What to Eat in Hanoi, Vietnam's Capital

Hanoi is the heart of Vietnam, home to some of the country's finest landmarks. The ancient relics left from the days of the Thang Long imperial capital remain an enduring testament to human craftsmanship.

Human hands have created not only artistic masterpieces around these historic sites, but also elaborately prepared dishes, carefully presented and made from everyday ingredients. Today, VN Cooking introduces the dishes that have made the capital famous – if you get the chance to visit, be sure to taste the flavours of home that each of them offers.

Bun cha

Bun cha is fairly unfamiliar to people in the south, but once you're in Hanoi it's the first dish you absolutely must try.

Fresh rice noodles are served on the side, next to a bowl of broth holding large, fragrant grilled patties. Depending on the restaurant, the patties are made from different things, such as minced pork, crab or shrimp. Shaped into soft, carefully seasoned balls and grilled until aromatic, they are then added to the broth, which darkens in colour and takes on a rich grilled-meat flavour.

A bowl of bun cha is fairly cheap, from just 35,000 to 50,000 VND, at places packed with diners every day such as Bun Cha Tuyet at 34 Hang Than and Bun Cha Huong Lien (the 'Obama bun cha').

Traditional pho

A steaming bowl of pho, fragrant with spring onions, on a day when the capital's chill settles over its bustling streets, is a simple pleasure for an early morning. Have you ever eaten Hanoi pho? Many will say yes – but not in Hanoi, only somewhere else. In that case, I'm putting you on the list of people who have never had traditional Hanoi pho.

Traditional Hanoi pho is made quite differently. Soft yet chewy rice noodles sit in a broth simmered from marrow bones, served with onion, culantro and beef that is blanched rare, so it stays tender but with a pleasant bite.

Some of the oldest pho shops in Hanoi are mostly found on well-known streets – Pho Ly Quoc Su, Pho Thin and Pho Bat Dan, for example, which draw the biggest crowds year after year.

Pho cuon

The most famous pho cuon (rolled pho) comes from Ngu Xa, a small eatery tucked down a little street behind Truc Bach Lake. Thin sheets of pho noodle are rolled around pieces of beef seasoned just strongly enough to balance the noodle wrapper. They are served with a small bowl of sweet-and-sour fish sauce and a few slices of pickled papaya.

These plates of rolls always delight diners, because quality comes first in every roll. A plate of 10 rolls costs about 50,000 VND – enough to fill you up for a long day of work.

Bun thang

The broth is simmered from chicken bones, so it is deeply sweet yet free of any bony, gamey taste. Served with fine, long rice vermicelli, shredded chicken and shiitake mushrooms, it is all the more tempting.

A bowl here is reasonably priced, from 40,000 to 60,000 VND. The capital's best-known bun thang spots, such as Bun Thang Bun Bung on Cau Go, Bun Thang Ha Hoi on Ha Hoi and Bun Thang Tu Lun on Hang Trong, are busy every day.

Banh duc

A bowl of hot banh duc (soft rice cake) topped with minced pork, wood ear mushrooms, fried shallots and crispy fried tofu is a firm favourite of people in the capital and across the country.

Famous Hanoi banh duc places that people always visit when they come to the city include the hot banh duc shop in Trung Tu, Dong Da district, Banh Duc Nom in Ba Dinh district and the hot banh duc shop on Le Ngoc Han in Hai Ba Trung district – all long-established names. A bowl of piping-hot banh duc costs from just 15,000 VND.

Hanoi com (young green rice)

If you're from the north, this is surely a taste of childhood – a treat from the market stalls, or the moment Mum came home with a little packet of green com in her hand and your face lit up for the rest of the day.

The soft, fragrant flakes are ready to eat and are used to make dishes such as sticky rice with com, com sweet soup and com cakes. Just stroll down any street and you'll find com sold by street vendors carrying their wares on shoulder poles.

Trang Tien ice cream

This cool treat has been around for a very long time, since the years when people in Vietnam first learned what ice cream was. Trang Tien ice cream comes in many flavours – most famously traditional vanilla, sweet cocoa and the distinctive fragrant com – each leaving every diner with an unforgettable taste.

Ice cream is a special treat in Hanoi's hot summers, and it is very cheap: for just 10,000 VND you can enjoy a cool cup of ice cream or a cone in a choice of flavours.

Source: compiled