Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, is a culinary paradise. After exploring its bustling streets, here’s my curated list of the absolute best restaurants in Hanoi to experience authentic cuisine. This was no easy feat, as the city overflows with delicious options, but I’ve narrowed it down to some of the must-try spots including street food and sit-down restaurants.
Best street food – Hanoi Specialty Shrimp cake (Cha Ca Anh Vu)
This small street food stall is next to Dong Xuan Market and sells some delicious traditional shrimp cakes. One of my favorite things I tried in Vietnam, it was served with a slightly acidic and umami broth to dip the crispy and sweet shrimp cake. Two or three prieces are great for a quick lunch. Don’t miss it!
Best Bahn Cuon – Banh Cuon Ba Xuan
Banh Cuon Ba Xuan restaurant is famous for its Vietnamese steamed rolls with minced pork and mushrooms. There is also an option with a soft poached egg inside that almost works as a sauce for the rolls. Add some fresh herbs, Chinese sausage and spices in the broth and dip the rolls in. This spot likely has the best texture to their steamed rolls among all the others I tried in Hanoi.
Best pork dish – Thịt Nướng Quảng Đông Hương Nguyên
This small street food stall does great pork skewers. You can opt to eat it plain or as a bahn mi. The meat is juicy and nicely seasoned and this is a great snack you should try in Hanoi. The stall opens early in the afternoon and doesn’t stay open until very late at night so make sure you time your visit properly.
Best Bun Cha – Tuyet Bun Cha 34
Hanoi is famous for its Bun Cha, grilled pork and meatballs in a noodle soup and it’s a must-try if you visit. Tuyet Bun Cha 34 has one of the best versions you can try in the city and rightly has a Bib Gourmand award from the Michelin Guide. Dip the noodles and the fresh herbs in the broth and eat together with the chargrilled pork and meatballs. Delicious and extremely affordable, for me this is one of the best restaurants in Hanoi.
Most affordable Michelin-star restaurant – Tam Vi
Tam Vi is famous for being one of the most affordable Michelin-star restaurants in the world. The cuisine is mostly Northern Vietnamese but has dishes from all over Vietnam.
Some of the things I liked the most were the fried spring rolls with pork and the extremely tender braised pork belly with the flavorful broth. If you want to dine in a Michelin-star restaurant without spending a lot of money, Tam Vi is a great option.
Best Bahn Mi – Bahn Mi 25
A really popular Bahn Mi spot, Bahn Mi 25 is always busy throughout the day. Although it lacks the traditional Vietnamese vibe, it’s a good option to try some good Bahn Mis in a modern space paired with a beverage or smoothie. There are pork, beef chicken, and vegetarian options. Usually pretty busy in the mornings as a lot of people choose Bahn Mi 25 for breakfast.
