When I sit here at another airport, my mind focuses singularly on the first bowl of pho that I will consume when I arrive at one of my favorite cities on earth: Hanoi. If I close my eyes and ignore the man who snores heavily beside me, and the boy loosening his lungs in the far corner of this sterile airport, I can almost smell the streets, hear the sound of the horn and feel the frenzied energy of the city.
I can easily remember an image: me, sitting on a plastic stool, face down in a smoky bowl of pho as I take the first ceremonial inhalation. The bouquet of cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, garlic, green onion and history inflates my tired traveling soul with joy, comfort and something similar to a strong hug from an old friend. After the passage of one more flight that image will be a reality.
As you may catch up, I love Hanoi: I love your food, I love its dynamic busy streets, its hidden cafes, its cycle drivers who ask me to take a walk around every corner. I love plastic stools and French coffee shops. I love the smoke that rises in the cafeteria on the corner: the remains of the entrails of some animals are spread on a large cutting board so that customers know it is fresh and, therefore, undoubtedly delicious. I love women with strict heels and well-cut suits over a bowl of chicken legs, accompanied by plastic jars with 333 beers at the end of their long working day; I love children who fight over sweets in the form of cubes dipped in sesame but flavored with bean curd; and I love the elderly with their teeth stained red to chew the deer's nut all day and night in quiet contemplation while the city assaults them.
I even love things that I can not try (which is not much).
So, where can I eat in Hanoi? Good question.
I should start by saying: I am a nostalgic person with a loyalty problem, so some of these restaurants have been pleased by my favoritism. Of course, I continue to explore and select my list, I communicate with my sources as soon as my feet touch the ground (the influx of cool and modern places for me is a constant, as is the rhythm of this city, and the country in reality (it keeps changing), but I always make time (and a little space in my tum) to frequent my old places.I still find some comfort, probably understandable, when seeing an old friend behind the backbone of a family menu.
Here are some places that I think are essential if you are going to explore the city. Be courageous intrepid travelers! Pick up your chopsticks, get rid of your fears and let your palate become the judge!
The Grandma
This elegant restaurant offers a variety of delicious and authentic Vietnamese dishes, as well as an excellent selection of wines. Whether you choose the delicious roast duck, a plate of noodles, fish or seafood, the interpretations of the grandmother's Vietnamese classics make it a truly memorable culinary experience in the capital.
Vietnamese live musical performances in dan bau and dan nhi accompany their food. If you are a large group or looking for an intimate dinner, enjoy Vietnamese hospitality in this cozy atmosphere.
Cha Ca La Vong
Located on a narrow street in the old town, this restaurant takes its name from its only dish: Cha Ca La Vong! With a green sea interior and a staircase disguised as a staircase to enter the main floor, this is a place where English is rarely heard and you do not have to bother thinking about what you want; instead, you receive what they have, which has remained the same for decades.
A pan of fresh fish from the river will arrive at your table with a personal charcoal cooker. Accompanying this is a bowl of fresh rice noodles, peanuts and fresh herbs. When the fish start to warm up and the smells of turmeric and dill begin to bloom around them, it is when the herbs are added to the pan (I also personally like to add the peanuts at this time because I like them hot). Once you are satisfied that the herbs are cooked to your preference, take the fresh rice noodles and place them in your bowl, add a little fish, herbs and aromatic oil on top, add a little fish sauce and chili peppers to give it more flavor (and a few more fresh herbs if that's your style) and enjoy it!
Hanoi Social Club
After a satiety lunch in Cha Ca, I head over to the old town for a cup of lemon and ginger tea. I'm always on my way to digest a bit and let the street scene lift me from my head and enter the chaos that is the Hanoi newspaper. Located at 6 Ngõ Hội Vũ, Hàng Bông, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, the Hanoi Social Club is an institution among expats and in the knowledge of the Xer generation of Vietnam.
Distributed over three floors, the third floor is an outdoor terrace, the Hanoi Social Club has a wonderfully rustic atmosphere with beautifully worn old wooden furniture and rooms slightly decorated with Vietnamese art. This is a coffee that makes you feel a little lighter when you enter, as it tends to inspire the feeling, at least with me, that in this space you could compose a decent poem or at least read a book. Decent poems and maybe even understand some!
