Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam, a thousand-year-old city located in the Red River Delta. It is well known for its historical and cultural monuments, its bustling pace as a rapidly changing metropolis, and of course, its gastronomy.
We invite you to discover here the dishes that have made the capital famous. You can taste them during a Food Tour with us — a great experience to share and enjoy!
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What are the typical dishes of Hanoi?
Hanoi’s typical dishes are pho, bun cha, cha ca, banh cuon and pho cuon, not forgetting its famous egg coffee.
| Dish | What it is | When to eat it |
|---|---|---|
| Pho | Rice noodle soup with beef or chicken | Breakfast, all day |
| Bun cha | Vermicelli and grilled pork, sweet and sour sauce | Lunch |
| Cha ca | Turmeric fish with dill and spring onions | Lunch or dinner |
| Banh cuon | Steamed rice rolls with pork and mushrooms | Breakfast |
| Banh mi | Filled baguette sandwich | Any time |
| Pho cuon | Pho sheets rolled with stir-fried beef | Lunch or dinner |
| Xoi | Sweet or savory sticky rice | Breakfast |
| Banh tom | Sweet potato and shrimp fritter | Afternoon snack |
| Bun thang | Chicken and egg vermicelli soup | Breakfast or lunch |
| Ca phe trung | Egg coffee | Coffee break |
What is pho, Hanoi’s famous noodle soup?
Pho is a rice noodle soup in beef broth, born in northern Vietnam in the early 20th century and now the country’s best-known dish.
Pho is one of the best-known specialties of Vietnam’s capital. The dish first appeared in northern Vietnam around the beginning of the 20th century and quickly became very popular throughout the country and around the world. It is now considered a true emblem of Vietnam worldwide! You simply can’t miss tasting it during your stay in Hanoi.
Although it’s mostly eaten for breakfast, it can actually be enjoyed at any time of the day—just like the Vietnamese do! There’s probably not a single street in the capital where you won’t find a small restaurant serving this famous soup.
This soup is served in a large bowl containing Vietnamese rice noodles, meat (beef or chicken), aromatic herbs (basil, chives, coriander), bean sprouts, and lime. All of these ingredients blend harmoniously in a broth made from beef bones, creating a rich, unforgettable, and unique flavor that’s typical of Vietnamese cuisine.
As the most popular dish in the country, it’s also very inexpensive—expect to pay around 30,000 to 50,000 VND (.20 to ) per bowl of pho.
Phở, Vietnamese soup, a typical dish from Northern Vietnam.
Here are our best addresses to try it:
- Pho Bat Dan (49 Bat Dan)
- Pho Ly Quoc Su (10 Ly Quoc Su) — awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand
- Pho Duong Tau (3 Tran Phu, Hang Bong)
- Pho Thin (13 Lo Duc)
- Pho ganh (4 Hang Ma)
What is bun cha, Hanoi’s iconic dish?
Bun cha combines rice vermicelli, charcoal-grilled pork, fresh herbs and a sweet and sour fish sauce: it is Hanoi’s signature lunch.
Like Phở, bún chả is also one of Hanoi’s iconic dishes. It is certainly one of the dishes that travelers will easily remember after their stay in the Vietnamese capital.
Bún chả is simply prepared with rice vermicelli, pork, shallots, garlic, and a bowl of fish sauce mixed with chili, papaya, and carrot. The whole dish is served with fresh vegetables and herbs, accompanied by a sweet and sour dipping sauce. The rich flavor of the dish also comes from the grilled pork, which gives bún chả its unmistakable aroma and taste.
It’s an excellent and very popular dish that you can easily find all over Hanoi. However, don’t overindulge — it’s not exactly the lightest or most diet-friendly meal!
Bun Cha, a typical dish of Hanoi, Vietnam
Here are our best addresses to try it:
- Bun cha Dac Kim (1 Hang Manh, Hoan Kiem)
- Bun cha Huong Lien (24 Le Van Huu, Hai Ba Trung), where Barack Obama and Anthony Bourdain had dinner in 2016
What is cha ca, Hanoi’s turmeric fish?
Cha ca is turmeric-marinated fish fried with dill and spring onions, served with rice noodles, peanuts and shrimp paste.
