Showing 1-15 of 15 results
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Au Lac House
On a sultry evening, you'll want to be seated on the terrace of Au Lac House, sipping cocktails and dining on finely prepared Vietnamese dishes. It's housed in a roomy colonial villa and the service is attentive and efficient, but the food is not to be outshined. The kitchen deftly concocts rustic country dishes and more-exotic innovations.
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Bo Tung Xeo
It's undeniably cool having dinner on a covered rooftop along happening Pho Mai Hac De. Bo Tung Xeo is hard to find (walk through the downstairs pho - rice-noodle soup - restaurant and up the stairs at the back), which naturally adds to its appeal. The speciality is a marinated sliced beef dish, which you and your friends grill at your table. Along with cold beer it makes a hearty repast.
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Brother's Cafe
For something completely different, Brother's Cafe is set in the courtyard of a carefully restored, 250-year-old Buddhist temple. The nightly dinner buffet is the affordable approach and includes one drink; the lunch special is a bargain. The atmosphere is simply serene, even when it's busy.
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Bun Cha
Next to Art Vietnam gallery is this fine little mother-and-daughter operation. They do one thing only ( bun cha - a dish of rice vermicelli with barbecued pork and vegetables), and they do it well. Work it into your plans if you're visiting the gallery.
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Cha Ca La Vong
The antiquated atmosphere here is legendary, and its rickety floors, overcrowded tables and gruff wait staff live up to the billing. Head straight upstairs for the full-on experience, and leave behind all expectations of a relaxed midday repast. It's a one-dish sweatshop, specialising in cha ca (fish grilled on your table with turmeric and dill, served with cold noodles and peanuts).
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Cha Ca Thanh Long
Many locals habitually duck in here for a cha ca fix without the fuss of tourists shuffling in and out. The shambling atmosphere of Cha Ca La Vong is dispensed with, service is friendly and there's a bit more elbow room. It's a few blocks from its world-renowned predecessor.
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Chim Sao
One of Hanoi's smartest dining options, with subtly creative food and an arty, Asian-boho atmosphere. It gets busy on weekend evenings, when foreigners have the run of the place. It's especially nice for lunch.
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Dragon Boat
It can be quite a hoot having dinner aboard a boat painted to look like a dragon as it tools around West Lake. The menu emphasises seafood but generally covers the Vietnamese staples, including novel snake and pigeon platters. Vegetarians will have much to choose from. If you're travelling with a group, you can charter the entire boat for around ₫600,000 .
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Emperor
For festive and exotic atmosphere it doesn't get any better. Thankfully, Emperor follows through with sophisticated and rewarding contemporary Vietnamese food. Choose your setting: the lush courtyard, inside the traditional Asian wooden house, or up on the balcony. Be sure to include an order of shrimp paste on sugar cane, which makes for a fun and delicious starter.
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Hai San Van Anh
This unassuming spot has been known to overcharge foreigners, though the excellent seafood is still very reasonable by non-Hanoi standards. The gripe may be that the atmosphere is still very much of the Hanoi street variety. If you can live with that, round up some friends and order huge platters of fried squid and some of the city's best French fries.
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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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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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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.
Showing 1-15 of 15 results
