Top 10 Old Quarter Foods to Try on Hanoi Tours (With Address)

Top 10 Must-Try Hanoi Old Quarter food (With Map & Address)

1.  Bun Cha – Grilled Pork with Noodles

• Recommended Spot: Bun Cha Huong Lien – 24 Le Van Huu (or their Old Quarter branch)

Bun Cha dish that charmed both President Obama and the late Anthony Bourdain. This noodle dish takes grilled pork belly and a pork patty, douses them in warm, sweet-savory fish sauce dipping sauce, and blankets them next to cold rice noodles, fresh herbs, and crisp greens.

The real magic comes over the charcoal grill – bun cha is all about that smoky smell and that juicy texture, perfectly balanced by that tang in the dipping bowl and the crunch of lettuce. Ask any local, and they’ll tell you: nothing says lunch in Hanoi like bun cha grilling on a street corner..

Experience Tip: Arrive before 11:30 AM to get your meat fresh off the grill and avoid lines.

Price Range: 50,000 – 70,000 VND

Bun Cha At Bun Cha Huong Lien (Source: ador)

2. Pho Bo – Hanoi-style Beef Noodle Soup

• Recommended Spot: Pho Gia Truyen Bat Dan – 49 Bat Dan

No collection of bites and bowls in Hanoi is complete without pho bo steaming bowl of aromatic beef broth, soft rice noodles, thin slices of beef, and a scattering of fresh herbs. At Pho Gia Truyen, the broth is boiled for hours with roasted bones and secret spices that residents have known and loved for decades.

• Experience Tip: Expect to line up and don’t count on a chat with anyone. It’s a hushed, reverent operation for true pho disciples.
• Open Hours: Mornings only, from 6 AM until sold out
• Price Range: 40,000 - 60,000 VND

For other classic bites, make sure you check out our guide to Vietnamese food in Hanoi, which opens more doors to the untold stories behind Vietnamese cuisine, stories less known than the Hanoi Old Quarter food icons in this guide.

Pho – Pho Gia Truyen Bat Dan (Source: mia)

3. Cha Ca La Vong – Turmeric Fish with Dill

• Recommended Spot: Cha Ca La Vong Restaurant – 17 Cha Ca Street

This is one of the most well-known meals in Hanoi, from the culinary past. Pioneered by the Doan family more than a century ago, this rich, golden dish boasts chunks of fish marinated with turmeric, pan-fried at the table in bubbling oil with aromatic dill and green onions. Served with rice noodles, roasted peanuts, and dipping sauce, it’s a must for the culinary bold.

• Experience Tip: This is a sit-down and wear-your-Friday-night-best experience, so give them a call to book a table on weekends.
• Price Range: 120,000 – 180,000 VND

Legendary on every Hanoi street food blog, this dish epitomizes the grace of Hanoi Old Quarter food like nothing else.

Cha Ca La Vong Restaurant (Source: baodaidoanket)

4. Banh Cuon – Steamed Rice Rolls

• Recommended Spot: Banh Cuon Ba Hanh – 26B Tho Xuong

Gossamer but intensely flavorful, banh cuon are constructed of wafer-thin, steamed sheets of rice batter filled with seasoned pork and mushroom, ear mushroom offering an earthy dimension, and crowned with crispy fried shallots. Eaten warm and accompanied by a light dipping sauce and fresh greens, it is a popular and comforting breakfast item.

• Experience Tip: Complement it with a hot soy milk for the authentic local feel. Get there early by 9 AM; this place is mostly packed.
•  Price Range: 30,000 – 50,000 VND

Tucked away in all of the Hanoi restaurants Old Quarter Tripadvisor sites, this little dish is a hidden gem of the street food restaurant world.

Banh Cuon Ba Hanh (Source: mytour)

5. Xoi Xeo – Sticky Rice with Mung Bean and Fried Shallots

• Recommended Spot: Xoi Yen – 35B Nguyen Huu Huan

Rise and shine, food lovers! Photo: Internet Nothing shouts local breakfast culture quite as loud as xoi xeo, a very simple but delicious offering in the food list of Hanoi Old Quarter food. This dish begins with tender and aromatic glutinous rice, which gets its golden hue from turmeric-infused oil, and noodles topped with creamy mashed mung beans and a handful of golden, crispy fried shallots.

