This year, during the September 2nd holiday, Hanoi is expected to welcome a record number of domestic and international visitors who will come to explore and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of National Day.
Besides historical sites and long-standing cultural relics, Hanoi's cuisine has become an indispensable part, contributing to the special appeal of tourism in the capital city.
From humble street vendors lining small streets to long-standing traditional eateries and luxurious modern restaurants, each place offers diners a rich and emotional experience, making the journey of exploring Hanoi even more complete and unforgettable.
Hanoi cuisine - a distinctive cultural feature.
From early morning to late night, any small alley in the old quarter can easily be found with traditional eateries always bustling with people.
A fragrant bowl of beef pho on the sidewalk of Lo Duc Street, a steaming plate of bun cha on Hang Manh Street, or a simple yet flavorful platter of bun dau mam tom on Phat Loc Street – all of these can leave diners feeling satisfied, full, and brimming with emotion.
Over the years, these traditional dishes have become a source of pride and a distinctive cultural feature of Hanoi, offering a fresh experience to millions of tourists every time they visit the capital.
Mr. Nguyen Quang Liem (a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City) shared: “Hanoi's cuisine is incredibly rich and diverse. People talk and describe countless characteristic dishes, but only when you experience them the way the people of Thang An (Hanoi) do you understand why the capital's cuisine is so captivating. I'm 'addicted' to Hanoi beef pho - the pho here has a very unique flavor, unlike anywhere else, and only when you enjoy it in the capital can you fully appreciate its subtlety. People can enjoy many different types of pho at countless eateries, from street vendors and family-run restaurants to modern stone-bowl pho, served from early morning until late at night, with prices ranging from tens to hundreds of thousands of dong.”
Hanoi's cuisine not only captivates domestic tourists but also leaves a lasting impression on international visitors. The travel platform TripAdvisor once ranked Hanoi among the cities with the most attractive cuisine in the world, praising its delicate and subtle flavors, along with the harmonious blend of fresh herbs and traditional spices.
Therefore, exploring local cuisine has become an indispensable part of the travel itinerary for many international tourists.
After experiencing a Hanoi street food tour, Gabriel (a tourist from Canada) commented: “With a local guide, I got to sample six different dishes in about three to four hours. Enjoying the food while listening to stories about the origins, preparation methods, and significance of each dish made the experience special, surprising, and unforgettable. My favorites were Southern-style beef noodle soup and Hanoi spring rolls.”
During her two-week stay in the capital, Claire Brew (a British tourist) participated in two food tours. According to her, this journey not only provided a diverse culinary experience but also helped her gain a deeper understanding of Vietnamese food culture.
The diverse menu, catering to the tastes, ages, and eating habits of various groups of tourists, made her increasingly delighted as she explored it. In particular, the salads, combining fresh vegetables, tropical fruits, and flavorful dressings, impressed her the most.
Each long holiday period presents an opportunity for restaurants and eateries to attract a significant increase in customers. Therefore, in addition to decorating to create a unique atmosphere, many establishments have invested in developing special menus, offering novel culinary experiences for visitors.
Located near the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum – an area that attracts a large number of tourists on September 2nd – Hoi Chay restaurant (81 Quan Thanh Street, Quan Thanh Ward, Hanoi) has become a familiar meeting place for those who want to "live slowly, feel deeply" in the space of an ancient villa, with a menu consisting entirely of plant-based dishes.
Ms. Dang Thi Tu Uyen (Co-founder of the Hoi Chay brand) shared: “The restaurant has a vegetarian buffet served at the table with a menu of nearly 70 dishes. Anticipating a doubling of customers during the holiday, the restaurant has carefully prepared from ingredients to staff to ensure that even when the restaurant is crowded, each diner has a complete culinary experience. With a serene style and the use of traditional plant-based ingredients, we hope to bring a unique flavor to diners while contributing to promoting a clean and healthy lifestyle in the heart of the capital.”
In Vietnam's tourism development strategy until 2030, culinary culture is identified as one of the key products, contributing to enhancing competitiveness and building the national tourism brand.
According to Ha Van Sieu, Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Tourism Administration, culinary culture not only showcases regional traditions but also plays a role in connecting tourism services, creating attractive products, and attracting tourists.
The distinctive cuisine of each destination contributes to extending the length of stay and increasing the average spending of tourists, thereby boosting tourism revenue and creating a sustainable source of income for the locality.
"Soft ambassadors" of tourism
On August 18th, three specialties of Hanoi – banh cuon (steamed rice rolls), cha ca La Vong (La Vong fish cakes), and Bat Trang pottery trays – were recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as National Intangible Cultural Heritage.
These dishes are not only delicious but also beautifully presented, harmonious, and highly artistic.
Notably, over the centuries, through its refined flavors, cultural depth, and ability to connect communities, with hundreds of distinctive dishes, Hanoi's cuisine has increasingly affirmed its role as a "soft ambassador" of the capital's tourism.
This special "ambassador" makes each trip not just a journey of the feet, but also an emotionally enriching exploration of the taste buds.
Taking advantage of this strength, many travel agencies have developed food tour programs with flexible itineraries and engaging content, especially targeting international tourists.
Travel companies such as Hanoitourist, Vietravel, Holiday Indochina… have stepped up the promotion of culinary experience tours combined with city sightseeing, half-day or full-day tours in Hanoi during the September 2nd holiday.
These tours often take diners to long-established eateries and may combine them with visits to historical sites and traditional craft villages.
For foreign visitors in particular, programs such as Vietnamese cooking classes, shopping trips with chefs, or tours of the Old Quarter, tea ceremony, and Vietnamese pho often leave a lasting impression, contributing to the promotion of Hanoi's culinary culture to the world.
According to Mr. Tran Tuan Huy, Head of Marketing at Hanoitourist Travel Company, food tours typically last from 2 to 4 hours, are suitable for small groups such as couples, families, or friends, and range in price from a few hundred thousand to over 2 million VND, depending on the number of guests and mode of transportation (walking or by car).
Foreign tourists choose food tours to enjoy delicious dishes at reputable establishments while also having the opportunity to interact with locals and learn about Vietnamese customs and culture through each dish.
In the current trend of developing experiential tourism, cuisine is one of the important factors that helps retain tourists.
Food streets around Hoan Kiem Lake, the Old Quarter, Tong Duy Tan food street, Ta Hien "Western" street, the outdoor food area of Dong Xuan night market, pedestrian streets... are always popular destinations for tourists.
From humble street food to world-famous specialties like pho, banh mi, bun cha, and sticky rice, Hanoi always knows how to tell its historical and cultural story through each flavor.
Hanoi's cuisine not only serves as a unique tourism product but also acts as an emotional bridge connecting visitors to this land of thousand-year-old culture. Therefore, a culinary journey is not just a taste experience, but also makes each trip to the capital city for both domestic and international tourists even more memorable.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/food-tour-ha-noi-diem-nhan-du-lich-dip-nghi-le-80-nam-quoc-khanh-post1057784.vnp
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