Nem Chua Rán Bà Già (The Old Lady’s Fried Fermented Pork Roll)

Staying hidden in the side of Hàng Bông Street, the Old Lady’s is easily missed by most foreigners. With a small hand-drawn sign and not at all highlighted, the Old Lady’s, at first sight, seems to scare a bit. If you are not a meticulous person to notice the sign, the only signal that will tell is an old lady or old man at the entrance of the lane will ask you something like: “Nem chua không em ơi?!!” - Do you want some fried fermented pork rolls my pal? The feeling of entering the small lane (alley) for the first time seems quite scary because it is dark even in the day light but somehow very adventurous. However, when you finally get there, you will find yourself sitting in the tiny room with plain plastic table sets but miraculously fits about 10 people. The place has another back door which opens to the side lane which is another “snack’s heaven”!

About the fried fermented pork rolls, there is nothing you have to worry about because they are absolutely delicious! If compared to Ấu Triệu’s fermented rolls - a popular spot for nem chua, this dish will definitely be better and cheaper! Besides the rolls, the Old Lady’s also offers some other dishes and drinks such as fried fries, cheese sticks, iced tea, and kumquat tea and so on.

Address: #38 Hàng Bông Street, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hanoi

Chén Trứng Nướng (Nguyễn Quang Bích’s Fried Eggs)

Nguyễn Quang Bích is well known as the night street of snacks and hotpots. There is also a market that opens late at night which sells mainly fish. On the side of Nguyễn Quang Bích, you will notice a few lines of chairs and tables set on the side of the street and people are sitting there, one side for hotpot and one side for snacks. As soon as you arrive there, just look to the opposite side, you will see a few people are cooking with small stove and grates, just go there and order your food, there will be a menu for you. If you cannot read Vietnamese, you can order these suggested dishes:
The first dish that you must try is small bowls of fried eggs (Chén trứng nướng) which is the specialty of the stall. If you go in a group of two, you can order 4 bowls because they are quite small portions.

The second dish you can order is oyster grilled cheese (Hàu nướng phô mai). The taste is absolutely mouth-watering! You can order 4 of them for 2 people.
The last but not least dish, which you will definitely like, is fried bread with salty chili powder (Bánh mỳ nướng muối ớt). The name may sound “spicy” and slightly creepy but believe me, you will fall for it in no time. The bread is well fried in butter, salted shredded meat and salty chili powder. There are also small slices of sausage to eat along with the bread.

You can also order some parchyrrhizus for dessert and lemon tea for drink.
Address: #24 Nguyễn Quang Bích Street, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hanoi

Bánh Gối Gốc Đa (Gốc Đa Fried “Pillow Pie”)

There will only be one place where you can find the finest pillow pie (bánh gối), that is the popular family restaurant Gốc Đa, located in the Old Quarter. Gốc Đa has been selling fried pillow pie for years and despite the space is limited and it looks not-quite-hygienic but you can fully put your trust in the quality of the final dish because the pies are fried in front of your face, you can see the owner frying the hundreds of pie as soon as you stand at the front of the restaurant.

Gốc Đa serves with a wide range of different dishes from pillow pie, fried pie, jiaozi (há cảo) and so on. The cover is crispy and the stuffing is absolutely appetizing and there is nowhere to be found a stuffing as tasty as Gốc Đa’s. The difference that makes the name of Gốc Đa is not only the pie but the mouthwatering sauce. And as people say: “The soul of the dish is its sauce”.

Address: #52 Lý Quốc Sư Street, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hanoi

Bánh Tráng Nướng Hàng Tre (Hàng Tre’s Grilled Girdle Cake)

A place where Hanoi’s teenagers usually come every weekend is probably 48 Hàng Tre, where has the well-known grilled girdle cake looking like another version of pizza. The making of grilled girdle cake is very simple but there are so many flavors that you can choose from such as butter, beef jerky or mixing of all kinds. If you go to Hanoi, then Hàng Tre’s girdle cake is a dish that you must try at least once!
The restaurant is not too big but there are two floors. Most of the time, the owner will ask you to go through a small lane to the second floor because it is cleaner and there are small table sets which fit three people. The price is also very cheap and competitive so you can enjoy your dish to the fullest!

