Food Scene
A distinctive Hanoi delicacy, cha ca is white fish seasoned with garlic, ginger, turmeric, and dill served on sizzling pan. Diners also get a bowl of rice noodles, peanuts, chopped spring onions, parsley, nuoc cham sauce, and red chili slices, all of which are meant to be mixed together with the turmeric fish.
34 locals recommend
La Vong Grilled Fish
A distinctive Hanoi delicacy, cha ca is white fish seasoned with garlic, ginger, turmeric, and dill served on sizzling pan. Diners also get a bowl of rice noodles, peanuts, chopped spring onions, parsley, nuoc cham sauce, and red chili slices, all of which are meant to be mixed together with the turmeric fish.
The bánh mì sandwich is truly the best Vietnamese sandwich to fall in love with. While its origins are French, the Vietnamese have made it distinctively their own. Generally speaking it is an airy Vietnamese baguette made with a combination of wheat and rice flours with a thin crispy crust.
It is stuffed with pork, pâté, cured ham, a mélange of Vietnamese herbs and vegetables like coriander, cucumber, carrot, slices, radish and more depending on what part of the country you are in. A wealth of textures and flavors, you will savor spicy, salty, savory, sweet, and aromatic tastes in each bite.
31 locals recommend
Bánh Mì 25
25 Hàng Cá The bánh mì sandwich is truly the best Vietnamese sandwich to fall in love with. While its origins are French, the Vietnamese have made it distinctively their own. Generally speaking it is an airy Vietnamese baguette made with a combination of wheat and rice flours with a thin crispy crust.
It is stuffed with pork, pâté, cured ham, a mélange of Vietnamese herbs and vegetables like coriander, cucumber, carrot, slices, radish and more depending on what part of the country you are in. A wealth of textures and flavors, you will savor spicy, salty, savory, sweet, and aromatic tastes in each bite.
Xoi xeo or sweet sticky rice usually comes with staple toppings of green mung bean paste, soy sauce, and dried shallots, but you can opt for a variety of add-ins such as pate, boiled chicken, cha lua (Vietnamese ham), marinated pork belly, or preserved eggs for a more substantial meal. Some restaurants also serve xoi xeo as dessert, topped with dried coconut shavings, roasted sesame seeds, and crystallised sugar. An inexpensive yet prominent xoi xeo restaurant is Xoi Yen, where you can enjoy a basic bowl for VND 15,000, with additional ingredients between VND 15,000 and VND 30,000.
Opening Hours: Daily 07:00 – 22:00
Address: 35B Nguyen Huu Huan, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
57 locals recommend
Xôi Yến
35b Nguyễn Hữu HuânXoi xeo or sweet sticky rice usually comes with staple toppings of green mung bean paste, soy sauce, and dried shallots, but you can opt for a variety of add-ins such as pate, boiled chicken, cha lua (Vietnamese ham), marinated pork belly, or preserved eggs for a more substantial meal. Some restaurants also serve xoi xeo as dessert, topped with dried coconut shavings, roasted sesame seeds, and crystallised sugar. An inexpensive yet prominent xoi xeo restaurant is Xoi Yen, where you can enjoy a basic bowl for VND 15,000, with additional ingredients between VND 15,000 and VND 30,000.
Opening Hours: Daily 07:00 – 22:00
Address: 35B Nguyen Huu Huan, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Shaped like miniature pillows (hence the name), banh goi contains finely-chopped glass noodles, wood ear mushrooms, minced pork, steamed quail eggs, and seasoning within a rice-flour pastry. It is then deep-fried for a crispy texture and served with a sweet-sour dipping sauce made with garlic, chilli, sugar, lime juice, and fish sauce. You can also pair your banh goi with fresh lettuce and coriander leaves if you find it too greasy to enjoy it on its own.
Opening Hours: Daily 10:00 – 21:00
Address: 52 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
15 locals recommend
Quán Gốc Đa
52 Lý Quốc SưShaped like miniature pillows (hence the name), banh goi contains finely-chopped glass noodles, wood ear mushrooms, minced pork, steamed quail eggs, and seasoning within a rice-flour pastry. It is then deep-fried for a crispy texture and served with a sweet-sour dipping sauce made with garlic, chilli, sugar, lime juice, and fish sauce. You can also pair your banh goi with fresh lettuce and coriander leaves if you find it too greasy to enjoy it on its own.