The menu is full of fresh organic salads and light dishes inspired by the west, with enough choice to satisfy your most select friend or family member. When I spend an afternoon, I leave feeling a little more melancholic, a little more cultured and a little closer to the best version of myself.
Pizza 4p's
No matter where I travel, there is always one day a week when I feel overwhelmed by the need for a good pizza. And I'm not talking about throwing processed cheese over some dough and throwing it into the fire without thinking! No, I mean pizza: the traditional Italian pizza that is usually only found in Italy. Fortunately, there are, in my opinion, more and more places around the world that are no longer satisfied with the presentation of the poorest premium to pizza, the international imitator, as I call it. Pizza 4p's in Hanoi would make an old man with white hair and curly mustache in Naples feel proud.
Located at 24 Lý Quốc Sư, Hàng Trống, Hoàn Kiếm Hàng Trng Hoàn Kiếm Hà Nội., Hoàn Kiếm, Hanoi, Pizza 4p's manufactures its own cheese using dairy cows that graze in the highlands around Dalat. Focusing on the freshest local ingredients, each pizza knows that it has been made with love and care and extreme attention to proportions. My favorite (if you're looking for suggestions) is the Shrimp Mayo pizza in half and the four cheeses in the other. Then, I take the spicy oil and pour it in my pizza (beware, it's quite spicy). I follow this with a sip of Chianti and this, my friends, I promise, it's a satisfying night!
Cau Go
Located on the sixth floor overlooking the water oasis of Hoan Kiem Lake, you will be rewarded with panoramic views of Hanoi in Cau Go. Located in the old town, its interior emits an eclectic French colonial atmosphere without trying too hard to be picky. Lunch and dinner offer tastes and varied dishes from all over the country, including Hanoi, Saigon and Central Vietnam, with a contemporary twist. Drinks, sandwiches and main courses are served every day from 10 a.m. If you can, request an outdoor table to enjoy a beautiful view of the courtyard of the Turtle Tower and the dazzling lakefront of Hanoi.
Green tangerine
When I'm in the mood for some fusion and romance, I turn to Green Tangerine. This restaurant has a French-inspired menu and one of the best french restaurant in hanoi. I'll take a glass of red outside in the afternoon when the daylight is starting to fade. This ritual is followed by a fusion meal of seafood pasta with soba noodles and a denim salad and then, of course, a French crème brulee delicacy. I leave you feeling that perfect "full French".
The original
Pho Thin
When I want pho, I also want what comes with pho. I want the shared tables and the noisy crowds, the chopsticks on the tables and the bowls of chiles and limes and the fish sauce that comes from an old family recipe that is transmitted from generation to generation. I want to hear insults, laughter and children, and I want my shoulders to be next to a local while we lean forward and savor our bowls of noodles at once. I want to make conspiratorial eye contact with the old woman on the other side of the table when I take the bowl to my mouth when I finish the noodles and drink the remaining broth. Located at 13 Lo Duc, Hai Ba Trung district, Hanoi 10000, Vietnam. Come here for the Pho and leave a person changed ... or at least one sated!
The colonial - One of the famous restaurant in hanoi
Bamboo bar at the Sofitel Metropole
Sometimes, the colonial atmosphere of the city is so strong that I am attracted to the epicenter of everything: the Bamboo Bar at the Sofitel Metropole. This bar for me sums up the colonial elegance and makes me feel that I am someone a little more important than I am, a little more attractive, a little more global.
By the pool, I usually order some light tapas from the bar menu that includes popcorn served with a spicy red chile sauce, some crudities and a cheese plate filled with French cheeses that are sharp enough to force me to continue My martini with a glass Of rich French red wine. I like this bar I really like this bar.
Quan An Ngon
My last internal advice will be a bit of a wild card. Quan An Ngon is, for me, the best way to experience street food without being on the street. If you want to be in a place where you can try all kinds of delicious and wonderfully varied local cuisine, this is your place. Every time I choose to go here, it never disappoints me.
I enter the great courtyard-like atmosphere full of locals and the odd packing backpack and slowly step into the scene to realize that now, after all these years of entering and leaving Vietnam, to a foreign country with a language that It still seduces me and ingredients that in my childhood would look like something taken from a Doctor Seuss book and a rhythm that can seem frantic and elegant at the same time, it feels like home. To get closer, or at least in the proximity, of all my previous feelings, head to 18 Phan Boi Chau Street, Hoan Kiem District.
