Restaurants in Hanoi
Restaurants and food vendors across the
city offer a variety of culinary delights with everything from a simple
bowl of noodle soup at the roadside to a three-course meal at an up
market establishment.
Where you choose to eat depends on your
tastes, background and budget; backpackers will find they can eat for a
few dollars at many of the places tucked in the labyrinth of streets
around the lake while those on package tours will find the quality
hotels offering a high standard of food at obviously higher prices.
Wander anywhere in the city however and
you’ll find places to eat that on the whole won’t break the bank for a
meal of fairly decent quality. If you like to really get into the spirit
of things when visiting a foreign country then do check out some of the
delights being offered by roadside vendors, they are crazily cheap and
are often only offered at such places.
Food markets are also a good place to visit; there are invariably hot and cold foods on offer which are often ideal for a snack if you are out and about sightseeing.
Food markets are also a good place to visit; there are invariably hot and cold foods on offer which are often ideal for a snack if you are out and about sightseeing.
Expats have of course made their mark on
Hanoi and a number of typically tourist establishments have sprung up
to cater for them. These venues are largely drinking holes but some
offer food also so if you want to eat something western while in the
city, then look for somewhere with a typically English name such as Al
Fresco\'s, Hot Rock Cafe, Moca Cafe and Red Onion Bistro.
First timers will find a decent
selection of good restaurants near Hoan Kiem Lake, while some good
French Restaurants are tucked away in the old town area. Unlike
Thailand, for example, there aren’t an abundance of eating venues
catering to the locals, as Hanoins are fairly most and often eat at
pavement noodle shops, sometime literally preparing food on the spot
with a gas cooker boiling pot and tiny stools.
Local cuisine
Northern cuisine takes many influences
from China due to its proximity with the country and as result rice and
noodles are a predominant feature. Noodles are especially popular and
it’s not uncommon for locals to eat three noodle-meals a day these are
famously know as Pho, and you’ll notice the word Com Pho advertising
noodle shops all over the place.
Noodle stands selling noodle soup in
various guises can be found everywhere around the city and rich and poor
alike stop kerbside to grab breakfast, lunch and often dinner from
these ubiquitous and most popular of food vendors. Pho or beef noodle
soup is perhaps the most famous of all noodle soup dishes and can be
found at 99 per cent of roadside stalls.
As a general rule dishes in the north
are heavier on meat and lighter on vegetables on account of the climate
being less suitable for the latter than in the south of the country.
Food is not especially spicy and black pepper is more commonly used than
chillies.
The French also left their mark on the
city’s cuisine with plain baguettes commonly available from roadside
sellers and eateries offering Banh Mi Thit which is a Vietnamese
sandwich containing pate, cold meats and vegetables.
- Hanoi travel guide
- Vietnam tour package
- Eating and Dinning in Hanoi
