When it comes to street food (in food in general!), few cities can rival Hanoi, Vietnam. Hidden amidst its bustling streets are discreet stalls and unassuming restaurants that serve mouthwatering Vietnamese dishes. My partner and I made it our mission to find the best eats in Hanoi, so we spent hours researching where to go. We’ve combined all the information we found with our own experience in Hanoi to create a comprehensive guide on where to find some of the best street food in Hanoi, Vietnam. From Pho to Bahn Mi, Bun Cha and everything in between, here are our favorites!
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Where to Stay in Hanoi
In my opinion, the best places to stay in Hanoi are the Old Quarter or French Quarter. It’s central to everything and it’s where all the action is! We stayed at La Passion Premium Cau Hotel and it was wonderful! It’s tucked away on a bit of a quieter street in the Old Quarter, but you can go one street over and be in the middle of all the action.
The rooms at La Passion Premium were clean and modern and we couldn’t hear any noise from the street. The staff were friendly and went above and beyond for us multiple times. On the weekends, the neighborhood shuts down for pedestrians and the whole area comes alive with sizzling food and night markets. The other incredible thing about this hotel was that the staff let us relax for a few hours when we took the train back from Sa Pa very early in the morning, a few days after checking out. We got in at 5:30AM and had nowhere to go til 8:30AM when we were being picked up to go to our next destination. We appreciated how accommodating they were!
Other great properties in Hanoi Old Quarter
Best Street Food in Hanoi
Vietnam has such a diverse food culture and it drastically differs from the North, Central and South regions, which is why it’s so important to try the food in each area of the country! It’s also one of the most healthy cuisines in the world – which I appreciate, especially after being on the road for weeks! Interestingly there are various French and Chinese influences on the food, dating back to colonial times.
Hanoi is known for its affordable, delicious street food. You could spend months (maybe years!) trying all of the restaurants and stalls in the city. Our guide covers just a handful of the best spots we found, but of course there are hundreds more.
Yes, it is safe to eat street food. In general, I would eat cooked food and look for places that make your dish fresh. It’s also a good sign if they are busy! If you are prone to stomach issues, try Travalan! I typically take one pill before eating street food and it’s helped prevent any issues.
Something disappointing we learned from a few locals is that many of the Google reviews for restaurants you see in Hanoi are fake. This isn’t surprising the sheer number of places in Hanoi with thousands of five-star reviews. I’d be wary of them and try to do your own research.
We typically take guided food tours when we visit a new city and if you’re into that, I recommend booking: Hanoi Food Tour with Train Street Visit or Hanoi: Guided Street Food Tour. Food tours with a local are a great way to learn more about the culture, ingredients, etc.
Here are our favorite Hanoi spots:
Bun Thang Lan Lun
Address: 5 P. Hàng Thiếc, Hàng Gai, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội
Hours: 5:30PM onward
Dish: PHỞ TRÔN GÀ (dry chicken noodles – reminded me of Pad Thai)
The Dry Chicken Noodles, or PHỞ TRÔN GÀ was the best street food we ate in Hanoi. This unassuming spot cooks up your food quickly while you wait in the small squatty chairs people watching and taking in all the chaos! The owner was super friendly and welcoming, which we can’t say about all the local spots we tried! It tasted like Vietnamese Pad Thai.
Bahn Mi 25
Address: 25 P. Hàng Cá, Hàng Bồ, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội
Hours: 7AM onward
Dish: Bánh mì
Typical Vietnamese sandwich eatery in the old quarter. The bahn mi’s are fresh and delicious and they have a cute spot across the street from their stall where you can enjoy your meal and the ambiance of the busy streets. They offer a variety of options including vegetarian, beef, chicken, and the traditional pork with pate.
Nga Bánh Chuối Bánh Khoai
Address: 2 Hàng Điếu, Cửa Đông, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội
Hours: 2PM – 11PM
Dish: Fried Bananas
Simple but so delicious! It’s basically just fried banana fritters for less than $1. Perfect for the cooler Hanoi evenings!
Bánh cuốn Bà Xuân
Address: Dốc P. Hoè Nhai, Nguyễn Trung Trực, Ba Đình, Hà Nội
Hours: 6:30AM – 1:30PM, 3:30PM – 11:30PM
Dish: Bánh cuốn
Bánh cuốn is made from a thin sheet of steamed rice paper and filled with cooked seasoned ground pork, minced wood ear mushroom, and minced shallots. It’s usually served with pork sausage, herbs and fish sauce on the side. Super delicious and often eaten for breakfast as it’s a lighter dish.
Phở Cuốn Hưng Bền
Address: 118 P. Trấn Vũ, Trúc Bạch, Ba Đình, Hà Nội, Vietnam
Hours: 9AM – 11PM
Dishes: Phở Chiên Phồng (Stir fried beef with fried pho noodle), Phở Cuốn (Pho Roll)
This street food spot was recommended by a Hanoi local and it was absolutely delicious! The servers were friendly and welcoming and there was a menu with English translations which was helpful! It’s right along the picturesque Trúc Bạch Lake, a great little spot to people-watch and wander.
Bun Bo Nam Bo
Address: 1 P. Nguyễn Văn Tố, Cửa Đông, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội
Hours: Not listed
Dishes: Bun Bo Nam Bo (beef salad)
Delicious warm “beef noodle salad” with quick service and a friendly staff. The main ingredients include beef, rice vermicelli noodles, garlic, fresh herbs (cilantro, mint), and vegetables (carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, bean sprouts), roasted peanuts and fried shallots.
