14 Best Restaurants in The French Quarter, Hanoi

Serving creamy cappuccinos and delicious lattes in calm and quiet surroundings, Habakuk might be the best spot in the city for withdrawing from Hanoi's chaos with a book and a drink. Though best known for its excellent coffee, Habakuk morphs into a bistro serving delicious lasagna in the evenings.

Bringing inspired French cuisine to the heart of Hanoi, impassioned chef Benjamin Rascalou, who trained at several prestigious restaurants in Paris, has created a menu with flair. Main entrées, such as the sea bass meunière or seafood tagliatelle, will set you back more than most restaurants in Hanoi, but the flavors are worth the splurge. The desserts, such as the coffee mousse with pistachio ice cream and chocolate truffle, are almost impossible to pass up. Those who order the six-course tasting menu (1,500,000d) can elevate the experience with an optional wine pairing.

Serving countryside dishes with a refreshing modern twist, Luk Lak is a welcome addition to Hanoi's dining scene. Many of the dishes are head chef Madame Binh's take on recipes from a particular part of the country, such as the ga nuong Tu Le (grilled chicken with sticky rice from Yen Bai Province) and tom xoc toi Quang Tri (prawn with lemongrass and chili from Quang Tri Province). The minimalist design with flashes of Hanoi's colonial heritage serves to enhance an already exceptional dining experience.

At this authentic Indian restaurant, the owners import herbs and spices directly from India. Flatbreads like paratha and naan are cooked in a genuine clay tandoor oven, and the impressive cone-shape dosa pancake stands 2 feet tall. The kebabs are grilled to perfection with spices and lime.

Bun Cha Huong Lien has wholeheartedly embraced the alias Bun Cha Obama since 2016, when the erstwhile president visited Hanoi and dined here with celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain. The bun cha (grilled pork and rice vermicelli noodles) and nem hai san (seafood spring rolls) are decent, but it's worth visiting just for the photography documenting the occasion. It's plastered all over the eatery.

Serving high-quality northern Vietnamese food to a loyal following of locals (and the occasional tourist from the attached De Syloia Hotel), Cay Cau has a broad menu of meat, fish, and vegetable dishes. The tofu is particularly tasty.

The Japanese equivalent of your friendly neighborhood diner, this cozy restaurant is a longstanding favorite of older and affluent Hanoians. Reasonable prices encourage overindulgence in sushi or sashimi; the lunch specials are good value at around 200,000d. Seating is in small private rooms or at a long polished bar on the ground floor.

Opened in 1901, Le Beaulieu was the first-ever French restaurant in Hanoi. The spacious dining room doesn't lend itself particularly well to intimacy, but an extensive wine list and expert sommelier service heighten the allure.

When it comes to Japanese food in the capital, Masu has indisputably raised the bar. The menu is inspired, the ingredients are top-notch, the interior design is becoming, and the staff are appropriately attentive. The sets, which start at 1,500,000d, are difficult to pass up, but you can also order a la carte.

Aimed more at tourists than at local clientele, this restaurant within a renovated French villa provides a good introduction to Vietnamese cuisine. Just bear in mind that portions of the tasty and beautifully presented dishes, such as beef in coconut milk, can be disappointingly small.

Known among Hanoi locals for its vast menu, this eatery has specialties from northern, central, and southern Vietnam. It's almost as popular for the old courtyard setting as for the decent food. The restaurant has additional branches in Ho Chi Minh City and elsewhere in Hanoi.

Set up in a giant courtyard full of wooden booths, deck furniture, and barrels, the Moose & Roo Smokehouse at the American Center is chock-full of those looking for delicious smoked meats and comfort food. This lively restaurant promises Texas in Hanoi, and delivers on that promise.

Uu Dam Chay elevates vegan food with fruity salads, interesting tofu dishes (try one of the stuffed varieties), and creative mocktails. The restaurant is huge, but bookings are still recommended. 

This modern restaurant serves traditional cha ca (pan-fried fish with rice vermicelli) to multi-generational tables of lively locals. Reservations are almost essential, but if you can't get a table confirmed you can find a handful of other Vua Cha Ca locations across the city.