We’re very lucky enough to have spent a few weeks in Hanoi, and have been doing our best to eat around the place. We are pretty easy about what we eat, often choosing places by how busy they are and ideally looking for local spots. This list is from October 2025.
- Crab Noodles
One of our favourites. Hai Phong is famous for this and as a close neighbour, Hanoi has benefitted with some great spots. It has a delicate grab taste and is delicious. We tried the dry and the soup version and would recommend the dry. We only had one noodle option which was the flat brown ones, and they’re what I’d recommend.
Our favourite place: Miến – Bánh Đa Cua – 1C Ngõ Trạm – the couple are so lovely and speak a little English, enough to help you get the goods!
Ask for: Bahn Đa Cua (dry version, the word for dry is khô) - Dill Fish Soup
We stumbled into this one and then discovered its a very Hanoi thing. It’s a soup with dill seasoning, among other things. The dill isn’t too strong and work beautifully with the deep fried white fish. There are usually two options for noodles the thin white rice noodles or the thicker, flat brown noodles. We preferred the latter.
Our favourite place: Bún cá Hương Thuỷ – Hồng Phúc
Ask for: Bún Cá - Beef Noodle Salad
Super tasty beef noodles with various toppings and a great sauce. Not much else to say! Definitely worth a try.
Our favourite place: I can’t find the exact link on Google maps however it’s the first stall once you enter the little market street just after the shrimp pancake place In case you can’t find that one, Bún Bò Nam Bộ Bách Phương is also very good.
Ask for: Bún Bò Nam Bộ - Hue Style Spicy Beef Noodle Soup
In Hue, this is evidently very spicy but it isn’t in the ones we found in Hanoi. It’s a lovely spiced broth and one of our favourite dishes.
Our favourite place: Pho Binh
Ask for: Bún Bò Huế - Grilled/ BBQ Pork & Noodles
You’ll see this a lot in the streets, often getting a waft of the delicious smell first! You will receive a bowl of dipping sauce, some cooked marinate pork, noodles and vegetables. It’s a dip and eat situation, and very tasty.
Our favourite place: Bún chả 41 Cửa Đông is one we went to that was pretty good. Our favourite was out of town and I cannot for the life of me remember where – apologies. You’ll see heaps of places; just stop in at one that is busy with locals. Price should be 50 – 70K
Ask for: Bún Chả - Wonton Noodle Soup
Fresh, tasty and one of those things I could never make at home, and absolutely not for the price! A great breakfast, maybe even one of my favourites in Hanoi.
Our favourite place: Quán bún ốc nguội Ô Quan Chưởng
Ask for: Mỳ Vằn Thắn - Omelette Roll
It’s essentially an egg omelette that you roll with fresh salad inside thin rice paper sheets and dip in a sauce. It might sound off but it’s very good. Our advice is to eat it quickly once rolled otherwise it tends to disintegrate!
Our favourite place: Mr Bảy Miền Tây – Bánh Xèo
Ask for: Bánh Xèo Nam Bo - Stuffed Rice Pancakes
Rice pancakes which are rolled and stuffed with various filllings. You’ll get a sweet dipping sauce and can season with some herbs too. They’re most popular at breakfast, and we liked to order a steamed or scrambled egg on the side as it’s not the most filling. Delicious though!
Our favourite place: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZGeyEp38WWYeNM757 – ignore the first picture on Google maps, it does not look like that!
Ask for: Bánh Cuốn - BBQ
You’ll see this in heaps of places, usually with groups sharing. There will be small burners on the table with foil trays that you cook on, and you can choose what foods to use. It smells almost as good as it tastes! The pricing is usually done per person and we paid 100K VND per person.
Our favourite place: Lẩu Nướng Mừng 93
Ask for: Mixed BBQ - Hotpot
As with the BBQ, pricing is usually done per person and we paid 100K VND per person. Different places do different types, with some doing multiple.
Our favourite place: Lẩu Nướng Mừng 93 (same as for BBQ – if you take a group you can do both at once like we did)
Ask for: Mixed hotpot - Pan Fried Pho Pillows & Fried Noodles
This place does a great half and half of fried noodles and pillows. The dish itself is pan fried noodles with stir fried beef, vegetables with egg. There’s a tasty sauce so it’s not dry. We shared one between us with some fried taro balls and that was plenty. They also do pho spring rolls which looked excellent.
Our favourite place: Phở Cuốn Chinh Thắng
Ask for: Phở Chiến – Rán Lan - Sticky Rice
Exactly what it says on the tin, usually with some dried spices. You can get them for takeaway wrapped in a leaf too. It’s simple yet tasty.
Our favourite place: Eat in at Tiệm Xôi Vy, takeaway at Bánh khúc Hải Ngân
Ask for: Bánh khúc (plus any toppings you fancy – pork floss is good at the takeaway) - Beef Noodle Soup
Had to be included. I’d recommend only going to a place that does beef if you want beef, otherwise you’ll get chicken broth and it won’t be as good. I would also suggest trying the rare option. It’s not really rare and good more in your soup.
Our favourite place: Hà Phở Bò or Phở Bò Cô Hoa
Ask for: Phở Bô (Phở Bô Tai is the rare version, Chin is a slow cooked brisket style) - Chicken Noodle Soup
As above. Great if you want something simple and fresh.
