Bánh Cuốn Gia Truyền is a street-food stop in Old Quarter, Hanoi.
Banh Cuon Gia Truyen in Hanoi has steamed silky rice rolls over a cloth-stretched cauldron on Hang Ga since 1973, with pork and wood-ear mushroom filling.
Must order: Banh cuon with pork and wood-ear mushroom filling, with a slice of cha que cinnamon pork sausage on the side.
Tip: Breakfast and lunch only; closed by mid-afternoon. The rolls are made to order at the front of the shop.
Address: 14 Hang Ga, Cua Dong, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Mien Luon Chan Cam holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand for one dish: glass noodles with crispy fried river eel, served wet or dry at a Chan Cam kerb counter.
Try: Mien luon eel glass-noodle soup
Order: Mien luon kho the dry version with crisp-fried eel, fried shallots and a small bowl of broth on the side.
Tip: Counter seats only; closes when the eel runs out, usually mid-afternoon. Cash only, 60,000-80,000 VND.
Bun Bo Nam Bo Bach Phuong has served one dish since 1986 on Hang Dieu: rice noodles with stir-fried beef, peanuts, fried shallots and herbs in nuoc cham.
Try: Bun bo Nam Bo beef noodle salad
Order: Bun bo Nam Bo: the only dish, dressed at the table with extra nuoc cham and pickled vegetables.
Tip: Long communal metal tables; share with locals. Cash only, 60,000 VND per bowl.
Bun Dau Mam Tom Co Tuyen is the Old Quarter's most-recommended bun dau counter on Hang Khay, plating fried tofu and rice noodles with fermented shrimp.
Try: Bun dau mam tom
Order: Bun dau mam tom: fried tofu, rice noodles, boiled pork, fried pork roll and the canonical pink mam tom dip.
Tip: Mam tom is fermented shrimp paste with an assertive flavour; ask staff to balance with lime and sugar.
Cha Ca Thang Long in Hanoi is the Michelin Bib Gourmand cha ca specialist on Duong Thanh, with turmeric catfish finished tableside in dill and onions.
Try: Cha ca turmeric grilled fish
Order: Cha ca for two: turmeric catfish, dill, spring onions, peanuts and the house mam tom dip.
Tip: One dish only; price per person is fixed at 250,000 VND. The Duong Thanh strip has the same family running multiple addresses.
Mien Luon Chan Cam holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand for one dish: glass noodles with crispy fried river eel, served wet or dry at a Chan Cam kerb counter.
Try: Mien luon eel glass-noodle soup
Order: Mien luon kho the dry version with crisp-fried eel, fried shallots and a small bowl of broth on the side.
Tip: Counter seats only; closes when the eel runs out, usually mid-afternoon. Cash only, 60,000-80,000 VND.
Bun Bo Nam Bo Bach Phuong has served one dish since 1986 on Hang Dieu: rice noodles with stir-fried beef, peanuts, fried shallots and herbs in nuoc cham.
Try: Bun bo Nam Bo beef noodle salad
Order: Bun bo Nam Bo: the only dish, dressed at the table with extra nuoc cham and pickled vegetables.
Tip: Long communal metal tables; share with locals. Cash only, 60,000 VND per bowl.
Pho Thin Lo Duc in Hanoi is the Lo Duc kitchen where Nguyen Trong Thin invented stir-fried beef pho in 1979, with a richer broth than any other pho house.
Try: Pho bo tai lan stir-fried beef pho
Order: Pho bo tai lan: beef stir-fried in garlic and oil, then ladled into a deeply aromatic anise broth.
Tip: One dish only. Stainless-steel tables and wooden benches; fast turnover, no waiting list.
Bun Dau Mam Tom Co Tuyen is the Old Quarter's most-recommended bun dau counter on Hang Khay, plating fried tofu and rice noodles with fermented shrimp.
Try: Bun dau mam tom
Order: Bun dau mam tom: fried tofu, rice noodles, boiled pork, fried pork roll and the canonical pink mam tom dip.
Tip: Mam tom is fermented shrimp paste with an assertive flavour; ask staff to balance with lime and sugar.
Cha Ca Thang Long in Hanoi is the Michelin Bib Gourmand cha ca specialist on Duong Thanh, with turmeric catfish finished tableside in dill and onions.
Try: Cha ca turmeric grilled fish
Order: Cha ca for two: turmeric catfish, dill, spring onions, peanuts and the house mam tom dip.
Tip: One dish only; price per person is fixed at 250,000 VND. The Duong Thanh strip has the same family running multiple addresses.
Pho Cuon Huong Mai runs the Ngu Xa pho cuon strip in Hanoi, wrapping fresh rice-noodle sheets around stir-fried beef and herbs at a tiny Truc Bach counter.
Try: Pho cuon rolled rice noodles
Order: Pho cuon rolled rice noodles with beef and herbs, plus pho chien phong puffed pho on the side.
Tip: The whole Ngu Xa block runs the same dish; if Huong Mai is full, walk three doors down and try the next counter.
