Hasty motorcyclists weave their way through the cramped streets, expertly avoiding crossing pedestrians, as friendly shopkeepers and smiling vendors tout their colorful merchandise to fearless tourists eager to haggle or take a quick, if cheesy, photo. On the narrow sidewalks are rows of scooters and motorcycles neatly arranged between food stalls and temporary outdoor dining setups, which are reminiscent of cafes in France except with tinier tables and ridiculously short plastic stools.
This is the everyday scene in the Old Quarter, the core of Hanoi’s historic commerce and trade. Its puzzling zigzagging roads bare witness to the nonstop hustle and mad dashes that date back hundreds of years.
Over the years, however, the Old Quarter has adopted another persona, one of the gastronomic kind. Today, the Old Quarter is the center of the city’s street food scene and the venue for cafes, restaurants and small food joints as well as a port of call for gourmands from all over the world. Stir your appetite with these five Old Quarter spots for the best foodie fix in the Vietnamese capital.
1. Bún Bò Nam Bo
Look for a blue awning with red tulips and modern store sign of a darker blue shade along Hang Dieu Street, and you’ll find yourself at a must stop food joint in the city. The modest interior, shared-table furnishing and devil-may-care attitude of this tiny restaurant in Old Quarter may not betray its solid reputation, but the simple fact is this: Bún Bò Nam Bo is one of Hanoi’s best and favorite spots for refueling, even getting nods from both Fodor’s Travel and TripAdvisor.
The menu here is as small as the place itself, with only a few drinks and five food options available. The obvious choice, of course, is the traditional vermicelli dish the restaurant is named after. The bún bò nam bo (Southern-style beef noodle salad)—essentially a delightful concoction of rice noodles, grilled marinated beef, fresh veggies, fish sauce and roasted peanuts—served here is one of the best in the city. And around $2.70 for a big bowl, you’ll definitely get a lot of bang for your buck and then some!
2. Bún Cha Huong Liên
What happens when Anthony Bourdain and President Obama enjoy a night out in Hanoi? A gastronomic frenzy that yields Obama-inspired meal combos and has Western tourists descending on a local haunt that’s now plastered with vignettes of the iconic moment … whether this is a good or a bad thing remains to be seen. What is clear is this: you cannot leave Hanoi without feasting on Bún Cha Huong Liên’s now world-famous bún cho while rubbing elbows with the locals.
This two-story restaurant may overwhelm at first with its frantic atmosphere, its overall messy state and the unceremonious way the servers point you to an empty table and take your order. But once you settle into that large bowl of grilled pork belly and ground pork patties mixed with light rice noodles, fresh herbs and pickled papaya in mouthwatering broth, with crab egg rolls and Hanoi beer on the side, you’ll stop caring about anything else.
3. Banh Mì 25
