Vietnamese$old-quarterDaily 07:00-22:30
Bun Bo Nam Bo Bach Phuong in Hanoi has served one dish since 1986 on Hang Dieu: rice noodles topped with stir-fried beef, herbs, peanuts and crispy shallots.
Signature: Bun bo Nam Bo beef noodle salad, Crispy fried shallots, Roasted peanuts
Order: Bun bo Nam Bo: the only dish on the menu, dressed in a sweet-sharp nuoc cham at the table.
Tip: Long communal metal tables fill with locals and travellers; share a table. The 73-75 branch a few doors down is run by relatives.
Vietnamese$old-quarterDaily 06:00-14:00
Banh Cuon Ba Hoanh in Hanoi is a Michelin-listed banh cuon counter near St Joseph's Cathedral, plating hand-ground rice rolls with shiitake and wood ear.
Signature: Banh cuon steamed rice rolls, Pork-and-mushroom filling, Cha que cinnamon pork sausage
Order: Banh cuon with pork and mushroom filling, served with cha que cinnamon pork and a small bowl of nuoc cham.
Tip: Breakfast and lunch only. The rolls are steamed to order over a cloth-stretched cauldron; ask to watch the work at the front.
Vietnamese$old-quarterDaily 05:00-01:00
Xoi Yen in Hanoi serves Hoan Kiem's favourite breakfast sticky rice from a corner shophouse on Nguyen Huu Huan, with caramel pork or Chinese sausage on top.
Signature: Xoi xeo turmeric sticky rice, Pate and Chinese sausage topping, Caramel pork
Order: Xoi xeo turmeric sticky rice with mung bean, fried shallots and a topping of caramel pork or Chinese sausage.
Tip: Ground floor is the open kitchen; head upstairs to sit. Bowls 20,000-50,000 VND; open from 05:00 for breakfast.
Vietnamese$$old-quarterDaily 08:00-23:00
The Hanoi Social Club is a 1920s French colonial villa serving Old Quarter all-day brunch, jazz nights and a vegetarian-leaning menu on Hoi Vu lane.
Signature: All-day brunch plates, Vietnamese-Western fusion mains, Vegetarian options
Order: The weekend brunch plates; the vegetarian curries and pasta dishes are the strongest mains.
Tip: Live music several nights a week; check the Facebook page. Wi-Fi and power outlets make this a popular remote-work room before 18:00.
Vietnamese$ba-dinhDaily 06:00-13:00, 17:30-21:30
Pho Tien in Hanoi is a Michelin Selected pho counter in Truc Bach, plating a delicate Northern beef broth from a Nguyen Truong To shophouse since 2010.
Signature: Pho bo traditional Northern beef pho, Pho tai chin, Quay fried dough
Order: Pho tai chin with rare and well-done beef; the broth is clear and simmered overnight.
Tip: Sit at street level for the open kitchen; upstairs is air-conditioned. Closed mid-afternoon.
Vietnamese$hai-ba-trungDaily 08:00-21:00
Bun Cha Huong Lien in Hanoi is the Le Van Huu kitchen where Obama and Anthony Bourdain shared bun cha in 2016, with the original table preserved in glass.
Signature: Combo Obama bun cha set, Cha gio fried seafood roll, Hanoi beer pairing
Order: The Combo Obama: a bowl of bun cha, a fried seafood spring roll and a Hanoi beer for 130,000 VND.
Tip: The table Obama and Bourdain sat at is encased in glass on the second floor; the lunchtime queue is the slowest 12:00-13:00.
