Hometown flavours - Hanoi edition

Vietnamese food’s unique blend of fresh herbs, vegetables, and meats make it one of the healthiest cuisines in the world. And the quirky street-life culture makes dining even more fun while sitting at a local noodle shop on a barely-there plastic stool with your family and friends. Read below to find out some of Mundo Asia’s staff favourite dishes and where to find them in Hanoi.

Something quick for those on the go

Normally guests travelling to Vietnam only know about pho, since it’s our national dish. But my favourite thing to eat in Hanoi is banh goi—a type of Vietnamese empanada. It’s like a crispy pillow made out of a fried puff pastry and inside it’s stuffed with mushrooms, glass noodles, pork, onion, chives, and a small egg. I always go to 52 Ly Quoc Su in Hoan Kiem, next to St. Joseph’s Cathedral to fill up on this and other Vietnamese-styled fried “fast foods”. –-Southeast Asia Travel Expert Lara

Crispy bang goi, a street food treat

Something delicate and complicated

I LOVE Bun Thang, a warm rice noodle soup with scrambled eggs, shredded chicken, Vietnamese ham, dried shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, pickled radishes, spring onions and laksa leaves. The warm broth is especially delicious in the winter. We eat this during our most important national holiday, Tet. You can try it at 32 Cau Go Street in Hoan Kiem. – Marketing Executive Yen

Start your day with a bowl of bun thang

Something sweet, smokey, and sour

Remember when President Barak Obama and Anthony Bourdain ate together in Hanoi? They went to my favourite restaurant, Bun Cha Huong Lien at 24 Lê Văn Hưu. Now it’s nicknamed “Obama Bun Cha”, with USA flags everywhere and the table where the two men sat is enclosed in a plastic case. I love the smoky flavour of the pork sausage patties and bacon mixed with thin rice noodles, papaya and cucumber slices, a dash of garlic, some chili pepper, and a bit of fish sauce. It’s usually only available for breakfast or lunch, so get in early because this spot is always busy and super popular. –Sales Manager Cami Hong

Bun cha is always a good choice, especially for breakfast or lunch , Image by Ninheating

Something timeless and classic

No one mentioned pho yet? It’s the best dish you can eat in Vietnam, especially in Hanoi. In the south, pho is quite sweet and spicy, but here in Ha Noi we are all about the classics. Lemongrass, a hint of lime, some chili pepper, spring onions, and a heartwarming chicken-bone broth stewed for days. You can get it anytime throughout the day, but I prefer to eat it when I wake up for breakfast or just before sleeping for dinner. My preferred spot is 11 Hang Hom in Hoan Kiem. –Marketing Manager Anh Phuong

Vietnam’s national and most iconic dish, pho ga

Something trendy and unique

Even though I have lived in Vietnam since 2012, I am always discovering new dishes or variations of loved classics. It’s difficult for me to choose a favourite dish, because I love spring rolls in Truc Bach, the local pho lady down the crooked alleys of Doi Can in Ba Dinh, Cha Ca Thang Long in Hoan Kiem, and of course a good Bun Cha. However, my new favourite thing to eat in Ha Noi is a modern fusion of traditional banh bao, a type of steamed dumpling. You can find it at a restaurant called Bao Wow down alley 12 on Dang Thai Mai, number 31. With creative flavours like kimchi and beef, lentil falafel and pickled beets, and fried chicken with pickles and peanuts, there is something to accommodate meat lovers, vegetarians, and vegans. When you’re in the restaurant you feel as if you could be in a trendy hipster café in NYC or San Francisco. Definitely check it out when you visit Hanoi. –Southeast Asia Travel Expert Sierra

How can something so small be so revolutionary? Image by Hot Table

Something sophisticated and fresh

Oh, it’s a tough call between Bun Cha and Cha Ca Thang Long. I think I have to go with Cha Ca, because the mixture of freshly cooked fish stirred with dill, garlic, and other herbs is really unbeatable. If you go to the restaurant at 21 Duong Thanh in the Old Quarter, the servers cook the ingredients right on your table in a huge wok. You mix the fish ingredients with some thin rice noodles, and then you can add other herbs, fish sauce, or taro root. It’s a bit pricey compared to “street food” because you pay around 100k per person (5 USD) but it’s so worth it! –Director of Mundo Asia Anh Ha

Hanoi food

Something on a hot summer day

If you have a sweet tooth, head on over to THE ice-cream stop in the city, Quan Kem Ho Tay at 1 Thanh Nien. My favourite flavour is the green bean ice cream—it’s especially welcome on those hot summer days. The location is also unbeatable. Around mid-May until the beginning of November the shop is flooded with parents taking their children and couples strolling hand in hand buying and eating ice-cream. You can choose many types of soft-serve ice cream such as green tea, vanilla, and strawberry. –Southeast Asia Travel Expert Rosa

Which flavour would you choose?

For more great culinary tips, contact one of our travel experts to help plan that perfect romantic dinner or browse or specialty gastronomy tours for some travel inspiration!