Vietnam has a rich and diverse cuisine that has crystallized for thousands of years. Each region has its own specialties, typical dishes, among which Hanoi with many delicious and unique dishes. For thousands of years, the capital has been famous for its tasty and remarkable cuisine that attracts many gourmets. The influences of France and China make it more varied and refined. Guests should not ignore the best restaurants in Hanoi that we recommend.
List of the best restaurants in Hanoi :
1. La Terrasse of the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi Hotel
This upscale restaurant offers travelers a full, all-day menu of traditional French dishes and refreshing drinks. Located in a simple and elegant setting, this “Parisian” style terrace café features a polished wood deck, iron-framed awning, vintage ceiling fans and comfortable seating with views of downtown Hanoi. La Terrasse Du Metropole offers a wide range of soups, salads and sandwiches all day, while fresh seafood and premium imported meats are best enjoyed in the evening. For a quick meal to go, we highly recommend the club sandwich, which features generous amounts of smoked bacon, chicken breast, eggs, tomatoes, lettuce and mayonnaise.
La Terrasse is located in the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, one of the most beautiful hotels in Vietnam. The woodwork and parquet floors are reminiscent of the chic Parisian bistros of the 20th century. Taste refined dishes such as oysters, French cheese, assorted charcuterie or opt for something more substantial, like steak-frites or coq au vin. Open all day, it’s worth stopping by, if only for a coffee, to enjoy the charming design. The Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi is easy to find, just south of Hoan Kiem Lake in the French Quarter.
- Opening hours: Every day from 11:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 22:00.
- Adresse: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi: 15, Ngo Quyen Street, Hoan Kiem District
- Tel: +8424 3826 6919.
2. Cha Ca La Vong
Located on a narrow street in the old town, this restaurant takes its name from its wonder: the Cha Ca La Vong!
With a sea-green interior and a ladder disguised as a staircase leading to the first floor, it’s a place where English is rarely spoken but that’s no problem ordering what you want: there’s only one dish here that has remained the same for decades. A frying pan of fresh river fish will arrive on your table along with a charcoal cooker. It comes with a bowl of fresh rice noodles, peanuts and herbs. As the fish begins to heat up and the smells of turmeric and dill begin to bloom around you, you add the herbs to the pan. Once you find that the herbs are cooked to your liking, take the fresh rice noodles and place them in your bowl, pour some fish, herbs and flavored oil on top, add some fish sauce and hot peppers a little more herbs and enjoy!
- Opening hours: Every day from 11:00 to 14:00 and from 17:00 to 21:00.
- Address: No 14, Cha Ca Street, Hoan Kiem District
- Tel: +8424 3825 3929
4. Highway4 Hanoi
Is a Vietnamese restaurant where everyone should go for its innovative local Vietnamese dishes and exotic liquors. Open since 2000, the restaurant is a good option for dining in style with its spacious setting adorned with classic Vietnamese décor, local artwork, bamboo furniture and floor cushions.
Diners have the choice of sitting at tables or on floor cushions with low tables on the first floor, while the upstairs terrace offers a view of Hanoi. All dishes are served with many local herbs which the restaurant tries to source sustainably. The full menu divided into fire, wood, metal and water (regarding cooking techniques). There are many interesting options and Highway4 Hanoi’s specialties include catfish spring rolls with grilled pork steak. If you want an unusual taste, try the crickets with grilled lemon leaves, pan-fried scorpion or frogs.
This is one of the best restaurants in Hanoi and is also known for a selection of Son Tinh flavored liqueurs. Other drinks served here include draft beers, imported wines, soft drinks, coffee, tea and fresh fruit juices. With six branches scattered throughout Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem district, the pioneering Highway4 Hanoi is located along Hang Tre Street, but there are also newer and larger locations at 25 Bat Su Street in the Old Quarter and at 31 Xuan Dieu, near West Lake .
- Opening hours: Every day from 8am to 11pm.
- Address: No 5, Hang Tre Street, Hoan Kiem District
- Tel: +8424 3926 4200
4. Sen 60 Ly Thai To
Is a sophisticated buffet restaurant that will impress everyone – even those who don’t like buffets! Located in the heart of the French Quarter, its ivory-colored architecture and neo-colonial style are perfect for the excellent seafood, oysters, sashimi, crab, snails and Vietnamese spring rolls served inside. The service here is seamless and the cost of the buffet is excellent value.
Sen Hanoi at 60 Ly Thai To stands out among most restaurants in Hanoi for its extensive buffet dinners served in a pleasant setting. Attracting affluent locals and tourists wanting to sample a variety of Vietnamese dishes in one sitting, the restaurant is located next to the Hanoi Opera House, right across from the Sofitel Metropole Hotel in Hanoi’s French Quarter.
There are three other branches of Sen in Hanoi, but this is arguably the best in the category. Showcasing an elegant black-and-white theme, it features neo-colonial decor, chandeliers, mirrors, white tablecloths, wooden furniture, a huge buffet area set in the center and spacious seating. It offers a wide variety of Asian and European specialties, including over 60 traditional dishes from the three regions of Vietnam. Grilled lobsters, fresh salmon, oysters, sashimi, crab and snail, as well as Vietnamese spring rolls, nem Sen (lotus rolls), cha ca (grilled fish), bun cha (grilled pork with noodles) and banh duc (Vietnamese cake), as well as various desserts.
