Bia hoi is Hanoi's fresh draft beer: low-alcohol, unpasteurised, brewed and drunk the same day, served from kegs on plastic stools at pavement corners for around 10,000-15,000 VND a glass.

Bia hoi emerged in the Doi Moi reform era from 1986 onwards, when private brewing took off in Hanoi. Daily-brewed beer with no preservatives or pasteurisation could not be exported or stored, so it became the city's pavement drink. The Ta Hien and Luong Ngoc Quyen corner cluster grew through the 1990s and is now the bia hoi crossroads.

1 editor pick for Bia Hơi in Hanoi, ranked by editorial score. All Hanoi signature dishes · Bia Hơi across every city.

Learn to cook it, or eat it with a guide

Bia Hơi makes more sense with someone from Hanoi explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.

Book food experiences in Hanoi

See all 617 bookable experiences in Hanoi