Navigating the street food scene in Hanoi can be very overwhelming for tourists. In fact, we talked to MANY tourists who mentioned they didn’t even try it because it was too intimidating. Many people referenced the fact that many of these spots look like a food poisoning incident waiting to happen.
When we showed up, we didn’t even know where to begin looking and were totally intimidated by every sidewalk restaurant we passed. That’s why, on our first full day in Hanoi, we decided to book a street food tour to help ease us into the street food scene. We had heard from many people that it was some of the best food they had ever had, and we were determined to give it a try.
Not to mention, it is CHEAP. A typical meal, including beers, would cost us around 100,000 VND (just over $4 USD) and the portions are typically huge.
After our tour with With Locals, we felt confident to eat street food in Hanoi on our own and I have come up with a list of some of the best street food restaurants in Hanoi that you MUST TRY. The reason the street food is so good in Hanoi is because many of these spots only make one or two things. This means that they are making it fresh everyday and have perfected the recipes.
In this list, I have also included are some street food in Hanoi restaurants that we didn’t have time to make it to, but came highly recommended to us by a Hanoi local. So think of this as your very own, super-comprehensive guide to everything street food in Hanoi.
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ready to eat the best street food in hanoi?
read on for more info on where to find it!
Phở Sướng
What to Eat: Phở bò (beef noodle soup)
Location: 24B Ngõ Trung Yên
Why We Loved It: The beef pho here was really good! It’s also tucked down a really cool, private alley right in the centre of the Old Quarter. Just make sure you go easy on the hot peppers, they are spicy (Sebastian learned this the hard way, lol).
Quán Phở Bò Khôi Hói
What to Eat: Phở bò (beef noodle soup)
Location: 50 Hàng Vải
Why We Loved It: The beef pho here was also amazing! This is a more authentic street food experience versus Pho Suong, where you sit on tiny little stools on the side of the street. On the tables, you’ll see jars of garlic vinegar. Add a small spoonful into the bowl of pho – it it is a game changer!
Nhà Hàng Thanh Hop
What to Eat: Bún chả (fatty pork with noodles and dipping sauce)
Location: 12 Đinh Liệt
Why We Loved It: I really loved the bún chả at this spot. It is also located on a great, moderately busy street in the Old Quarter, perfect for people-watching. And if you’re tall like us, you don’t have to worry about sitting virtually on the ground… the stools are a bit taller here 🙂
my hai
What to Eat: Fried spring rolls
Location: 63 Lò Sũ
Why We Loved It: My favourite fried spring rolls we had in Vietnam (and we had a lot of them). We sat here one night for a couple hours, ate over 20 spring rolls between the two of us (they were small…) and drank cheap beers.
"unknown" street food restaurant
What to Eat: Bánh cuốn (steamed rice rolls filled with pork)
Location: 91 Hàng Điếu
Why We Loved It: This is one of my favourite dishes I had in all of Vietnam. Order to the bánh cuốn, and dip it in the fish sauce they provide you and top it with a bit of lime.
(I’ve searched high and low and cannot figure out the name of this spot but follow the address and you won’t be disappointed!)
Bún riêu cua Hàng Bạc
What to Eat: Bún riêu cua (vermicelli soup topped with fresh crab)
Location: 11 Hàng Bạc
Why We Loved It: This spot felt like a “true” street food experience because it was quite literally a hole in the wall with a small bar with two stool, and a couple tables on the sidewalk. The bún riêu cua (make sure you get the “cua”/crab version) was so incredibly delicious.
Chè Dung
What to Eat: Coconut ice cream with fresh mango
Location: 95 Hàng Bạc
Why We Loved It: This is a dessert spot, so naturally it was one of my favourites. The mangos in Vietnam are next level. In fact, I don’t think I can ever eat mangos again at home. Pair that with coconut ice cream and fresh coconut, and this is one of the best desserts I’ve ever had (this coming from a girl who LOVES sweets).
Left: Bún riêu cua (crab soup); Right: Coconut ice cream with fresh mango
Street Food in Hanoi: The Places We Didn't Try...
...But Wish We did!
Here’s a list of places that came HIGHLY recommended by another tour guide we had in Hanoi (who has lived in Hanoi his whole life). I wish we had more time to try to some of these spots, but because we were travelling close to the Vietnamese New Year, many spots were intermittently closed holiday. I hope you take some of these recommendations and enjoy them for me!
MUST TRY dishes IN HANOI (and where to find them):
Bún Thang (5 Hàng Trống)
Bánh Cuốn (14 Phố Báo Khánh)
Cháo sườn (1 Ngõ Huyện)
Nem Nướng (10 Ấu Triệu)
phở bò (34 Ấu Triệu)
coconut coffee (any Cộng Cafe location)
egg coffee (Cafe Giang or Cafe dinh)
Iced lime tea with sunflower seeds (Cafe Tra Chanh on nha tho)
Other restaurants in Hanoi
(That aren't traditional street food)
best brunch in hanoi: the Hanoi social club (6 Ngõ Hội Vũ)
great lunch or dinner spot: Noodle & Roll (39C Lý Quốc Sư)
eat like anthony bourdain: Bún chả Hương Liên (24 Lê Văn Hưu)
for great vietnamese food: Luk Lak Vietnamese Restaurant (4A Lê Thánh Tông)
amazing bao can be found here: bao wow (No. 31a Alley 12 Đặng Thai Mai)
Shown here: The Hanoi Social Club
Need help finding the best street food in hanoi?
check out the map below.
pro Tip: Google Maps does not pin locations in Vietnam with 100% accuracy.
Therefore, you should note the exact address of the location. Use Google Maps to Help you find the street, and then follow the street numbers until you find the exact address. also, google maps will often "auto-correct" the street name and lead you in the wrong direction. before you start walking, make sure you double check that you have the right street name (or else you might end up 15 minutes late for a food tour like us, lol).
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