The greatest riddle in Hanoi is not “why did the chicken cross the road?” It’s how. Eight lanes of never ending motorbike traffic and nary a stop sign, light, or crosswalk in sight. My first thought upon arriving was “How do I eat street food if I can’t even cross one?” It turns out there is a trick to it. You just start crossing and the motorbikes magically weave around you like fish in the sea. Just DON’T STOP. Drivers expect a constant rate of movement and the flow adjusts accordingly. Sound intimidating? It is. I recommend walking with some locals the first few times to get the hang of it.
Once you’ve conquered this challenge, it’s time for a well deserved meal. Fortunately finding great food in Hanoi is a much simpler affair. This is one of the world’s greatest city’s for street food and you’ll find something delicious lurking on every sidewalk in the Old Quarter. The cooler north of the country has a cuisine that’s decidedly different from you find in the Central and Southern part. Below are some of the specialties worth seeking out in Hanoi and where to find them.
Pho at Pho Thin
If there’s one thing you know you’ll be eating in Vietnam, it’s Pho. The classic beef broth noodle soup is one of the few Vietnamese dishes to claim fame abroad and yes there are great bowls to be all over its homeland. So if you’re limited on time, why should you make the effort to get to Pho Thin?
There are two main reasons this bowl stood out to me. Well three if you count the convenience of their location right off the lake you will surely be visiting at least once. But the one that drew me in is that they sear the beef instead of just letting it boil in the soup. So you get that great charred meat flavor you will rarely find anywhere else. The broth, noodles and herbs are all top notch too.
The other thing I love about Pho Thin is how local and chaotic it feels. Yes, it’s right off one probably the most touristy area of Hanoi. But nothing about it is appealing to the average tourist. Thin is located inside a tight alley and by inside I do not mean the entrance is inside. I mean the restaurant is an alleyway. Think concrete walls, zero decor and motorbikes questionably being allowed to whiz past. Yes, you are eating in an alley which is part of what makes it so great.
Once inside, the chaotic ordering process also helps ensure the typical tourist is kept at bay. You must hover in this tight space – avoiding motorbikes and servers – until a seat at one of the communal tables becomes available. When it does strike fast! No one is going to admit to understanding “I was here first” if they snag your spot. When you do manage to sit, you will soon realize no one cares about taking your order. After several unsuccessful attempts to get someone’s attention a local seated next to me finally took pity and told the chef directly which bowl I wanted. So while you may be getting Vietnam’s most famous dish in Hanoi’s most famous tourist area, you still get the full local street food experience at Pho Thin.
Bun Cha at Bun Cha 34
Pho may be the most popular Vietnamese dish abroad, but not in Hanoi. I asked several locals hanging out around Hoan Kiem Lake what their favorite food was and they almost unanimously agreed it was Bun Cha (one little girl said pizza. I guess some things are universal.) So what is this mystery dish?
Bun Cha is basically grilled pork meatballs wrapped in betel leaf and swimming in fish sauce with a side of vermicelli noodles and herbs. It sounds simple, but after biting into some it’s immediately clear why this is most Hanoians favorite dish. It was so good I easily could have eaten three. And at 35k Dong a plate ($1.50) it’s only your will power that can stop you. While 34 is the only Bun Cha I have ever tried, it came highly recommended and I can assure you that you won’t be disappointed.
Note: If you watched the Parts Unknown episode where Bourdain has dinner with President Obama in Hanoi – that was Bun Cha Huong. But according to everyone (including the show’s producers) that location was chosen for its size rather than quality. Turns out POTUS and his posse can’t be languishing over a meal on the streets of a foreign land. It’s also far from the main part of the city and apparently slammed with tourists now, making 34 a much better bet.
Banh Cuon at Banh Cuon
Ba Hanh
This is another Hanoi specialty you probably haven’t heard of but need to get on while you’re here. Banh Cuon is a fermented rice roll stuffed with pork and mushrooms then topped with fried shallots. The overnight process to get the rice roll texture right is probably the reason you rarely see them outside Vietnam. Ba Hanh is one of the most famous spots and pretty tourist friendly with a quaint, clean space, English menus and high quality ingredients. They also offer cooking classes if you’re so inclined.
Bun Oc (Snail Soup) at Giang Bun Oc Pho
Okay so this one is for the adventurous eaters. And I’m not just saying that because of the snails (which are at least not entirely uncommon in the West as opposed to say… insects.) Yes, their chewy texture and slightly bitter taste take some getting used to. But the part that’s truly unlike anything back home is the broth. Herbaceous, spicy and sour it’s an acquired taste to be sure. That said, you’ll see locals lined up across the sidewalk for this tiny street front operation so there’s certainly something to it. Plus Anthony Bourdain loved it! Come in with your adventurer’s cap on and you might too. If not, at least you’ll have tried another local delicacy to impress your friends with back home.
Cha Ca at Cha Ca La Vong
You’ll find a hard time finding Cha Ca on the street, but it’s a real local treat that’s worth heading to a restaurant. A pan fried meaty white fish is cooked with turmeric, dill, scallions, peanuts, shrimp paste and rice noodles. The mix of flavors very unlike anything else you’ll eat in Vietnam and I absolutely loved it.
Cha Ca La Vong is the most famous spot to try this delicacy. The fish is cooked on your table for maximum freshness at the reasonable price of 120,000 Dong ($5.) This place is popular with tourists, has an English menu and is in the Old Quarter so it’s a good option if you’re not feeling up to tackling the street food scene one night.
Where to Stay
The Old Quarter. Hanoi is a sprawling city of 8 million but most of the things you’ll want to do are around this area. You can find all the restaurants above and most of the sites within a 20 minute walk from here.