Opening Hours: Daily 10:00 – 21:00
Address: 52 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Bún Chả – Barbecued Pork with Rice Vermicelli
It is one of the best Hanoi food specialty not to be missed
Address: No1 Hang Manh street
63 locals recommend
Bun Cha Dac Kim
1 Hàng MànhBún Chả – Barbecued Pork with Rice Vermicelli
It is one of the best Hanoi food specialty not to be missed
Address: No1 Hang Manh street
It is a delicate and light dish usually eaten for breakfast in Vietnam. However, you can find it all day long.
Bánh cuốn is made of a thin rice sheet rolled and filled with ground pork meat and minced mushrooms. It is served with fried shallots and cilantro herbs on top
48 locals recommend
Bánh Cuốn Gia Truyền Thanh Vân
It is a delicate and light dish usually eaten for breakfast in Vietnam. However, you can find it all day long.
Bánh cuốn is made of a thin rice sheet rolled and filled with ground pork meat and minced mushrooms. It is served with fried shallots and cilantro herbs on top
Pho is THE classic Hanoi food, and possibly one of the best food Hanoi offers.
There are many places that sell this Hanoi food. This is one of the best place to eat Pho in Hanoi.
Make sure to go early, as there is usually a long queue line!
Address: No 49 Bat Dan street
48 locals recommend
Phở bò gia truyền
49 Bát ĐànPho is THE classic Hanoi food, and possibly one of the best food Hanoi offers.
There are many places that sell this Hanoi food. This is one of the best place to eat Pho in Hanoi.
Make sure to go early, as there is usually a long queue line!
Address: No 49 Bat Dan street
Although it is not a food, it is like food. Egg coffee or Cà Phê Trung is the most famous coffee in the north of Vietnam. It is a thick dark coffee topped with egg yolk whipped with condensed milk into an airy froth. Rich in taste, it can be likened to tiramisu dessert.
Egg Coffee Cafe Trung
39 Nguyễn Hữu HuânAlthough it is not a food, it is like food. Egg coffee or Cà Phê Trung is the most famous coffee in the north of Vietnam. It is a thick dark coffee topped with egg yolk whipped with condensed milk into an airy froth. Rich in taste, it can be likened to tiramisu dessert.
Drinks & Nightlife
Bar Factory
47 Hàng BuồmTemple Bar
2A Tạ HiệnArts & Culture
(15 mins by taxi) - is a charming temple complex in the center of Hanoi that was originally built to be a center of learning dedicated to the Chinese sage and scholar Confucius. Over the proceeding 1000 years many more buildings have been added and beautified o that now this large area is filled with ornate pavilions, shrines, and a rich garden. It has become a rite of passage for graduating doctors to visit The Temple of Literature and the whole place is steeped in Vietnamese history
23 locals recommend
Temple of Literature
Temple of Literature (15 mins by taxi) - is a charming temple complex in the center of Hanoi that was originally built to be a center of learning dedicated to the Chinese sage and scholar Confucius. Over the proceeding 1000 years many more buildings have been added and beautified o that now this large area is filled with ornate pavilions, shrines, and a rich garden. It has become a rite of passage for graduating doctors to visit The Temple of Literature and the whole place is steeped in Vietnamese history
(10 mins by taxi) - Hanoi Opera House, set in the heart of the French Quarter, is arguably one of the most elegant buildings in all of Hanoi. Built in 1911 and modelled after the Paris Opera House, this historical landmark exudes Parisian charm from its ivory-toned columns, ornate balustrades and Gothic domes. Priced at VND 100,000 upwards, visitors can enjoy classical performances ranging from Vietnamese opera and dance performances to sketches and music concerts by world-renowned artists
235 locals recommend
Hanoi Opera House
1 Tràng Tiền (10 mins by taxi) - Hanoi Opera House, set in the heart of the French Quarter, is arguably one of the most elegant buildings in all of Hanoi. Built in 1911 and modelled after the Paris Opera House, this historical landmark exudes Parisian charm from its ivory-toned columns, ornate balustrades and Gothic domes. Priced at VND 100,000 upwards, visitors can enjoy classical performances ranging from Vietnamese opera and dance performances to sketches and music concerts by world-renowned artists
(8 mins walk) - The ancient art form of water puppetry has a long association with Hanoi and there are several theatres where guests can enjoy this uniquely Vietnamese take on Asia’s puppet tradition. The original – and widely regarded as the best – theatre in town is the Thang Long Puppet Theatre. Puppets dance and slide elegantly over the liquid stage, controlled by a whole troupe of puppet masters hiding behind a screen. Most shows also feature the famous Legend of the Restored Sword of King Le which tells the tale of Hoan Kiem Lake and the giant tortoise.
