Home › Food tours › Hanoi
Food tours in Hanoi: what to eat and which tour to book
Hanoi eats on the pavement. Most of the city's best-known dishes, from pho bo and bun cha to banh cuon and bun dau mam tom, are cooked by family stalls that make one thing, often only at breakfast or only at lunch, and serve it on low plastic stools. Northern cooking is lighter on sugar and chilli than the south, with clear broths, lots of fresh herbs and dipping sauces built on fish sauce. The densest concentration is the Old Quarter around Hoan Kiem Lake, but residential areas such as Ba Dinh and Truc Bach are where many locals eat.
Use this page to decide what to eat, when and where. Timing matters more here than in most cities: many stalls sell out by mid-morning or open only in the evening. The tours listed are real GetYourGuide and Viator listings with approximate prices as seen when we checked (often shown in USD); prices, menus and group sizes change, so confirm on the booking page before paying.
What to eat in Hanoi
| Dish | What it is | Where to eat it | Typical price* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beef noodle soup phở bò | Flat rice noodles in a long-simmered clear beef broth with rare (tái) or well-done (chín) beef, spring onion and herbs. The Hanoi version is less sweet than the southern one and comes with fewer side greens. | Specialist pho shops in the Old Quarter (e.g. around Bat Dan and Hang Voi streets) and in every residential district; best at breakfast. | roughly 40,000–70,000 VND (about €1.50–2.50) a bowl |
| Grilled pork with noodles bún chả | Charcoal-grilled pork patties and pork belly served in a warm sweet-sour fish-sauce broth, with cold rice vermicelli and herbs to dip. Often paired with fried spring rolls (nem rán). | Lunchtime stalls across the Old Quarter and Hai Ba Trung; follow the charcoal smoke from about 11:00. | roughly 40,000–70,000 VND (about €1.50–2.50); add 10,000–20,000 VND per spring roll |
| Steamed rice rolls bánh cuốn | Thin sheets of steamed rice batter rolled around minced pork and wood-ear mushroom, topped with fried shallots and dipped in fish sauce, sometimes with Vietnamese pork sausage (chả lụa). | Breakfast stalls in the Old Quarter and markets; you can often watch the sheets being steamed over cloth. | roughly 35,000–60,000 VND (about €1.20–2) a plate |
| Turmeric fish with dill chả cá | Chunks of fish marinated in turmeric and galangal, fried at the table with large amounts of dill and spring onion, eaten with vermicelli, peanuts and shrimp paste or fish sauce. A Hanoi speciality. | Sit-down restaurants; the dish gave its name to Cha Ca street in the Old Quarter, where several places serve it. | roughly 150,000–250,000 VND (about €5–9) per person; more in the best-known tourist addresses |
| Fried tofu with fermented shrimp paste bún đậu mắm tôm | Platter of fried tofu, rice vermicelli cakes, boiled pork, herbs and sometimes green rice sausage, dipped in pungent fermented shrimp paste whipped with lime and chilli. An acquired taste that locals love. | Casual shops in Old Quarter alleys and around Hang Khay; usually lunch and early evening. | roughly 40,000–90,000 VND (about €1.50–3) per person depending on toppings |
| Baguette sandwich bánh mì | Crisp, airy baguette filled with pâté, cold cuts or grilled meat, pickles, herbs and chilli. Hanoi versions are often simpler than Saigon's, with pâté and cold cuts the classic filling. | Takeaway counters across the Old Quarter (Hang Ga, Hang Bong and nearby streets) and street carts in the morning. | roughly 20,000–45,000 VND (about €0.70–1.60) |
| Crab noodle soup bún riêu cua | Rice vermicelli in a tangy tomato broth with a soft cake of pounded freshwater crab, tofu and sometimes beef; served with herbs and shrimp paste. | Morning and lunch stalls in markets and Old Quarter streets. | roughly 35,000–60,000 VND (about €1.20–2) |
| Egg coffee cà phê trứng | Strong Vietnamese coffee topped with egg yolk whipped with sugar and condensed milk into a thick, sweet foam. Invented in Hanoi in the 1940s. | Old Quarter cafés, many reached up narrow stairs or through alleys; served hot or iced. | roughly 35,000–60,000 VND (about €1.20–2) |
Where to eat: markets and neighbourhoods
Dong Xuan Market
Hanoi's largest covered market, about 600 m north of Hoan Kiem Lake. Mostly wholesale goods upstairs, but the ground floor and the lanes around it have produce, dried goods and cooked-food stalls. Several cooking classes start their market visit here.
