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Le Beaulieu
In the Metropole Hotel , Le Beaulieu serves exquisite French cuisine in a refined atmosphere. It has been operating since 1901. The kitchen crew, schooled under Chef Didier Corlou's watch, delivers an expertly prepared coq au vin, and competent servers quietly ensure a smooth and romantic dining experience. Sunday brunch is also very popular. Reservations are always recommended.
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Le Tonkin
The neocolonial dining experience is toned down at Le Tonkin. Its appeal is in the quiet, simple elegance of its setting, in a backstreet villa. You can take your leisure in the homey dining room or on the courtyard among leafy banana trees. Excellent food draws inspiration from the street and the country, and the cooks here don't meddle much with tradition.
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Nam Phuong
For upscale Vietnamese in a large and beautiful villa, you can't go wrong with this place. While the kitchen does a commendable job with many regional dishes, the menu particularly shines with seafood specialities like soft-shell crab in tamarind sauce. An acoustic ensemble plays traditional music nightly, often working in some Western numbers for novelty's sake.
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Nha Hang Phu My
It's tight quarters and flickering fluorescent lighting in this modest little joint, but the clientele is a happy bunch. Once you've ordered the house speciality you'll understand why. It's pho xao bo, which amounts to sautéed beef served on a plate of noodles with a thick, starchy gravy poured on top. The food is slopped onto your plate, but it packs lots of flavour.
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Opera Club
This lively supper club draws a mixed crowd of ascending locals and foreigners. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served here but the place comes alive at night, when live music (Viet cabaret, jazz, flamenco) gets cooking. Seating on several levels is arranged around an open stage. The kitchen favours quality ingredients, including beef and lamb from down under. Music starts at .
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Pho 24
Pho 24 is a chain from Saigon, which you might not think would do well in Hanoi, where pho (rice-noodle soup) originated. But think again. Locals dig the Pho 24 style. The soup is a fairly light and quick meal served with a plate of fresh greens, in accordance with the southern custom. The dining room, decorated in a modern streamlined style, is spotlessly clean.
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Pho Gia Truyen
The perfect broth for pho (rice-noodle soup) should look as though it was ladled from the river. It's opaque and brownish after beef bones have boiled in it for hours. Some places try to take the mystery out of pho by serving weak, see-through broths, but here you get the good stuff. Once you've experienced it you'll understand why some can't start their day without a bowl.
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Pho Thin
You'll get a very good bowl of pho in this family-run joint. Just be prepared for a down-home pho -eating experience: order yours on your way in, elbow your way into seats, and kick aside the little piles of tissues at your feet. Within seconds, the aromatic steam rising from your bowl will remind you why you came.
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Quan An Ngon
As hygiene becomes a growing concern, many middle-class Hanoians have begun to shun traditional street vendors. This place addresses the problem by placing impeccably clean food stalls in the lush courtyard of a restored villa. All signs indicate that well-to-do Hanoians love the concept, and many dress up for a meal here. It's a very upbeat and fun place. Before sitting down to your menu, walk around and see what looks good in the stalls.
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Restaurant Bobby Chinn
Blending the best of East and West, owner-chef Bobby Chinn is part Chinese and part Egyptian and brings all his influences to bear in this classy setting. Try the superb salads or the fish with flair, chased down with a chocolate bomb. For an aperitif, coffee or even a sheesha (water pipe) with fruit-flavoured tobacco, move through the silk drapes to the chill-out cushions at the back.
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Seasons Of Hanoi
Though tour groups flood the joint from time to time, Seasons of Hanoi offers exquisite French-colonial atmosphere and fine Vietnamese cuisine. The papaya salad is a good start, and grilled beef with lemon grass and chilli is a standout main. Before or after your meal, enjoy a drink in the mahogany bar.
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Tamarind Café
This cool and casual hang-out has the look and feel of a student coffee house. This being Hanoi, Tamarind attracts anyone dying for an omelette, but the varied vegetarian menu reflects an ambition to meld Asian culinary know-how and Western sensibilities. It's also a friendly spot for a pot of quality tea in the after .
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Vine Wine Boutique Bar & Cafe
Vine is widely considered to be one of Hanoi's finest restaurants. It certainly has the city's most comprehensive wine cellar. Gourmet pizzas are a headliner, but the menu also includes excellent steaks, burgers, clay pots and a smattering of Thai dishes. It may sound over-ambitious, but the kitchen manages to keep all balls in the air. Hybrid East-West décor creates a contemporary atmosphere.