Opening Hours: Daily 15:00, 16:10, 17:20, 18:30 & 20:00
207 locals recommend
Thang Long Water Puppet Theater
57B Đinh Tiên Hoàng(8 mins walk) - The ancient art form of water puppetry has a long association with Hanoi and there are several theatres where guests can enjoy this uniquely Vietnamese take on Asia’s puppet tradition. The original – and widely regarded as the best – theatre in town is the Thang Long Puppet Theatre. Puppets dance and slide elegantly over the liquid stage, controlled by a whole troupe of puppet masters hiding behind a screen. Most shows also feature the famous Legend of the Restored Sword of King Le which tells the tale of Hoan Kiem Lake and the giant tortoise.
Opening Hours: Daily 15:00, 16:10, 17:20, 18:30 & 20:00
Vietnamese Women's Museum
36 Lý Thường KiệtShopping
Dong Xuan Market is the largest of its kind in Hanoi. Housed within a four-storey Soviet-style building, this sprawling complex offers an extensive collection of fashion, apparel and souvenirs at some of the best prices in the city. Even if you’re not interested in printed T-shirts or cheap sunglasses, it is still fascinating to see the comings and goings of the local traders, and there is a wet market on the ground floor where the sights and smells of exotic produce assault the senses.
147 locals recommend
Dong Xuan Market
Dong Xuan Market is the largest of its kind in Hanoi. Housed within a four-storey Soviet-style building, this sprawling complex offers an extensive collection of fashion, apparel and souvenirs at some of the best prices in the city. Even if you’re not interested in printed T-shirts or cheap sunglasses, it is still fascinating to see the comings and goings of the local traders, and there is a wet market on the ground floor where the sights and smells of exotic produce assault the senses.
Trang Tien Plaza
24 Hai Bà TrưngSightseeing
Hoan Kiem Lake (Turtle Lake) is a central feature of Hanoi and is a popular hangout spot throughout the day with locals and tourists. Ngoc Son Temple sits on a small island in the center of the lake and linked by a bridge, makes a beautiful background for a few photos. Around sunrise and sunset, this area becomes especially busy with joggers, couples enjoying the relaxing views across the lake, and the elderly practicing Tai Chi and line dancing. Hoan Kiem Lake is free of charge, but there’s a fee of VND 20,000 to visit Ngoc Son Temple, which sits on a small island in the center of the lake
Location: Hanoi Old Quarter
32 locals recommend
Hoan Kiem Lake Park
1-8 Đinh Tiên HoàngHoan Kiem Lake (Turtle Lake) is a central feature of Hanoi and is a popular hangout spot throughout the day with locals and tourists. Ngoc Son Temple sits on a small island in the center of the lake and linked by a bridge, makes a beautiful background for a few photos. Around sunrise and sunset, this area becomes especially busy with joggers, couples enjoying the relaxing views across the lake, and the elderly practicing Tai Chi and line dancing. Hoan Kiem Lake is free of charge, but there’s a fee of VND 20,000 to visit Ngoc Son Temple, which sits on a small island in the center of the lake
Location: Hanoi Old Quarter
Essentials
Circle K Viet Nam
38 Đào Duy Từopen 24/7 convenience store
Entertainment & Activities
Trang Tien Plaza
24 Hai Bà Trưng