The Best Restaurant in Hanoi
I can easily remember an image: me, sitting on a plastic stool, face down in a smoky bowl of pho as I take the first ceremonial inhalation. The bouquet of cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, garlic, green onion and history inflates my tired traveling soul with joy, comfort and something similar to a strong hug from an old friend. After the passage of one more flight that image will be a reality.
As you may catch up, I love Hanoi: I love your food, I love its dynamic busy streets, its hidden cafes, its cycle drivers who ask me to take a walk around every corner. I love plastic stools and French coffee shops. I love the smoke that rises in the cafeteria on the corner: the remains of the entrails of some animals are spread on a large cutting board so that customers know it is fresh and, therefore, undoubtedly delicious. I love women with strict heels and well-cut suits over a bowl of chicken legs, accompanied by plastic jars with 333 beers at the end of their long working day; I love children who fight over sweets in the form of cubes dipped in sesame but flavored with bean curd; and I love the elderly with their teeth stained red to chew the deer's nut all day and night in quiet contemplation while the city assaults them.
I even love things that I can not try (which is not much).
So, where can I eat in Hanoi? Good question.
I should start by saying: I am a nostalgic person with a loyalty problem, so some of these restaurants have been pleased by my favoritism. Of course, I continue to explore and select my list, I communicate with my sources as soon as my feet touch the ground (the influx of cool and modern places for me is a constant, as is the rhythm of this city, and the country in reality (it keeps changing), but I always make time (and a little space in my tum) to frequent my old places.I still find some comfort, probably understandable, when seeing an old friend behind the backbone of a family menu.
Here are some places that I think are essential if you are going to explore the city. Be courageous intrepid travelers! Pick up your chopsticks, get rid of your fears and let your palate become the judge!
THE TRADITIONAL BEST RESTAURANT IN HANOI
The Grandma
This elegant restaurant offers a variety of delicious and authentic Vietnamese dishes, as well as an excellent selection of wines. Whether you choose the delicious roast duck, a plate of noodles, fish or seafood, the interpretations of the grandmother's Vietnamese classics make it a truly memorable culinary experience in the capital.
Vietnamese live musical performances in dan bau and dan nhi accompany their food. If you are a large group or looking for an intimate dinner, enjoy Vietnamese hospitality in this cozy atmosphere.
The old school institution
Cha Ca La Vong
Located on a narrow street in the old town, this restaurant takes its name from its only dish: Cha Ca La Vong! With a green sea interior and a staircase disguised as a staircase to enter the main floor, this is a place where English is rarely heard and you do not have to bother thinking about what you want; instead, you receive what they have, which has remained the same for decades.
A pan of fresh fish from the river will arrive at your table with a personal charcoal cooker. Accompanying this is a bowl of fresh rice noodles, peanuts and fresh herbs. When the fish start to warm up and the smells of turmeric and dill begin to bloom around them, it is when the herbs are added to the pan (I also personally like to add the peanuts at this time because I like them hot). Once you are satisfied that the herbs are cooked to your preference, take the fresh rice noodles and place them in your bowl, add a little fish, herbs and aromatic oil on top, add a little fish sauce and chili peppers to give it more flavor (and a few more fresh herbs if that's your style) and enjoy it!
The social club
Hanoi Social Club
After a satiety lunch in Cha Ca, I head over to the old town for a cup of lemon and ginger tea. I'm always on my way to digest a bit and let the street scene lift me from my head and enter the chaos that is the Hanoi newspaper. Located at 6 Ngõ Hội Vũ, Hàng Bông, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, the Hanoi Social Club is an institution among expats and in the knowledge of the Xer generation of Vietnam.
Distributed over three floors, the third floor is an outdoor terrace, the Hanoi Social Club has a wonderfully rustic atmosphere with beautifully worn old wooden furniture and rooms slightly decorated with Vietnamese art. This is a coffee that makes you feel a little lighter when you enter, as it tends to inspire the feeling, at least with me, that in this space you could compose a decent poem or at least read a book. Decent poems and maybe even understand some!
The menu is full of fresh organic salads and light dishes inspired by the west, with enough choice to satisfy your most select friend or family member. When I spend an afternoon, I leave feeling a little more melancholic, a little more cultured and a little closer to the best version of myself.
