5 Hanoi cafés and restaurants where history, culture and flavour converge

In a narrow alley in the Old Quarter, you’ll find The Hanoi Café. The café occupies a 101-year-old house that has been beautifully restored, with great care taken to preserve much of its original architecture.

The indoor seating is cosy and welcoming, but if possible, request a table in the courtyard. This space features an open ceiling with a retractable canopy, allowing for an alfresco experience that can be easily adjusted depending on the weather. Other design details, like original beams reinforced with steel and exposed brick walls, add to the café's rustic charm.

The menu offers Western dishes like avocado toast and french toast and local favourites like the house special duck pho and bun cha. Don’t leave without trying the egg coffee, peanut butter coffee and coconut coffee, all of which are exceptional. If you’re up for it, you can also sign up for one of their coffee classes.

Address: 10 Hang Manh Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi

In a stately 100-year-old yellow house, you can try one of Vietnam’s traditional dishes. When you arrive at Michelin Bib Gourmand awardee Cha Ca Thang Long, you’ll be greeted by a bamboo-lined path that leads to the grand double-door entrance. 

Other noteworthy architectural features include tall columns, decorative window and door grills, shutters and geometric-patterned tiles. There’s also an impressive staircase that leads to the second floor where an elegant balcony overlooks the property’s entryway. 

The signature dish here is cha ca—grilled fish with turmeric that’s cooked at your table with a mountain of dill and green onions, and served with rice noodles, peanuts, more herbs and fish sauce. You can also add fish head and fish stomach if you wish. Make sure not to miss out on the fried spring rolls either. 

Address: 6B Duong Thanh Street, Cua Dong Ward, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi

See also: How this restaurant is changing diners’ perception of Vietnamese cuisine

Savour the acclaimed cuisine of this Michelin-starred restaurant, set in a beautiful two-story wooden tea house. Stepping inside Tam Vi is like stepping into the past. The interior features antique Chinese wooden furniture, vintage decor like a gramophone and an old-school telephone and small design details that transport diners to an earlier time. 

Specialising in traditional Northern Vietnamese dishes, the flavours at Tam Vi are clean, bold and authentic. Try the crispy tofu dipped in green onion sauce, fresh spring rolls with pork belly and shrimp, savoury braised pork with egg and Vietnamese ham served with noodles and dipping sauce.

Address: 4B Yen The Street, Van Mieu Ward, Dong Da District, Hanoi

This Michelin-selected gem is hidden at the end of a narrow alley in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. With a discreet sign, it’s easy to miss unless you know exactly where to look. 

The restaurant is set within a charming two-story French colonial villa, painted a soft butter yellow with green shutters and complemented by patterned tiles that capture the essence of Hanoi’s distinctive architectural style. The interior design blends modern touches with traditional elements and evokes a homey vibe. 

Specialising in dishes that highlight various parts of the lotus, Vietnam’s national flower, Senté delivers a truly distinctive dining experience. Make sure to order the Michelin-recommended shrimp, pomelo and lotus root salad and the signature black rice in lotus leaf with grilled Australian short rib beef and salted quail eggs. For dessert, try the fried taro and brown rice cake filled with mashed lotus seeds.

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