Hanoi Old Quarter Food Tour: Market Walk, Bánh Mì Class & Cocktails

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(136 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

We zigzagged into Hanoi’s old quarter just as the city started to glow with that early evening gold — scooters everywhere, the smell of grilled pork in the air. Our guide, Minh, waved us down an alley I’d never have noticed on my own. The first stop was this tiny spot where an older woman (Minh called her “auntie” though I’m not sure they’re related) was rolling out bánh cuốn so thin you could almost see through it. She let me try — mine tore instantly. Everyone laughed, including her. I still think about that soft rice roll and the way she pressed her hand to her chest when we said thank you.

After that we crossed over Long Bien Bridge just as the sun dipped behind the rooftops. Minh pointed out bits of history — apparently this bridge survived bombings and has scars to prove it. The air smelled like river water and something sweet from a nearby stall. We ducked into Dong Xuan Market next; it was chaos in the best way: shouting vendors, piles of herbs everywhere, and someone frying doughnuts right there on the curb. Tried cháo sườn sụn (rice porridge with pork) — honestly didn’t expect to like it but ended up scraping the bowl clean.

There was a hands-on bánh mì making bit too — my attempt looked sad compared to the vendor’s perfect ones but tasted great anyway. Chả cá came sizzling to our table at another family-run place; turmeric and dill everywhere, fish so tender it fell apart with chopsticks. By then I’d lost count of how many dishes we’d tried or beers we’d had (they kept appearing). Dessert was in this nostalgic shop full of old clocks and faded photos — Minh said his parents used to come here on dates. We finished at a speakeasy tucked behind an unmarked door; I won’t spoil what’s inside but their Vietnamese-inspired cocktail is still on my mind.