These eateries are open well into the small hours to serve hungry night-owls.
Xoi Yen at Nguyen Huu
Huan Street
Eating
at Xoi Yen Restaurant along Nguyen Huu Huan Street is a must for those visiting
Hanoi’s Old Quarter. Here, xoi (sticky rice) is served with several types of
meat, including roasted pork, chicken, sausage and pate, then topped with
crispy fried onions and a small bowl of fresh cucumber salad. Opening from 5
a.m. until 1 a.m. the next day, the restaurant is constantly filled with
patrons, both locals and foreigners. A meal for two typically costs from
VND70,000-80,000 ($3-3.5).
Photo by VnExpress/Hoang Tham.
Rib porridge at Dong
Xuan Market
Rib
porridge at Dong Xuan market is only sold from around 6 p.m. until midnight,
and it is more crowded at 8-9 p.m. This porridge is made from bone stock and
eaten with crunchy rib cartilage. Customers can also order fried bread-sticks
and salted shredded pork to eat with their porridge. The stall is located on a
sidewalk off Dong Xuan Market, and a bowl costs VND30,000 ($1.3).
Photo by Nguyen Thuy Tien
Pho Bat Dan at 49 Bat
Dan Street
Many
locals agree that the best pho restaurant in Hanoi is Pho Bat Dan located on 49
Bat Dan Street. In order to enjoy a steaming bowl, diners have to stand in line
for their turn. The restaurant offers both traditional pho and stir-fried pho,
with prices ranging from VND45,000-75,000 ($2-3.3).
Photo by VnExpress/Noni Chen
Chicken noodles at
the crossroads of Luong Van Can and Hang Bo
Open
from 5 p.m. until midnight, you can usually find around twenty or so Vietnamese
crammed into a tiny street corner. A bowl of noodle soup, which includes pieces
of long-cooked chicken, instant noodles, wormwood, bean sprouts and traditional
Chinese medicinal herbs, is priced from VND40,000-55,000 ($1.8-2.4).
Photo by VnExpress/Linh Chi
Vermicelli noodles
with fish at Hang Dau Street
Bun
ca (Vermicelli noodles with fish) is a popular nighttime food that you should
try in Vietnam’s capital. Known more by locals than foreign visitors, bun ca
Hang Dau features white rice noodles served with grilled chopped fish and fried
fish. At a cost of VND30,000 ($1.3), a serving of hot, spicy bun ca gives
customers a warm glow on cold winter days.
Photo by VnExpress/Khanh Ngoc
Pho ganh at Hang
Chieu Street
Pho
ganh is served by a street vendor on the pavement of Hang Chieu Street from 2-5
a.m. Those who try this dish never forget the perfect combination of tasty
bouillon, sliced cooked and fresh beef, soft white noodles and spring onions.
It’s worth sacrificing a night's sleep to enjoy a bowl of pho ganh and Hanoi’s
fresh air in the early morning. A portion like this costs VND50,000 ($2.2).
Photo by VnExpress/Nguyen Dang Tuan
By Tuyet Mai/ VnExpress