Chả Cá Lã Vọng is a vietnamese restaurant in Old Quarter, Hanoi.
Cha Ca La Vong in Hanoi has cooked one turmeric-grilled fish dish at 14 Cha Ca street since 1871, and the street itself takes its name from the dish.
Signature dishes: Cha ca turmeric fish, Galangal dill broth, Mam tom dipping sauce
Must order: Cha ca La Vong: turmeric fish finished tableside on a charcoal brazier, with dill, spring onions and peanuts.
Tip: The 19th-century upstairs room is the original. Service is brusque, queues are common, but the dish is the point.
Address: 14 Cha Ca, Hang Dao, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Mien Luon Chan Cam in Hanoi holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand for one dish: glass noodles with crisp-fried river eel, served wet or dry on Chan Cam street.
Signature: Mien luon eel glass-noodle soup, Mien luon kho dry eel noodles, Crispy fried eel
Order: Mien luon kho, the dry version with crispy eel, fried shallots and a small bowl of broth on the side.
Tip: Counter seats only and the kitchen sets up on the pavement. Closes when the eel runs out; arrive by 13:00 for lunch.
Hieu Luc Canh Ca Ro is a Michelin Selected single-dish kitchen on Hai Ba Trung, serving Hung Yen's countryside climbing-perch broth with rice noodles.
Signature: Canh ca ro fish soup, Bun ca ro Hung Yen-style, Crispy fried climbing perch
Order: Bun ca ro, the climbing-perch soup with rice noodles, dill and crispy fried fish skin on the side.
Tip: Lunch only crowd; arrive 11:30-13:30. Air-con on the upper floor if Hanoi heat is unbearable.
Mau Dich So 37 in Hanoi is a Bib Gourmand kitchen near Truc Bach Lake, recreating Hanoi's 1975-1986 subsidy-era canteen with food vouchers and post-war decor.
Signature: Hanoi spring rolls, Caramelised river fish, Cơm cháy bò cay scorched-rice beef stew
Order: Spring rolls, caramelised river fish and the scorched-rice beef stew; buy vouchers at the counter first.
Tip: The voucher system is real and part of the show. Old radios and sewing machines fill the walls; arrive before 19:00.
Pho Cuon Huong Mai in Hanoi runs the Ngu Xa pho cuon street, wrapping fresh rice-noodle sheets around beef and herbs, with fish-sauce dip on the side.
Signature: Pho cuon rolled rice noodles, Pho chien phong puffed pho, Pho xao stir-fried pho
Order: Pho cuon rolled rice noodles with beef and the deep-fried pho chien phong with stir-fried beef sauce.
Tip: Ngu Xa is the rolled-pho hub; if Huong Mai is full, the same dish runs at half a dozen counters on the same block.
Pho Cuon Chinh Thang in Hanoi is a Michelin Selected pho cuon counter in Truc Bach, plating fresh rice-noodle sheets stuffed with stir-fried beef.
Signature: Pho cuon, Pho chien phong puffed pho, Pho xao bo
Order: Pho cuon with seared beef and a side of pho chien phong, the deep-fried puffed pho squares.
Tip: Tiny seating; busiest at lunch. Stand-up counters fill first on Mac Dinh Chi, sit-down at number 7.
Mien Luon Chan Cam in Hanoi holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand for one dish: glass noodles with crisp-fried river eel, served wet or dry on Chan Cam street.
Signature: Mien luon eel glass-noodle soup, Mien luon kho dry eel noodles, Crispy fried eel
Order: Mien luon kho, the dry version with crispy eel, fried shallots and a small bowl of broth on the side.
Tip: Counter seats only and the kitchen sets up on the pavement. Closes when the eel runs out; arrive by 13:00 for lunch.
Hieu Luc Canh Ca Ro is a Michelin Selected single-dish kitchen on Hai Ba Trung, serving Hung Yen's countryside climbing-perch broth with rice noodles.
Signature: Canh ca ro fish soup, Bun ca ro Hung Yen-style, Crispy fried climbing perch
Order: Bun ca ro, the climbing-perch soup with rice noodles, dill and crispy fried fish skin on the side.
Tip: Lunch only crowd; arrive 11:30-13:30. Air-con on the upper floor if Hanoi heat is unbearable.
Uu Dam in Hanoi holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand for vegetarian Vietnamese cooking on Nguyen Du, with Buddhist-influenced set menus and a serene tea-house space.
Signature: Vegetarian pho, Buddhist banquet set, Vegetarian che sweet soup
Order: The vegetarian banquet set; the che chay sweet soup and vegetarian flan are local favourites.
Tip: Plant-based throughout, no fish or shrimp paste. Bookings recommended on weekends; the meditation-style room books up.
