14 Best Restaurants in The Old Quarter, Hanoi

Bancong means "balcony" in Vietnamese (from the French balcon), and this multistory 1940s art deco mansion has plenty of them. The outdoor spaces overflow with flowers and pot plants, and make good spots to watch scenes of the Old Quarter unfold below. The menu is rather muddled, but the Vietnamese dishes, from bun cha to bun bo nam bo, are reliably good. So is the ca phe cot dua (iced coconut coffee), a Hanoi specialty.

This simple eatery compensates for its lack of sophistication with giant-size portions of the delicate banh cuon, steamed rice rolls stuffed with ground pork and chopped wood-ear mushrooms. Watch the resident cooks painstakingly roll out their sheets of rice noodle and spoon on the filling and feel your mouth start to water. There are three options: chicken, pork, or shrimp and pork. All three are worth trying.

This venue is spotlessly clean, and despite its popularity with tourists is still very much the real deal. Like all the best restaurants purveying local favorites, this place specializes in one dish only: bun bo nam bo (a southern beef and noodle dish). Translated as "southern style rice noodles with beef," this mixture of vermicelli noodles, beef, lettuce, cucumber, shallots, bean sprouts, cilantro, and chopped peanuts is more commonly found in Ho Chi Minh City. Be sure to mix the concoction thoroughly with your chopsticks to experience the alchemy created by the small serving of broth-drenched greens at the base of the bowl.

The main draw here is the convivial, bohemian atmosphere. Housed in a stunning 1920s French-colonial villa in a quiet part of the Old Quarter, the café is rustic and warm, with original tiles, wooden furnishings, and high ceilings. The menu has undergone quite an improvement in recent years, with fabulous breakfast and brunch options (the laksa is particularly good). An adequate list of wine and beers and regular music and art events make the café a decent bet in the evenings, too.

When it comes to street food, Hanoians don't go in for much ostentation and the eating area here is decidedly prosaic; just a few communal tables under a couple of bare lightbulbs. What matters is the expertly judged broth, the light rice noodles, and the delicious meat, which is peeled in strips from hulking slabs of brisket then dunked in the broth for seconds to cook. Don't worry too much about identifying the restaurant: you'll recognize it from the long lines of people waiting outside.

One of only two restaurants in Vietnam to feature in Asia's 100 Best Restaurants in 2021 (the other being Anan in Ho Chi Minh City), TUNG Dining offers an astonishing fine-dining experience. Head chef and owner Hoang Tung worked in various Michelin star restaurants in Scandinavia before returning to his home city of Hanoi, and his experience is reflected in both the cuisine and the minimalist decor. There is only ever one set menu that consists of 15 to 20 courses, each one illustrating Tung's culinary wizardry. The menu changes with the season and the restaurant can make adjustments if you have dietary requirements, but be sure to let them know when you make your booking, which is essential.

This restaurant has plenty of gluten-free options and specializes in cooking classes. They operate two farms near Hanoi and grow most of their own food. They have a special vegetarian menu, and the setting is cozy, with exposed brick and bamboo furnishings. It's a nice place to sit down and enjoy a break from the frenetic pace outside.

Loading T won fame in 2017 when CNN featured their egg coffee, a unique cinnamon-infused take on the Hanoi specialty drink. The cafe is notable for its extraordinary architecture; it sits within a grand colonial-era house that was appropriated and partitioned by the government in the 1950s. Other segments of the building house boutiques, such as Hien Van Ceramics.

Delicious Italian food is served in this dim and romantic brick eatery in front of the cathedral. Along with exemplary bruschetta (toasted bread with olive oil and various toppings) and homemade pastas, the Italian hosts serve excellent cappuccinos, Napoli-style thin-crust pizzas cooked in a wood-burning oven, and interesting grappas—try licorice or peach.

Popular with tourists and native Hanoians alike, this is one of the few restaurants in the Old Quarter that manages to unite the two demographics. There is an à la carte menu as well as set menus, but locals usually prefer to go for the "popular" dishes, which involves pointing at steaming vats containing things such as noodle soup, eggplants with salt, and fried pork ribs. The food is freshly cooked and regularly replenished, and is reliably delicious whichever way you order.

This burger joint is a hit with worldly locals, who sit in the trendy dining rooms and chomp on artisanal French fries and what are probably Hanoi's best burgers. Ngoam loosely translates as "to open your mouth as wide as possible" and is therefore a fitting name for a place that serves tall burgers packed with delicious add-ons.

Down a hidden alley in the Old Quarter, this quirky, three-tiered Hanoi hot spot has a rooftop terrace popular with travelers. Choose from a variety of coffees, teas, cocktails, and small bites. Antiques blended with hip decor give this bar plenty of character day and night.

Open around the clock, Puku is nothing if not convenient. The international fare served won't have gourmands forming an orderly queue, but the quality is decent. While night owls appreciate the generous opening hours, the restaurant's forte is probably its breakfast options, which include a full range of eggs (Benedict, Florentine, Royale) and a hearty full English. Sports broadcasts, occasional live music, and movies add to the venue's appeal.

This is the place for comfort food, with a fabulous brunch menu, crunchy salads, tasty burgers, and good coffee, all in relaxed and convivial setting. The restaurant is staffed by youthful locals, many of whom are students, who speak good English and know how to deliver natural, personable service.