Address: #48 Hàng Tre Street, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hanoi

Address 2: A17 Tạ Quang Bửu Street, Hai Bà Trưng District, Hanoi

Nộm Long Vi Dung (Long Vi Dung’s sweet and sour grated salad)

Sweet and sour grated salad or also known as “nộm” in Vietnamese is an absolutely delicious treat that you must never ever forget to try when setting foot to Hanoi. The Old Quarter is indeed a heaven for snacks in the capital. Here you will find dozens of scrumptious treats but only if you look closer, can you find the best dish! Long Vi Dung’s Nộm is an example. This nộm restaurant has been in working for such a long time. In the past, it was run by Mr. Long, who is native of China, and the ingredients, as well as the recipe, were brought by him from the country to Vietnam. Nộm at Long Vi or in general is generated from China for a long time and now it has been changed partly to fit with Vietnamese’s appetite. After Mr. Long passed away, the restaurant was passed on to his son and the flavor is still stay the same.

The dish is a harmonizing mix of papaws, carrots, fennel and different kinds of beef and jerky. Again, the soul of the dish is still the sauce, which is mixed together with all the ingredients to create the most unforgettable taste that one can find. The restaurant is relatively small but there are always so many customers so sometimes you will find yourself sitting on the side of the street with the same plastic table sets, except for the table is now replaced with a plastic chair and a metal tray. Well, but that is just the thing that creates the unique street-eating style of Hanoi! Besides nộm, you may be interested in bánh bột lọc, a kind of cake with a transparent cover made of flour and mixed stuffing of mushrooms, chopped pork and small shrimps. The place also serves fried fermented pork rolls and iced tea (trà đá), lemon tea (trà chanh) and kumquat tea (trà quất) in case you are interested.

Address: #23 Hồ Hoàn Kiếm Street, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hanoi

Mỳ Vằn Thắn Đinh Liệt (Đinh Liệt Street’s Vằn Thắn Noodle)

Đinh Liệt Street in the Old Quarter is definitely another place you should drop by if you are a noodle lover. Vằn thắn noodle in Đinh Liệt has been so popular for such a long long time since the time of our parents, they have gone there hundreds of times just to have a bowl of noodle. It even used to be a dating place for former generations in our city! Having a taste of vằn thắn in the middle of the winter is somewhat an indescribable feeling.

Usually, in other vằn thắn restaurants, they will only offer normal vằn thắn bowl in which the noodle is soaked in bouillon; but at Vằn Thắn Đinh Liệt, you will find another dish known as dried or mixed vằn thắn noodle dish in which the noodle is mixed with a very special sauce. The first time tasting this dish, most people also bear the same question in mind of what ingredients is this sauce made of; but of course, it is the restaurant confidential information!

Address: #9A Đinh Liệt Street, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hanoi

Vietnamese Markets

Here are the two large markets selling souvenirs, clothes, electronic things and so on chiefly made in Vietnam or China. Step inside and explore the markets as much as you want! Don't forget to bargain the prices here. You had better ask the shopkeepers to lower for the most reasonable price.

Hang Da Market 
Opening hours: 8:00 am to 9:00 pm
Address: Hang Da, Cua Dong, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi.

Dong Xuan Market
Opening hours: 7:00 am to 8:00 pm
Website: http://www.chodongxuan.org/ (Vietnamese)

Trang Tien Plaza

Lots of luxury shops  with the world's high-end brands are available here. The plaza is a nice place for anyone who wants to escape from the crazy traffic and crowd of Hanoi.

Opening hours: 9:30 am to 21:30 pm (From Monday to Friday) and 9:30 am to 22:00 pm (Weekends and public holidays)
Website: http://trangtienplaza.vn/ (Vietnamese, English)
Address: Hang Bai, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi.