Weekend Night Market (Hang Dao to Dong Xuan)
The streets from Hang Dao north to Dong Xuan close to traffic and fill with stalls. Mostly clothes and souvenirs, with snack stalls and sugarcane juice along the way; useful as an evening walk rather than a serious food stop.
Old Quarter (Hoan Kiem)
The 36 old trade streets north of Hoan Kiem Lake have the highest density of single-dish stalls in the city: pho, bun cha, banh cuon, banh mi, egg coffee. Prices are slightly higher than elsewhere but still low.
Ta Hien and the beer corner
Old Quarter lanes packed with plastic stools, draught beer and grilled snacks. Very lively and touristy; for cheap fresh draught beer (bia hơi) go to the smaller bia hơi places nearby.
Truc Bach and Ngu Xa (Ba Dinh)
Residential lake area north-west of the Old Quarter, known for phở cuốn (fresh rice-sheet rolls) and phở chiên phồng (puffed fried noodle squares). Quieter and more local than the centre.
Chau Long Market
Neighbourhood wet market in Ba Dinh near Truc Bach Lake, used by locals; good for seeing fresh herbs, noodles and morning snacks without the tourist traffic of the Old Quarter.
Food tours in Hanoi compared
Every tour below is a real listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 2 Oct 2026. Prices move with season and group size, so treat them as a guide and confirm on the booking page.
| Tour | Length | Price* | Group | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanoi: Small-Group Street Food Walking Tour | 3–4 hours | from about €15 per adult (seen as from $17) | small group (exact maximum not seen) | Budget first-timers who want an introduction on day one; vegetarian or allergy menus on request. | Check dates |
| Hanoi: Street Food Tour with Train Street & Hidden Alleyways | about 3 hours | roughly €18–30 per adult | — | First-timers who want food and the Train Street sight in one outing; evening visitors. | Check dates |
| Hanoi: Michelin Guide Street Food Walking Tour | — | roughly €20–40 per adult | — | Travellers who want well-known, reviewed stalls rather than random stops. | Check dates |
| Hanoi: Old Quarter Market Tour and Cooking Class with Meal | about 3.5 hours | roughly €40–50 per adult | — | Couples and families; a good rainy-day option. | Check dates |
| 5 Traditional Dishes Hanoi Cooking Class with Market Trip | about 3 hours 15 minutes | from about €30 per adult (seen as from $35) | — | Visitors who want to learn the core Hanoi dishes, not a generic Vietnamese menu. | Check dates |
Hanoi: Small-Group Street Food Walking Tour
On GetYourGuide
- Length
- 3–4 hours
- Price
- from about €15 per adult (seen as from $17)
- Group size
- small group (exact maximum not seen)
- Included
- Street food tastings, usually five dishes that change with the guide, weather and stops, plus coffee; walk through the Old Quarter.
- Suits
- Budget first-timers who want an introduction on day one; vegetarian or allergy menus on request.
- Starts
- Old Quarter (check listing)
Hanoi: Street Food Tour with Train Street & Hidden Alleyways
On GetYourGuide
- Length
- about 3 hours
- Price
- roughly €18–30 per adultapprox.
- Included
- Around 7 local dishes in the Old Quarter with a local guide, plus a stop at Train Street.
- Suits
- First-timers who want food and the Train Street sight in one outing; evening visitors.
