Hanoi Street Food Experience
About this activity
Travel is all about the street food these days, and why not? It's fresh, fast, cheap and a great way to crack into the local scene. Join this Hanoi tour to source the best street eats from markets, food carts, street cafes and other hard-to-find-but-totally-worth-the-effort secret spots.
Highlights
• Sample delicious Vietnamese cuisine just like the locals do — on the street
• Stroll through the hidden alleyways and bustling markets of Hanoi’s charming old quarter
• Learn more about Hanoi’s unique food culture and try local specialties
• Take in a spectacular view of Hoan Kiem lake from a secret café
Full description
Meet up with your local guide, then dive straight into Hanoi’s culinary scene with a visit to Dong Xuan, the largest covered market in the city. Along the perimeter of the market, dozens of street hawkers sell a staggering variety of produce, from live seafood to exotic fruits and spices. Your expert English-speaking local guide will give you an insight into the intricacies and traditions of Vietnamese food culture including details on ingredients and historical backgrounds of popular northern dishes.
We eat as we go, trying seasonal fruits and sampling a banh mi, a famous Vietnamese baguette, with your choice of fillings – one of the most beloved combos is pate, ham, sliced cucumber and chili sauce. After exploring the market, walk through the maze of bustling streets that make up Hanoi’s Old Quarter, tempting your taste buds with the famed Hanoi dish banh cuon at a local eatery. Watch in awe as the skilled chefs demonstrate for you how this tasty dish is put together.
Continuing into the atmospheric heart of the Old Quarter, we wander past street stalls and quiet residential lanes where you can observe local life that has changed little since Hanoi was founded over 1000 years ago. Your next stop is a stall selling bun cha, a classic Vietnamese dish served with grilled fatty pork (chả) over a plate of white rice noodles (bún) and herbs with a flavoursome dipping sauce.
Be sure to save some room as you’ll soon be tucking into grilled nem chua, a fermented pork roll, and a fresh fruit salad, two of the most well-known snacks in the city.
Your local guide will then take you to one of Hanoi’s best-kept secrets, a hidden café with stunning views over the picturesque Hoan Kiem Lake. This hard-to-find café is one of the few left in the city that still serves egg coffee, a scrumptious local delicacy that we will sample whilst admiring the hustle and bustle of the city centre below. Or, if coffee is not your style, a cold beer awaits! At the end of our Hanoi tour, you are free to continue exploring the area or your guide will assist you with directions or a taxi back to your hotel.
Please note that this tour visits independent, family-owned businesses whose operating schedules and menus may change. Therefore, street food venues and local dishes often vary; your local guide will make any final adjustments on the spot
Included / Excluded
- Local English-speaking guide
- Food samples such as seasonal fruits, banh mi (Vietnamese baguette), banh cuon (steamed rice rolls), bun cha (grilled pork with noodle and herbs), grilled nem chua (fermented pork roll and a fresh fruit salad)
- Vietnamese coffee / local beer
- Additional food and drinks
- Tips/gratuities for a local guide
Cancellation policy
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity starts
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before activity
Reviews
John
Sep 20265.0
Exceptional time. Kristi was outstanding. Food was great and interesting facts about NO made it well worthwhile. I will recommend to anyone that I know that is going to New Orleans that they book and take this tour. I would do it again.
John
Sep 20265.0
Exceptional time. Kristi was outstanding. Food was great and interesting facts about NO made it well worthwhile. I will recommend to anyone that I know that is going to New Orleans that they book and take this tour. I would do it again.
GetYourGuide traveler
Sep 20265.0
We really enjoyed our small group tour with Intrepid. Our tour guide Camella (sp) took us to interesting small bars and shops where the local Venetians meet after work & on weekends. She was very informative and friendly. The variety of food and wine was fantastic. We highly recommend this tour as a first up in Venice.