Best Vietnam food tour Hanoi for an enriched gastronomic experience

Visitors don't have to go to fancy restaurants to discover the diversity of Vietnamese cuisine. The uniqueness of Vietnamese flavors is easily found in street foods. This article will show you what to expect in a Vietnam food tour Hanoi.

What are the best Vietnamese dishes that you must try in Hanoi?

Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup (Pho Bo)

Although there are many different types of Vietnamese ‘Pho’, beef noodle soup or ‘Pho Bo’ has become a culinary symbol of Vietnam for foreign tourists.

The main ingredient to make soft noodles is rice. Meanwhile, the broth is stewed beef neck, shank, and ox tail. The topping includes rare beef, encrusted, tendon, and beef balls. 

Therefore, ‘Pho’ is a nutritious and healthy dish. When eating ‘Pho’, diners often use it with some herbs and green onions.

Vietnamese sandwich (Banh Mi)

‘Banh Mi’ is a famous Vietnamese sandwich that you should definitely try once in your life. You can easily find it in many streets of Hanoi. Traditional Vietnamese bread is basically a baguette of French origin. 

However, things that make it taste so great and special when it is made in Vietnam are the fillings inside such as pate, pork bologna, meatballs, omelets, pickled vegetables, etc. combined with butter, soy sauce, and other spices. 

Vermicelli Noodles with Barbecued Pork (Bun Cha)

One of the things that makes Vietnamese cuisine diverse is the variety of types of noodles. In Hanoi, Vermicelli Noodles with Barbecued Pork or ‘Bun Cha’ is a famous noodle dish, even tasted by President Obama a few years ago. 

‘Bun Cha’ is a great combination of meat, vegetables, fish sauce, and vermicelli. The highlight of this dish is pork. It is carefully seasoned and grilled over hot coals. 

When enjoying ‘Bun Cha’, diners will taste it with green vegetables such as lettuce, herbs, perilla, and sweet and sour chili garlic fish sauce.

Grilled Fish with Dill and Turmeric (Cha Ca)

Grilled Fish with Dill and Turmeric or ‘Cha Ca’ or ‘Cha Ca La Vong’ is a delicate and artistic dish of people in Hanoi. It originated the Doan family in Hang Son street. Later, this unique dish became a famous brand and was served by many families on Hang Son street.

After buying fish, the chefs preliminarily prepare them, cut them small pieces, and carefully marinate them. Finally, the chefs grill the fish over hot coals until golden on both sides. ‘Cha Ca’ can be served with vermicelli, vegetables, and fish sauce.

Crab Spring Rolls (Nem Cua Be)

Crab Spring Rolls or ‘Nem Cua Be’ was originally a specialty dish of the Hai Phong people. However, when introduced to Hanoi, this dish gradually became popular and loved by many people in the capital.

The process of cooking crab spring rolls is quite complicated. The ingredients include brick crab, fresh shrimp, minced meat, shiitake mushrooms, wood ear, chopped vermicelli, bean sprouts, red onion, and egg yolk. 

After mixing the ingredients and shaping the spring rolls, the chefs will fry them in hot oil. Thus, when eating Crab Spring Rolls, people will feel the aroma and greasy and crispy taste.

Steamed Rice Rolls (Banh Cuon)

Steamed Rice Rolls or 'Banh Cuon' are thin sheets of dough that are steamed and filled with pork or egg, wood ear, scallions, etc. When eating, diners will eat with herbs, lettuce, bean sprouts, cucumber, and sweet and sour fish sauce, which is the highlight of the dish.

In addition, a full plate of rice rolls will have more pork bologna or roasted cinnamon pork. Steamed Rice Rolls are a light meal of Vietnamese. It appears in every province but has its own flavor.

Fish Noodles Soup (Bun Ca)

In Hanoi's autumn or winter weather, it's great for everyone to enjoy a bowl of hot and spicy fish noodle soup, or ‘Bun Ca’ in Vietnamese. Although, not as popular as ‘Pho’ with foreign tourists, this is still a Vietnamese dish worth experiencing. 

A full-fish noodle soup will include vermicelli, fried fish, fish cake, steamed fish, and vegetables. The broth is made pork bones with tomatoes and a little vinegar.

What are famous drinks that satisfy all tourists in Hanoi? 

Egg Coffee (Ca Phe Trung)

Not only in Northern European countries, but Vietnamese people also love to drink coffee. Even visitors will be surprised to realize that there are many unique coffee drinks only available in Vietnam. Egg coffee or ‘Ca Phe Trung’ is a typical example in Hanoi.

Have you ever imagined what coffee with sugar, condensed milk, egg yolks, and whipped egg whites would taste like? Of course, it is dense and sweet but not overpowering. You can use it as hot or cold as you like.

Hanoi Draft Beer (Bia Hoi)

Hanoi Draft Beer or ‘Bia Hoi’ is more than a popular drink, it is a unique culture only in Hanoi, Vietnam. Every evening, tourists and Vietnamese will gather to drink cold beer to socialize on small plastic chairs on the ancient streets.

Bia Hoi is a light, fresh beer, with only about 3% alcohol, and usually takes about 1 month to brew. People in Hanoi consider drinking beer as a method to make friends and chat with each other.

Iced Tea (Tra Da)

Similar to Hanoi Draft Beer, iced tea is a well-known drink in Hanoi, Vietnam, not because it's delicious, but because it's cheap and the beginning of gossip.

Iced tea is the perfect refreshing drink on hot summer days. It smells like tea, diluted and sweet.

Where can you find a Hanoi Tour?

A Vietnam food tour Hanoi is a great idea to customize your Hanoi trip. If you are looking for an agency that provides the best tours and resorts in Vietnam, feel free to connect with Sao La Tours.

Sao La Tours was created with the mission of making travel affordable and accessible. With a passion for travel and many years of experience leading tours, we will surely make your trip more wonderful than expected.

Contact us at Sao La Tours for a consultation.