Best Street Food in Hanoi: Where to Find the Must-Try Dishes

Considered a gastronomic paradise, Hanoi, Vietnam, boasts a varied and mouthwatering street food scene. Rich in history and vivid in culture, Hanoi presents a distinctive and unforgettable dining experience. Finding the best street food in Hanoi is a trip worth doing regardless of your taste in cuisine or travel curiosity. Let MOTOGO Tours explore.

Overview of Hanoi’s Street Food Scene

The Culture of Street Food in Hanoi

In Hanoi, street food is a way of life rather than just a fast bite. With every mouthful, vendors—many of whom have been presenting the same foods for decades—offers you a taste of history. You will find them in alleyways, on street corners, and even in busy markets. Street cuisine is especially unique here because of the harmony between modern ingredients and traditional cooking methods that spans time. Every meal captures Vietnamese commitment to harmonic tastes and textures.

Why Street Food in Hanoi is Unique?

Hanoi’s street cuisine distinguishes itself with its simplicity yet strong taste. Though most meals call for a small number of ingredients, the way they are cooked and blended produces a very unique dining experience. Fresh herbs, light broths, and careful mixing of salty, sweet, and sour components are stressed. Foodies from all around the world flutter to the capital for this harmony.

Top 13 Must-Try on Your Hanoi Street Food Tour

Starting a street food tour in Hanoi is like delving right into the lively gastronomic scene of Vietnam. Hanoi’s street cuisine will definitely leave a lasting impression with its ideal mix of fresh herbs, spices, and delectable tastes. All set to investigate the finest bits? Our carefully chosen selection of the twelve must-try delicacies for your Hanoi street food trip here.

1. Banh Mi: The Ultimate Vietnamese Sandwich

Inspired from the French baguette but with a delicious local touch, Banh mi is a famous Vietnamese sandwich. Banh mi is a fan favorite; crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and loaded with a range of flavorful contents including pork, chicken, or tofu. Go to Banh Mi 25 in the Old Quarter or Banh Mi Pho Co next to Hoan Kiem Lake if you wish the best of the best. Meaties just cannot miss the crispy pork belly found at Banh Mi Pho Co.

• Banh Mi 25: 25 Hang Ca, Hoan Kiem District
• Banh Mi Pho Co: 38 Dinh Liet, Hoan Kiem District

2. Pho: A National Treasure

Without Pho, the world-known beef noodle soup from Vietnam, no street food tour in Hanoi is whole. Fresh herbs, lime, and chile complement the aromatic broth, soft beef slices, and silky rice noodles to produce a dish that is both savory and soothing. Visit local legends Pho Ly Quoc Su, Pho Thin, or Pho Bat Dan for a first-rate Pho experience.

• Pho Bat Dan: 49 Bat Dan, Hoan Kiem District
• Pho Ly Quoc Su: 18 Le Truc, Ba Dinh District
• Pho Thin Bo Ho: 61 Dinh Tien Hoang, Hoan Kiem District

3. Bun Cha: Grilled Pork with Noodles

A mainstay of Hanoi’s street food scene, bun cha consists of barbecued pork, vermicelli noodles, and a strongly flavorful dipping sauce. One must-see since President Obama notably ate at Bun Cha Huong Lien. As an equally reasonably priced and equally great alternative, visit Bun Cha Ta in the Old Quarter.

• Bun Cha Huong Lien: 24 Le Van Huu, Hai Ba Trung District
• Bun Cha Ta: 21 Nguyen Huu Huan, Hoan Kiem District

4. Xoi: Savory Sticky Rice

Often topped with fried shallots, shredded chicken, or pig floss, xoi, or Vietnamese sticky rice, is a substantial and tasty meal. Perfect for beginning the day, this is a beloved breakfast meal in Hanoi. To have the best sticky rice, try it at Xoi Yen or Xoi Ba Son.

• Xoi Yen: 35B Nguyen Huu Huan, Hoan Kiem District
• Xoi Ga Hang Hom: 42 Hang Hom, Hoan Kiem District
• Xoi Ba Son: 44 Cau Go, Hoan Kiem District

5. Bun Dau Mam Tom: Tofu, Pork, and Fermented Shrimp Paste

Bun dau mam tom presents a special mix of fried tofu, vermicelli noodles, and fermented shrimp paste for the daring foodie. Though it’s a Hanoi specialty worth tasting, this meal can be an acquired taste. Visit Bun Dau Hang Khay or Bun Dau Co Hang to taste this regional favorite.

• Bun Dau Hang Khay: 31 Hang Khay, Hoan Kiem District
• Bun Dau Co Hang: 174 Xa Dan 2, Dong Da District

6. Che: A Sweet Delight

Particularly in hot summer, Che ( Vietnamese Sweet Soup) is Hanoi’s preferred dessert. Combining beans, sticky rice, jelly, and coconut syrup, this delicious soup is a rainbow. For a reviving bowl of this Vietnamese delicacy, visit Xoi Che Ba Thin or Che 4 Mua.