Phở Thìn

If you want to try a bowl of Genuine traditional Pho in a charming local atmosphere, Pho Thin is where you have to drop by! Navigate your way to a rustic alleyway, sit down and eat Pho while watching the motorbikes and scooters passing by you.

Price: 50 000 vnd/bowl
Address: #61 Dinh Tien Hoang, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi.

Bánh cuốn Hòe Nhai

Stop by this restaurant and you will have to stick your eyes on the masters of Bánh cuốn! They stretched fermented rice batter with a ladle over the surface of the steamer, taking a lid to cover it for a couple of seconds. After that, they meticulously placed the super thin and delicate sheets with a stick onto a tray and filled them with a mixture of cooked meat (mostly pork), minced mushrooms and shallots. Pick the sheets up with your chopsticks, dip them into the sauce and take the first bite!

Prices: 35 000 - 50 000 vnd
Address: Dốc Hòe Nhai, Nguyễn Trung Trực, Ba Đình, Hà Nội

Bún bò Nam Bộ

Bún bò Nam Bộ (Dry noodles with beef from the South of Vietnam) is the mixture of dry rice noodles and stir-fried beef with fresh vegetables, pickled papaya on top and sauces instead of broth like in Pho. The restaurant located in Hang Dieu is said to serve the best and quick bowl of Bun bo Nam Bo in Hanoi.

Price: 60 000 vnd/bowl
Address: #67 Hang Dieu, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi.

Chả cá Lã Vọng

It would be a pity for the food lovers if they missed out dining on Cha ca La Vong in a more than 100-year-old-restaurant in the heart of downtown Hanoi. You don't have to ponder what foods to pick out from the menu since there is only one dish served. They will serve you a plate of rice noodles (Bun), a plate of fresh herbs, a plate of peanuts, and a small bowl of shrimp paste (must try this once but you have to order the servers otherwise they will give you dipping fish sauce with chilies) and a little pan containing slices of hemibagrus fresh fish soaked in oil on a simple portable stove.
(Watch out your head if you are told to go upstairs!)

Opening hours: 11:00 am to 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Price: 170 000 vnd/person
Address: #14 Cha Ca, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi.
Telephone: (84-4) 38253929

Bún chả Đắc Kim Hàng Mành

The restaurant is renowned among Vietnamese people and always crowded. It is the best-street-food-place-for Bun cha (a plate of rice noodles and grilled pork along with a bowl of dipping sauce).
Price: 60 000 vnd

Website: http://bunchahangmanh.vn/ (Vietnamese)
Address: #1 Hang Manh, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi.
Telephone: (84-4) 38287060 - 84904438558

Bún ốc phố Hàng Chai
Bun oc (snail noodle soup) at Hang Chai is a great combination of ideal broth, snails, and garnishes. The owner of this little restaurant who started as te third generation of her family to specialize in Bun oc has had over 25 years of cooking experience. The restaurant is always full of customers sitting tightly cramped next to each other and enjoying the bowls of Bun oc.

Address: #6 Hang Chai, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

Quán Gốc Đa

The best place in Hanoi to eat different fried pies of Vietnam. Just come and taste spring rolls, "pillow" pies, nutrient rice balls, and more like a local!

Address: #52 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi.

Egg Coffee
An Egg Coffee (Cà phê trứng) is worth drinking. Described as "liquid tiramisu" by Buzzfeed, Egg coffee will impress you with its sweetness from the great combination of egg, condensed milk and dark coffee. Watch the video made by Tastemade Español to  take a deeper look into the art of this Vietnamese drink!
www.facebook.com/TastemadeEs/videos/vb.1526083287683604/1589054334719832/?type=2&theater

There are two coffee shops famous for Egg coffee.
Cafe Giảng at #39 Nguyen Huu Huan, Hoan Kiem and Cafe Dinh at #13 Dinh Tien Hoang, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi.
(They are hidden behind a narrow alley. Go upstairs in Cafe Dinh with a scenic view of the Old Quarter or chill out in a room full of amazing art works on the old days of Hanoi)

