What to eat in Hanoi, Vietnam? That is the first question to ask yourself upon arrival. Vietnam is known for amazing cuisine and the food in Hanoi in northern Vietnam is particularly noteworthy.
We had a fantastic time sampling Hanoi bún chà and other Hanoi food specialties. Looking for advice on things to eat in Hanoi?
Read on to find out about the foods you need to nosh in Hanoi including both classic dishes and modern fare.
1. Try the Original Egg Coffee at Hanoi’s Café Giang
Start your day with an egg coffee at Café Giang. Back in the 1950s, milk was scarce during the fight for Vietnamese independence from French colonial rule.
Café Giang invented a variation made with frothed egg rather than milk. This delicious combination, which tastes more like dessert than coffee (but still packs a caffeinated punch) is a great way to spend a morning.
If you like tiramisu, you’ll love Vietnamese egg coffee. Speaking of desserts, did you know that there are a number of unique Vietnamese desserts you can try?
2. Leave a Love Note for Someone at The Note Café in Hanoi
Coffee in general is all the rage in Vietnam. We visited The Note Café near Hoàn Kiếm Lake in the Old Quarter of Hanoi.
I sampled a sweet coconut latte to go, which I enjoyed on our Sunday walk around the lake. While I was waiting for our order, I left a note of my own for future patrons. It was gimmicky but fun.
3. Nosh on Bún Chà
Hanoi is especially known for Bún Chà, a dish composed of hot meat patties, kind of like hamburgers, accompanied by cold, thin noodles and an ample serving of greens along with a flavorful sauce on the side.
We tried Bún Chà at New Day Restaurant in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, but there are plenty of places to try Bún Chà throughout the city including street food stalls that specialize in this one dish. You can’t miss it.
4. Slurp Pho at Hanoi Favorite Pho 10
Speaking of stalls that only feature one thing, pho is a must-try in Hanoi. The composition of pho varies from north to south in Vietnam.
Hanoi pho features thicker noodles. We stopped at Pho 10 near our hotel, which was packed with a line out the door. We ordered well-done beef pho and slurped to our hearts’ content.
5. Order a Pizza at Hanoi’s Hipster 4P
After traveling in Cambodia and Vietnam for nearly two weeks, we were ready for a break from noodles and rice. We spotted an interesting pizza place on Google Maps called 4P.
The place was hopping on a Tuesday evening and we had to sit at the community table. We didn’t completely fall off the wagon and order Western food.
The pizza was infused with Vietnamese flavors. We ordered a pizza made with half homemade cheese and half ginger pork for an Asian fusion flair.
4P even gave us complimentary mojito jelly on a spoon to cleanse our palate because we had to sit at the community table (not a big deal as far as I was concerned; they seated us right away and we were able to fill our bellies). I’ll take the gift, though!
6. Get an Over-the-Top Cocktail at the Polite Pub in Hanoi
We read good things about Polite Pub in Hanoi on Google Maps and decided to stop by for a cocktail. We dropped in during happy hour and were pleased to find that cocktails were discounted. Charlie Chaplin silent movies played on a screen in the dark bar.
We sampled a craft beer (Pasteur St. IPA) and then switched to some great tiki cocktails. I absolutely loved the mug our cocktail was served in.
Polite Bar was also great for people-watching. One of the bartenders was being trained and it was fun to watch the expert show the newbie how to properly shake a drink.
There was also a waitress working there wearing a skin-tight and very skimpy Budweiser dress which caused me to raise an eyebrow.
I suppose that’s effective marketing though, just not to us. The only downside to Polite Pub is that smoking is allowed inside, so you will smell like an ashtray after visiting.
For us, it was worth it given the quality of the cocktails. Such a fun evening!
7. Enjoy Hipster Coffee at Hanoi’s Tranquil Books and Coffee
On our final morning in Hanoi, we definitely needed a quiet pick-me-up. We ducked in off the busy streets, down a quiet alley, and into the hipster Tranquil Books and Coffee.
Once again, I ordered a coconut coffee that I sipped surrounded by books. Tranquil Café even features a side entrance leading to a small balcony (you must take your shoes off before entering). We kept our shoes on and sat in the main part of the café.
8. Down a Vietnamese Sandwich at Bánh Mi 25
Hanoi is also famous for Bánh Mi (Vietnamese sandwiches). We sought out Bánh Mi 25, the most famous outlet in Hanoi.
We ordered one barbecue pork bánh mi and one made with ham. It’s common to order the sandwiches with pâté, but in our case we opted out and just went for the meat sans pâté on a crusty French roll. Such a great lunch to end our visit to Hanoi before heading to the airport.
