Vietnam is one of the must-visit countries you should travel to at some point in your life. This magical South Asian country is known for its serene landscapes, unique culture and beautiful trails. One of the most important reasons to visit Vietnam is the mouthwatering cuisine this South-East Asian country has to offer. Also, Vietnamese food is renowned for being healthy and full of history surrounding each particular dish. One area of Vietnam that is my favourite to visit is it’s capital Hanoi.
It’s cosy and quaint, with so many shops, hotels, cafes and markets squeezed into every alleyway. This capital has a large amount of influence from the Chinese, French and Vietnamese. As a result, Hanoi is an assault on the senses. However, a good one for that matter. In between the narrow Hanoian streets, there are many street food stalls. Each stall serves a range of local dishes and for a real cheap price. While you can have many types of food in Vietnam, there are 8 street foods in Hanoi I recommend you to try.
This is a guest post by Extracts of Alex: I’m Alex and I’m from Newcastle Upon Tyne, England. I’ve been travelling the world on and off since the age of seventeen. Currently, on a pit stop operating from Nepal. Blogging about world travel and domestic within Nepal. 🙂
1. Phở
A noodle soup served with chicken, pork or beef. Alongside the meat, the soup has rice noodles, bean sprouts, herbs and hoisin sauce. It’s incredibly filling and warming for the body to eat. When in Hanoi, it was amazing as I could see the ladies making my dinner in front of me. All while I was sat on a stool on the side of the street. Moreover, they also had practised good hygiene when preparing the meal. I recall sitting on a side street in Hanoi, on a small stool having this dish alongside a battered snack. Above all, two meals and two beers came to $2.00! Bargain.
2. Bún chả
A dish native to Hanoi is Bún chả which consists of grilled pork, rice noodles, herbs and sauce.This is found everywhere in Hanoi. However, one of the most popular places to eat this is Bun Cha Huong Lien. Even Barack Obama and Anthony Bourdain dined there! At that restaurant, they’ve put fibreglass around the table to commemorate them eating there.
3. Bánh Cuốn
These are steamed rice rolls which derive from the North of Vietnam. If you’re a meat-lover, I wholeheartedly recommend you try Bánh Cuốn. The dish will melt in your mouth! A tasty rice sheet filled with pork, mushrooms, shallots and herbs.
4. Egg Coffee
Vietnamese are all about their coffee. One coffee which is especially renowned for in Hanoi is the egg coffee! It’s estimated it first came there around 1946 influenced by the French. Egg yolk is whisked into the coffee as a substitute for milk. It’s simply delicious, so don’t judge untill you’ve tried it first!
5. Xoi Xeo
You must try the sticky rice, which gives off a sweet taste. Xoi Xeo has green mung paste, shallots and depending on your diet type you can add in the meat. This dish is served up as a dessert too.
6. Banh Goi
Is a crispy warm type of Vietnamese dumpling. Often inside the battered dumpling, there is pork, mushrooms, carrots and herbs.
7. Bahn Mi
You HAVE to try Banh MI, a street food renowned all over Vietnam yet differs from city to city. This was, without a doubt, one of my favourite meals I had. It’s a Vietnamese style sandwich. However, it’s a crunchy baguette, with pickles, carrots, chicken, mayonnaise, lettuce and many more. It’s different from your typical ordinary sandwich I can assure you.
8. Bot Chien
Sorry veggies: finally a vegetarian dish for you! This is a flour cake filled with fried rice, fried eggs and some vegetables. They are pan-fried and have this mouthwatering dripping fish sauce served with them. Obviously, if you are vegetarian, just opt-out for the side sauce.
In short, there you have it: 8 street foods to try in Hanoi. While there a many more, here are 8 essential street foods I recommend you to try. Comment down below if you’ve had any of these.
