By Rhonda Carrier
As you stroll through Hanoi, you’ll find yourself spoiled for choice when it comes to food options. Read on to discover the best of what’s on offer on the streets of the Vietnamese capital.
Fresh, light and gluten- and dairy-free, Vietnamese street food is one of the healthiest cuisines in the world. It’s also one of the most delicious, thanks in part to the liberal use of herbs, lime juice and chilli. And Hanoi is one of the best places to start getting to know it, and with Culture Trip you can enjoy a street food tour of the capital on our immersive 12-day Vietnam adventure, led by our Local Insider. Here, you’ll find some favoured Vietnamese street-food dishes, along with the best venues at which to sample them around the city.
* BEEF PHO (beef noodle soup)
Usually consumed at breakfast or lunch, this iconic soup made with beef and beef stock, ginger, cinnamon, black cardamom, star anise and nam pla fish sauce may well be the unofficial Vietnamese national dish, but it has its heart in the country’s capital, where you’ll find the best examples. Among the top places to try it are atmospheric, hole-in-the-wall Phở Bát Đàn, a local favourite selling only three types of beef phở and one side dish, youtiao (‘Chinese churro’), to dip into the unctuous broth.
* GRILLED PORK WITH NOODLES/ HANOI GRILLED PORK VERMICELLI (Bún chả)
The capital’s lunchtime stand-by is easy to hunt down – just follow your nose or look out for the clouds of smoke rising from charcoal grills all around the city, charring fatty pork to be served in broth with white-rice noodles, herbs, nam pla and a dipping sauce. This is what Barack Obama and Anthony Bourdain ate during their famous meal in the city documented in Parts Unknown. In 1959, food writer Vu Bang said that Hanoi was a town “transfixed by bún chả.” Try it at Bun Cha Ta in the Old Quarter, where the genial staff will show you how to eat it properly.
* SHRIMP CAKES (Bánh tom)
These deep-fried patties from Hanoi’s West Lake are made using shrimp fished from the waters by torchlight at night-time. Historic Bánh Tôm Hồ Tây may be criticised for its service and somewhat elevated prices, but locals and visitors alike flock here for shrimp cakes made to a recipe handed down through generations of the same family, accompanied by chilled local draft beer and lake views.
* STEAMED RICE ROLLS (Bánh cuốn)
This classic Hanoi dish of pancakes filled with a mix of rich pork, shrimp or chicken, mushrooms, shallots, and nam pla is the most popular breakfast food in the country. Try it at the Old Quarter’s Bánh Cuốn Gia Truyền, which often features on Hanoi street food tours, and where you can see the rolls being hand-made at the front of the store.
* STICKY RICE ICE CREAM (Kem xôi) and SWEET SOUP (Chè thập cẩm)
These traditional Vietnamese desserts – the first a sweet sticky rice topped with ice cream and roasted coconut, the second consisting of ice, taro, red beans and coconut milk served in a glass – are best sampled at Chè Hương Hải 93 Hàng Bạc, a gem of a place with a few indoor and outdoor seats, a vast menu and almost ludicrously low prices. Be prepared to wait at weekends.
Source: https://theculturetrip.com/asia/vietnam/articles/a-guide-to-street-food-in-hanoi/
4 comments
I love the simplicity and whatever magic T-ZO has done to truly perfect the way the pho stays fresh is really amazing. The Northern style pho is amazingly flavorful and delicious. I truly enjoyed the savory taste. I travel a lot for work, so it was nice to have the meals on hand so that I have options that are quick and easy to prepare after a long day of work and flying home after.
I used to wish a pho shop here would serve Northern style. Every pho shop around me (Southwest Virginia) is super sweet. I prefer the more savory flavors. Luckily, I accidentally found this company, I had ordered pho from them. It was tasty and flavorful; the broth was clean and savory. I really love this pho style. By the way, the delivery was fast as well
I have ordered Hanoi style beef pho from T-Zo. It is so delicious and flavorful! I kinda get addicted to the pho whenever I think about eating pho. It is absolutely different from what we regularly try in other Vietnamese restaurants!
I’ve got opportunities to travel to Hanoi a couple of times! The street foods there were amazing! The Hanoi pho is really different from the pho served by Vietnamese restaurants in the U.S. I feel like the Hanoi style pho is more healthy with its cleaner and savory broth.
The grilled pork is …..OMG!!! It is a MUST-TRY food!
I’m glad that I have found T-ZO so now I don’t have to wait until the next trip to Hanoi again to enjoy my favorite dishes. I can now eat the dishes anytime I want and ….conveniently at home