1. Crab noodle soup (bun rieu)

Bun rieu is a northern crab and tomato noodle soup made with thin round rice noodles (instead of wide & flat like pho). There are no real crab meat pieces in there, but rather small clusters of crab egg. Other toppings include fried tofu, minced sausage, and beef. The soup has a light, tangy tomato flavor with a hint of the sea. There is a vendor right next to our building that sells Bun rieu (you can have it for breakfast), but we also have some other recommendations for you:

Where to get Bun rieu in Hanoi:
42 Hoa Ma St. (450m away, only 5 mins walk)
32 Nguyen Sieu St.
11A Hang Bac St.
 

2. Stir fried noodles (pho xao)

This is like Vietnam’s version of chow mien, using pho noodles! The rice noodles are wok fried with greens and beef. This is a good alternative for if you get bored with noodle soup (though we don’t see how that’s possible).

Where to get Pho xao in Hanoi:
11 Hang Buom St.
45B Bat Dan St.

3. Rolled Pho, deep fried Pho (pho cuon, pho chien phong)

Pho has long been a popular dish in Vietnam. However, there are many other style of pho that might be a bit less popular, but is absolutely not less delicious. For rolled pho, the noodles are pressed like the rice paper roll, and then herbs and stir-fried beef is added into the roll. Deep fried pho is also made with the pressed thin pho, which crisps up really flakey and crunchy.

Where to get Pho cuon and Pho chien phong in Hanoi:
Hung Ben Restaurant, 35 Nguyen Khac Hieu St. (on the corner of Nguyen Khac Hieu St. and Ngu Xa St.) (they have stir fried pho (no. 2) as well, so you can try all these 3 alternatives to traditional pho at the same place)
 

4. Vermicelli & tofu with shrimp paste (bun dau mam tom)

This dish consists of fried tofu, fishcakes, pork, and tightly compressed vermicelli noodle “patties” cut into cubes. These are then eaten dipped into a shrimp paste and accompanied with fresh herbs (as everything in Hanoi is). Yum! But beware, the shrimp paste is super pungent so only a tiny dab will do!

Where to get Bun dau in Hanoi:
Alley 31 Hang Khay St. (walk down the small alleyway to get inside) (normally, you can only have Bun dau for lunch. However, this is the only place that is open from 10 AM to 8 PM)
Bun dau Trung Huong, 49 Phat Loc Alley
5 Ma May St.
 

There is also a street version of this. Eating on tiny stools on the sidewalk is the ultimate Vietnamese dining experience; so don’t be afraid to try it! Ladies who make this can be found anywhere on the sidewalk, but to make it easier for you, we also have an address: 26 Ly Thuong Kiet St. (she sits on the sidewalk in front of this house)
 

5. Steamed pork wraps (banh cuon)

Banh cuon is made with a pork and mushroom filling wrapped in freshly steamed rice paper, then topped with crunchy fried shallots. Fish sauce, chilis, and fresh herbs are served alongside. Eat it all in one bite for maximum deliciousness! Often, cinnamon pork will be offered as an accompaniment too. You won’t miss banh cuon vendors! They’re the ones sitting next to a big steamer with buckets of rice flour mix.

Where to get Banh cuon in Hanoi:
The most popular one is at Banh Cuon Gia Truyen Thanh Van (find them on TripAdvisor for more reviews), located at 14 Hang Ga St. and 81 Le Van Huu (650m away, 8 mins walk from Aritex Building). However, you can find banh cuon vendors everywhere and they are all just as good.
 

6. Vietnamese sandwich (banh mi)

Vietnamese sandwich is one of the most ingenious France-meets-Asia creations ever! A fluffy baguette is stuffed with pate, cold cuts, cucumber, and pickled carrots & dikon.

Where to get Banh mi in Hanoi:
There is a banh mi cart that is opposite to our building. Other banh mi carts can also be found almost anywhere on the streets of Hanoi.
 

7. Sticky rice (xoi)

The concept is simple: sticky rice with various toppings. Most popular toppings include fried egg, braised pork belly, minced pork sausage (gio), chinese sausage (lap xuong)... This is one of Hanoians' go-to breakfasts!

Where to get Xoi in Hanoi:
Xoi Yen, 35 Nguyen Huu Huan St.
57 Tho Nhuom St.
27 Hang Bai St. or simply find the small vendor on the sidewalk of Ham Long St. (24-26 Ham Long St., 600m away, 7 mins walk from Aritex Building)
 

8. Grilled pork & vermicelli (bun cha)

Bun cha just means “grilled pork”, but you get so much more! First, you get two different kinds of pork: strips of meat and minced pork patties. These are soaked in a light fish sauce soup. You can dress up the soup by dumping in red chilli and minced garlic. You also get a plate of vermicelli noodles and a mountain of fresh herbs. Everything is dipped into the soup before delivering to mouth. It's like a deconstructed vermicelli bowl. You can also add a couple of crab spring rolls to round out the meal.

Where to get Bun cha in Hanoi:
34 Hang Than St.
1 Tran Xuan Soan St. (450m away, 6 mins walk)
38 Mai Hac De St. 24 Le Van Huu St. (President Obama had bun cha here when he visited Hanoi) (450m away, 6 mins walk)

9. Hanoi chicken vermicelli (bun thang)

With nearly 20 ingredients, “bun thang” (vermicelli in chicken soup) is the dish whose cooking method requires the scrupulousness, care and sophistication of the cook. The dish is also one of the typical dishes containing innumerable quintessence of Hanoi’s culinary. Vermicelli is put in large bowls, ornamented on the surface with thin omelet, lean meat pie, chipped pork… then poured with hot chicken broth.

Where to get Bun thang in Hanoi:
48 Cau Go St.
33 Hang Hom St.
29 Hang Manh St.
 

10. Snail noodle soup (bun oc)

Snail noodle soup is a fairly Best Vietnamese Food that can be found everywhere in Hanoi and seems rather simple to cook. However, it is not at all easy to serve the best Snail noodle that makes all diners toothsome and want to try again. This dish should actually be prepared by skilled cooks who know very well how to create a harmonious combination of many spices. A delicious hot bowl of snail noodle eaten on a cold day may well be considered the quintessence of Hanoi cuisine.

Where to get Bun oc in Hanoi:
6 Hang Chai St.
21 Quang Trung St.
 

Bonus!

Egg coffee is a Hanoi specialty! A raw egg yolk is whipped furiously (seriously, we heard the beater on for like 5 minutes non-stop) with the famous drip coffee and sweetened condensed milk. This creates a concoction that is so thick and creamy, almost like custard. And the most amazing thing: it tastes like creme brulee! Somehow, the egg takes away almost all the coffee flavor. It’s like a dessert and caffeine fix in one. This is a MUST TRY when visiting Hanoi!

Where to get Egg coffee in Hanoi:
Egg coffee is not available at every café! Some cafés that serve egg coffee are:
Cafe Giang, 39 Nguyen Huu Huan St.
Cafe Dinh, 13 Dinh Tien Hoang St.