THE FRIEND CONTEMPORARY AND FAMILY
Pizza 4p's
No matter where I travel, there is always one day a week when I feel overwhelmed by the need for a good pizza. And I'm not talking about throwing processed cheese over some dough and throwing it into the fire without thinking! No, I mean pizza: the traditional Italian pizza that is usually only found in Italy. Fortunately, there are, in my opinion, more and more places around the world that are no longer satisfied with the presentation of the poorest premium to pizza, the international imitator, as I call it. Pizza 4p's in Hanoi would make an old man with white hair and curly mustache in Naples feel proud.
Located at 24 Lý Quốc Sư, Hàng Trống, Hoàn Kiếm Hàng Trng Hoàn Kiếm Hà Nội., Hoàn Kiếm, Hanoi, Pizza 4p's manufactures its own cheese using dairy cows that graze in the highlands around Dalat. Focusing on the freshest local ingredients, each pizza knows that it has been made with love and care and extreme attention to proportions. My favorite (if you're looking for suggestions) is the Shrimp Mayo pizza in half and the four cheeses in the other. Then, I take the spicy oil and pour it in my pizza (beware, it's quite spicy). I follow this with a sip of Chianti and this, my friends, I promise, it's a satisfying night!
THE LAKE VIEW
Cau Go
Located on the sixth floor overlooking the water oasis of Hoan Kiem Lake, you will be rewarded with panoramic views of Hanoi in Cau Go. Located in the old town, its interior emits an eclectic French colonial atmosphere without trying too hard to be picky. Lunch and dinner offer tastes and varied dishes from all over the country, including Hanoi, Saigon and Central Vietnam, with a contemporary twist. Drinks, sandwiches and main courses are served every day from 10 a.m. If you can, request an outdoor table to enjoy a beautiful view of the courtyard of the Turtle Tower and the dazzling lakefront of Hanoi.
THE ROMANTIC
Green tangerine
When I'm in the mood for some fusion and romance, I turn to Green Tangerine. This restaurant has a French-inspired menu and one of the best french restaurant in hanoi. I'll take a glass of red outside in the afternoon when the daylight is starting to fade. This ritual is followed by a fusion meal of seafood pasta with soba noodles and a denim salad and then, of course, a French crème brulee delicacy. I leave you feeling that perfect "full French".
The original
Pho Thin
When I want pho, I also want what comes with pho. I want the shared tables and the noisy crowds, the chopsticks on the tables and the bowls of chiles and limes and the fish sauce that comes from an old family recipe that is transmitted from generation to generation. I want to hear insults, laughter and children, and I want my shoulders to be next to a local while we lean forward and savor our bowls of noodles at once. I want to make conspiratorial eye contact with the old woman on the other side of the table when I take the bowl to my mouth when I finish the noodles and drink the remaining broth. Located at 13 Lo Duc, Hai Ba Trung district, Hanoi 10000, Vietnam. Come here for the Pho and leave a person changed ... or at least one sated!
The colonial - One of the famous restaurant in hanoi
Bamboo bar at the Sofitel Metropole
Sometimes, the colonial atmosphere of the city is so strong that I am attracted to the epicenter of everything: the Bamboo Bar at the Sofitel Metropole. This bar for me sums up the colonial elegance and makes me feel that I am someone a little more important than I am, a little more attractive, a little more global.
By the pool, I usually order some light tapas from the bar menu that includes popcorn served with a spicy red chile sauce, some crudities and a cheese plate filled with French cheeses that are sharp enough to force me to continue My martini with a glass Of rich French red wine. I like this bar I really like this bar.
THE WILD CARD - STREET STYLE
Quan An Ngon
My last internal advice will be a bit of a wild card. Quan An Ngon is, for me, the best way to experience street food without being on the street. If you want to be in a place where you can try all kinds of delicious and wonderfully varied local cuisine, this is your place. Every time I choose to go here, it never disappoints me.
I enter the great courtyard-like atmosphere full of locals and the odd packing backpack and slowly step into the scene to realize that now, after all these years of entering and leaving Vietnam, to a foreign country with a language that It still seduces me and ingredients that in my childhood would look like something taken from a Doctor Seuss book and a rhythm that can seem frantic and elegant at the same time, it feels like home. To get closer, or at least in the proximity, of all my previous feelings, head to 18 Phan Boi Chau Street, Hoan Kiem District.
The Best Restaurant in Hanoi
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