap, and absolutely delicious! We were fortunate enough to spend 9 days there to explore local eateries, cafes, dive bars, and cocktail bars. Below we will share our top locations and the best part — they’re not all in the Old Quarter so if you do choose to venture to one of these, there’s the added bonus of exploring a new neighbourhood!
We have compiled all of our favourites into one Google Map list and you can find that here — Hanoi Rec – Lost&Sound
Since many of these locations are local or street-side some aren’t listed on Google Maps. Where that is the case, we’ve added a landmark or the exact address to navigate to and we’ll go into more detail below.
Enjoy!
Coffee & Breakfast
La’ Coffee: An oasis for us in the hustle and bustle of Hanoi, La’ Coffee is a locals coffee shop nestled amongst a residential area. There’s a beautiful patio area out front with seating amongst a jungle of plants. The inside has two floors with funky retro decor, perfect for relaxing with a book over morning coffee or as a co-working spot for the digital nomads.
Our order — Handpressed Arabica Espresso & Pink Guava Tea
Café Dinh: The egg coffee is a Hanoi icon and this is an iconic place to try it as the owner is the daughter of the egg coffee inventor!
Walking inside feels like going back in time with pictures of the egg coffee founder, his daughter, and old Hanoi all over the walls. We were fascinated to learn the origination story of the egg coffee here too — during the French war milk was scarce so the owners dad, a hotel bartender, whipped eggs and condensed milk to create a creamy, custard-like coffee drink and the egg coffee was born!
Our order — Egg Coffee & Egg Chocolate
Coffee Trà Chanh — Sinh Tố Nước ép: This name literally means “Coffee, lemon tea, smoothie, fresh-pressed juice” and you cannot find it on Google Maps. However, if you navigate to “triple 9 bar”, it’s right beside it. It’s also adjacent to St. Josephs Cathedral so if you see a big Catholic church, you know you’re in the right place!
Make sure to go early!
Our order — Trà Chanh (lemon tea) & Xôi Cơm (young green sticky rice with coconut, mung bean paste & lotus root)
Lunch
Cơm 56: Another one to make sure to go early! as they close once they’ve sold out.
This street-side restaurant provides an experience that is everything you imagine dining like a local in a bustling Asian city would be — the mini plastic tables & chairs, zero english, one-item menu, and it being absolutely the best plate of pork belly & rice you’ve probably ever tasted. Again, you won’t find this on Google Maps, however, if you navigate to “Ti-rǎng Coffee & Brunch” you’ll find these ladies serving $2 plates of broken rice to the right of the entrance.
Our order — Broken Rice (Crispy pork belly & rice with some mixed steamed and pickled veggies. Do not forget the chopped chillies in fish sauce!)
Bánh đa cua: To find this restaurant, navigate to “9 Ng. Huyện”. Here you’ll find a traditional Vietnamese flat red noodle dish. This was by far one of the best noodle dishes that we tried in Vietnam — the flavours and textures are diverse but blend perfectly. The red noodles get their colour from cooking them with gac fruit, not to add flavour, but more for aesthetic and nutritional benefit reasons.
Fun Fact: This restaurant is in the bottom part of an occupied house. The owners leases this section of their house to the restaurant so it’s an incredibly authentic experience!
Our order — Bánh đa trộn “mixed crab noodle” (Red noodles with fried tofu, pork sausage, crab paste, fish balls, beef, water celery, peanuts, and bamboo shoots)
Dinner
Bún chả 74 Hàng Quạt: You must try Bún chả when in Hanoi and this is the perfect place in our opinion. Nestled down an alley amongst locals houses, you’ll be sitting in chairs right outside the chefs house.’
Pro tip: When eating Bún chả it’s all about making the perfect bite — grab some noodle on a spoon & dip it in the broth, add a piece of grilled pork, followed by the fresh herbs — perilla, mint, and lettuce. Add a slice of papaya for crunch, load up on fresh chopped garlic & chilli, and a final dip in the broth!
Our order — Bún chả (grilled pork served with rice vermicelli noodles, fresh herbs, and a sweet & sour dipping broth)
Phở Lụa: Trying Phở is a must while in Hanoi as the dish is best in the north and this was the best Phở that we had during our time in Vietnam! To find it navigate to “5/24 Ngõ 173 Hoàng Hoa Thám”, and go before 7pm. While you may not be able to find this on maps, once you arrive the restaurant is hard to miss as it has a big red sign outside with “Phở Lụa” in block white letters. It’s in a residential neighbourhood (outside of the Old Quarter) that’s worth a wander if you make the trip.
Our order — Phở Gầu (fatty brisket), Phở Đặc Biệt (mixed beef), Phở Sốt Vang (beef style stew, more of a wine-braised, richer broth)
Bia Giang Trọc: Basically a Vietnamese dive bar! Always busy, draft beer is $0.50, zero English, and there’s a steady stream of tasty fried shared plates coming out of the kitchen. I guarantee an incredibly authentic experience if you choose to visit!
Our order — Draft beer, pork ribs, and fried rice! The plates are big so order one of each.
Dessert
Chè Ngon 93: A great Place for iconic Hanoi dessert!
Fun Fact — “Chè” is an umbrella term for sweet soup in Vietnamese, we also recommend you try the Chè here – it’s mixed fruit in a sweetened coconut milk soup, crushed ice (used if too sweet), and jelly.
Our Order — Kem xôi (warm pandan green sticky rice topped with coconut ice cream, shredded & toasted coconut)
Hải Xệ – Bánh Rán Cao Lâu: The best way to describe this is that it’s basically a Vietnamese donut. They’re fried rice balls filled with sweetened mung bean paste and often coated in either sesame seeds or powdered sugar. A delicious sweet treat after shopping in the Old Quarter in the heat or after dinner if you fancy a sweet treat. The ladies here are friendly and they’re making the balls right in front of you — super fresh!
Our order — one bag of Bánh Rán (4 balls)
Cocktails
SW:P: This is the perfect speakeasy for a nightcap after wandering the Old Quarter. It’s a chilled, candle lit, cozy vibe with creative drinks and friendly bartenders!
Our Order — Any of the classics or if you’re feeling adventurous try the staff signature cocktails inspired by Hanoi! We tried the “Old Quarter Oktoberfest” and it was delicious.
That’s it for now! We hope you enjoy the Hanoi food scene as much as we did.
Try everything once is our motto!