Hanoi Food: 20 hand-picked places

A restaurant serving traditional Vietnamese dishes alongside vegetarian options. Choose local favourites such as bún chả, Hanoi-style grilled fish and phở. The generously filled spring rolls, wrapped in delicate rice paper, are also popular.

A cosy Vietnamese restaurant with lanterns filling the ceiling. Enjoy beef pho, seafood dishes and spring rolls.

Enjoy Vietnamese home-style dishes and northern cuisine, with the chance to make them yourself in a cooking class. The lemongrass chicken and pomelo salad are fresh and fragrant, and Vietnamese coffee and cocktails are also available. Set in an old French-style building with a garden terrace and piano, it’s a relaxing place to dine.

A large buffet focused on seafood and Vietnamese dishes, with sushi and sashimi too. Enjoy steamed crab, grilled shrimp, cheese-topped grilled oysters and desserts all in one place.

A restaurant serving home-style dishes from across southern, central, and northern Vietnam. Its clam soup with tomato and pineapple balances tender clams with a sweet-and-sour broth. In the evening, traditional music adds to the dining atmosphere.

An Old Quarter restaurant serving bún chả and Vietnamese home-style dishes. The generous portion of bún chả comes with plenty of herbs and vegetables, and tastes fresh and full of flavour. The compact, tidy dining room is well ventilated.

A restaurant specialising in Hanoi-style chả cá. Turmeric-marinated fish is cooked at the table with dill and spring onions, then served with rice noodles, herbs, peanuts and shrimp paste. The fish’s savoury flavour is complemented by fragrant herbs and the umami of the shrimp paste.

A good spot for sharing Vietnamese home-style dishes. The green mango seafood salad pairs tangy mango with seafood, and banana blossom chicken salad is also on the menu. The homey interior makes it easy to enjoy a relaxed meal.

A restaurant putting a modern spin on Vietnamese cuisine, with vegetarian and vegan options. Standout dishes include bánh xèo, fresh spring rolls, and chicken skewers. The fried tofu with peanut sauce is also a treat. A cozy, peaceful interior makes it a pleasant place to dine.

A small, family-run Vietnamese restaurant serving bún chả alongside vegetarian dishes. The grilled meat and crispy nem rán are especially popular. Vegan standouts include vegetable nem rán and papaya salad.

A hotel restaurant pairing Vietnamese cuisine with European flair. Bún chả and pork herb spring rolls retain familiar Vietnamese flavors, and go well with wine. By the ninth-floor window, enjoy a relaxed meal while taking in the city lights.

A restaurant reimagining traditional dishes from Vietnam’s three regions. Its crab spring rolls are crisp outside and crunchy inside, while coconut cream prawns and pork ribs are also house favorites. Dine in a French-style villa surrounded by a tropical garden, with a pool.

A Vietnamese restaurant giving lotus ingredients a modern twist. Brown rice wrapped in lotus leaves and grilled beef ribs are rich and savory, while the lotus root salad is fresh and crisp. With both meat dishes and vegetarian options, there’s something to suit different tastes.

A restaurant serving central Vietnamese cuisine from Quảng Nam and Đà Nẵng. Its mì Quảng, a noodle dish with shrimp and meat, is rich and savory.

A restaurant serving northwestern Vietnamese mountain cuisine rooted in Hmong, Tày, Mường and Thái traditions. The menu features less familiar dishes such as five-colour sticky rice and pork with taro; the taro pork is richly seasoned. The spacious dining room, decorated with traditional touches, works well for group meals.

A restaurant serving Hanoi-style bún chả: charcoal-grilled pork and pork patties with rice vermicelli and fresh herbs, dipped in a savory, smoky broth.

An American-style café and restaurant serving sweet waffles alongside savory brunch favorites. The freshly made waffles are a highlight, as are the chicken and waffles and eggs Benedict. Sit on the balcony to enjoy a view of West Lake.

A bistro and cafe serving Vietnamese home-style dishes alongside vegetarian options. Its thin, crispy bánh xèo is wrapped with fresh greens in rice paper. Pair a meal with Vietnamese coffee or craft beer.

A restaurant serving dishes from three regions of Vietnam. The smoked chicken has a gentle smoky aroma, while the pigeon fried rice stands out for its distinctive fragrance.

Xôi Yến serves Vietnamese sticky rice (xôi) with a choice of toppings. Xôi xéo with mung beans and crispy shallots is a hearty, savory favorite, especially with meat or egg. A good choice for breakfast or a late meal.