But wait, there’s more! At Xoi Yen, you can personalize your serving with savory add-ons like braised pork belly, boiled chicken, Chinese sausage, or even fried eggs. With the toppings being so rich and the rice lending a gentle sweetness, it’s a meal that’s comfort food no matter when you serve it.

Why it’s iconic: Xoi xeo is adored for its simplicity and balance, protein-heavy and vegetarian-friendly friendly and deeply comforting. It’s Hanoi’s best grab-and-go street food, wrapped in paper, scalding hot in your hands as you walk the raucous streets of the Old Quarter.

• Experience Tip:  Be at the entrance before 9 AM to beat the lines! It’s a common local
•  Price Range: 30,000 – 50,000 VND

Xoi Xeo at Xoi Yen (Source: mia)

6. Banh Mi Pate – Vietnamese Baguette with Pate

• Recommended Spot: Banh Mi 25 – 25 Hang Ca

On a quest for the perfect balance of crunch, creaminess, and umami? Enter Banh Mi 25, a venerable institution in Hanoi Old Quarter food, and one of the most beautiful stops you can make on a Hanoi street food blog.

The bread? Crusty and chewy outside, pillowy inside. The filling? This dreamy combination, which includes rich pâté with creamy texture, traditional Vietnamese cold cuts, pickled carrot and daikon, cucumber, cilantro, and a little ping of spicy from chili, was delivered to my mouth. Put a drizzle of that house-made fish sauce on it, and you have one of the most beloved dishes in the city, one that is all texture, flavor, and local color.

Why it’s iconic: Banh mi might’ve been born in the South, but Hanoi does a leaner, meaner, more focused version centered on egg yolks and pâté. It’s a most inspired merger of French colonialism and Vietnamese street smarts.

• Experience Tip: Stick with the classic, but do check out their vegan options, tofu, mushrooms, and herbs filled with so much flavor.
•  Price Range: 25,000 – 45,000 VND

Highly rated on Hanoi restaurants Old Quarter Tripadvisor, this is a place to go for foodie and backpackers. Want to discover more iconic recipes like this one? For a full local breakdown, click on our curated guide on Vietnamese food in Hanoi .

Banh MI Paste at Banh Mi 25 (Source: NinhTito)

7. Nem Ran- Hanoi Fried Spring Rolls

• Recommended Spot: Quan An Ngon or vibrant beer corners near Ta Hien Street

If there’s a dish that epitomizes the crispy, golden caramelized soul of Hanoi old quarter food, it’s the ubiquitous nem ran, the fried spring roll. These golden packets are tightly folded around a seasoned blend of chopped pork meat, ear mushroom, vermicelli noodles, sometimes shrimp or crab, and gently deep-fried to crackling perfection.

Accompanied by a sweet-savory dipping sauce, a side of lettuce, fresh herbs, and rice vermicelli, nem ran, like the best versions of most foods, should be eaten hot, fresh from the fryer. Whether you’re sitting under lanterns at Quan An Ngon or perched on a stool with a freshly tapped bia hoi on Ta Hien Street, the atmosphere pulses with energy.

Why it’s iconic: Nem ran is a Tet holiday staple that has somehow transcended seasonal eating because of its bold flavors and flawless crunch. It represents exactly what’s so unforgettable about street food in Hanoi, flaring with flavor, shareable, and loaded with personality.

• Experience Tip: Ask the vendor for the pork & crab combo if available, it’s a local favorite.
•  Price Range: 40,000 – 70,000 VND

Nem Ran at Quan An Ngon (Source: vnexpress)

8. Kem Trang Tien – Hanoi Ice Cream Icon

• Recommended Spot: 35 Trang Tien Street (just steps from Ho Guom)

Let’s treat our Hanoi Old Quarter food walk to something sweet but chilly, nostalgic, and oh-so-lovely, and that something is Kem Trang Tien – the ice cream that Hanoians have grown up with for generations. Born in 1958, these ice cream flavors remain the same, no-nonsense old-school fare like green rice (com), chocolate, coconut, and…for ice cream connoisseurs, vanilla.

There’s something magical about wandering down Trang Tien Street, licking an ice cream bar, or lingering by the lakeside after a hearty round of noodle soups and banh cuon. And it’s more than dessert, it’s a cultural ritual.

Why it’s iconic: This is not your run-of-the-mill cone. It’s tradition on a stick. It still draws locals who queue up here on hot afternoons or post-dinner strolls to rekindle the memories of their youth. A visit to the capital’s culinary heart wouldn’t be the same without a taste.

