7 Must Try Dishes in Hanoi

Hanoi is a foodie heaven, with tons of delicious dishes to choose from at all hours of the day; check out our Hanoian favourites and where you can find them.

Pho

This has got to be Vietnam's most famous dish, with very different recipes in North and South Vietnam; with Northern Pho being a clearer, simpler broth and using a lot more spring onions. Try both and decide for yourself which is best.

Pho is made with rice noodles and either chicken (Pho Ga) or beef (Pho Bo) in a delicious broth with spring onions. You can also add herbs, garlic, chilli and fish sauce to your liking, to further enhance the flavour of this Vietnamese staple.

You can find this dish across Hanoi in restaurants and street-side stalls but our absolute favourite spot to eat Pho was at Pho 10.

Try it at Pho 10 (10 Lý Quốc Sư, Hoàn Kiếm; 60,000VND/$2.60)

Egg Coffee (Cà phê trứng)

Perhaps as famous as Pho or Banh Mi, Vietnamese egg coffee is a delicious way to enjoy coffee, in one of Hanoi's fantastic cafes. During the French War in 1946, Vietnam had a shortage of milk, and to satisfy their caffeine kicks, the egg coffee was created in Hanoi.

Strong Vietnamese coffee is topped with a delicious egg mixture, containing egg yolk, condensed milk and sugar, coming together perfectly, with the taste resembling a liquid tiramisu.

You can get your egg coffee kick all over town, but our favourite spot was at Han Coffee in the Old Quarter. As well as serving tasty coffee, it is also a great spot to people watch.

Try it at Han Coffee (46 Nguyễn Hữu Huân, Hoàn Kiếm; 55,000VND/$2.40)

Bun Rieu Cua

Thought to originate from the Red River Delta in Northern Vietnam, Bun Rieu Cua is a refreshing broth, served with tofu and freshwater crab meat.

The tomato based broth, is filled with Bun; rice vermicelli noodles, and comes with fried tofu and freshwater crab meat, which is boiled to the point it has a creamy texture, delivering subtle sweetness to the dish with spring onions and a tomato wedge adding further flavour to your bowl.

Our favourite spot to enjoy this dish was at Bun Rieu Hong Phuc, where you can dig into it perched on plastic stools street side, or in their 'dining room' across the road.

Try it at Bún Riêu Hồng Phúc (22 Hồng Phúc, Ba Đình; 40,000VND/$1.75)

Banh Mi

Banh Mi is an example of the fusion between Vietnamese and French cuisine, and many believe it has symbolic value representing the end of the colonialism.

Banh Mi consists of a crusty French baguette, cut in half, filled with pate, meat or vegetables, as well as cucumber, carrot, coriander and chilli sauce, making it an easy and delicious meal to have at any time of the day.

You can grab Banh Mi from food stalls on the street all around the city, but we loved going to Banh Mi 25. There are lots of options to pick from, we loved the BBQ pork or the beef and cheese fillings.

Try it at Banh Mi 25 (25 Hàng Cá, Hoàn Kiếm; 30,000VND/$1.30)

Banh Cuon

Banh Cuon is another dish which can trace its heritage back to Northern Vietnam; it is a steamed rice pancake roll with mouthwatering fillings and toppings.

A thin sheet of rice paper is steamed to chewy perfection, before it is filled with a deliciously seasoned pork and wood ear mushroom mixture. The pancakes are them topped with crispy onions and different types of sausages, served with a dipping sauce which bring the dish together.

Our favourite stall to enjoy this dish was Banh Cuon Phuong. Make sure you ask for the delicious, freshly roasted sausage on the side, which complements the dish so well.

Try it at Bánh Cuốn Phượng (68 Hàng Cót, Hoàn Kiếm; 50,000VND/$2.20)

Bun Cha

Similar to Pho, but made with rice vermicelli noodles, this dish is another Hanoian speciality, with the noodles served on the side for you to dunk them in the delicious broth.

The broth is sweeter than Pho, and comes with chargrilled pork, with chillis, garlic and lots of greens on the side; self assembly required, meaning you can customise just the way you like it. Enjoy in one of the cities many food stalls, perched on a plastic stool.

Our favourite spot to eat this delicious North Vietnam staple is Bún Chả Đắc Kim, not only do they make amazing Bun Cha, they also make the most amazing Nem Ran (fried spring rolls) to dip in your broth.

Try it at Bún Chả Đắc Kim (67 Đường Thành, Hoàn Kiếm; 60,000VND/$2.60)

Roti

There are many hangovers from the French colonial rule of Vietnam, one of them being the abundance of bakeries creating tasty pastries and baked goods in Hanoi. You can find French classics like croissants, as well as less conventional treats.

From the abundance we tried, for us nothing comes close to Roti from King Roti. The small stand creates the most amazing sweet buns with a sumptuous filling, including matcha, vanilla, cheese and our favourite; chocolate coffee, which is like a mocha in a bun.

These are great for either breakfast or just a snack while you are exploring the Old Quarter.

Try it at King Roti (34 Hàng Gai, Hoàn Kiếm; 15,000VND/$0.65)

If you feel we missed any must try Hanoi staples off this list, let us know in the comments.

Happy Wandering!