Eating in Hanoi

Hanoi is the culinary capital of Vietnam — and possibly the best street food city in the world. The cuisine of Hanoi is more subtle, less sweet, and more refined than that of the South. Here is the must-eat list:

Phở Bò (Beef Noodle Soup)

The national dish, perfected in Hanoi. Clear, long-cooked bone broth, rice noodles, thinly sliced beef. In Hanoi, Phở is eaten puristically: only with spring onions, coriander, and a squeeze of lime. The South Vietnamese add everything with sprouts and Hoisin sauce — a sacrilege in Hanoi.

Best addresses:

• Phở Thìn: 13 Lò Đúc — the most legendary Phở stall in Hanoi. Since 1979, only one dish, only Phở Bò. Queuing is normal.
• Phở Gia Truyền: 49 Bát Đàn — for three generations, only open in the morning until 10 am. The best broth in town.

Bún Chả

Hanoi's second most important dish: grilled pork patties and belly in a sweet-sour Nuoc-Chấm broth, with rice noodles and fresh herbs. Obama ate it in 2016 with Anthony Bourdain at Bún Chả Hương Liên (24 Lê Văn Hưu) — the "Obama table" is still behind glass.

Cà Phê Trứng (Egg Coffee)

A Hanoi invention from the 1940s when milk was scarce: Egg yolk is whipped with condensed milk and sugar and placed on hot coffee. The result tastes like liquid tiramisu. Invented at Café Giảng (39 Nguyễn Hữu Huân) — still the best place for it.

Bia Hơi

Freshly brewed draft beer served on the roadside on tiny plastic stools. 5,000 VND (0.20€) per glass. The most famous intersection: Bia Hơi Corner (corner of Tạ Hiện / Lương Ngọc Quyến). From 5 pm, the intersection fills with hundreds of people on kindergarten chairs.