Hanoi’s restaurant scene might lack the cosmopolitan pizazz of sibling Saigon, but the Vietnamese capital has no shortage of genuinely good dining experiences – you’ll find them listed in the LUXE Hanoi guide.
From no-frills street eats to sophisticated Gallic plates, here are our suggestions on how to spend a day on the plate in Hanoi.
Breakfast: The Hanoi Social Club
Boho vibes abound at this lush flora-spangled java-cum-dine spot in the Old Quarter. Veering hipster (though thankfully without the pretension), this retro-styled East-West 20s shophouse is your go-to for a casual, wholesome brekkie. Graze on dishes spanning Bircher muesli and quinoa porridge to avo toast and fresh, free-range eggs cooked to your liking. @TheHanoiSocialClub
Lunch: Quan An Ngon
This faded mansion with leafy courtyard is ideal for when you want to eat street food, but without having to battle with the fumes and crowds of the street. Choose from one of several food stalls or from the cooked-to-order menu – top picks include the shrimp pancakes and bun cha. Popular with Hanoites and visitors alike, if you don’t manage to book, go early (ie before noon) to try your luck. quananngon.com.vn
Another street-food-esque eatery, sprawling Quan Com Pho is a perennial fave for its huge menu of all-time Vietnamese classics – best to go with friends so you can order family style.
Read More: Street Food in Hanoi
Dinner: Cau Go
If you’ve been to Hanoi before, chances are you’ve dined at one of its nostalgia-laced vintage villas such as Didier Courlou’s shab-chic Madame Hiên or the gorgeously opulent Ly Club. Should you want to ramp up the sophistication a notch, hotfoot it to dishy Cau Go. Repping regional Vietnamese fare amid a refined, antique-strewn dining room, this sky-high restaurant has best-in-town Hoan Kiem lake views – be sure to go for sundowners on the breezy verandah. caugorestaurant.com
Sweet treat: Fanny Ice Cream
Hanoi’s streets offer plenty of snacking treats day and night. Scooping seriously good French-style ice cream for more than 20 years, Fanny is famous for its lickety-lick range of flavours, from classic vanilla and chocolate, to seasonal durian or boozy Baileys, served in an old-school frosted glass or to take away. fanny.com.vn
Updated November 2018.
Vietnam bound? Don’t forget to snap up the LUXE Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi guides…
