Hanoi, Vietnam: 50 Restaurants in Old Quarter
Hanoi, Vietnam: 50 Restaurants in Old Quarter
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Explore our collection of local food in Hanoi's Old Quarter!
Sourced from local guides and our own wanderings, you'll find anything you're craving on this map - whether that's an egg coffee, Hanoi's famous Bún chả for lunch, or a sweet treat for after dinner!
We've shared what each shop is known for and what we liked best so you can have the best experience possible when deciding what & where to eat in Hanoi!
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Looking to go beyond a self-guided food tour? Check out the BEST private food tour - from street Vendors to fancy restaurants, you'll discover the authentic taste of Vietnam!
Alternatively, you can explore Hanoi's amazing food with a street food tour! Try 10 different foods and learn to make the famous egg coffee!
Coffee
The Note Coffee
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Add your mark on the famous Note Cafe! Write to yourself, fellow travelers, or the world - just make sure to bring a pen.
We tried the egg coffee and the iced coconut coffee - both were delicious. We recommend sitting on the balcony on the second floor.
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Cafe Runam
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Looking for fancy coffee drinks? This is the spot for you! We won't lie - it's not exactly budget friendly, but it's sooo good.
Try one of the many coffee cocktails - we got the berry espresso fizz - and post up with a book, some friends, or your laptop on the balcony.
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Cafe Giảng
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Home of the ORIGINAL famous Egg Coffee! Stop here for a nostalgic feel and bustling Vietnamese cafe.
While this wasn't our favorite egg coffee in Hanoi, it was still really good and definitely worth a visit for the experience.
Tip: Try the salted cream coffee here. We think it was actually better than the egg coffee at this cafe!
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Ca Bop (Egg Coffee)
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Come for the egg-cellent egg coffee and frozen yogurt, stay for the charming views and people watching from the second floor balcony.
Tip: On the menu, the frozen yogurt is just "yogurt." We tried the matcha and chocolate flavors - both were delicious!
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Hanoi House Cafe - Cocktail Bar
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Visit Hanoi House for a date night or fun night out with friends. The cocktails are are so good!
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Circle Coffee - Bar
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A super cool small cafe with live music, fun coffee and good vibes all around.
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Cộng Cà Phê
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This is the perfect cafe to spend an afternoon working or just hanging out. There's plenty of space here and the coffee menu is extensive. Try the yogurt coffee, it's so good!
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Breakfast
Phở Gia Truyền Bát Đàn
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This is some of the best pho we had in Hanoi! Add an egg to your broth to make it even better.
Don't be deterred by a line here - it moves quickly!
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Bún Ốc Thúy
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This popular local spot is famous for rice noodle soup with snail. Don't knock it til you try it!
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Bánh đúc nộm
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This is a small little shop specializing in banh duc nong with mushrooms, pork, and cilantro with sticky rice paste. So good!!
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Súp gà Thanh Hiền
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This shop is known for its chicken rice, beef bahn mi, and their chicken soup. Combine a stop here with a walk around the lake for a nice morning or afternoon!
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24 Hàng Bồ
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A high quality local spot right on the street. Try the chicken stewed with herbs and the Bánh xèo, a crispy, stuffed rice pancake!!
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Thu Bún Riêu
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Visit this restaurant to try Bún riêu, vermicelli rice noodle soup, flavored with tomatoes, shrimp paste, fish sauce and oftentimes crab.
Another absolutely incredible soup in Hanoi!
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Phương Béo Mỳ Vằn Thắn
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Come here to try the best wonton noodle soup in Old Quarter Hanoi.
It gets super busy but there is also seating across the street, so you shouldn't have to wait for long.
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Lunch
Bún Bò Nam Bộ Bách Phương
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Come here to try the beef noodle salad, pork rolls, and Bun Bo, a spicy, salty, savory noodle soup with sliced beef.
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Bun Cha Dac Kim
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Bun Cha was our FAVORITE food in Hanoi - think tart, sweet, broth with tons of noodles, veg, and beef balls. Try the crab spring rolls to dunk in your broth here for a 10/10 experience.
The portions are big here - enough to share we think.
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Long Vi Dung - Nom Thit Bo Kho
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This street stall is famous for its Bo Kho, a salad made up of beef jerky, sliced beef, shredded papaya, peanuts and tons of herbs.
A true local spot you shouldn't miss!
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Bánh Cuốn Quang An
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A MUST TRY spot in Hanoi. Bánh Cuốn are light rice rolls filled with ingredients like pork mince, prawn, egg, mushrooms and veggies.
This is a little hole in the wall spot we stumbled into by accident but it's clearly good because we saw multiple food tours stopping by here!
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Há cảo Hàng Bồ
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Stop here to try some of the best Banh Tom - Vietnamese shrimp cakes - in Old Quarter Hanoi.
Buy a few to take home or sit and eat them in the tiny alley behind the stand.
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Com Tu Chon (com binh dan)
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A true hidden gem recommended to us by our local guide. This buffet style restaurant is incredible. It might seem like you're walking into the wrong place, but we promise there's a restaurant through the unsuspecting doorway!
Point to the dishes you want on display - you can pay a set price for 2, 3, or 4 options each!
The woman working was very helpful, pointing at the dishes she recommended for us.
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Bún riêu sườn sụn Trang
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Stop here for Vietnamese comfort food.
We ordered the Day Du (mixed meat) and the Bun Rieu (crab noodle). The broth is nice and sour with plenty of toppings.
Sit on the street and people watch here while enjoying yet another amazing dish!
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Thịt quay, giò chả Hải Liên
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If you're a fan of pork belly you HAVE to come here.
