Hanoi Old Quarter: Street Food Walking Tour & Egg Coffee

5.00

(14 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I never thought I’d start my evening in Hanoi watching someone swirl rice batter on a steaming cloth — but that’s exactly how our street food tour kicked off. The Old Quarter was already humming, scooters darting past as our guide Linh waved us over to a tiny spot for banh cuon. She showed us the chef’s quick hands rolling those slippery noodles and honestly, I’m still not sure how they do it so fast. The place smelled like grilled pork and fresh herbs, with a bit of something tangy in the air. We squeezed around a plastic table, elbows almost touching strangers, and Linh grinned when she saw me try to eat with chopsticks (I dropped half my first roll — classic).

After that we zigzagged through narrow lanes, dodging bikes and baskets of fruit. Pho came next — both beef and chicken versions — at a spot Linh said she’s been coming to since she was a kid. There was this moment where the broth’s steam fogged up my glasses and I just sat there listening to the clatter of bowls behind me. Crab rolls, pillow cakes (still don’t know why they’re called that), fried rice balls… each stop felt more crowded than the last, but nobody seemed to mind. One lady selling limes winked at us as we passed by; Linh joked that she knows everyone here.

Somewhere near Hang Gai Street we ducked into what looked like someone’s living room for banh mi — the bread crackled when you bit into it. I tried saying “cà phê trứng” for egg coffee; Linh laughed at my accent but ordered anyway. The cup came out creamy and sweet, almost like dessert but somehow still coffee? You could swap it for beer or even egg chocolate if you wanted (someone did). By then my feet were tired but I didn’t really want it to end — there’s something about eating your way through Hanoi at night that sticks with you long after you leave.