Top 11 Unique and Famous Restaurants in Hanoi

After former U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Vietnam in May 2016, where he stopped by Bún Chả Hương Liên with celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, this restaurant became a sensation. The restaurant's owner humorously introduced the 'Obama Combo' featuring bún chả, 2 seafood spring rolls, and a Hanoi beer, just like what the two had during their visit. Even before hosting the former president, this bún chả spot was already known for its delicious food and cleanliness, loved by the locals in Hanoi.

Bún Chả Hương Liên has received high praise from customers for its tasty dishes, cool and spacious environment with fans and air conditioning. The bún chả here is flavorful, satisfying, and beautifully presented. It’s also served with homemade seafood spring rolls and crab spring rolls, which perfectly complement the bún chả. After the presidential visit, the prices of the bún chả have gone up, so you may want to consider this if you're worried about the cost!

Contact Information:
Address: 24 Lê Văn Hưu, Hai Bà Trưng District, Hanoi
Phone: 024 3943 4106

Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/bunchahuonglienobama

Opening Hours: 08:00 AM - 08:00 PM

Gia Trịnh Bakery is a delightful bakery offering a wide range of sweets like cupcakes, mooncakes, and more. But one of their standout items is their fried dough with mung bean filling. Unlike typical fried dough, the mung bean filling here is separate from the dough, giving it a unique texture. The dough is coated with sesame seeds, making it crispy and fragrant, while the mung bean filling is flavorful and just the right amount of sweetness. The bakery also offers other delicious treats at very affordable prices.

The bakery's special recipe ensures that their cakes are always soft, fluffy, and irresistible. With beautiful presentation and a cozy atmosphere, it's a great spot to enjoy a treat. If you ever have the chance, don't miss out on visiting!

Contact Information:
Address:

• 16A Lý Nam Đế, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
• 23 Giao Luu Road, Bac Tu Liem District, Hanoi

Phone: 0942 627 697
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://giatrinhbakery.com.vn
Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/banhgiatrinh/
Opening Hours: 06:30 AM - 08:30 PM

As one of the oldest and most famous bánh cuốn shops in Hanoi, Bánh Cuốn Bà Hoành has become a beloved name among the locals. The meat is marinated perfectly, tender and flavorful, while the dipping sauce is hot, well-balanced, and fragrant, with a touch of crispy fried onions. The bánh cuốn, made from rice flour, is soft and thin, with a chewy texture. When paired with grilled meat or Vietnamese sausage and the savory sauce, the combination is truly delightful!

Bánh Cuốn Bà Hoành is known for its top-quality food, friendly service, and affordable prices. It is often praised by customers, and the shop is always bustling with people. What makes this place stand out is their commitment to not using any artificial additives, ensuring food safety. The cha (sausage) is made from fresh, high-quality meat and carefully seasoned. The bánh cuốn itself is not too thin or too thick, offering a natural chewiness with a delicious rice flavor that is not sour, sticking to the traditional recipe. Furthermore, this version of bánh cuốn is vegetarian, without the usual meat or wood ear mushrooms found in other variations.

Contact Information:
Address:
66 Tô Hiến Thành, Hai Bà Trưng District, Hanoi

Phone: 0989 083 570

Opening Hours: 06:00 AM - 08:00 PM

It's no exaggeration to say that Trâm - Bánh Mì Sốt Vang Đình Ngang is one of the most popular spots for bánh mì with red wine sauce in Hoàn Kiếm. The sauce here is incredibly rich, packed with flavors and a generous amount of tender meat. The beef tendons are perfectly cooked, soft yet not tough, thanks to a long, slow simmer. The sauce, seasoned with a mix of spices and cardamom, has a fragrant aroma that fills the air. Dipping a piece of crispy baguette into the sauce, you get a perfect blend of spices and savory flavors that immediately hit your senses. Despite the busy crowd, the food is served quickly, steaming hot, making for a very satisfying meal.