Hanoi Garden Restaurant

I often get asked about Vietnamese daily meals by tourists across the world. Lots of people traveling to Vietnam raise such questions related to our daily meals. Some wonder whether a typical Vietnamese meal requires rice and broth; some even think we eat Nem - Spring roll every day. To learn what we often eat, you had better go to Hanoi Garden Restaurant. This restaurant is always ranked #1 in my heart for its awesome maze of daily Vietnamese foods. When you dine in this restaurant, you will totally get a complete idea of Vietnamese cuisine in general and Hanoi's in particular. The most delicious dish I tried here is Fried Mudcat with Mango Pickles.

Address: #36 Hang Manh, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Menu: http://hanoigarden.vn/menu.html#menu
Wesbite: http://hanoigarden.vn

Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple

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Hanoians are likely to head to Hoan Kiem Lake (Lake of the restored sword) whenever they want to get relaxed and get away from the noise and chaos of this capital. In the morning, it is fun to witness or even join with Hanoians (both the young and the old) who gather to do yoga or Tai chi, give massage to each other, and practice the aerobics with the music coming along from a little cassette.
There is a red curved wooden bridge (Cầu Thê Húc) that links the shore with a small island having Ngoc Son Temple on. The temple is mainly dedicated to Tran Hung Dao, who defeated the Mongols in 13th Century and the saint of Taoist literature - Van Xuong De Quan.
The Temple's opening hours: 7:00 am to 6:00 pm (From Monday to Friday); 7:00 am to 9:00 pm (Saturday and Sunday)
Admission prices: Adults: 30 000 vnd; Children under 15: free.

Old Quarter

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Going for a walk north from Hoan Kiem Lake, we will be able to enter the maze of Hanoi which is an Old Quarter (Phố cổ). Although there are now far more than 36 interlacing streets, the local still prefer to call it "The 36 old streets" (Hà Nội 36 phố phường) since number 36 was used to refer to the number of workshop areas, not streets in the past. Wandering along the streets right in the roadway under the tangle of overhead power lines for electric power transmission, looking around the sidewalks filled with small plastic stools and tons of scooters as well as motorbikes parked on and challenging yourself to cross the roads would definitely bring you the most memorable experience. Just walk and walk and feel the slow pace of the local life here.
Gallery of Old Quarter

Thang Long Water Puppet Theater

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Water Puppet show is considered one of the cultural highlights of Northern Vietnam dating back to the 11th Century. The theater's shows are always performed in a pool of water as the stage for the puppets. There are many puppeteers who controlled the puppets behind a bamboo screen with the accompany of Vietnamese orchestra playing traditional music. Although it is all spoken in Vietnamese, it is still entertaining and seems not so difficult for foreigners to follow the story.
If you visit there in the summer, don't forget to carry a fan since there is no air conditioner.
Opening hours: 4:00 pm, 5:20 pm, 6:30 pm and 8:00 pm (in the summer); 3:00 pm, 4:10 pm, 5:20 pm, 6:30 pm, 8:00 pm and 9:15 pm (in the winter) Admission prices: Adults: 100 000 vnd; Children: 60 000 vnd
Website: http://www.thanglongwaterpuppet.org/ (Vietnamese, English and French)
Address: #57B Dinh Tien Hoang, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi.

Hanoi Ancient House

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Built in the 19th Century, Hanoi Ancient House at #87 Ma May Street makes a great illustration of characteristic architecture of ancient houses. The house is deemed as a cultural center of Hanoi Old Quarter. If you are interested in the history of Hanoi and Vietnamese traditional family values, Hanoi Ancient House at 87 Ma May is a must-see place for you. More interestingly, this is also the place where you can join some special events such as introducing about the genre of Hanoi traditional art, exploring the folk custom of Mid-Autumn Festival, and so on. It would take you only less than 10 minutes to go to the house from Hoan Kiem Lake.
The House's opening hours: 8:00 am to 8:00 pm (Every day); It closes from about 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm (Vietnamese lunch time).
Admission prices: 10 000 vnd

