Culinary in Hanoi: 10 Best Street Foods You Must Try

Vietnam has one of the most colorful and lively cuisines in the world, and the best way of enjoying it is in Hanoi. Discovering Hanoi means exploring its street food. Fresh ingredients, refined traditions, and secret family recipes are hallmarks of Hanoian cooking.

Each dish carries the unique taste of family tradition. Get your chopsticks ready: Here are 10 street foods in Hanoi you don’t want to miss!

1. Bun Cha (Barbecued pork with rice vermicelli)

Cooked low and slow, bun cha’s secret is in the grilled pork. Deliciously meaty and fatty, this delicacy is served over rice flour noodles and flavored with fried shallots, fresh herbs, and a tasty dipping sauce.

Try it: Bún chả 40 Cửa Đông St., Hoàn Kiếm District

Put your rice noodles into the fish sauce bowl, add spices and herbs, then try to get a little bit of everything in one bite. For a hearty upgrade, go ahead and order some nem (fried spring rolls) with your bún chả. 

2. Banh Mi, the most famous street food in Hanoi

This one you surely know. Baguettes may have been adopted from the French, but bánh mì is as Vietnamese as it comes. Paté and margarine are spread swiftly across the soft, chewy interior of a baguette and later.

Try it: Bánh mì 25, 25 Hàng Cá St, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi 

Get around Hanoi tour in our 10 DAY HIGHLIGHTS OF VIETNAM to savor delicious Banh Mi 

The sandwich is loaded with pickled vegetables, fresh cilantro, pork belly, pork floss and cucumber. Sink your teeth into the crunchy crust and watch the warm roll give way to a whole scheme of textures. If there’s one Vietnamese food you must eat in Hanoi, it’s the banh mi.

3. Xoi Thit Kho Tau (sticky rice with braised pork)

Vietnamese sticky rice is a departure from other sticky rice interpretations in the region. Xôi thịt kho tàu is eaten with liver pate, sausage, fried eggs, char siu, chickens, or roasted pigeons.

Try it: Xoi Yen, 57 Tho Nhuom, Cua Nam, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

The sticky rice is soft and shiny while the braised meat is tender and succulent. The savory eggs and pork belly are complemented by the rich braised sauce. This dish is a comforting and convenient choice for breakfast during colder weather. 

4. Bun Dau Mam Tom (Noodle and Tofu with Shrimp Sauce)

Simple fried tofu and noodles have never tasted so good! A match made in heaven, crispy golden tofu and fresh rice noodles are a much-loved Hanoian lunch. Bún đậu is served with mắm tôm (fermented shrimp paste).

Try it: Bún đậu 6 Ma May St., Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

This sauce creates a sweet and savory flavor combined with the spiciness of chili and the sourness of lemon. You can also eat with green rice pork pie, fried blood sausage, pig’s skin, sliced pork, cucumber, and Vietnamese basil and perilla. 

5. Pho Bo (Vietnam’s flagship noodle soup)

“Pho Bo” in Hanoi, the Hanoi beef noodle soup, is the traditional dish of the capital city, prepared for centuries. A good bowl of “Pho” includes a flavorful broth, soft (but not mushy) rice noodles, and tender meat.

Try it: Phở bò Khôi Hói 50 Hàng Vải St., Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

Enhance the experience with a bit of spicy chili sauce, add a spoonful of garlic vinegar for beef phở, or squeeze lime for chicken phở. The unique flavor is sure to make your experience unforgettable.

6. Nem Chua Ran (Fried fermented pork sausages)

Popular with young Vietnamese, the Nem Chua Ran are sour fried spring rolls made with fermented pork sausage rolled. In chilly days, Nem Chua Ran places are so busy with crowded customers enjoying the delicious food and chatting excitedly.

Try it: Nem Ba gia, Tam Thuong Alley, Hang Bong Str., Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

The hot fried sausage is a awesome nosh, which is crispy outside and soft inside. This might look like ordinary fried food snacks, but they’re pretty distinctive. You’ll have to try them to understand. You’ll love them!

7. Ca Phe Trung (Egg coffee)

Egg Coffee, a beloved Vietnamese specialty, is a unique and delicious blend of robust coffee and creamy egg yolk. All you have to do is sip it with a spoon to enjoy it to the fullest. 

Try it: Cà phê Giảng Alley 39, Nguyễn Hữu Huân St., Hoàn Kiếm District, Hanoi

A velvety thick mixture of whisked egg yolk, sweetened condensed milk, and butter is poured over Vietnamese super-strong coffee. The taste is like a sweet, slightly bitter, creamy, and delicate dessert. This will make you want to hop on the plane straight to Vietnam.

8. Che Thap Cam (Sweet cold dessert)

This dessert will make you think differently about sweet food and about street food in Hanoi. Made with varied ingredients including taro, sweet potatoes, red mung bean paste, coconut milk and crunchy roasted peanuts, this layered dessert offers a different flavor in every spoonful.

Try it: Che Thap Cam 1976, 72 Trần Hưng Đạo, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

Colorful sweet soup stalls and the sounds of diners who eat and talk to each other at corners in alleyways, on the pavements, at local markets have been familiar in Vietnam.

9. Nom Bo (Beef jerky salad)

If you think salads are dull, wait until you try this beef jerky salad. The crunchiness of green papaya and carrot is softened with flavoured fish sauce, while strips of beef jerky adds a funky texture to the mix. The combination makes the salad deliciously savory. 

Try it: Long Vi Dung 23 Hoàn Kiếm St., Hoàn Kiếm District, Hanoi

You’ll also find some crunch in every bite thanks to the roasted peanuts topping this vibrant salad. A colorful dish with the wonderful taste and aroma definitely satisfies all gourmets. What an unforgettable experience!

10. Banh Xeo (Stuffed shrimp crepe)

This famous snack is known as Vietnamese crepes. The thin rice batter is cooked to crispy perfection in a blistering hot skillet and then rolled and stuffed with various fillings, including pork and shrimp, and sprinklings of mung bean, onions and bean sprouts.

Try it: Bánh xèo Loan Béo – 153D Đội Cấn, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi

These treats are tasty already, but when dipped in a sweet and savory sauce, they’re glorious. Vietnamese cooking is all about sauces and dips. Lets get to sizzling!

Conclusion

There are plenty of things to eat in Hanoi but we hope you found this guide to be helpful. 

The balance of flavors, the influence of the weather and the unique ingredients make for a wonderful culinary adventure. 

If you need some help when traveling to Vietnam, feel free to contact Asia Vacation Group at 1800 229 339. 
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