I was born Vietnamese and most of the time I study in oversea, all I remember is the taste of Vietnamese foods. Unlike some other country's foods, Vietnamese foods are delicious and suitable for everyone, it doesn't have weird smell that made you cough or thick sauce that you can even call for another bowl after finishing yours. This is my own food journey and these are some best addresses in town. I will write all the food names in Vietnamese so you can just note it down on your phone and when you arrive at the restaurants, just show it to the sellers. Simply show the drivers the addresses, they will bring you there.
1. Chè Bà Cốt and Xôi Chè (Dessert)
This is kind of sticky rice topped with different kind of sweet sauces. The sauces can be honey, black beans or brown sugar.
You can find this dish at 93 Hàng Bồ street.
2. Bánh Mì Bít Tết
This is a hot dish with eggs, pate, potatoes, and beef in special sauce, served with fresh salads and Vietnamese breads.
You can find this dish at 6, Hoè Nhai Street or at Ngọc Hiếu restaurant, 22 Hoà Mã Street.
3. Caramen (Dessert)
This is a famous Vietnamese dessert called Caramen, made from steamed eggs with melted sugar syrup. Beside that, you can find other famous Vietnamese desserts like coconut ice-cream (kem dừa), mixed fruit yogurt (sữa chua hoa quả) and many more here.
You can find this dish at 29, Hàng Than Street.
4. Bánh Huế
This is so far one of the best yet affordable restaurant. They served many different dishes of Bánh Huế, which is Vietnamese traditional cakes. You must try: Bánh bột lọc, bánh khọt, nem lụi nướng, chả tôm, bánh bèo, bánh ram ít...
You can find this dish at Bánh Xinh, ngõ (Lane) 72, Trần Hưng Đạo Street, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hà Nội.
5. Miến Lươn
This is kind of glass noodles mixed with crispy eels, fried onion, cucumbers, bean sprouts and chopped nuts in special sauce. They have 2 kinds of miến lươn: dry and soup, also have porridge.
You can find this dish at Đông Thịnh restaurant, 87 Hàng Điếu Street, Hoàn Kiếm District, opposite Hàng Da market.
6. Bánh rán mặn
This is a traditional Vietnamese fried cake, made from flour and stuffed with mince meat, glass noodles, and mushroom. The outside flour will be fried till crispy and turn golden brown.
You can find this dish at 52 Lý Quốc Sư Street, Hoàn Kiếm District at the Old Quarter (Phố cổ).
7. Bún Ốc (Rice noodles soup)
This is Vietnamese rice noodles soup bowl with vietnamese sausage, tofu, bean sprouts, green banana, beef…in tomato crab meat soup. But this is not the original Hanoi's bún ốc, this is the sweeter version.
You can find this dish at Tình Quê restaurant, Cao Đạt Street (inside the market).
8. Chè Thái (Dessert)
This is somehow not a Vietnamese dish, the restaurant named "Chè Thái", which means Thailand desserts, but the way they cook it, is quite Vietnam. Beside the Thailand desserts they also served original Vietnamese desserts.
You can find this dessert at Nam Đồng market, Hồ Đắc Di Street, Đống Đa District.
9. Bún Bò Nam Bộ
This is a dish originated from the south of Vietnam. A bowl of Bún Bò Nam Bộ normally have rice noodles, beef, bean sprouts, fried onion, chopped nuts, fresh vegetable in special sauce. You simply just mix it up.
You can find this dish at 47 Trần Quốc Toản street.
10. Bánh Trứng (Egg crepe)
This is a taiwanese inspired dish, but is done in a very Vietnamese way. The egg outside was fried till turned gold but not crispy, it's chewy and you can choose for yourself the flavour inside, from ham, bacon to sweet corn. They also sell bubble tea here.
You can find this dish at Feeling Tea, 11 Thanh Niên Street, Tây Hồ District. There is a place next to Feeling Tea, which has very nice Bánh Trứng too.
11. Bún Riêu (Rice noodles in tomato crab meat soup)
A little similar to Bún Ốc in number 7 listed above. This is Vietnamese rice noodles soup bowl with vietnamese sausage, fried tofu, fried fish cake, beef, prawn…in tomato crab meat soup. This is a more Hanoian version as the soup is sour, not sweet as the one in number 7 above.
You can find this dish at Bún Riêu Thanh Hồng, 42, Hoà Mã Street.
12. Bánh Trôi and Bánh Chay (Rice balls)
This is kind of rice balls, a little similar to Tang Yuan in Chinese, but inside these rice balls are a cube of brown sugar, later will be melted in your mouth. On top of these rice balls are sesame seeds.
You can find this dish (the best one) at 16, Ngô Thì Nhậm Street.
13. Chè cafe (Dessert)
This is a Vietnamese dessert, not an original one, but the modern one, not every places sell this dish. I first tried this dessert when I was in secondary school, my friend took me there, I didn't like it but the more I try, the more I get addicted to it. This dessert contains black coffee, sugar, coconut milk and rice balls, mixed well together, served cold.
You can find this dessert at A8, Khương Thượng, it's a small street shop with a few plastic chairs, the shop named Chè Bà U.
14. Hải Sản (Seafood)
This is a heaven of seafood. They have from crab, grilled prawns, squids, snails, oysters, etc. They also have fried rice, stir-fried glass noodles with crabs meats and seafood porridge, etc.
You can find this dishes at Hương Lan Seafood, 45 Nghi Tàm, Tây Hồ District or Hương Lan Seafood, 42/10 Nghĩa Dũng. I actually prefer to eat at the no-named shop at Hàng Than Street, but since there is no signage, it's hard for foreigners to find it. And it may caused you stomachache, so it's better for you guys to eat at big restaurants.
15. Vietnamese's Daily Foods
This is what a Vietnamese family often have for lunch and dinner, except the grilled pigeon.
You can find all these dishes at 13, Tạ Hiện Street, Hoàn Kiếm District (Old Quarter)
Chim quay (Grilled pigeon)
Cá tẩm bột chiên (Crispy fried fish)
Đậu phụ nhồi thịt sốt cà chua (Fried tofu stuffed with minced pork, in tomato sauce)
Canh chua thịt (Sweet and sour soup with pork, tomato, spring onion, pineapple)
16. Xôi (Sticky rice)
This is what Vietnamese people often eat for breakfast. There are many kind of Xôi, Xôi ruốc (Original sticky rice with nuts, topped with shredded pork). Xôi đõ đen (Black bean sticky rice), xôi dừa (Coconut sticky rice) and many more.
You can find this dish everywhere on the streets. Or if you want to eat the modern sticky rice with many different kind of toppings, in a restaurant, try Xôi Yến at 35B Nguyễn Hữu Huân Street, Hoàn Kiếm District.
17. Phở (Noodles)
This is a very famous Vietnamese dish, I bet you know.
You can find this dish everywhere, here are some famous addresses:
Phở Sướng at Đinh Liệt Street.
Phở Lý Quốc Sư at 33 Nhà Chung Street.
Phở Thìn at 13 Lò Đúc Street.
Phở Mai Anh at 32 Lê Văn Hưu Street.
