Hà Nội (Hanoi) is the capital of Vietnam and its cultural heart, a city of lakes, tree-lined French colonial boulevards, and a thousand-year-old Old Quarter where every street once specialised in a single trade. Visitors come for street food such as phở and bún chả, egg coffee, water puppet theatre, temples and museums, and easy access to Hạ Long Bay, Ninh Bình, and the northern mountains.
Hà Nội cooking is the origin of phở, bún chả, chả cá and bánh cuốn, and is known for restraint: clear broths, fresh herbs, fish sauce, and grilled or steamed meats rather than heavy spice. Most eating happens at plastic-stool street stalls and small specialist shops that serve one dish, from 6AM phở to late-night chè and grilled snacks. Egg coffee, invented in the city in 1946, and bia hơi (fresh draught beer) are local drinks. Meals cost roughly 40,000-100,000 VND at stalls; a sit-down dinner is about 200,000-500,000 VND per person.
Must-try dishes
Iconic dishes that define Hà Nội.
Phở Bò
Rice noodles in a clear beef broth with brisket or rare beef, herbs and lime
Where to try: Phở Gia Truyền Bát Đàn / Phở Thìn / Phở 10 Lý Quốc Sư
Price: 60,000-90,000 VND (~$2.31-$3.46)
Bún Chả
Charcoal-grilled pork patties and belly in sweet-sour broth with rice vermicelli and herbs
Where to try: Bún Chả Hương Liên / Bún Chả Đắc Kim
Price: 70,000-120,000 VND (~$2.69-$4.62)
Chả Cá Lã Vọng
Turmeric fish fried tableside with dill and spring onion, served with noodles
Where to try: Chả Cá Lã Vọng / Chả Cá Thăng Long
Price: 200,000-300,000 VND (~$7.69-$11.54)
Bánh Cuốn
Steamed rice-sheet rolls with pork and mushroom
Where to try: Bánh Cuốn Bà Hoành
Price: 35,000-60,000 VND (~$1.35-$2.31)
Cà Phê Trứng (Egg Coffee)
Whipped egg yolk and condensed milk over strong coffee
Where to try: Cafe Giảng / Cà Phê Đinh
Price: 35,000-60,000 VND (~$1.35-$2.31)
Bún Đậu Mắm Tôm
Fried tofu, boiled pork and vermicelli with fermented shrimp paste
Where to try: Hàng Khay alley
Price: 60,000-120,000 VND (~$2.31-$4.62)
Bún Thang
Delicate chicken, egg and pork vermicelli soup
Where to try: Bún Thang Bà Đức
Price: 60,000-90,000 VND (~$2.31-$3.46)
Top restaurants
Handpicked picks for the best dining experiences.
Restaurants by cuisine
Browse picks grouped by cuisine type.
Vietnamese
Food tours & tastings in Hà Nội
Eat your way through Hà Nội with a guide.
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Street food
Local flavours at affordable prices.
Bánh Mì
Baguette with pâté, pork, egg and herbs
Find it at: Old Quarter - Hàng Cá / Bánh Mì 25
Xôi
Sticky rice topped with chicken, pâté and fried shallots
Find it at: Nguyễn Hữu Huân / Xôi Yến
Nem Chua Rán
Fried fermented pork rolls with chili sauce
Find it at: Hàng Khay and Old Quarter stalls
Kem Tràng Tiền
Cones and sticks of coconut and green-rice ice cream
Find it at: 35 Tràng Tiền
Chè
Sweet dessert soups with beans, coconut and taro
Find it at: Chè Bà Thìn, Lò Sũ
Food markets
Where locals shop and graze.
Chợ Đồng Xuân
Hanoi's largest covered wholesale market on the Old Quarter's northern edge; the food area sells dried goods, noodles and snacks
Hours: Daily 6AM-6PM (early morning is best)
Chợ Hàng Bè
Old Quarter fresh market with produce, meat and cooked snacks
Hours: Daily 6AM-6PM
Chợ Long Biên
Wholesale fruit and vegetable market under Long Biên Bridge, most active at night and early morning
Hours: Daily; busiest 10PM-5AM
Dining etiquette & tips
Navigate the local food scene confidently.
Phở stalls often close mid-morning and reopen late afternoon; go before 9AM or after 5PM
Agree the price before eating at a stall without a printed menu; point to the dish
Plastic stools and shared tables are normal; do not wait to be seated
Wet wipes or tissues placed on tables are sometimes charged
Tipping is not expected; rounding up is appreciated at sit-down restaurants
Use Grab or Be to reach restaurants outside the Old Quarter; enter the exact address in the app
- Vegetarian
- Phở and bún chả are meat-based. Look for signs reading 'cơm chay' or 'quán chay' (vegetarian restaurants) and ask for 'không thịt'; fish sauce is in almost everything
- Halal
- Very limited; a handful of Indian and Middle Eastern restaurants near the Old Quarter offer halal options
- Gluten free
- Rice noodles and rice flours are common but soy sauce and some dipping sauces contain wheat; the concept of gluten-free is poorly understood
Food budget guide
What to expect at different price points.
| Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | 40,000-100,000 VND (~$1.54-$3.85) per meal | Street-food noodle soup, bánh mì or sticky rice at a stall |
| Mid-range | 200,000-500,000 VND (~$7.69-$19.23) per meal | Sit-down Vietnamese restaurants with several shared dishes |
| Upscale | 900,000-2,000,000 VND (~$34.62-$76.92) per meal | French-Vietnamese fine dining and tasting menus |