For the Vietnamese people, food is not only a specialty attracting travelers from all over the world but also a profound culture and lifestyle that stays in the soul of every person living in this country. With the terrain extends from the North to the South and the climate varies greatly from the beginning to the end of the country, Vietnam has a variety in the style of cuisine in each region. However, if you have a trip to Hanoi, you can explore every culinary style throughout the country all gathered in this beautiful capital city. Here we provide you a Hanoi food map including all must-try dishes and where to find them.
Plan your Hanoi walking tours now to enjoy delicous food below
Banh my (Vietnamese sandwich)
Banh my is Vietnamese’s all-time favorite snack and can be found at almost any corner in the Old Quarter of Hanoi. Basically, it’s a type of Vietnamese-style baguette, which is crusty on the outside and soft on the inside, filled with coriander, cucumber, pickled carrot and daikon. There is a variety of meat filling, from pate, cold cuts to the fried egg, sausage and Chinese barbecued pork (Charsiu). That’s the very traditional banh my. You can also try newer variations of it which contain French fries and fermented sausage. The sandwiches are often enjoyed with chili sauce and mayonnaise.
You will have a mouthful of sweet, spicy, salty and savory tastes in just one bite. Simple yet satisfying, these sandwiches are so good that you will keep coming back for more.
Where to get it:
- Bánhmỳ 25 (25 Hàng Cá, Hàng Bồ, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội)
- BánhmỳLãnÔng (8 Chả Cá, Hàng Bồ, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội)
- BánhmỳPhốCổ (38 Đinh Liệt, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội)
Banh Cuon (Steamed Rice Rolls)
Banh Cuon is another dish that you must try when you travel to Vietnam. It features steamed rice papers stuffed with seasoned ground pork and mushroom. The dish is topped with fried shallot and cilantro and is served with fish sauce. Make sure you dip the bite-sized pieces of “banh cuon” into this sauce to best savor its fresh and authentic flavor.
For your information, to make banh cuon’s rice sheet, rice batter is fermented on a cloth stretch over a pot of boiling water until it solidifies and is scraped off with a bamboo stick. That’s why watching the vendors making “banh cuon” with their quick hand is even more fascinating of an experience!
Where to get it:
- Bánh cuốn Thanh Vân (12 – 14 Hàng Gà, Hàng Bồ, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội)
- Bánh cuốn Bà Hoành (66 Tô Hiến Thành, Hai Bà Trưng, Hà Nội)
- Bánh cuốn bà Hanh (26B Thọ Xương, Phủ Doãn, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội)
Banh Xeo
Out of the most well-known Vietnamese food such as Pho and Banh Mi, Banh Xeo hands down the most descriptive dish for Vietnamese culinary culture. Banh Xeo is a rice pancake made from rice flour and filled with shrimps, pork and soya bean sprouts. The Vietnamese usually cut the cake into pieces, wrap it in rice paper with plenty types of herbs and then dip in a sweet and savory sauce. The freshness of herbs reduces the oiliness in Banh Xeo and makes the dish perfectly balance. I’m pretty sure you would not want to miss this amazing food! Come to check out these addresses below, you will not regret it during your Indochina tours Vietnam
- Bánh Xèo 172 Đội Cấn (172, Đội Cấn, Ba Đình, Hà Nội)
- Bánh Xèo Tạ Quang Bửu (107-E5, Tạ Quang Bửu, Hai Bà Trưng, Hà Nội)
- Bánh Xèo 22 Hàng Bồ ( 22, Hàng Bồ, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội)
Bun Cha
This is Hanoi’s most iconic dish. This midday feast can save your day immediately under the extreme heat and excessive humidity. It’s a special treat of rice noodles (bún) served with grilled pork (chả), fresh herbs, green papaya and a sour-sweet fish sauce broth. The meat is served two-way: juicy mincemeat or pork belly. To enjoy this dish, you have to dip the noodles into the broth and slurp it with a bite of meat and herb. Normally, they also offer sea crab rolls as a side dish.
Where to get it:
- BúnchảĐắc Kim (No. 1 HàngMành, HoànKiếm district)
- Búnchả Hanoi (34 HàngThan street, Ba Đình district)
- BúnchảHươngLiên (24 LêVănHưustreet, Hai BàTrưng district) (US President Barack Obama dropped by for lunch here during his visit. So you can order an Obama combo including bun cha, fried seafood roll and a cold bottle of Hanoi beer.)
- Coffee
Well, you know how famous Vietnamese coffee is. It’s a part of the local culture. Hanoians adore sitting at a street side café, on a plastic chair, chatting with friends, or just watching the crowded street. There are also plenty café all over the city, with various styles, old antique, French colonial, urban, to the international merchandises. You name it, we have it.
The most known dish is ice coffee with condensed milk. During your travel to Vietnam, don’t forget to try egg coffee, too. The strong, flavorful aroma and heavenly taste from each cup of coffee are enough to make you fall in love with this charming city.
Where to get it:
- CàphêGiảng (39 NguyễnHữuHuân street, HoànKiếm district)
- CàphêĐinh (13 ĐinhTiênHoàng street, HoànKiếm district)
- Oriberry Coffee (21 XuânDiệustreet, TâyHồ district)
- CàphêDuyTrí (43 YênPhụ street, TâyHồ district)
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