- Opening hours: Every day from 11:00 to 14:00 and from 18:00 to 21:00
- Address: No. 60 Ly Thai To Street, Hoan Kiem District
- Tel: 024 3974 4192
5. Green Tangerine
Evoking a quaint bistro in the backstreets of Paris, Green Tangerine is a small but beautiful restaurant serving some of Hanoi’s most creative cuisine. The chef uses French cooking techniques and adds a signature touch found in dishes such as mango and rum baked prawns served with carrot cake or pigeon marinated with coffee and cocoa, beets, strawberries and eggplant puree. The lunch package is incredibly cheap and highly recommended for all budgets!
Green Tangerine Hanoi is conveniently located in the Old Quarter. Here you can enjoy authentic Vietnamese and French cuisine in a picturesque setting. Opened in 2003, the brasserie-style restaurant occupies a renovated 1920s French villa decorated in a rustic style with exposed brick walls and antique furniture. It is also surrounded by a lush garden, making it an ideal dining spot for those looking to escape the chaotic traffic of Hanoi. Green Tangerine Restaurant Hanoi is known for its cleverly presented dishes, such as duck breast carpaccio with red fruit vinaigrette served with ginger confit gizzard, sesame cookies and mushrooms, coffee marinated roast pigeon, with eggplant puree rolled in spinach leaves and broccoli, caramelized pork and apple compote with Calvados, presented on a lotus “mille feuilles” cake made with carrot puree, taro and coriander.
During the day, guests can opt for the two- or three-course lunch, which includes a starter, main course and dessert. Enjoy homemade desserts such as apple crumble with red fruit and calvados sauce, lemongrass crème brûlée, served with a scoop of ice cream. Located on Hang Be Street in Hoan Kiem District, Green Tangerine Hanoi is a 10-minute walk from Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple. Due to its popularity among expatriates and discerning travelers, we strongly recommend that you make a reservation before visiting the restaurant.
- Opening hours: Every day from 11am to 11pm
- Address: 48 Hang Be Street, Hoan Kiem District
- Tel: +8424 3825 1286
6. Quan An Ngon
This restaurant opened its first branch in Sai Gon, the concept has been embraced by foreign visitors eager to try the full range of Vietnamese cuisine. Quan An Ngon’s premises resemble a luxurious food court, with different food stations located on the outskirts of the restaurant serving regional specialties from all over Vietnam, all prepared to order. Some complain about the lack of authenticity with reduced flavors to appease the Western palate, but everything is very well prepared and the restaurant is beautifully designed in a traditional Vietnamese style.
- Opening hours: Every day from 07h00 to 22h00
- Address: 34 Phan Dinh Phung, Quan Thanh
- Tel: +8424 3734 9777
7. La Verticale
La Verticale is a fantastic gourmet restaurant set in a colonial style mansion, the food does not disappoint with a seasonal menu that reflects the herbs and spices of the region, prepared according to French recipes. Duck terrine, Hanoi five-spice rillettes, ratatouille, Da Lat artichoke leaves served with clams, Ha Long curry sauce, tamarind veal and Mekong fruit sorbet are popular dishes on the menu. A fixed menu with wine accompaniment is also available. The wine list is excellent, the service diligent and the atmosphere is conducive to romance.
Designed by Chef Didier Courlou, the restaurant’s seasonal menu uses French techniques as well as the freshest farm produce, herbs and spices from the region. With the villa’s white walls and tiled floors preserved, the upstairs dining room features simple décor, wooden furniture with white tablecloths and an open kitchen that offers quality French-Indochinese cuisine. Verticale Hanoi also has a spacious rooftop terrace with comfortable seating and a breathtaking view of downtown Hanoi, the French Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake.
Guests can also opt for lunch or dinner menus (with optional desserts and wine pairing), priced between VND350,000 and VND1,300,000 and Southwestern France, priced at VND150,000 per glass. The first floor restaurant houses an elegant apothecary-like spice store, where you will find a wide variety of bottled spices such as peppercorns, wild pepper, cinnamon, star anise and turmeric. While the price range is much higher than most restaurants in Hanoi, La Verticale’s excellent food and drinks, romantic atmosphere and old-fashioned charm make it a favorite dining spot for the city’s expatriates and well-to-do.
The same owner owns other restaurants located in the city center, Ms. Hien’s at 15 Chan Cam and La Porte d’Annam at 22 Nha Tho.
- Opening hours: Every day from 11:30 to 14:00 and from 18:00 to 22:00
- Address: 19, Ngo Van So Street, Hoan Kiem District
- Tel: +84 43 944 6317
Above are the best restaurants in Hanoi voted by visitors. In addition to these excellent restaurants in Hanoi, there are many others that are also very good, to test everything a week is not enough. Don’t forget also the small street restaurants, not expensive and very good all the same.
