Eating out in Hanoi after midnight

(Dan Tri) - After midnight, Hanoi city only has a few areas allowed to operate with entertainment businesses that attract tourists and young people.

Having fun in Hanoi after midnight ( Video : Huu Nghi)

Weekends, starting from Friday night when the walking street and night market start operating, the area around Hoan Kiem Lake is much more crowded, especially bustling in the central old quarter. In the photo is the Nguyen Huu Huan - Luong Ngoc Quyen street section at 0:00 on the weekend (Photo: Huu Nghi).

Some restaurants and bars in the Old Quarter are allowed to open until 2am. This is the busiest place in the city after midnight. Photo taken at the "International Crossroads" of Luong Ngoc Quyen - Ta Hien streets at 0:30am (Photo: Huu Nghi).

Called "International Crossroads" because it attracts a large number of foreign tourists. The types of services are also mainly aimed at the needs and interests of tourists. This is the number one night tourism attraction in Hanoi . Tourists flock to restaurants, cafes, and bars around the core of the Old Quarter to experience and feel the nightlife of Hanoi (Photo: Huu Nghi).

On Ta Hien Street, Luong Ngoc Quyen Street and some neighboring streets, there are beer houses, restaurants, bars, and coffee shops that are open late to serve tourists. In addition, there are almost no other types of entertainment services (Photo: Huu Nghi).

After midnight, most of the visitors on Ta Hien Street are foreigners. Hanoi has many advantages to develop the night economy , but according to experts, the capital has not known how to take advantage of them well, there are few products for tourists to spend more and stay longer. Tourists flock to beer and beverage restaurants on Ta Hien Street after midnight (Photo: Huu Nghi).

In July 2023, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued a project to develop a number of night tourism product models in 12 provinces and cities to attract tourists and increase spending. In particular, Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City are required to form separate night entertainment complexes. The project offers many implementation solutions, including proposing to increase the opening hours of night service activities, consider adjusting and allowing service activities to be organized until 6:00 a.m., instead of 2:00 a.m. as at present. Photo inside a restaurant on Ta Hien Street at 1:00 a.m. (Photo: Huu Nghi).

In fact, the core area of the old quarter on weekends operates almost like an entertainment complex serving tourists, with many service industries such as food, bars, health care... In order for nighttime business activities to last longer, the most important issue is to provide attractive services for tourists, ensure security and solve the difficult problem between the pace of tourism and the living environment of the community. Photo shows a bar on Ta Hien Street opening to welcome guests at 1:30 a.m. on weekends (Photo: Huu Nghi).

Tourists enjoy a rustic night meal from street vendors at affordable prices. According to experts, Hanoi is focusing on developing tourism products between 7am and 5pm. However, these products only bring in about 30% of service revenue. Meanwhile, the remaining 70% are services and products that are obtained from 6pm to 2am the next morning, but are not developed (Photo: Huu Nghi).

Hang Chieu Street is known as a night food area, serving mainly Vietnamese customers. This street is located in the core of the old quarter, and still has the potential to attract foreign tourists (Photo: Huu Nghi).

Restaurants on Hang Giay Street are still quite crowded at 1:30 a.m., only crowded when the walking street is open on weekends (Photo: Huu Nghi).

Tong Duy Tan Street (Hoan Kiem) is planned as a culinary area, a small street located between three intersections: Dien Bien Phu - Tran Phu - Cam Chi alley, in the central area so it is very convenient to move around. There are many types of food such as pho, sticky rice, stewed chicken, hot pot... however, most of the customers come here because they sell late after 0:00 (Photo: Manh Quan).

The coffee shops that are open all night are also a highlight that attracts tourists to this street. At 0:30 a.m., the coffee shops below were packed with vehicles, and the floors inside the shops were also crowded with visitors (Photo: Manh Quan).

Foreign visitors enjoy a variety of Vietnamese dishes such as hot pot, grilled dishes, rice, sticky rice, etc. at Tong Duy Tan Street (Photo: Manh Quan).

In contrast to the bustling atmosphere of the Old Quarter, To Ngoc Van, Xuan Dieu, Quang An streets… are deserted with foreign tourists after midnight. Many shops here have no customers or are cleaning up and preparing to close (Photo: Thanh Dong).