Chuối Nếp Nướng số 1 Hàng Đường
Address: 1 Hàng Đường, Phố cổ Hà Nội, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội
Hours: 4PM – 12AM
Dish: Chuối Nếp Nướng (Banana wrapped in grilled sticky rice from Western Vietnam)
Street vendor selling delicious grilled sticky rice filled with banana and coconut. It has a creamy tapioca topping. It’s not too sweet, and absolutely delicious! It is a small stand in the middle of the busy night market, so don’t get frustrated if it takes a minute to locate. This was one of the best street food desserts we ate in Hanoi.
If you love street food, check out my post on must-try spots un Mexico City.
Cafes
Vietnam is known for its coffee and Hanoi in particular loves its coffee. This may not be traditional street food, but it’s part of the culture in Hanoi. There are literally cafes on every corner. There are lots of cute spots and all sorts of unique drinks to try!
Our favorites are:
- Hidden Gem Cafe
- Hanoi Coffee Station: great spot for Western breakfast – smoothie bowls, avo toast, etc.
- The Note Coffee: iconic spot where you can write a note and put it on the walls
- Loading T Cafe: the egg coffee and banana coffee were incredible
Vietnam is known for its egg coffee, a drink traditionally prepared with egg yolks, sugar, condensed milk and robusta coffee. It’s super sweet and delicious. Try at least one while you’re there! Most cafes have it, but Cafe Giang is a famous spot for it.
Cocktail Bars
My partner and I love checking out local cocktail bars when we visit new cities. We appreciate good mixology! One of our favorite things is to try creative cocktails that reflect the local culture and ingredients.
Nê Cocktail Bar
Rated No. 76 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2021, Nê Cocktail Bar is a MUST-VISIT! It’s near the train street and it’s the most charming little bar. It’s dark and vibey, with Ella Fitzgerald and other old jazz artists playing. They have unique cocktails that are supposed to resemble iconic Vietnamese foods. We tried the Pho and the Cốm cocktails and both were incredible. Pho – like it sounds, has flavors that resemble the famous dish. I was skeptical at first, but it was delicious. They have a unique technique to make the drink (shown in the image below). Cốm or simply called green rice is a flattened and chewy green rice in Vietnamese cuisine, often used in a sweet dessert.
Other cocktail bars to visit are Kumquat Tree Speakeasy Bar, Bamboo Bar, or The Haflington.
How to Get to Hanoi
Flying to Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport is usually the fastest and most convenient option, with direct flights available from many cities worldwide. If you’re already in Vietnam or nearby countries, taking a train, long-distance bus, or driving to Hanoi are viable alternatives, depending on your comfort level and travel time. Once you arrive at Noi Bai International Airport it takes about an hour to get into the city. The airport is pure chaos – it was one of the worst I’ve been to in Southeast Asia. To top it off, we had no cell service and wifi wasn’t working. I highly recommend pre-booking your transfer to the city so you don’t have to worry about it.
Pre-book your airport transfer – Booking.com is a LIFESAFER when it comes to booking airport transfers. They are easy to book & super affordable.
How to Get Around
The best way to get around the city to discover all the best street food in Hanoi is to walk. Most likely you will stay in the Old Quarter, which is central and easy to walk around to most things. The sidewalks are completely covered with vendors so you typically have to walk on the edge of the street. Be vigilant and don’t expect people to stop for you. You have to sort of weave your way through all the traffic and go quickly when there is an opening.
Most of the roads and sidewalks are uneven or have potholes so I recommend watching where you are going and wearing comfortable shoes! I actually twisted my ankle on an uneven sidewalk when I looked up for a second. You can also take a cyclo ride (guys riding a bike with a little seating bench in the back), motorbike taxi, regular taxi, or use rideshare apps such as Grab and Gojek. We had issues with cell service so it was hard to order a Grab unless we had wifi.
Tip: It’s a good idea to get the wifi from different cafes or places you stop so when you’re walking around the city later you can pop in and get a quick map update etc.
Things to Know Before You Go
Best Time to Visit & Weather: The best times to visit Hanoi are during autumn (September to November) and spring (March to April) when the weather is mild, with comfortable temperatures and lower humidity levels.
Currency: The currency used in Vietnam is the Vietnamese Dong. I recommend carrying cash as most places don’t accept credit cards, and if they do they charge a 3% service charge. Cash is always good to have for anything from food to tips or taxis. There are ATMs everywhere and we found that it was best to take money out from HSBC as they had lower fees.
Cost to Travel: Hanoi is relatively cheap to travel to. There are a range of accomodation options from budget to luxury, and you can eat a meal for only a few dollars. With that said, you can also find nicer sit down restaurants that are more expensive. It’s also easy to walk around or take cheap taxis and buses.
Language: Vietnamese, but many people speak a few words of English. At most of the food stalls they have pictures of the food so it’s easier to order. Not everywhere, but most!
Visa: If you’re from the US or EU you need a visa to visit Vietnam. If required, you can apply for an e-visa through the official website. Requirements and procedures vary, so verify the latest information before traveling.
Discover our other Asia itineraries, including where to eat in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Luang Prabang Laos, & North Thailand.
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