9 things a local expert says you should do in Hanoi

11.11.2024 - 20:03 / lonelyplanet.com

Nov 11, 2024 • 8 min read

Born in a small village near the capital, I moved to Hanoi nearly 20 years ago.

So the city is simultaneously deeply familiar and curiously foreign to me. It feels like a big village that grew into a sprawling metropolis, yet never lost its soul. 

Hanoi can be chaotic, messy and charming – and it’s never boring. Ancient pagodas and temples share space with new shiny buildings. And since urban life is lived largely on the sidewalks, visitors can get a real-time showcase of the habits and people that define the city.

These nine experiences will help you discover the Hanoi I know so well.  

If, like me, you like to get to know a new city by finding its best local food spots, you’re in for quite the adventure in Hanoi. This city lives and breathes street food, with incredible smells tempting you around every corner.

You’ve probably heard of pho, the bowl of fragrant broth and rice noodles that first put Vietnamese cuisine on the world map. And if you ask 10 locals where to find Hanoi’s best pho, you’ll surely get 10 different answers. Everyone has their favorite address, usually a tiny street-side joint where the same family has been perfecting its recipe for generations.

I recommend Pho Gia Truyen Bat Dan for standout soup and quality beef, Pho Thin Lo Duc for creative stir-fried beef and Pho Ga Nguyet for a chicken version. If you’re looking for an exciting local experience, try to get into the quirky Pho Bung Hang Trong, where you can enjoy a lovely bowl of beef pho in someone’s bedroom.

Street food in Hanoi extends well beyond pho. At Bach Phuong, the bun bo nam bo (beef noodle salad) has sweet flavor influences from the South. Banh Cuon Gia Truyen Thanh Van serves traditional steamed rice-paper rolls with different fillings. You can find bun cha, a popular dish including char-grilled sliced pork belly and meat patties served with herbs and thin rice noodles, basically everywhere in Hanoi; Bun Cha Que Tre and Bun Cha Huong Lien are two of my favorites.

Light and cheap fresh beer normally served right on streets, bia hoi is one of the best things to try in Hanoi. Hanoians drink bia hoi in the afternoon, right after a football match or in a meet-up with friends after work. P Ta Hien in Hanoi’s Old Quarter is also known as “Beer Street”; you can always find a lively place here. If you want to add snacks and other food, stop in at Nha Hang Lan Chin (3 P Hang Thung).

Local tip: Always have cash with you to pay at street-food spots. If the food somewhere catches your eye, walk right in, or grab a table on the sidewalk. You may discover an exciting new place for yourself.

Hanoi’s coffee scene is vibrant and diverse, and one of my favorite weekend hobbies is visiting different coffee shops in