This is a typical dish of Hanoi! It consists of fish (usually Lang or hemibagrus) fried with turmeric and served on a bed of dill and spring onions. It’s enjoyed with grilled rice cakes, rice noodles (bún), fermented shrimp paste, and peanuts. A true delight!
Where to eat a good cha ca? On the very street that bears its name, of course! More precisely at Cha Ca La Vong, located at 14 Cha Ca Street. This historic restaurant is so iconic that it likely inspired local authorities to rename the street after the dish itself.
Cha Ca, Hanoi’s signature fish dish, Vietnam.
What is banh cuon, the steamed rice roll?
Banh cuon are thin steamed rice sheets filled with minced pork and black mushrooms, a typical Hanoi breakfast.
You may not know this dish, but it is also a specialty typical of the Red River Delta and Hanoi.
Banh Cuon is made with minced pork and black mushrooms. These delicate rice rolls are served hot — most often for breakfast.
It’s a very simple yet delicious dish: a plate of banh cuon is served with crispy fried shallots and a bowl of sauce cleverly prepared with a sweet-and-sour mix of fish sauce, sugar, and lemon juice.
It can be enjoyed as a main dish or as a side. For lunch, it is often served alongside other dishes.
Banh Cuon, Hanoi Vietnam
Here are our best addresses to try it:
- Banh cuon Thanh Van (12-14 Hang Ga) : around 30,000 VND (about .20) per portion.
- Banh cuon Cua Bac (14 Cua Bac): 25,000 to 50,000 VND ( to ) per portion.
What is banh mi, the Vietnamese sandwich?
Banh mi is a crispy baguette filled with pâté, meats, pickled vegetables and herbs, a blend of French and Vietnamese cuisines.
Ah, the famous Vietnamese sandwich! Banh mi is a perfect combination of French and Vietnamese cuisines: baguette, pâté, and mayonnaise on the French side; meat, soy, and sauce on the Vietnamese side.
Like Pho or Bun Cha, you can find it on almost every street corner in the capital. Nowadays, restaurant chains serving only Banh mi have even emerged!
Banh mi – the famous Vietnamese sandwich
Banh mi – the famous Vietnamese sandwich
Here are our best places to try it:
- Banh Mi 25 (25 Hang Ca, Hoan Kiem)
- Banh Mi 118 A (Hue Street)
What is pho cuon, the roll made with pho sheets?
Pho cuon are fresh pho rice sheets rolled around stir-fried beef and herbs, a specialty of the Truc Bach area near West Lake.
This is a typical dish from the Vietnamese capital! It holds a special place in the hearts of Hanoians and is closely associated with the Truc Bach neighborhood, near West Lake. There, you’ll easily find many small eateries selling this specialty.
It’s prepared by wrapping stir-fried beef with onions, lettuce, coriander, basil, and other vegetables in a thin rice sheet, the same one used to make Pho noodles.
The price will vary depending on the number of Pho Cuon rolls you order!
Pho Cuon Hanoi Vietnam
Here are our best addresses to try it:
- 25 or 33 Ngu Xa, Truc Bach, Ba Dinh
What is xoi, Vietnamese sticky rice?
Xoi is sweet or savory sticky rice, sold by street vendors early in the morning and one of Hanoi’s favorite breakfasts.
Rice is the staple food of the Vietnamese people, and it can be prepared in many different ways. Xoi, or sticky rice, is one of them. There are many varieties: sticky rice with mung beans, turmeric-flavored sticky rice served with powdered mung beans and topped with fried shallots, sticky rice with peanuts, and more.
It’s one of the favorites for breakfast (as you’ve probably noticed, many dishes in Vietnam are perfect for breakfast!). It is most often sold by vendors in markets or on the street early in the morning, and can also be found in restaurants serving traditional Vietnamese cuisine.
There are even some restaurants specializing in Xoi dishes that serve it with meat (usually pork or chicken), and you’ll see many street vendors on bicycles selling it loudly to passersby.
Tasty and very affordable, this dish is an excellent choice for a modest price ranging from 25,000 to 50,000 VND (about to ).
Xoi, or sticky rice from Hanoi.
What is banh tom, Hanoi’s shrimp fritter?
