There’s a reason the late Anthony Bourdain once said that Vietnam was his favorite country in which to eat. Food in Hanoi, the eminently charming northern capital, is often explosively flavorful. Hanoians take both their dining and café culture seriously. The level of technical finesse here is high whether you’re stopping by a street-side eatery or a fine dining restaurant.
When choosing what to eat in Hanoi, you might start with some of the iconic staples said to have been invented here. There’s pho, of course, the rich noodle soup all but synonymous with Vietnamese cuisine abroad. But there’s also chả cá lã Vọng, an unforgettable, herbaceous fish dish, and bún chả, with sumptuous grilled pork meatballs. Should you find your energy levels flagging between feasts, do as Hanoians do and grab a lusciously creamy egg coffee.
Here are just a few of the essential dishes to try in Hanoi.
Pho
Pho
As with so many iconic dishes, a lively debate persists over who makes the best pho and who invented it in the first place. While we may never know the exact answer to the latter question, most food historians believe that this now iconic noodle soup originated in Hanoi. One theory is that the name may stem from pot-au-feu. During the French-colonial period, this humble, hearty dish of slow-simmered beef may have inspired Vietnamese chefs.
While today pho is enjoyed throughout Vietnam, certain key regional differences persist. Southerners in Ho Chi Minh City love to gussy their pho up, adding bushels of fresh herbs, bean sprouts, and condiments. This style of pho also tends to err on the sweeter side, with appropriate lashings of acidity and chile heat for balance.
Pho
In contrast, true northern-style pho might initially seem almost austere. Bowls of beef broth and rice noodles tend to come with nary a sprig of greenery in sight. Don’t let Hanoi-style pho’s plain appearance fool you, though. Perfumed with cinnamon and star anise, that beef broth is intensely flavorful, soul-satisfying stuff.
How you choose to order your pho is a personal choice. Rare filet, tender brisket, tripe, tendon, and all sorts of different beef cuts may be added to a bowl. It’s worth noting that in its home country, pho is primarily a breakfast or sometimes lunch dish.
Some restaurants offer it at dinner to accommodate international guests. However, if you choose to pull up a plastic stool and slurp your bowl in the morning, you’ll find this Southeast Asian dish makes a perfect start to the day.
Bún Chả
Bún chả
Hanoi is one of the best places to travel for food, and arguably among the most famous meals in Vietnamese history took place over bowls of bún chả. In 2016, President Barack Obama met with Anthony Bourdain in Hanoi for a $6 meal and the chef and author cheekily declared that he picked up the check. Today, Bún Chả Hương Liên, the restaurant that served the two men, is still going strong.
Like pho, bún chả is enjoyed throughout Vietnam, but most likely originated in Hanoi. It’s not hard to see why Bourdain chose this dish. Bún chả consists of a tangle of skinny rice vermicelli paired with grilled pork meatballs and often pork belly. Pickled vegetables, loads of fresh herbs, and bean sprouts add crunch and freshness. A bright, zingy dipping sauce made with fish sauce, lime juice, fresh chiles, and raw garlic rounds it all out.
Chả Cá Lã Vọng
Chả cá lã Vọng
When it comes to food in Hanoi, this iconic fish dish is absolutely not to be missed. To make it, chunks of cá lã, a local kind of catfish, are marinated with turmeric and other seasonings until vivid yellow. They’re then sizzled or fried over a charcoal burner, often with pork lard for an extra savory note. The fish is then served with rice vermicelli, peanuts, shrimp paste, and fresh dill, basil, and other herbs.
The history of this specialty is so inextricably linked to Hanoi’s past that it’s sometimes referred to as chả cá Hà Nội. In the late 19th century, the Doan family invented the dish at their restaurant. In addition to being known for their food, the couple had a reputation for providing a safe haven for anti-French-colonial insurgents.
Their restaurant is still in business—and still in the family—to this day and it only serves chả cá lã Vọng. Due to their fame, expect to wait and to pay a slightly steeper price than at neighboring eateries. Chả cá lã Vọng in general is considered fancy fare around here, best enjoyed around a table and shared with friends or family.
Bánh Mì
Bánh mì
Vietnam’s king of sandwiches was born in the mid-20th century in the wake of French-colonial rule. It’s easy to see the influence; the sturdy yet airy elongated loaf bears a strong resemblance to a baguette.
Yet look closer and you’ll note that the bread for bánh mì is very much its own entity, with a light, crisp crust and an internal crumb that can handle a load of fillings. Any bánh mì spot worth its salt relies on bread baked that day. The very best sometimes turn out multiple rounds of loaves daily, in order to ensure maximum freshness.
In the late 19th century, when the French were still in charge, baguettes were often served much as they would have been in Paris. The classic jambon-beurre, or ham with butter, was common, as was a more simple combination of butter with sugar. In the 1950s, Vietnamese bakers started to get creative, in part because French-style cold cuts were expensive and hard to come by.
Bánh mì
Before long, a slick of mayonnaise, heaps of crunchy pickles, chili sauce and fresh, sliced chilies were being added to sandwiches. More than a dozen different types of meat may be added. Chả lụa, a type of pork sausage, barbecued pork, pork belly, pork meatballs, and liver pâté are all common choices. In the more-is-more spirit, plenty of bánh mìs may contain three or more forms of protein.
Although everyone here has opinions about where to find the best bánh mì, there’s a great deal of room for creative interpretation among chefs.
