Exploring the Old Quarter: A Culinary Journey Hunting Down 10 'Must-Try' Street Food Delights!

Top 10 Unforgettable Dishes in Hanoi's Old Quarter

Hanoi's 36 streets, each street carries its own unique and captivating culinary flavors. Hanoi's Old Quarter, with its deep, narrow alleys and smoky street food stalls, is a paradise for food lovers. Below is a list of 10 delicious street foods in Hanoi's Old Quarter that you must try when you set foot in this thousand-year-old cultural land.

Hanoi Old Quarter Cuisine: Traditional Flavors

1. Bun Cha Hang Quat:

Not only a familiar breakfast dish for Hanoians, Bun Cha Hang Quat is also famous for its harmonious sweet and sour dipping sauce, fragrant grilled pork, served with vermicelli noodles and fresh herbs. This perfect combination creates an unforgettable symphony of flavors.

2. Pho Bat Dan:

Pho Bat Dan, a brand that has existed for generations, still retains the rich flavor of traditional pho. The clear broth, sweet from simmered bones, soft pho noodles, rare or well-done beef, spring onions, herbs… All create a delicious and attractive bowl of pho.

3. Bun Bo Nam Bo Hang Dieu:

The blend of sour, spicy, salty, and sweet flavors in a bowl of Bun Bo Nam Bo Hang Dieu will surely captivate you. Fresh vermicelli noodles, stir-fried beef, fresh herbs, crispy roasted peanuts, and a rich dipping sauce create an irresistible dish.

Hanoi Old Quarter Street Food: Explore Street Food Paradise

4. Dried Beef Salad Hang Giay:

Coming to the Old Quarter without trying the dried beef salad at Hang Giay is a big miss. The sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors of the dressing blend with crunchy shredded papaya, chewy dried beef, herbs, and roasted peanuts, creating a delicious and affordable snack.

5. Four Seasons Sweet Soup Hang Can:

No matter what season of the year, you can find delicious and cool sweet soups at Hang Can. From black bean sweet soup, lotus seed sweet soup, mixed sweet soup to seasonal sweet soups like pomelo sweet soup, khúc bạch… are all meticulously prepared with sweet and refreshing flavors.

6. Trang Tien Ice Cream:

Trang Tien Ice Cream, a long-standing ice cream brand in Hanoi, always holds a special place in the hearts of the capital's residents. The creamy, sweet ice cream that melts in your mouth, along with the characteristic flavors of young rice ice cream, coconut ice cream, chocolate ice cream… will surely satisfy you.

Hanoi Old Quarter Cuisine: Unique Experiences

7. Sticky Rice Xeo Hang Bai:

Sticky Rice Xeo Hang Bai with the shimmering yellow color of mung beans, fragrant fried onions, served with fatty pate, rich braised pork or sausages, is a familiar and beloved breakfast dish for Hanoians.

8. Cheese Stick Bread Hang Buom:

Hang Buom cheese stick bread is crispy and fragrant with cheese, dipped in spicy chili sauce, it's an ideal snack for afternoon strolls.

9. Egg Coffee Giang:

Egg Coffee Giang, a unique drink of Hanoi, with a layer of rich, fragrant egg cream covering a cup of strong black coffee. This perfect combination creates an unforgettable flavor that makes you want to enjoy it forever.

10. Draught Beer Ta Hien:

Ta Hien, Hanoi's bustling night street, is the ideal place to enjoy cool draught beer with friends. Sitting on the sidewalk, sipping cool beer, chatting, watching the flow of people passing by, is an interesting experience not to be missed when coming to the Old Quarter.

Notes When Exploring Old Quarter Cuisine

To have a complete culinary experience in Hanoi's Old Quarter, you should:

• Go in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid the scorching summer sun.
• Prepare small cash to pay for street vendors.
• Wear comfortable clothes for easy movement and enjoyment of the food.

Come and explore the street food of Hanoi's Old Quarter, you will be surprised by the diversity and richness of the cuisine here. Surely, this culinary hunting journey will leave you with unforgettable impressions.