How We Spent 1 Day in Hanoi, Vietnam

Check Prices for Stays in Hanoi (Expedia)

We had only a full day in Hanoi as we were off to Ha Long Bay the next day for the Indochina Junk luxury cruise (I write about my experience here), so our time in this hectic capital city was limited. We had a few iconic food stops to visit, all of which were mostly within walking distance from our Airbnb in Old Quarter, some Michelin-recommended, and some with food wrapped in old math homework, and so: we were off.

Grab Cafe Su Da, Coconut Coffee, Egg Coffee

There’s no better way to start the day anywhere in Vietnam, than by grabbing some iced Vietnamese coffee, egg coffee, or coconut coffee (or in our case, all these options at once). While we visited the below, we would say that many streetside stalls serve equally amazing cafe su da at far lower prices (usually around 18k-20k VND). However, I wouldn’t recommend having these straight away if you’ve just arrived in the country (as our stomachs needed some time to acclimatize to the water quality).

Note Cafe

Note Cafe was very popular given its rise in popularity due to TikTok and Instagram videos. The cafe is a 4-floor building, with a very short second floor. I’d recommend moving up to the 3rd at the very least, where the cafe opens up with windows overlooking the intersection below, and the lake across.

The coffee was good, with the egg coffee being exceptionally flavourful and thick (but this isn’t for everyone). The cafe su da and coconut coffee were nothing to write home about. I’d say that the decor is primarily the draw here. We had a great time reading notes left over by other visitors. They were often slices into the lives of others, some professing love to their partners, some with crude jokes or drawings, some saying hello from far away countries. Take a pen, doodle, and leave a note of your own.

Instagram: @thenotecoffee

Cong Caphe

Cong Caphe is a fairly large franchise in Vietnam, with many locations often to be found in cities across the country. This doesn’t discount the place’s coffee for us though, as we loved the iced coconut coffee. It was so addicting, that after our first visit to Cong, we went back every single morning after at any city we landed at. Priced at ~65k VND for a large (get the large), it’s definitely on the high-priced side in Vietnam – but it’s very worth it.

Instagram: @congcaphe

Bun Cha

Bún Chả Hương Liên

Bun cha is a delicious creation from Hanoi, the premise of which is simple: grilled pork, vermicelli, vegetables, and a dipping sauce made from fish sauce, sugar, garlic, lime juice, and vinegar. It’s deadly addicting (and amazingly affordable). At only 40-60k VND a bowl, it’s a must-try when you’re in Hanoi.

Given how much I’ve watched Parts Unknown lately, the place that Bourdain and Obama visited would, of course, be the first one to visit. We were a little surprised when we arrived when we saw that the 2nd floor wasn’t even occupied by customers yet, but by the time our group was seated, tables filled fast (we arrived at 5 pm).

The bun cha here was great, and we’d recommend getting the Obama combo (bun cha, fried seafood roll, and a beer) for 120k VND.

Bún Chả Hương Liên Michelin Guide website

Bun Cha Dac Kim

The other recommended spot would be Bun Cha Dac Kim, a Michelin Guide restaurant located in the heart of Old Quarter. At only 40k VND each bowl, I had to order two. The portions here are even larger than at Bún Chả Hương Liên, and in my opinion, tastier as well. If you only had time for 1 bowl of bun cha: come here!

Bun Cha Dac Kim Michelin Guide website

Foot Massage

Between food and coffee, I’d recommend carving out at least 30 minutes for a spa/massage session in the Old Quarter area. We went to Metis Spa, a very highly-rated massage and spa close to the St. Joseph Cathedral in the Old Quarter. The prices here are slightly higher than average, but the masseuses were all very professional, and the staff as a whole collectively cared greatly for your satisfaction. The tea served at the beginning was pretty tasty too.

At the time, they had a promotion for 20% off all massages, so our foot massages for 30 minutes totalled around 22.4k VND each.

Metis Spa Website

Streetside Snacks

Deep Fried Bananas, Street Stalls

These stalls can be found throughout the city, but we went to the one on the corner of P. Hàng Da and P. Đường Thành, near Bun Cha Dac Kim. It was only around 10k VND and was a great snack to walk around with. Bonus: it’s kind of neat to see how they wrap the deep-fried banana. Mine was wrapped with old math homework (without pencil marks or anything). Probably not for everyone though.

Banh My Mama

This stall offers up a slight twist to the typical banh mi you’d get: panini-style baguettes. After placing your order in one line, the ladies running the stall begin to prep your order by loading up the baguette and finishing by panini-pressing the sandwich. It’s an addicting small twist to the tried-and-true banh mi recipe. These cost around 15k-30k VND each, depending on your order, which was one of our group’s favourite banh mis on the whole Vietnam trip.

Directions: Google Maps

Train Street

The train that passes through the street, passed by nearly inches away from our faces. When you arrive at any of the train station locations, you’ll likely be met with a blockade, and a crew of people blocking you from entering. You have to follow one of these promoters to take you to their chosen cafe spot.

We waited for the 7 pm train to pass by and arrived very early, so luckily seats were quite abundant – but the street fills up fast. It’s very worth a visit, just be very careful and listen to the cafe runners as they’ll know exactly where to stand to avoid being hit (which does happen to many tourists).

Train Street (Google Maps)

Bia Hoi Corner

I had relatively high expectations for Bia Hoi Corner, given its reputation from years past of having rows on rows of restaurants offering 10k VND beer on tap. In the past few years, after COVID-19, the location has changed dramatically from what I’ve read. There were much more street promoters this time around, hawking their bar, their club, or their ‘massage services’. The streets were loud and filled with EDM, smoke, crowds, and promoters. It’s not for everyone.

Slightly off the main street in Bia Hoi Corner, we found Bia 29 (beer hall 29), an unassuming beer hall (moreso small restaurant), with great staff. We’d order at least a handful of beers each and enjoyed some morning glory, and deep-fried snacks along the way. It was probably my favourite way to spend 2+ hours in Vietnam, and I’ll be coming back each time in Hanoi.

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