- Starts
- Old Quarter (check listing)
Hanoi: Michelin Guide Street Food Walking Tour
On GetYourGuide
- Price
- roughly €20–40 per adultapprox.
- Included
- Walking tour built around street-food places listed in the Michelin Guide for Hanoi; exact stops and tastings on the listing.
- Suits
- Travellers who want well-known, reviewed stalls rather than random stops.
- Starts
- Old Quarter (check listing)
Hanoi: Old Quarter Market Tour and Cooking Class with Meal
On GetYourGuide
- Length
- about 3.5 hours
- Price
- roughly €40–50 per adultapprox.
- Included
- Market shopping with the chef, hands-on class where you usually pick 3 dishes (such as green mango salad, pho, fried or fresh Hanoi spring rolls, grilled beef in betel leaf, Vietnamese pancake), then the meal; often ends with egg or coconut coffee.
- Suits
- Couples and families; a good rainy-day option.
- Starts
- Old Quarter
5 Traditional Dishes Hanoi Cooking Class with Market Trip
On Viator
- Length
- about 3 hours 15 minutes
- Price
- from about €30 per adult (seen as from $35)
- Included
- Meet in the Old Quarter, visit the city's largest market for ingredients, then cook pho bo, bun cha, nem ran (fried spring rolls), papaya salad and egg coffee or egg chocolate; eat your dishes with complimentary rice wine.
- Suits
- Visitors who want to learn the core Hanoi dishes, not a generic Vietnamese menu.
- Starts
- Old Quarter
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Street food, sit-down or a cooking class?
Street food
Street food is the default way Hanoians eat, not a tourist novelty. Stalls specialise in one dish, keep fixed hours (pho and banh cuon at breakfast, bun cha at lunch) and often sell out. You sit on low stools, prices are usually 30,000–70,000 VND a dish, and the busiest stall with local customers is usually the safest bet.
Sit-down meals
Sit-down restaurants are where you eat dishes cooked at the table, like cha ca, hotpot (lẩu) or a full spread of northern dishes. Many are noisy, family-style places rather than formal dining. Mid-range restaurants in the Old Quarter and French Quarter often have English menus with prices; expect 150,000–400,000 VND per person.
Cooking classes
Hanoi classes usually start with a market visit (often Dong Xuan or a smaller local market), then 3–5 dishes in a home or villa kitchen, about 3–4 hours. Many offer Old Quarter hotel pick-up. Check the menu: the better ones teach northern dishes such as bun cha and pho rather than only spring rolls.
How much to budget for food
| Style | Per person, per day* |
|---|---|
| Budget (street food, markets) | about 200,000–350,000 VND / €7–12 (street breakfast, lunch and dinner plus a coffee) |
| Mid-range (one sit-down meal a day) | about 500,000–900,000 VND / €17–30 (street food plus one sit-down restaurant meal and drinks) |
| Splurge (tasting menus, wine) | about 1,500,000 VND+ / €50+ (fine-dining tasting menu or hotel restaurant with wine) |
Vegetarian, halal and gluten-free
Vegetarian & vegan: Harder than it looks. Fish sauce (nước mắm) and shrimp paste are in most dipping sauces and broths, and pho stock is beef bone. Say 'tôi ăn chay' (I eat vegetarian) and ask for no fish sauce ('không nước mắm'). Buddhist vegetarian restaurants (quán chay), often busy on the 1st and 15th of the lunar month, are the reliable option; several vegan cooking classes exist.
Halal: Halal food is limited: a small number of halal-certified restaurants (mostly Malaysian, Indian or Middle Eastern) exist in Hoan Kiem and near the Old Quarter. Pork is in a large share of street dishes, including bun cha, banh cuon and many banh mi fillings; beef pho is a common pork-free choice, but stalls rarely use halal meat.