Our favourite place: I haven’t got a favourite yet. I’ll add one once I decide! So far everyone we been to has been very good.
Ask for: Phở Ga - Vietnamese Sandwich
You’ll probably have tried this outside of Vietnam and they are everywhere in Hanoi. It’s all down to personal preference in terms of filling but we fell in love with the egg ones, hence the recommendation below which is pate in a sort of omelette.This might be controversial but from our (significant) consumption, you shouldn’t be paying more than 25K – if you are, you’re very likely at a tourist spot.
Our favourite place: It’s not on Google maps at the moment but I’ll add a link once I can.
Ask for: Bánh Mì Pate Trứng, Xia Xu (Char Su pork) or another Trứng (egg) variant - Noodles With Mixed Sides and Shrimp Sauce
The combinations vary by restaurant and what you order but in our favourite spot we went for a mixed platter of deep fried tofu, pork and sausage. You’ll get soft noodles that are woven together and some fresh vegetables, plus a dipping sauce. For foreigners they often give a type of fish sauce whereas the locals get a more potent shrimp paste. It’s quite strong but worth a go. We enjoyed having both sauces.
Our favourite place: BÚN ĐẬU AN AN
Ask for: Dau Cha Thit Doi Nem - Deep-Fried Eel Noodles
Less out there than you think – the eels are deep fried. It’s very tasty and not very fishy – more akin to chicken in my opinion.
Our favourite place: Miến lươn Đông Thịnh
Ask for: Miến Tron (dry) or Mien Nuoc (soupy) - Tomato & Shrimp Paste Noodle Soup
Our favourite place: Ánh Bún Riêu
Ask for: Bún riêu cha ca (fish cake) - Broken Rice
In a nutshell it’s a rice based dish with various toppings and sauces. The differentiator is what you put on top or order it with. Cha Su pork is very popular, and we really enjoy the clay pot fish at the place below.
Our favourite place: Cơm Tấm Bảy Fơ– while I liked this place, I think there will be better ones so maybe have a hunt around and use this as a backup.
Ask for: Cơm Tấm - Snail Soup
I like snails in garlic and butter, but beyond that I could take it or leave it. However, I wanted to try this. The broth is tasty and I liked the little snails, but the big ones didn’t do much for me. It’s definitely worth a try if you’re in town for a while but if I had a friend in town for a few days I personally wouldn’t include it on the must-do list, however that might just be my palate. Check out the Google reviews and see what other travelers think before making your call if you’re short on time – I wouldn’t want you to miss out!
Our favourite place: Aunt Hue’s snail noodle
Ask for: Bún ốc - Pork Rib Rice Porridge A thick white porridge which is made with rice and pork ribs – we really enjoyed it but it’s not something I’d go for regularly. It has heaps of flavour but do watch out for little bits of bone and cartilage!
Our favourite place: Cháo Sườn Sụn Huyền Anh Đồng Xuân
Ask for: Cháo Sườn - Snacks & Desserts – Pork Floss Cake
Sounds weird, tastes great. I walked past Dalas a few times in the evening and it’s always packed with people eating this so we wanted to give it a go. At Dalas, you’ll see it in a clear plastic box and can either point or attempt to say it – eat in or takeaway. It looks like a sponge cake from a distance but is actually a type of bread slathered in a deliciously sweet sauce with a bit of pork floss.
Our favourite place: Quán sữa Dalas Ask for: Bánh Bơ Ruốc - Tofu Pudding
I love tofu pudding. It’s usually silken tofu and soft, with some kind of topping or soy milk.
Our favourite place: Ann Dessert by Trang Le or Tofu 39
Ask for: Tau Hu Tran Chau Duong Den - Doughnut balls
I’m not sure what you’d officially class these as but they’re like doughnut balls, usually filled with a bit of mung bean and coated in sugar. I really enjoyed them, my husband less so. You’ll see a glazed and a non-glazed option – I’d suggest trying both. I’m not sure of the two different names but you’ll be able to point at the two different types) on the stall.
Our favourite place: Any street food stalls – you’ll see them in the cart
Ask for: Bánh cam - Drinks – Egg Coffee
Egg coffee is super popular, and for good reason. It’s egg yolks whisked usually with a bit of condensed milk, sugar or honey, which are then put on top of steaming coffee. We highly recommend giving it a go. It may arrive in a boiling water bath to keep it extra hot.
Our favourite place: Cà Phê Vân
Ask for: Cà phê trứng - Salted Coffee
This coffee is topped with sugar and salted whipped cream, with a bit of condensed milk at the bottom. Sounds weird, taste great. Taste the topping then mix it all through, or at least that’s what we do. We prefer the hot version.
Our favourite place: Tum Cafe
Ask for: Cà phê muối - Coconut Coffee
This appears to vary place by place but the rough make up is coconut whipped with cream and condensed milk. Again, we preferred it hot but many people we spoke to loved it cold.
Our favourite place: Hidden Gem Cafe
Ask for: Cà Phê Dừa Note: If you’re not a coffee fan. Places often do a cocoa alternative. The salted cocoa was probably my favourite of these.
Here’s a map which includes the above, plus some extra recommendations: https://maps.app.goo.gl/SQJB1XXto6X3dnC48