Banh tom is a sweet potato fritter topped with shrimp, a West Lake specialty eaten with herbs and a sweet and sour sauce.
Banh Tom Ho Tay also originates from the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, specifically from the West Lake area. It is known as one of the most beloved dishes among travelers.
There are three main ingredients used to make a traditional Banh Tom: flour, sweet potato, and a sauce made with chili, papaya, and carrot. The fried batter is topped with red shrimp and served with spicy vegetables mixed in a sweet and sour sauce.
There’s a real art to enjoying this dish: you’ll need to wrap the ingredients in rice paper. Don’t forget to add lettuce, which softens the overall flavor. Finally, dip it into fish sauce for as long as your taste allows!
Here are our best addresses to try it:
- Banh Tom Ho Tay (1 Thanh Nien, Truc Bach, Ba Đinh)
- Banh Tom Mrs. Am (alley of the Dong Xuan Market)
What is bun thang, the chicken vermicelli soup?
Bun thang is a delicate vermicelli soup with shredded chicken, julienned egg and Vietnamese sausage, as colorful as a flower.
This dish combines a variety of ingredients: shredded chicken, julienned egg, Vietnamese sausage, mushrooms, radish, and a type of herb known as Vietnamese coriander.
With so many colors, the dish looks like a flower! The combination of ingredients creates an explosion of flavors.
Bun Thang, a specialty of Hanoi
Here are our best addresses to try it:
- Restaurant Quan Cu (31A Phan Dinh Phung, Hanoi)
- 25 alley Hang Hanh, Hoan Kiem.
What is egg coffee, Hanoi’s surprising specialty?
Egg coffee is Vietnamese coffee topped with a cream of whipped egg yolk and condensed milk, invented in Hanoi in 1946.
Let’s end our list of recommendations with a delightful surprise: egg coffee! It’s one of the most unique specialties you can try when visiting Hanoi. This drink is made mainly from Vietnamese coffee, egg yolk, and sweetened condensed milk. Some cafés also add butter or cheese for extra richness.
The egg yolk and condensed milk are whisked together to create a creamy, frothy mixture, which is then poured over the Vietnamese coffee. It can be served hot or iced.
The recipe dates back to 1946: as fresh milk had become scarce, Mr. Nguyễn Văn Giảng, then a bartender at the Metropole hotel, came up with the idea of replacing it with whipped egg yolk. Café Giảng, run by his family, still keeps the recipe alive.
It’s truly a must-try in Hanoi! The smooth texture of the egg perfectly complements the fragrant flavor of the coffee.
Here are our top recommendations to try it:
- Cafe Giang (39 Nguyen Huu Huan Street)
- Café Dinh (13 Dinh Tien Hoang Street)
To get a full taste of Vietnamese cuisine, we highly recommend dining at Quan An Ngon (18 Phan Boi Chau Street). You’ll be able to watch the cooks prepare many of the dishes we mentioned in this article right before your eyes. To discover specialties from other regions, see our guide to 20 Vietnamese dishes you must try.
Around 250,000 VND (about ) per person for a good meal!
FAQ: What to eat in Hanoi
What is the most typical dish in Hanoi?
Pho, born in the North in the early 20th century, and bun cha, vermicelli with grilled pork, are the capital’s two signature dishes.
Where to eat good pho in Hanoi?
We recommend Pho Bat Dan (49 Bat Dan), Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su, recognized by the Michelin Guide, and Pho Thin (13 Lo Duc).
How much does a street food meal cost in Hanoi?
Expect 30,000 to 50,000 VND for a bowl of pho, about $1.20 to $2, and around 250,000 VND ($10) for a good restaurant meal.
Where to try egg coffee in Hanoi?
At Café Giang (39 Nguyen Huu Huan), where the recipe was invented, or at Café Dinh (13 Dinh Tien Hoang), overlooking Hoan Kiem Lake.
Where can you eat Obama’s bun cha in Hanoi?
At Bun Cha Huong Lien, 24 Le Van Huu Street, where Barack Obama and Anthony Bourdain had dinner in 2016.
What do people eat for breakfast in Hanoi?
Pho, banh cuon, xoi or bun thang, like the locals, at a street stall early in the morning.
