Top 8 longstanding street food stalls in Hanoi

1. Pho stall - Hang Chieu

Believe it or not, with just a pair of shoulder poles, two pots of broth along with simple, rustic toppings, a famous “brand” of pho has been established in the land of Hanoi. Not a joke, but a reality. Pho stall - Hang Chieu is one of the longstanding pho stalls, having been present for 30 years in the old quarter. The stall is very simple, humble, without any extravagant signs, and opens at 3 in the morning yet tourists still flock in, recommending it to friends near and far. It can be said that it’s the delicious aroma, sincere attitude of the seller, and simplicity that capture the hearts of diners.

A humble pho stall, offering only rare beef, well-done beef, and beef brisket in red wine sauce pho. A bowl of pho at Pho stall - Hang Chieu is fragrant with the aroma of simmering bone broth, the tender meat pieces, and the chewy pho noodles blending to create a special flavor that diners cannot forget. Here, the most beloved pho dish is the beef brisket in red wine sauce pho.

2. Bun ziu stall by Aunt Yen

When it comes to Vietnamese cuisine, besides pho, the must-try dish for foreign tourists is undoubtedly bun, especially bun rieu. In this regard, mentioning 'Bun ziu stall by Aunt Yen' on potato street is a must. It's a tiny stall, with just a few small plastic chairs for seating, but it's incredibly popular. Customers flock here not only the elderly or middle-aged, but also many young people. The reason is because the stall is beautifully presented, especially in the morning when it's fully stocked. Therefore, the sight of customers carrying bowls of bun and phones in hand is a common one here.

Plentiful bun, delicious rieu, large snails, fresh beef, rich broth, and especially the golden crispy fried shallots, fragrant coriander, rich and creamy, always piled on top of the bowl, are what diners can feel from the first few bites. With over 30 years of serving multiple generations of customers, 'Bun ziu stall by Aunt Yen' still leaves everyone in awe every time it's mentioned. The price of bun here is slightly higher than the market, but every bowl is super packed. To the point where some people jokingly feel full just by looking at the bowl of bun.

If you're a die-hard fan of this traditional dish, then you must visit the fried rice cake stall at Dong Xuan Market, you won't be disappointed. Unlike other places, Traditional Rice Cake - Dong Xuan Market is fried on a tray. The square, beautifully fried rice cakes on the copper tray are not only delicious, clean, but also visually appealing. Customers are provided with plastic chairs to sit on by the owner, and can add soy sauce or chili sauce according to their taste. With added soy sauce, the rice cake becomes crispy, hot, and delicious, very easy to eat. Moreover, you can also choose additional side dishes such as sausages, fried spring rolls, or grilled pork cakes... You can choose whatever dish you like to enjoy with the rice cake.

In winter, such fried rice cake stalls are often crowded, partly due to their delicious taste, partly due to their affordable prices. A small, square fried rice cake with side dishes costs only 7,000 - 10,000 VND/piece. So, with just about 30,000 VND, you can satisfy your hunger with a very delicious meal at Traditional Rice Cake - Dong Xuan Market.

The 'food experts' in Hanoi cannot miss 'the mute woman's snail stall'. On the bustling food street, if you pay attention, you will notice a small corner of the mute vendor's stall. Many tourists have noticed this detail. It's like a strange contrast, creating a bit of tranquility and serenity for the bustling street day and night Snail Vermicelli Soup - Tong Duy Tan.

Although she cannot speak, she understands the guests very quickly and is always agile in her actions. It can be said that in Hanoi, it's not difficult to find a good boiled snail stall, but it's impossible to find one that brings so many emotions like this. People give this place its simple name because only here can people experience such a unique and new style of eating snails, without words because the owner and the serving staff are all hearing impaired. Nevertheless, when entering, people will not feel bored, dull, or silent because all the staff are always smiling. Also, when you want to order, you just need to point at Snail Vermicelli Soup - Tong Duy Tan displayed on the counter and signal the number with your fingers. The stall also has vermicelli for dipping, very suitable for hot summer days.