Order some juicy pork belly that comes with an insanely crunchy skin and sweet chilli sauce.
Note that this spot is take out only, so be prepared to eat your meal elsewhere.
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Banh Mi 25
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This is the most popular Banh Mi shop in Hanoi, and for good reason.
Order the signature pork banh mi and a coconut coffee. The shop is busy but turnover is fast, so you'll likely be able to get a table in 10-15 minutes if you want to eat in.
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Bánh Xèo Sáu Phước
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This is a local restaurant serving Bahn Xeo (Vietnamese pancakes) and Pork Nem Lui (lemongrass skewers).
The woman working at the restaurant will show you how to eat the pancakes if you are looking unsure :)
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Dinner
Quán Bia Hơi Bát Đàn
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Come here for cheap beer and good food! This spot is close to train street - we stopped here after watching the train!
Order a beer for 13K (about .60 USD) some stir fried morning glory, and a few fermented pork rolls.
This is a great local experience - there were a few other tourists here, but it seems like a predominantly local spot!
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Phở Gia Truyền Bát Đàn
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Come here for some great Pho. The soup is flavorful and gets better the longer the toppings sit in the broth!
We recommend adding an egg as well!
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Bún Thang Lan Lùn
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Come here for the Pho Tron Ga (dry chicken noodles) - the best we tried in Hanoi!
The stall is only open from 5:30pm (or sometimes a little later) and closes when they run out, so make sure you time your visit well!
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Nem cuốn cô Hoàn
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Come here to try the best spring rolls you've ever experienced.
They also have dried beef salad and fermented pork rolls. Another true locals spot, the prices are very reasonable here.
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Bánh Cuốn Gia Truyền Thanh Vân
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Another great spot for Bánh Cuốn (steamed rice rolls).
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Phở Gà Nguyệt
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This is a small street food spot that makes both dry & soupy chicken pho, plus meatballs & beer.
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Quán ngan cháy tỏi
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Come here to try rice noodle soup with duck and fried garlic duck,
This is a bit of a touristy spot, but the food is still very good. Just make sure you only order what you want - remember you can always order more later but it'll be hard to take home leftovers!
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Nem Nướng Nha Trang Quế Hoa
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Come here to try make-your-own spring rolls!
The Nha Trang (grilled spring rolls) are delicious and the salad with dried beef is great as well.
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Katze Vegan & Vegetarian
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This is an incredible spot whether you eat meat or not! We can't even give recommendations for what to try because it's literally all delicious.
The service here is also top rate, and the wait staff will often show you how to eat your first bites.
With nearly 2,000 reviews and 5 stars, you know this restaurant has to be good.
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Sen Trang An Vietnamese Restaurant
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This is a family owned restaurant that makes you feel like you're staying in a local guesthouse.
The portions are generous, and the prices fair. Make sure you try the grilled pork skewers when you're there.
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Mr Bảy Miền Tây - Bánh Xèo
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If you aren't trying Banh Xeo (Crispy pancakes) at multiple shops in Hanoi what are you doing?!?
This is another great spot for some crispy pancakes that we tried. 10/10 recommend.
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Oc Nong Ha Trang
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Come here for a local Hanoi experience - this spot is local and friendly!
Order a combo of small snails, big snails, boiled clams
and a beer to eat like a local and people watch on the street.
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Ngõ Tạm Thương
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This isn't a specific shop, but an alley that is famous for selling fermented pork rolls.
Fermented pork rolls are a classic Vietamese snack and are so good. Definitely give them a try - they are super cheap, so try one to start and you aren't blowing your budget if you don't like them!
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Cha Ca Thang Long
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A local spot where you can order a variety of dishes.
Get the lup xuong (lup Cheong Chinese sausage), cha (pork sausage loaf) and egg. This is a good spot for breakfast as well.
You can also try the grilled fish.
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Vua Chả Cá - Số 1 Đinh Tiên Hoàng
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If you are a fan of fish, this is the spot for you.
Chả Cá is dish from Hanoi made from grilled fish marinated with turmeric, galangal, and other spices. It comes with vermicelli noodles, herbs, peanuts, and a delicious shrimp paste sauce.
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Snacks & Desserts
Chè Yến
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If you're looking for a local dessert - this is it! Think of Che as a sweet tea or soup.
Try the basil seed with coconut balls and shredded coconut gel. So sour and delicious!
The shop is a small business located in the alley of Dong Xuan market.
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bánh sinh nhật thành vân
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If you're craving cake, this is the place to try. Grab a few donuts while you're there as well!
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Bánh Rán Cổ Truyền Mật Đường
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Freshly fried donuts coated in honey - yes, they're as good as they sound.
Make sure you grab some of these while you're in Hanoi - this stand is one of the best!
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Sinh tố Hoa Béo
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If you're craving a cold treat to beat the heat, try this spot.
They have frozen yogurt as well as shaved ice topped with vanilla ice cream. You can add fruits and syrup on top in any combo you can think of!
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Kem Tràng Tiền
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This is a classic ice cream shop with Vietnamese flavors.
There are a few locations around Hanoi, so pop Trang Tien ice cream into Google Maps and find the closest location.
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The Lavender Travelers
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Welcome to the world of The Lavender Travelers! We're Jess & Julia - a Brit and an American living in 🇦🇺 Australia.
As queer, 30-year-old budget travelers, we understand the importance of making every penny count while still enjoying the finer things in life. Our passion for sharing amazing local food, finding top wallet-friendly accommodation, and curating authentic experiences drives every aspect of our travel planning.
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