The pork ribs and beef tendons, seasoned with aromatic spices, are simmered in a bit of wine. The sauce, mixed with these ingredients, is thickened with a touch of cornstarch. Once the sauce reaches the right consistency, fresh herbs like basil, Vietnamese coriander, and finely chopped onions are added, enhancing the fragrance. This is the secret recipe that Trâm - Bánh Mì Sốt Vang Đình Ngang uses to win the hearts of food lovers. The meat is tender and flavorful, having absorbed all the seasonings, while the sauce is deep and savory. The golden, crispy baguette served alongside makes the dish visually appealing and incredibly delicious.

Mỳ Vằn Thắn Bình Tây offers a hearty bowl of noodles, with golden, egg-infused strands that are thin yet satisfyingly chewy and crisp. The dumplings, filled with fresh shrimp, mushrooms, and pork, are wrapped in a delicate layer of dough. The broth is a clear, sweet concoction, simmered with bones and other ingredients, giving it a pure, rich taste without being overpowered by MSG.

Located on Hàng Chiếu Street, Mỳ Vằn Thắn Bình Tây is a must-visit when searching for delicious wonton noodles in Hanoi. Many locals even claim, "To taste the best wonton noodles in Hanoi, you must make the effort to visit Hàng Chiếu!" Originally known as Mỳ Phố Cổ, the restaurant later moved to Hàng Chiếu and became Bình Tây. Although the space is small and customers often spill out onto the sidewalk, the place remains bustling with patrons. The noodles here are both chewy and flavorful, while the broth is a perfect balance of sweet shrimp and bone broth flavors, not tainted by the artificial taste of MSG. The wontons are filled with a balanced mix of shrimp and pork, marinated expertly to create a savory, fragrant filling. Just a gentle touch with chopsticks will reveal the pink, tender filling inside. A large bowl of this delicious noodle dish costs around 40,000 VND.

Chè Bốn Mùa - Hàng Cân, a beloved traditional dessert shop with over 40 years of history, is one of the most famous chè spots in Hanoi. True to its name, Chè Bốn Mùa offers a variety of desserts to suit each season. During summer, you can enjoy refreshing treats like green bean, black bean, and yogurt with sticky rice, while in winter, there are warm options such as 'troi tau,' 'luc tau xa,' and 'chè cốt bà.' Unlike the brightly colored jelly cubes you often see in other chè shops, the desserts here are simple yet packed with authentic flavors that leave a lasting impression.

The chè at Chè Bốn Mùa - Hàng Cân is never overwhelmingly sweet. The sweetness is subtle and comes from rock sugar combined with coconut water, creating a light, delicious flavor that’s easy to enjoy without getting tired of it. Prices are reasonable, ranging from 15,000 to 30,000 VND per cup. The shop operates from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM at number 4, and from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM at numbers 6-8. As there are three branches with different operating hours, be sure to check which one is open to avoid confusion.

Despite being tucked away in a small alley, Bún ốc - Bà Lương at 34 Khương Thượng, Đống Đa, Hanoi, is quite well-known. This 40-year-old shop, which started off small and modest, has transformed into a much cleaner and more spacious establishment. There is even a second branch deep in the alley, run by Bà Lương's son, specializing in snail hot pot and other snail dishes.

People flock to Bún ốc - Bà Lương not just for the long-standing reputation of the shop, but also for the delicious, diverse menu. It's rare to find a bún ốc shop with such a wide range of options. In addition to the signature dishes of hot bún ốc and bún ốc with banana and fried tofu, the restaurant also offers specialties like snail spring rolls and fried snail patties, both of which are customer favorites. Though the prices are not cheap, with a regular bowl of bún ốc costing 25,000 – 30,000 VND and snail rolls at 50,000 VND per plate (for 5-6 pieces), it's still worth it for a hearty, flavorful meal.

If you visit Hanoi, one treat you must try is Kem Tràng Tiền. A well-known ice cream brand in Vietnam, Kem Tràng Tiền was established in 1958 and has earned a spot as one of the country’s most famous ice cream brands. With its delicious flavors, it’s loved by many. Not only does it taste amazing, but it’s also very affordable. The flavors are refreshing, and there’s a wide variety, so you can easily pick your favorite. The waffle cone is crunchy, with a delightful cinnamon aroma. The ice cream itself is rich and creamy, with a smooth, sweet milk flavor that tempts you to take a bite right away.

For only 5,000 to 15,000 VND, you can enjoy a cool, refreshing ice cream, perfect for both hot summer days and chilly winter evenings. The shop has a spacious area to serve many customers each day, but you might still have to wait in line because it’s always packed. Two popular varieties you should try are the ice cream on a stick and the cone, with flavors of vanilla and chocolate.

At Chè Xoài Minci - Nguyễn Trường Tộ, the mango is carefully diced and frozen along with agar-agar, then served in a small bowl. A layer of creamy milk ice cream is added on top, offering a delightful combination of the creamy milk flavor and the fresh, tangy taste of mango. Besides the mango dessert, the shop also offers other delicious treats like coconut ice cream and green tea caramel, giving customers a wide variety of options to choose from.

The mixed dessert here is also a hit, featuring a blend of flavors such as jackfruit, coconut milk, and unique chocolate tapioca pearls, setting it apart from other dessert spots. The shop maintains a clean and hygienic environment, and many customers appreciate how the flavors remain as authentic as when they first started. For those who are not fond of overly sweet desserts, this is a perfect choice, as the sweetness is subtle, and the flavors are more refreshing. One of the most popular items is the banana dessert, but there are also other choices like corn, sweet potatoes, and cassava. The presentation of each dessert is also beautifully done, making it tempting even before you take a bite.

Leading the list of the best street BBQ spots in Hanoi is Lẩu Nướng Tiến Giang Gầm Cầu. If you love Western-style Beefsteak but are on a budget, this is the place to be for an authentic Hanoi-style grilled steak experience. The beef here is simply irresistible, with thick, tender cuts grilled to perfection while preserving the natural sweetness of the meat. The grilled beef is served with a rich, creamy cheese dip that complements its savory flavor. The beef is also paired with fresh lettuce and spicy kimchi, creating a perfect balance when dipped in a tangy tamarind sauce. The restaurant also specializes in grilled pork innards such as intestines, stomach, and tripe, marinated in a mix of savory, spicy, and sweet seasonings, then grilled to crispy perfection. The grilled innards are a favorite among many patrons, offering a chewy, crispy texture, and are usually served with a spicy chili sauce that adds a unique flavor. This spot has become a go-to destination for grilled food enthusiasts.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Address: 6 Gầm Cầu, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Phone: 0942 341 144
Website: https://o-nuong-gam-cau.business.site/
Opening Hours: 17:45 – 00:00

Phở Cuốn Hương Mai offers a spacious and clean environment with attentive staff, making it a favorite spot for discerning customers. Their signature dish, phở cuốn, is perfectly balanced in flavor. The restaurant also serves a variety of other delicious options like fried phở and phở salad. Phở cuốn is always ready, pre-rolled and quickly heated for serving, making it the fastest dish on the menu. In addition to the traditional phở cuốn, other phở-based dishes also receive high praise from customers.

The restaurant doesn’t just specialize in phở but also offers dishes like grilled goose meat, stir-fried noodles, and steamed clams, all worth trying. The grilled goose meat is perfectly lean, while the stir-fried noodles are cooked to perfection, moist and flavorful. Add some steamed clams for variety, and you'll have a satisfying meal. Phở Cuốn Hương Mai is a family-owned business that has passed down its culinary tradition for three generations. With years of experience, the restaurant has expanded with several branches across Hanoi, with the flagship location in Ba Dinh District.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Address: 25 Ngũ Xã, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi
Phone: 0973 344 556
Website: https://phocuon.vn
Opening Hours: 09:00 - 23:00