Hanoi Opera House

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Hanoi Opera House is worth a visit. Built by the French in 1911, the Opera House is one of the grandest buildings in Hanoi. For more information about the performance schedule in Hanoi Opera House, visit its website with the link provided below.
Website: http://hanoioperahouse.org.vn/ (Vietnamese and English)
Address: #1 Trang Tien street, Hanoi.
Telephone: (84-4) 39330113

 

 

St. Joseph's Cathedral

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St. Joseph's Cathedral on Nha Tho (Church) street is the oldest church in Hanoi. The church is a wonderful construction built by the French. It was of Gothic style and the design of France's world famous Notre Dame de Paris.
Service times:
5:30 am and 6:15 pm (on weekdays);
6:00 pm (on Saturday);
5:00 am, 7:00 am, 9:00 am, 11:00 am, 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm (on Sunday)
To attend services, you can take any seat in the nave 10-15 minutes in advance.
Address: #40 Nha Chung, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi.

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National Museum of Vietnamese History

National Museum of Vietnamese History lies at the back of Hanoi Opera House. It offers an insight into Vietnamese history from its prehistoric days to the day when Ho Chi Minh proclaimed the independent Democratic Republic of Vietnam. It would be better if you already had fundamental knowledge of the French colonialism period in Vietnam as the exhibits quite lack detailed information and stories in English.
The Museum's opening hours: 8:00 am to 12:00 pm; 1:30 pm to 5:00 pm (From Monday to Sunday). Notice that the museum closes on the first Monday of every month.
Admission prices: Adult: 40 000 vnd; Children under 6: free
Website: http://www.baotanglichsu.vn/ (Vietnamese, French and English)
Address: #1 Trang Tien - 25 Tong Dan, Hoan Kiem, Ha Noi.
Telephone: (84-4) 38241384 - 38257753

 

Vietnamese Women's Museum

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The museum is dedicated to Vietnamese women. Established in 1987, the permanent exhibition in Vietnamese Women's Museum has three prime themes: "Women in Family", "Women in History" and "Women's Fashion" with each theme presenting the role of women in Vietnamese family, significant contributions and sacrifices of Vietnamese women especially in Wars, and a wide range of stunning costumes made with traditional techniques respectively through the actual displays all labelled in Vietnamese, English and French.
The Museum's opening hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (From Monday to Sunday)
Admission prices: 30 000 vnd
Website: http://baotangphunu.org.vn/ (Vietnamese, English, French, Japanese)
Address: #36 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi.
Telephone: (84-4) 38259936

Long Bien Bridge

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Pass through Hang Khoai in the Old Quarter and you will get to Long Bien Bridge. The legendary bridge connecting Hoan Kiem and Long Bien was built by the architects Daydé & Pillé of Paris and opened in 1903. It reflects French architecture and plays an important part in the Vietnamese' life. If you have time, you better go for a walk to the fishing village nearby to immerse yourself in the peaceful country life of the Vietnamese while observing the Hanoi Ceramic road along Song Hong dyke.

Hoa Lo Prison

Hoa Lo Prison, located in the center of Hanoi, was built in 1896 by the French. It was first called "Đề lao Trung ương - Maison Centrale but later "Hỏa Lò" meaning: The heat of the Kiln with Hỏa: The heat and Lò: the Kiln, since this prison was constructed in village Phu Khanh, the pottery village. The museum gets into the detail about the brutality of the torture and violent treatment that the Vietnamese suffered during French colonialism, and how American pilot prisoners had been shot and captured in during Vietnam war. Hoa Lo was also nicknamed "Hanoi Hilton" by US prisoners of war. The exhibit panels are in Vietnamese, English and French.
Opening hours: From Tuesday to Sunday (8:00 am - 11:30 am and 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm)
Admission prices: 30 000 vnd/adult and 15 000/child
Address: #1 Hoa Lo, Tran Hung Dao, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi.