Complete Guide on Street Food Tour, Hanoi

The city of Hanoi is often voted as one of the top three cities in the world for street foods. Whether we are speaking about phở noodles bánh cuốn rolls or any other tasty but cheap street food, the choice is great. Hiring a street food tour is among the most effective ways to experience the essence of Hanoi’s emerging food culture and explore the rich variety of street food tour Hanoi. This full guide will contain all the information that is necessary to make a street food tour in Hanoi perfect.

Getting Oriented in Hanoi

Hanoi is made up of different neighborhoods and districts which all have their own varieties of street foods. Being the central business district of Hanoi, the Old Quarter boasts the greatest number of street food stalls and eateries. Through the streets, in every corner, and even down the darkest alley, vendors prepare and serve their dishes from a cart or a shop. Other preferred areas for street food include the districts of Ba Đình, Hoàn Kiếm, Hai Bà Trưng, and Đống Đa.

Here are some of the must-try street food tour Hanoi to look out for when exploring Hanoi:

1. Phở - Maybe the most famous delicacies of Vietnam, these bowls of flat rice noodle soup come with rich bone broth, juicy beef cuts and fresh herbs and spices.

2. Bánh Cuốn – Light, slimy steamed rice breadcrumb rolls wrapped with minced pork, ear fungus, and shallots. It is commonly served together with nem rán (fried spring rolls).

3. Bún Chả - Charcoal-grilled pork served with vermicelli noodles, fresh herbs and fish sauce which is a sweet and savoury broth. This restaurant was a favourite of President Obama when he came for a visit.

4. Bánh Mì – Traditional Vietnamese sandwich which is derived from the French baguette that contains meat, pate, pickled carrots or daikon and coriander.

5. Egg Coffee (Cà Phê Trứng) – a cup of coffee with a touch of the secret recipe of the Hanoian people: egg yolks, condensed milk, coffee and cheese. Thick-bodied but smooth and foamy.

6. Chè – The Vietnamese sweet warm soup is a must in your street food tour Hanoi It can be prepared using fruit, beans or any other edible stuff like taro or green bean etc. Topped with coconut cream.

Getting Ready for Your Street Food Adventure

Vietnamese food will never cease to amaze anyone and it is good to know that the street food in Hanoi can easily take months to explore. So it aids in developing a strategy for a feasible and enjoyable street trip depending on your flavour, wallet and stomach! Here are some tips:

1. Take an organised street food tour – There are many group tours that are set up by a local guide to try out Hanoi’s street food with ease owing to the crowded streets of Vietnam. Typically, prices lie between $25-50 per person for a 4-hour evening tour.

2. Go with a place – You can self-guide a tour if you decide to dine around a region like Hanoi’s Old Quarter, tasting different foods as you walk from one block to another. This keeps one from moving around in circles, which would be very time-consuming and could make one spend a lot of cash.

3. Juice up your meals – Vietnamese people also eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, so try eating a Vietnamese breakfast at 7 AM, lunch at around 1 PM and dinner at 6 PM like the locals. This makes your tasting tour diverse.

4. Expect to taste, not gulp down food – Street food tours entail taking many small portions of the food and thus one should go hungry. Selecting a few dishes at each station enables one to taste more of the specialities without feeling stuffed. And it is way more fun!

5. Go on food tours – Space out long specialised tours by scheduling them over several days such as a phở crawl, banh mi tour or an egg coffee binge.

6. Travel Insurance: While indulging in local delicacies, having Vietnam Travel Insurance ensures you’re covered for any unforeseen circumstances that might affect your dining experiences.

The Pros and Cons of Eating Street Food Tour Hanoi

Well, that is what you should expect since eating street food in Hanoi is quite an adventurous experience. Here’s a taste of what it’s like:

1. Street food vendors

Set up small plastic chairs and tables on the pavement with motorbikes beeping and customers sipping on their bowls of pho. It is crowded and noisy, but that is the kind of environment that is expected in a café.

2. Lack of English

Besides, tourists will have a hard time communicating with most of the vendors since English is not common apart from the major tourist attraction streets. There is an option to have a translation guide or a food tour to help with the ordering. Pointing works too!

3. Get low

Learn to squat properly so that you are at eye level with stall owners and with the merchandise that is placed on low tables.

4. No cutleries

For all the dishes that are typically Vietnamese, it’s assumed that they are to be eaten with chopsticks and a spoon only. Noodle slurping is the order of the day, so prepare to leave your knives and forks at home.

5. Plastic stools

There are no chairs at the street stands. Tumblers and small chairs that sit slightly off the floor are typical.

6. Cash only

It is advised to carry small Vietnamese banknotes as many street vendors do not accept credit cards due to high transaction charges.

Less than $2 USD – A cup of soupy bean and coconut chè or a generously stuffed bánh mì sandwich can cost as low as 25 to 50 cents only!

Staying Safe and Healthy

As much as street food touring is such a delicious affair, it also has its dark side such as food handlers washing their hands with the same water they use to rinse vegetables or cooking in substandard equipment. Whether you’re savoring a bowl of pho or enjoying bánh mì at a roadside café, foregin travel insurance provides peace of mind throughout your gastronomic adventures. Here are some tips for fueling up safely while exploring the street food tour Hanoi.

1. Vendor hygiene – Remember the cool ingredients in ice or hot pots using sterno not dirty carts with flies. Ensure that the vendors wash their hands more often.

2. Examine foodstuff - Meat and seafood must not be stale and eggs and greens should not be discolored.

3. Be aware of typical allergens – Fish sauce, shrimp paste, peanuts, and soy are used frequently in Thai dishes, so inquire about ingredients if you have allergies.

4. Make sure all meats are not pink through the centre and noodles/rice are steaming hot and cooked adequately.

5. Think about the water – Drink tap water only if it is clear in the bottle, do not consume ice or smoothies made from water that could upset your stomach.

6. Take your stomach drugs – If you are suffering from any stomach issues, then having charcoal pills, rehydration salts, or other stomach medications can help fix the problem in no time.

Ready, Set. .. Eat!

From cups of fragrant Vietnamese egg coffee to the never-ending list of noodle and rice dishes, Hanoi’s food culture and vibrant street food culture are immense in the city.

It is quite exciting to go for a street food tour in the city of Hanoi to sample various types of food in the street food markets. Pho shops and Bahn Mi stalls are just some of the food outlets where you will get to enjoy tasty Vietnamese meals that people in Vietnam take as their everyday food.

FAQs

1. Which street food dishes are a hit in Hanoi?

Pho (rice noodle soup), Banh Mi (Vietnamese bread), Bun Cha (rice noodles with grilled pork), and Egg coffee are some of the most well-known Hanoi street foods.

2. How can I capture the essence of street food?

It is advisable to go on the tour with a local street food expert who can offer insight into the local dishes you’re eating.

3. Which markets and streets are favourable to street foods?

Some top areas are the Old Quarter near Hoan Kiem Lake, Đồng Xuân Market, Hàng Đậu Street and nearby streets.

4. Are there any measures that one can take to avoid the dangers of foods?

Avoid vendors with low turnover, select cooked rather than raw foods, and do not consume tap water for drinking or rinsing your mouth; be cautious with fruits and vegetables. Apart from that, have a taste for adventure!