The Best Hanoi Restaurants and Cafes ( Part 3 )
30/08/22
Mục lục
Pho Ga (Chicken Noodle Soup)
Tucked away on an alley near the Hanoi Hilton, Pho Lam serves the kind of Chicken Pho that we could easily eat every day without getting bored. Eating here is a full-on experience starting with the women cooking the soup over coals and continuing inside the bare-bones restaurant with long community tables and wooden benches.
It’s the soup, though, that steals the show with its clear broth and tender chicken. Don’t even get us started on the condiments…
Phở Lâm is located at 7 Nam Ngư, Cửa Nam, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam.
Watch our Hanoi Pho video to see us in action eating some of Hanoi’s best Pho.
Cha Ca (Grilled & Fried Fish with Rice Noodles)
We fell in love with the Hanoi food scene while eating Cha Ca at our first lunch at non-touristy Cha Ca Phan. Cha Ca, a Northern Vietnamese specialty involves pan-fried chunks of meaty, fatty skinned fish, turmeric, dill, peanuts, shrimp paste and rice noodles. If you haven’t tried it before, then Cha Ca may be the most unique food to try in Hanoi.
Watch our Hanoi Cha Ca video to see what it’s like to eat Cha Ca in Hanoi.
If you have limited time, you can eat Cha Ca in Hanoi’s Old Quarter where an entire street is dedicated to the popular dish. On this street, you’ll find the most famous Cha Ca restaurant which is called Cha Ca La Vọng.
Cha Ca Phan is located at 84 Trần Quốc Toản, Trần Hưng Đạo, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam.
Chả Cá Lã Vọng is located at 107 Nguyen Truong To, Quan Thanh, Ba Dinh, Hanoi, Vietnam.
Bun Cha (Grilled Pork & Noodles)
If Pho is Hanoi’s number one dish, then Bun Cha is easily number two when it comes to being a Hanoi local food favorite. And who can blame the locals for loving this dish where grilled pork and rice noodles are the stars and fresh herbs, sliced papaya, red chili and garlic are the supporting players? If these ingredients aren’t enough for you, then add fried spring rolls called Nem to the mix.
Watch our Hanoi Bun Cha video to see the full Bun Cha dining experience.
Similar to Pho, you will find Bun Cha restaurants all over the city. After eating at several different Bun Cha restaurants, we consider Bun Cha Hang Quat our favorite.
Though somewhat hidden in an alley, the Old Quarter restaurant does a brisk business by serving freshly made bun cha to the starving masses for just four hours a day from 10 am to 2 pm. Go early to get a good seat and beat crowd seeking the best bun in Hanoi.
Fun Fact
Bun Cha achieved international fame when Anthony Bourdain and Barak Obama sat on little chairs to eat the noodle dish at Bún Chả Hương Liên. Though we found the food here to be above average, we were less impressed by the higher prices and surly service. Even still, it’s a fun spot to eat Bun Cha amid photos of two of Hanoi’s most acclaimed visitors.
Bun Cha Hang Quat is located at 74 Hàng Quạt, Hàng Gai, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam.
Bún Chả Hương Liên is located at 24 Lê Văn Hưu, Phan Chu Trinh, Hai Bà Trưng, Hà Nội, Vietnam
Xoi (Sticky Rice)
Sticky rice may be the ultimate Hanoi comfort food. We especially like the version at popular Xoi Yen where they flavor the glutinous rice with green mung bean paste and lots of chicken fat.
Topped with meat and paired with a cheap bottle of beer, Hanoi sticky rice is a true guilty pleasure.
Xôi Yến is located at 35B Nguyễn Hữu Huân, Lý Thái Tổ, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam.
Bun Bo Nam Bo (Beef & Noodles)
No worries if you don’t eat pork – head over to Bun Bo Nam Bo for the Southern Vietnamese dish that inspired this Hanoi restaurant’s name.
Unlike Pho and Bun Cha, this dish is not a Hanoi creation. It’s still worth eating in Hanoi at Bun Bo Nam Bo for the melange of ingredients (grilled beef, veggies, herbs, peanuts and crispy onions) artfully served together in one big bowl.
Pro Tip
When you eat Bun Bo Nam Bo, be sure to add fresh lime juice and chili sauce for maximum flavor.
Bun Bo Nam Bo is located at 67 Hàng Điếu, Cửa Đông Hoàn Kiếm Hà Nội, Vietnam.
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