La Verticale Cellar is a wine bar in French Quarter, Hanoi.
La Verticale's ground-floor cellar in Hanoi is chef Didier Corlou's wine bar on Ngo Van So, with French regional bottles and spice-led small plates.
Must order: A Côtes du Rhône glass with Corlou's house pork rillettes; the spice room downstairs sells the chef's blends.
Food program: French and Vietnamese small plates
Tip: Closed Mondays. The cellar fills first; book the fine-dining floors above for a longer visit.
Address: 19 Ngo Van So, Tran Hung Dao, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
The Alchemist in Hanoi is a hidden second-floor French-villa bar near St Joseph's Cathedral, with 500-plus spirits and Vietnamese-herb cocktails.
Signature pour: House Gin Tonic with Vietnamese herbs
Wine focus: Wine and 500-spirit collection
Food: Bar snacks
Order: The herbal Gin Tonic with Vietnamese cardamom and lemongrass; the rusty nail is the house signature.
Tip: Walk through the ground-floor cafe to find the staircase up; no sign outside.
Manzi Art Space in Hanoi is an early-20th-century French villa in Truc Bach combining contemporary gallery, cafe and wine bar with a by-the-glass list.
Signature pour: Glass of Mediterranean white with Vietnamese seasonal snacks
Wine focus: Eclectic French, Italian and New World by the glass
Food: Small plates and Vietnamese tapas
Order: A by-the-glass pour from the seasonal list; the kitchen plates Vietnamese small plates to share.
Tip: The garden tables are quiet for daytime; the evening bar draws Hanoi's gallerist crowd. Art-shop sells works by Vietnamese contemporary artists.
Vine Restaurant & Wine Bar in Hanoi is a Tay Ho lakeside wine bar with a 100-plus bottle list and small plates pairing European wines with Vietnamese.
Signature pour: Loire Sauvignon Blanc with Vietnamese sea-bass tartare
Wine focus: European and natural wines with Vietnamese pairing notes
Food: Modern European with Vietnamese accents
Order: Ask the sommelier for a Loire Sauvignon Blanc with the sea-bass tartare; natural wines on a separate list.
Tip: Closed Mondays. Lake-facing terrace is the sunset seat; reservations recommended on weekends.