• Xoi Che Ba Thin: 1 Bat Dan, Hoan Kiem District
• Che 4 Mua: 4 Hang Can, Hoan Kiem District

7. Banh Ran: Fried Vietnamese Donuts

An tempting street food are banh, Vietnamese fried donuts, crispy on the surface and fluffy inside. Their sweet mung bean paste or savory contents make them a flexible delight. Snatch one from Banh Ran Gia Trinh or Banh Ran Hang Chieu.

• Banh Ran Gia Trinh: 16A Ly Nam De, Hoan Kiem District
• Banh Ran Hang Chieu: 52 Hang Chieu, Hoan Kiem District

8. Banh Trang Tron & Banh Trang Nuong: Rice Paper Snacks

Popular street cuisine especially as late munchies are banh trang tron (rice paper salad) and banh trang nuong (Vietnamese pizza). While banh trang nuong is grilled rice paper topped with egg, sausage, and more, banh trang tron is a concoction of rice paper, dried beef, mango, and herbs. Taste these Hanoi classics at Banh Trang Tron Chi Ba Beo.

• Banh Trang Tron Chi Ba Beo: 24B Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem District
• Banh Trang Tron Hang Trong: 86 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem District

9. Nom Bo Kho: Green Papaya and Beef Jerky Salad

Made with shredded green papaya, carrots, and savory beef jerky topped with herbs and peanuts, this fresh and tasty salad is. Perfect for a fast street food fix, it’s light, reviving. Savour it at Nom Bo Kho Ong Gia or Nom Bo Kho Co Van.

• Nom Bo Kho Ong Gia: 1 Nguyen Trung Truc, Ba Dinh District
• Nom Bo Kho Co Van: 16B Duong Thanh, Hoan Kiem District

10. Quay: Hot Bagel Twists

A must-try companion to Pho are quay, sometimes known as hot bagel twists. Dipped in soup, these crispy fried delicacies precisely pick up the tastes. To savor these soothing munchies, visit Quay Dui Ga or Quay Nong.

• Quay Dui Ga: 164 Thai Thinh, Dong Da District
• Quay Nong: 48 Hang Dieu, Hoan Kiem District

11. Banh Duc: Hot Plain Rice Flan

Perfect for cooler days is the basic but filling rice or maize flour meal known as banh duc. At its best, served hot with ground pork, fried onions, and herbs, it’s comfort cuisine. Banh Duc Trung Tu and Banh Duc Nong Co Noi have some of the best banh duc.

• Banh Duc Nong Co Noi: Alley 8, Le Ngoc Han, Hai Ba Trung District
• Banh Duc Nong Trung Tu: C4, Trung Tu Ward, Dong Da District

12. Nem Chua Ran: Fried Fermented Pork Rolls

Simply addicting, a deep- fried fermented pork roll called nem chua is a crispy, flavorful delicacy. Leave Hanoi not empty but rather trying it at Nem Chua Ran Tam Thuong or Nem Chua Ran Chi Hanh.

• Nem Chua Ran Tam Thuong: 36 Tam Thuong, Hoan Kiem District
• Nem Chua Ran Chi Hanh: 465 Doi Can, Ba Dinh District

13. Banh Tom – Shrimp Cake

Ha Noi specializes in banh tom, a crispy prawn cake created by deep-frying whole shrimp in a batter composed of sweet potato and rice flour. This is especially true around West Lake. The end effect is a golden, crunchy snack that goes great with fresh herbs and nuoc cham as a side. Offering a flavor of Ha Noi’s waterfront street food culture, banh tom is a great dish to enjoy when strolling by the lake.

Best Street Food Districts in Hanoi

Old Quarter: The Heart of Ha Noi’s Food Scene

Magic happens in the Hanoi Old Quarter. Food vendors ranging from freshly grilled skewers of meat to boiling pho abound on its little lanes. There appears to be fresh gastronomic surprise waiting for you everywhere.

Dong Xuan Market: A Street Food Haven

See Dong Xuan Market for an even more robust street food experience. From banh cuon to reviving sugarcane juice, this busy market boasts an infinite array of booths. The food is as varied as the individuals that come this energetic, disorderly location. Here you will find real tastes that distinguish Ha Noi’s street cuisine tradition. This market will not let you down whether your appetite calls for a little snack or a whole dinner.

Ta Hien Street: A Lively Food Experience

Often referred to as the “Beer Street,” Ta Hien Street is a must-visit for anybody looking to savor street food accompanied by nightlife. Locals and visitors abound in the street as the sun sets drinking cold beer and savoring traditional Ha Noi street cuisine like grilled shrimp and fried fermented pork, known as nem chua ran. The energetic surroundings here give your dinner more taste.

Ngo Dong Xuan Street: A Hidden Gem for Street Eats

Ngo Dong Xuan street is the location to visit if you’re searching for a street food venue somewhat more off the usual road. From pho cuon (rolling pho) to banh tom (shrimp cakes), this less well-known region is a treasure store of street food vendors. Though it’s a quieter choice than the busy Old Quarter, it nevertheless tastes and authentically real.

The street food scene in Ha Noi is a vivid, taste sensation just waiting to be discovered. Every mouthful of Pho in the Old Quarter, a banh mi from a street seller, or the smoky richness of Bun Cha reveals the rich culinary legacy of Ha Noi.