The birthplace of pho has a lot more going for it culinarily speaking than just piping hot noodles. From sweet sticky rice topped with ice cream to crab meat-stuffed egg rolls, Hanoi’s dining scene is magically delicious. As a Hanoi tourist, I found the city’s food options to be less numerous than Saigon’s, but the concentrated geography of the Old Quarter makes it much easier to navigate and sample the capital’s greatest hits without missing a beat. The Hanoi Top 10 will live in the orange tab next to the Saigon Top 10 for easy access.
This is great (as is your blog)!
Bun Cha is the meal I dream about when I think about Hanoi, as well as pho, of course. So many more things to try when I go back to Hanoi in a few months time.
Thanks for all the Vietnamese food info, it is difficult to explore food in Vietnam with a person who is allergic to peanuts, but knowledge (taste testing and adrenaline) are the key!
Great list and I just know the kem xoi is going to now go on to become one of Hanoi’s most famous foods.
PS– That’s not in the Old Quarter though, it’s in Hoan Kiem District, or waht the guide books will call “the French Quarter”. Near the Opera House might be a better indicator, landmark for readers. There’s a lovely wee park opened up right beside it (where there was a crappy green wall) since you were here as well.
PPS- **shameless pun alert** But did you pho-get to eat something in Hanoi?
lili – Have a great trip to Hanoi and good luck with the peanut allergy. I’m not sure about up north, but in Saigon the vendors seem to put peanuts (and fried shallots) in just about everything!
T (or shall I say C) – Kem xoi is awesome!! Thank you so much for introducing me to it. And I’ve updated the listing to reflect that the eatery is located in the French Quarter. I didn’t phoget about pho. I just figured that since it was the city’s most famous dish, everyone would eat it anyway. Plus, I wasn’t in Hanoi long enough to figure out who made the best bowl. So, who makes the best bowl? And don’t say the woman on your block 😉