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Cơm Tấm
Cơm tấm
Cơm tấm may be as internationally famous as pho, but it’s every bit as near and dear to the hearts of locals in Vietnam. In essence, this is the ultimate working man’s lunch, a dish born of thrift and necessity. Cơm tấm translates as “broken rice,” since it’s made with broken grains of rice left over from the milling process that were historically considered inferior. Farmers needed a way to use up this cheaper product, which led to this simple, hearty dish.
Although its origins are humble, just about everyone enjoys com tam nowadays. It’s served with all sorts of toppings, including grilled pork, pickles, scallions, and a Vietnamese-style omelet. Cơm tấm is generally more associated with Ho Chi Minh City, which has its own distinct variation. However, a number of shops serve it in Hanoi as well.
Chả Giò
Chả giò
These crunchy spring rolls are a popular street snack both in Vietnam and throughout the global Vietnamese diaspora. Typically, each consists of a finger-long cylinder of rice paper rolled around a filling, then deep-fried to a crisp. These savory treats then get dunked in a simple dipping sauce with fish sauce, sugar, and either vinegar or lime juice.
Chả giò may be ubiquitous, but there’s still quite a bit of variation between regional styles. Ground pork with bean sprouts and other vegetables is the most common filling, but crab or snails make for delicious alternatives. Meatless fillings full of julienned vegetables make for a satisfying vegetarian option.
Bún Thang
Bún thang
Pho is far from the only noodle soup around these parts. Think of bún thang as the soul-soothing chicken noodle soup of your dreams. Recipes vary quite a bit, although it invariably includes a collagen-rich chicken broth and thin vermicelli. Ribbons of omelet, sliced scallions, rau ram, an herb similar to coriander, and shredded poached chicken are added.
If you notice an extra hit of umami, that’s most likely from dried shrimp, added to the broth. In addition to chicken, some cooks add sliced chả lụa, a type of steamed pork sausage. The finished dish is both colorful and packed with flavor. It’s particularly popular around the Lunar New Year celebrations, although you can find it all year long.
Xôi Xéo
Xôi xéo
Start your day as Hanoians do with this comforting mound of turmeric-tinted sticky rice. Xôi xéo features several contrasting textures. Coconut milk gives the rice a subtle richness, while fried shallots scattered on top are pleasantly crispy.
The dish is topped with slices of patty made from mung beans—almost like the vegetarian version of Vietnamese fish cake. Although it’s meatless, some hawkers will add pork belly or roast chicken, along with melted chicken fat for extra flavor. The whole combination is typically presented in a banana leaf.
Bánh Cuốn
Bánh cuốn
Few Vietnamese dishes are more satisfying to eat than these tender little rice rolls. Great bánh cuốn should be made with freshly steamed rice wrappers. Since these ultra-delicate vessels don’t last for long, it’s tricky to find this particular delicacy outside of its home country.
Each roll gets wrapped around a savory filling of pork, jicama, mushrooms, and other ingredients. Individual cooks often put their own distinctive spins on the filling, adding shrimp, char siu, or roast pork, julienned egg, sliced pork sausage, or other ingredients. Once prepared, these dainty rolls get paired with a bright, simple dipping sauce.
Bánh Tôm
Bánh tôm
Good luck trying to eat just one of these shrimp and sweet potato fritters. This quintessential Hanoian street snack was invented near West Lake, known as Hồ Tây in Vietnamese. They’re so synonymous with the area that they’re sometimes referred to as bánh tôm Hồ Tây. The fritters are made by mixing thinly julienned sweet potatoes with a simple rice flour batter.
Prawns—typically small, but occasionally larger specimens—are then added on top and the whole thing is fried to a glorious, golden crisp. A salty, slightly sweet dipping sauce makes for the perfect accompaniment.
Mì Vằn Thắn
Mì vằn thắn
This Hanoian street food staple is a pretty perfect example of the influence of southern Chinese cuisine. Mì vằn thắn, or wonton noodles, first began cropping up in the early 20th century, as Chinese immigration increased under French-colonial rule. To keep these merchants, traders, and laborers fed, noodle vendors began selling dishes that would have been familiar to them. As time went on, vendors put their own spin on the concept, until the Cantonese-inflected dish took on a life of its own.
Each bowl of mì vằn thắn packs in thin egg noodles and large, round wontons stuffed with seasoned ground pork and shrimp. Sliced liver, char siu, or roast pork, blanched greens, shrimp, a boiled egg, and mushrooms may all be added. The real secret to a great bowl is the perfectly clear broth, which gets its heft from pork bones, along with umami from dried sturgeon.
Cà Phê Trứng
Cà phê trứng
To the uninitiated, the idea of plopping a raw egg yolk into your morning cup of coffee might sound daunting. Once you’ve tried Hanoi’s signature caffeinated beverage, however, you may find yourself craving it on the regular. Cà phê trứng, or “egg coffee,” is more like dessert than a cup of joe.
To make this indulgent treat, a barista whips egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk together into a frothy custard, then places this ethereal cloud on top of a cup of very strong coffee. The combination is sensational, as bracing as it is lush and creamy. Because the heat from the coffee gently cooks the egg yolks, it’s also completely safe to drink.
Nguyen Van Giang, a barista in one of Hanoi’s most iconic five-star hotels, first came up with this rather ingenious concoction in 1946. At the time, wartime shortages rendered dairy tough to find. Giang decided to get creative by creating a zabaglione-like topping for coffee with beaten sugar and egg yolks. The results were so good that he stuck with it, adding condensed milk as it became available.
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Hanoi
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