Dong Van
This friendly restaurant serving Vietnamese and Western dishes is fast becoming Dong Van's hub for foreign travellers. The couple who run it have lots of…
Must-see restaurants in Northern Vietnam
Hill Station Signature Restaurant
Sapa
A showcase of Hmong cuisine with cool Zen decor and superb views. Dishes include flash-cooked pork with lime, ash-baked trout in banana leaves, and…
Mai Chau
Want to join the locals on a night out? Consider this simple, tasty restaurant, located on Mai Chau's main strip. Everything on the brief menu is made…
Haiphong
Haiphong's most atmospheric dining choice is hidden within this colonial building. Rooms are an artful clutter of Asian art, old carved cabinets and…
Cat Ba Island
This is one of our Cat Ba favourites for its combination of good service, tasty mains (try the seafood curry or fish in a clay pot), lighter options such…
Haiphong
This streetside stall sells one thing only: banh da cua, Haiphong's signature breakfast noodle dish. It's a combination of thick dark rice noodles in a…
Cao Bang
One of our favourite com binh dan (point-and-choose dishes served over rice) joints in northern Vietnam. Enter to find a reliable spread of appetising…
Dong Van
Where the locals go for breakfast in Dong Van. The menu begins and ends with banh cuon – freshly-steamed and filled noodles – served the northern way with…
Yen Ninh Vegetarian Restaurant
Dien Bien Phu
This is an unexpected find down a nondescript residential alley in the commercial northwest of town – a family home doubling as a bookshop that serves up…
Cat Ba Island
Justifiably one of the most popular of the seafood spots lining Ð Nui Ngoc, and often heaving with Vietnamese tourists diving into local crab, squid and…
Mai Chau
The eponymous three sisters here run a friendly local joint that's a step up from other places in town. House specials include red pumpkin soup with rice,…
Sapa
This recently expanded place stands out for great service and superb valley views from the windows. Come for decent Vietnamese and European food, good…
Sapa
A smaller, more intimate version of Le Gecko, just a few doors away, with cabana-style architecture and slightly cheaper prices for almost the same menu…
Haiphong
This well-established restaurant is run by Keralans from India so it’s the real deal, with pukka (authentic) milky chai, lassis (yogurt drink) and…
Sapa
This French-owned place has classy service and a menu of flavoursome country cooking that jumps from French tartiflette casserole with potato, cheese and…
Cat Ba Island
Attentive service and smart decor, set around a central cafe counter, are the draws here, with tasty Chinese-style dishes (try the braised mushroom and…
Halong City
Airy and spacious, Linh Dan offers great local seafood dishes away from the touts of the town's seafront restaurants. The fish in clay pot with lemongrass…
Cat Ba Island
At this 'floating' fish-farm-meets-restaurant at Ben Beo Pier, select your seafood from the pen and it will be grilled, fried or steamed in no time…
Bac Ha
A favourite dish in northern Vietnam is grilled duck. Come to this simple restaurant (look for the rotisserie out the front) for a half (100,000d) or a…
Cao Bang
In the north, banh cuon – freshly steamed, stuffed noodles – are served with a bowl of hot broth. Try this dish, prepared and served in the owner's rather…
Haiphong
At this restored townhouse, authentic Thai dishes are beautifully prepared and presented – try the lab moo (pork salad) or pepper squid; there are good…
Northwest Vietnam
Located a few blocks south of Muong Te's bus station is this lively restaurant that specialises in bun dau mam tom – deep-fried tidbits, noodles and herbs…
Hotpot & Roast Piglet Restaurants
Sapa
This strip is home to several similar places serving Vietnamese-style lau (hotpot; meat stew cooked with local vegetables, cabbage and mushroom) and roast…
Lao Cai
A Sapa-esque cafe. Try the full English breakfast, pasta options or good Vietnamese dishes. To find it from the train station, cross the main road and…
Ha Giang Province
A foreigner-friendly place with enthusiastic service, pleasant outdoor seating and a wide menu of Asian and Western comfort food. Our sautéed beef,…
Northwest Vietnam
Hoa Ban is one of a strip of restaurants P Hoang Quoc Viet, roughly across from the San Xanh 3 Hotel, that serve Thai dishes. Take a seat on the floor and…
Sapa
Don't miss warming up with a cup of ginger tea sweetened with Sapa mountain honey at this simple cafe attached to the Sapa O'Chau tour company. Also does…
Haiphong
This gaudy hall is renowned for seafood, including an amazing selection of crab dishes. More exotic dishes featuring deer and goat are also on the menu. A…
Meo Vac
Recommended by locals, this place does the usual point-and-choose dishes served over rice, and a few noodle dishes. It's located just around the corner …
Ha Giang Province
This com (point-and-choose dishes served over rice) place is a popular spot for lunch. Coming from Ha Giang, turn left at the corner before the Thao…
Sapa
This rowdy place brings all the local faves – grilled skewers, roast piglet, dried beef, hotpot – together in one venue. Pull up a pew at one of the…
Ha Giang Province
Locals fuel up on vast bowls of steaming pho – both chicken and beef – at this busy shophouse restaurant, located diagonally opposite the Cao Nguyen Hotel.
Bai Tu Long Bay
At the southern end of the town's main street is this simple but delicious shop selling point-and-choose dishes served over rice. The owner's son speaks…
Lao Cai
This branch is an offshoot of the successful Sapa cafe, with a handy location near the train station. It does good breakfasts and sandwiches and decent…
Northeast Vietnam
Lang Son’s market area sprawls over about three blocks, just off P Tran Dang Ninh. It's a colourful and hectic place stuffed to the brim with hawkers and…
Ha Giang Province
Vast, buzzy (read: loud), hall-like restaurant serving hotpot and other Vietnamese dishes. Be careful what you order blindly off the (Vietnamese only)…
Bai Tu Long Bay
A decent selection of all the usual noodle and rice dishes are available at this simple family-run outfit, which is one of the few restaurants still open…
Bai Tu Long Bay
There's not much English spoken at this popular seafood place, so you'll have to get the dictionary out or point at the tanks of shrimp, crabs, shellfish…
Cat Ba Island
This backpacker-oriented family restaurant serves a menu of pan-Asian dishes – think Indian curries, pad thai and Vietnamese standards. Not exceptional,…
Sapa
This intimate bistro is recognisable by its colourful exterior lanterns. The menu rambles from pizza, pasta and steaks to Vietnamese with a couple of Sapa…
