Hanoi is a city that you truly experience through your sense of taste. Every sidewalk is a potential dining room, and every narrow alleyway seems to hide a secret recipe passed down through generations. If you want to understand the heart of this capital city, you have to leave the fancy restaurants behind and pull up a plastic stool on the street. A street food tour is the best way to dive into this world without feeling overwhelmed.
Here is a guide to the most essential local dishes you should try to capture the authentic flavour of Hanoi.
Starting with Banh Cuon
A great way to begin any food journey in Hanoi is with Banh Cuon. These are delicate, steamed rice pancakes that are incredibly light. You will often see a cook sitting outside a shop working over a large steel pot filled with boiling water. They spread a thin layer of rice batter over a piece of cloth stretched across the pot, creating a paper-thin crepe in seconds.
The pancakes are usually filled with a mix of seasoned ground pork and wood ear mushrooms. They are served with a side of fried shallots and a bowl of dipping sauce made from fish sauce, lime, and chilli. The balance of the soft rice wrap and the savoury filling is the perfect introduction to the subtle flavours of northern Vietnamese cuisine.
The Iconic Bun Cha
If there is one dish that defines Hanoi, it is Bun Cha. This was famously the meal that Anthony Bourdain shared with Barack Obama, and it remains a local favourite. The dish consists of charcoal-grilled pork patties and slices of pork belly served in a bowl of warm, sweet and sour dipping broth.
When you order Bun Cha, you get a plate of fresh rice noodles and a massive pile of local herbs and greens on the side. You dip the noodles into the broth and eat them along with the smoky pork. Many places, like the popular Bun Cha Ta in the Old Quarter, also serve crispy fried spring rolls as a side. It is a hearty and satisfying meal that perfectly captures the smoky aroma of the city’s streets.
Pairing with Bia Hà Nội
While you are enjoying your Bun Cha, it is only right to pair it with a Bia Hà Nội. This is the local beer of the capital and is a staple of the street food scene. It is a light and refreshing lager that helps cut through the richness of the grilled pork and the fried spring rolls. Drinking a cold local beer while sitting on a busy sidewalk is one of those simple pleasures that makes you feel like a true Hanoian.
A Refreshing Break: Nom Thit Bo Kho
If you are looking for something a bit lighter between the noodle dishes, look for Nom Thit Bo Kho. This is a green papaya salad topped with strips of dried beef. The salad is dressed with a tangy vinaigrette and topped with roasted peanuts and fresh herbs. It is crunchy, spicy, and sour all at once. It is a very popular snack for locals in the afternoon and offers a great contrast to the warmer, heavier dishes.
The Famous Egg Coffee (Ca Phe Trung)
You cannot finish a food tour in Hanoi without trying Egg Coffee. While the name might sound unusual, the taste is more like a liquid tiramisu than a breakfast drink. It was invented in the 1940s when milk was scarce, and a local bartender used whisked egg yolks as a substitute to create a creamy topping.
The drink consists of a shot of strong Vietnamese robusta coffee topped with a thick, airy foam made from egg yolks and condensed milk. It is so rich that you usually eat the foam with a small spoon before drinking the coffee underneath. Whether you go to a traditional spot or a modern cafe like the Hanoi Egg Coffee shop, it is a sweet and creamy treat that you will probably find yourself craving long after you leave the city.