Gluten-free: Rice-based dishes (pho, bun, banh cuon) are naturally wheat-free, which helps. The risk is soy sauce, some marinades and fried batters; banh mi bread is wheat. Coeliac awareness is low, so carry a card in Vietnamese explaining 'không gluten / không bột mì' (no gluten / no wheat flour).
Food scams and tourist traps to avoid
- Stalls with no displayed prices charging foreigners several times the local price, especially on busy Old Quarter streets and around the beer corner. Ask the price before ordering ('bao nhiêu tiền?') or choose places with prices on the wall; keep small notes so change is not 'forgotten'.
- Fruit vendors with shoulder poles (đòn gánh) who put the pole on your shoulder for a photo, then demand payment or sell a small bag of fruit for 100,000–200,000 VND. Decline politely and keep walking; if you want fruit, agree the price before they bag it.
- Train Street cafés: drinks priced well above normal, and the street is periodically closed by police, so you may be led in by a tout and charged for a 'reserved seat'. Agree the drink price before you sit, never pay for a seat, and accept that it may be closed on the day.
- Peanuts, wet towels (khăn lạnh) and side dishes placed on your table and added to the bill, plus overpriced 'imported' beer at Ta Hien. Wet towels usually cost a few thousand dong and are normal, but push back anything you did not order and check the bill line by line.
- Copycat restaurants using a famous name (cha ca, pho or egg coffee institutions) on a nearby street, sometimes with a taxi or motorbike driver steering you there. Check the exact address on a map before you go and walk the last stretch yourself.
Top tours & activities in Hanoi
Rent a car in Hanoi
Compare rental cars from local and international companies, with free cancellation on most bookings.
Compare car rentals in HanoiPlan the rest of your Hanoi trip
Staying near the markets saves time and taxi money — most food tours start in the old centre.
Common questions
Is street food in Hanoi safe to eat?
Generally yes, if you choose sensibly. Eat at busy stalls with a high turnover, where food is cooked hot in front of you. Be more careful with raw herbs and ice if your stomach is sensitive, although ice in the city is usually factory-made. Stick to bottled or filtered water. A first-day food tour is a low-risk way to learn which stalls locals trust.
Do I need to tip in Hanoi?
Tipping is not traditional at street stalls or local restaurants, and nobody expects it for a bowl of pho. In tourist restaurants and hotels a tip of 5–10% is appreciated, and some add a service charge. On food tours and cooking classes, guides commonly receive 50,000–150,000 VND (about €2–5) per person if you enjoyed it.
Which food tour is best for a first visit?
Book a small-group Old Quarter street-food walk on your first or second evening; it teaches you how to order and which dishes you like for the rest of the trip. If you prefer learning by doing, a morning cooking class with a market visit covers pho, bun cha and spring rolls. Choose a tour that includes egg coffee if you want to avoid queueing at the famous cafés yourself.
What time do Hanoians eat, and when do stalls open?
Breakfast stalls (pho, banh cuon, bun rieu) open around 6:00 and many close by 10:00 or when they sell out. Bun cha is mostly a lunch dish, roughly 11:00–14:00. Evening stalls and grills run from about 17:00 to late. The Old Quarter weekend night market runs Friday to Sunday from about 18:00. Around Tet (late January or February) many stalls close for a week or more.
How much should I budget for food per day?
Street food is cheap: most dishes cost 30,000–70,000 VND (about €1–2.50), so 200,000–350,000 VND (about €7–12) covers three meals and a coffee. Add a sit-down dinner and a few beers and you are at roughly 500,000–900,000 VND (€17–30). Food tours are about €15–40 and cooking classes about €30–50 per person.
Should I book food tours in advance?
For small-group tours and popular cooking classes, booking 2–3 days ahead is usually enough, longer in the October–April dry season and around Christmas. Most GetYourGuide and Viator listings allow free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Tours run in rain; summer (June–August) is very hot and humid, so evening tours are more comfortable.
* Prices are approximate, gathered on 2 Oct 2026 from menus, markets and the booking pages linked above. They change with season and exchange rates.