• Experience Tip: Scoop up your ice cream and walk to the lake to get the breeze. It’s particularly refreshing after a hot bowl of bun cha or some fried spring rolls.
•  Price Range: 12,000 – 30,000 VND

Kem Trang Tien at 35 Trang Tien Street (Source: xanhsm)

9. Ca Phe Trung – Egg Coffee

• Recommended Spot: Giang Cafe – 39 Nguyen Huu Huan

And this, my friends, is where the creamy business begins. Ca phe trung, or egg coffee, is a mythical beverage that perfectly embodies Hanoi Old Quarter food – resourceful, cozy, and ingrained in local life. Developed by Mr. Giang in the 1940s during a milk shortage, it marries strong Vietnamese coffee with whipped egg yolks, sugar, and condensed milk to produce a thick, luscious foam that is like drinking liquid tiramisu.

Why it’s iconic:  It’s not just a drink, it’s an experience. Served hot in a small cup that stood in a bowl of warm water, the egg coffee is rich and smooth, and a fitting end to the Old Quarter food crawl you’ve just completed.

• Experience Tip:  Head to the original Giang Café, which is tucked away in a narrow alley. Request a table upstairs, it’s a little quieter, and while there itself is pure Hanoi nostalgia.
•  Price Range: 30,000 – 45,000 VND

Ca Phe Trung at Giang Cafe (Source: nganbalo)

10. Che Buoi or Che Thap Cam – Vietnamese Sweet Soup

• Recommended Spot: Che 4 Mua – 4 Hang Can

To end your taste-tastic tour of Hanoi Old Quarter food, you need to treat yourself to a bowl of full-flavored che, the sweet soup that I think sums up Vietnam. At Che 4 Mua, sample che buoi (pomelo peel with mung beans) or che thap cam, a colorful combination of jellies, beans, glutinous rice, and coconut milk.

Delicious at any temperature, these desserts play with texture and temperature. There are some that arrive warm, others over crushed ice. Either way, they provide a lovely contrast to assertive savory dishes such as fried spring rolls or pork and mushroom-stuffed banh cuon.

Why it’s iconic: The conversation around Che here really shows off Vietnamese culinary ingenuity. It is like dessert, comfort food, and an endearing relic of a childhood in one. And, with the variety of options like mung beans, tapioca pearls, and pandan jelly, no two bowls are alike.

• Experience Tip: Get a che thap cam so you can try a little bit of everything
•  Price Range: 20,000 – 40,000 VND

Che Buoi at Che 4 Mua (Source: ngon1v)

What Locals Eat that Tourists Often Miss for Hanoi Old Quarter food

Oc Luoc – Steamed Freshwater Snails

If you are up for adventure, this is a rite of passage into local food culture. Hanoians, who might not have access to the sea, but who love nothing more than congregating around a metal tray of piping-hot steamed snails dipped into a fiery fish sauce dipping sauce spiked with lemongrass, lime leaves, and chilli. The fun comes from the slurping and savoring, slow down, it’s not really about the protein, it’s about the vibe.

Where to eat:  Oc Ha Trang – 1 Dinh Liet Street (just off Hoan Kiem)

Chao Suon – Pork Rib Congee

Forget plain porridge. A bowl of simmered pork rib porridge, heady with fat and gelatin and sometimes crowned with shredded, puffed quay fried dough sticks that, crumbled onto the porridge, serve the same role as crumbled salty crackers in a diner cup of soup and are dusted with ground pepper. The taste is fatty, soothing, and a deep source of nostalgia for many Hanoians.

Where to eat:  Chao Suon Co La – 2A Ly Quoc Su

Bun Oc – Snail Noodle Soup

This under-the-radar noodle soup is a tangy treat, with plump river snails in a tomato-y broth. Topped with banana blossoms, tofu, and sometimes beef or crab paste, it’s a vista of texture and flavor. 

Where to eat: Bun Oc Co Hue – 43 Nguyen Sieu Street

Conclusion

Eat daring, eat local, that’s the way to explore Hanoi Old Quarter food. From smoky bun cha and silky banh cuon to sweet mung beans and rich egg yolks in your coffee, every bite is an infusion of tradition. Don’t just follow the guidebooks, though; follow your nose. And if you want more, check out our complete guide to the Vietnamese food Hanoi, or head to real reviews of Hanoi restaurants Old Quarter Tripadvisor and our trusted Hanoi street food blog. Let the streets satisfy your sense of wonder one memorable bite at a time.