10 Must-Try Dishes in Hanoi

Hanoi’s cuisine is one of the attractions that draws tourists from all over the world to this thousand-year-old land of culture. The most famous dish in Hanoi is pho, but there are many other dishes, from luxurious to humble “street food,” that tourists shouldn’t miss the chance to try.

1. Snail Noodle Soup (Bún ốc)

Hanoi’s snail noodle soup
A steaming hot bowl of snail noodle soup today is a variation of the traditional cold snail noodle soup.

This is one of the dishes that anyone who has lived in Hanoi and gone away will remember fondly, especially women. The bowl of snail noodle soup has the sourness of fermented vinegar, the crunchy and rich flavor of snails, served with fried tofu, fresh vegetables… Preparing snail noodle soup isn’t difficult, but a delicious bowl of it is still a secret of each person. In Hanoi, you can enjoy this dish at: Ba Sau’s Snail Noodle Soup – 73A Mai Hac De Street (open from morning to noon), Ba Luong’s Snail Noodle Soup on Khuong Thuong Street, Co Beo’s Snail Noodle Soup at 1 Hoe Nhai Street, and snail noodle soup at Nguyen Cao Market (5 Dong Mac Street, Dong Mac Ward, Hai Ba Trung District). Prices start from 20,000 VND/bowl.

2. Dried Beef Salad
   Hanoi’s dried beef salad is a favorite snack for many women.

The main ingredients are green papaya, dried beef, herbs, and especially the sweet and sour fish sauce drizzled on top. You can easily find many places selling this dish, however, if you want to enjoy a truly delicious plate of salad, you should go to: Hue Salad Shop on Ham Long Street, opposite Ham Long Church (Beef salad, mixed salad, beef tendon salad, liver and spleen salad…); Long Vĩ Ôn restaurant at 23 Hoan Kiem Street (the restaurant with the man in the black shirt)… prices start from 20,000 VND/serving.

3. Ba Hong’s Pork Ear Salad
   Ba Hong’s pork ear salad restaurant has been around for hundreds of years.

A popular street food, pork ear salad is loved by many. Pork ear salad is simply cleaned, steamed, thinly sliced, mixed with roasted rice powder, and eaten with rice paper, fig leaves, pickled figs, fresh vegetables, and dipped in sweet fish sauce. The crispy texture of the pork ear blends with the rich, savory flavor of the roasted rice powder, the freshness of the vegetables, and the sweet taste of the dipping sauce, creating an extremely enjoyable experience for diners. When in Hanoi, remember to visit Ba Hong’s pork ear salad restaurant to try this dish. Price: 250,000 VND/1kg of pork ear salad, 80,000 VND/serving for 2 people. Opening hours: 6:00 AM – 11:00 PM. Address: 35 Hang Thung Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi.

4. Grilled Chicken Feet
   Grilled chicken feet over charcoal embers, incredibly fragrant.

In Hanoi, the most famous place for grilled chicken feet is Ly Van Phuc Street (a small street off Nguyen Thai Hoc Street). The chicken wings and feet are grilled to perfection, served with sweet potatoes and bread with honey, pickled cucumbers, and a little chili sauce… a delicious dish you can’t resist. The entire Ly Van Phuc Street sells grilled chicken feet, but diners say the last stall is the best. For only 50,000 VND/person, you can have a fantastic grilled chicken feet feast.

5. Boiled Snails
   Boiled snails are delicious with pickled figs.

The most special thing about boiled snails in Hanoi is the dipping sauce. Many snail restaurants have made a name for themselves thanks to their unique dipping sauce. Hanoians eat boiled snails with chopped lemongrass, lime leaves, and sometimes even cucumber and jicama. For delicious boiled snails, you can visit Ngao, Oc ​​restaurant on Luong Dinh Cua street (the section turning to Pham Ngoc Thach); the snail restaurant at 1 Dinh Liet; the snail restaurant at the beginning of Ham Long street opposite the church; Lan Binh Hot Snail restaurant at 18 Hang Be (in the back house, through an alley); the boiled snail restaurant in Trai Gang market (near the intersection of Bach Mai and Thanh Nhan streets)… Boiled snails are usually sold from afternoon until late at night.

6. Bun Cha (Grilled Pork with Vermicelli)
   Hanoi’s Bun Cha is delicious thanks to the marinating of the meat and the secret dipping sauce recipe.

Hanoi’s Bun Cha has now spread to many provinces and cities across the country. Among the many quintessential dishes of Hanoi, bun cha (grilled pork with vermicelli) seems to easily suit the tastes of diners from all over. Thinly sliced ​​pork, marinated with spices, grilled over charcoal, then dipped into a sauce made with vinegar, sugar, and lime, served with vermicelli and fresh vegetables… is incredibly delicious. However, eating bun cha in Hanoi has a unique charm: adding mint, a special aromatic herb from Lang village – Hanoi. You can enjoy delicious bun cha at 34 Hang Than Street, Hanoi.

7. Trang Tien Ice Cream
   Hanoi residents love Trang Tien ice cream even in the cold winter.

Located in the heart of Hanoi, this ice cream shop dates back to the subsidy era and has become a cultural icon that Hanoians remember wherever they go. Trang Tien ice cream is unlike industrially produced ice cream; it has a cool, subtly sweet, fragrant, and rich flavor. The original Trang Tien ice cream shop on Trang Tien Street is always crowded year-round, even on bitterly cold winter days. The original Trang Tien ice cream shop is located at: 35 Trang Tien Street (near Ho Guom Lake).