Hanoi's 'makeshift' sidewalks for cafes.

With sidewalks no longer being an automatic extension of cafes, Hanoi cafes are forced to find ways to preserve their "street character" within a new framework.

ZNews•29/05/2026

A wine bar in Hanoi utilizes the steps as seating areas right next to the sidewalk. Photo: Tran Hien.

When they received the new premises on To Hieu Street (Cau Giay Ward, Hanoi), the founding team of Lofi Lab Coffee had a different design. But just a few days later, they decided to abandon the entire original plan, building the facade back nearly 2 meters to create an open, covered patio overlooking the street.

This decision resulted in the cafe losing nearly a third of its usable space, with the outdoor patio renovation alone costing over 100 million VND. In return, the cafe retained something that many Hanoi cafes are struggling to maintain amidst the tightening of sidewalk regulations: the feeling of sitting on the street.

"Previously, sidewalk space wasn't a special advantage because almost every shop had it. But when there aren't many places that can meet that demand anymore, the open seating area within the shop's legally owned land becomes a differentiating factor," Nguyen Tien Dat, one of the shop's founders, told Tri Thuc - Znews.

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The facade of Lofi Lab Coffee is set back 2 meters to create a "false sidewalk". Photo: Nguyen Tien Dat.

Create your own "sidewalk"

In late May, many central streets in Hanoi became less congested after an intensified crackdown on sidewalk encroachment. According to Hanoi's ongoing plan for managing and utilizing roads and sidewalks, the city aims to tighten control over misuse, prioritize returning space to pedestrians, and manage the area in a more consistent and transparent manner.

This also means that many cafes and restaurants will have to rethink their operating methods, which they have been familiar with for many years.

In Hanoi, sidewalks have never been just the space in front of shops. For many cafes, they serve as parking areas, places to set up tables and chairs, welcome customers, and create a unique atmosphere characteristic of the capital's streets.

But as this "buffer zone" gradually narrows, many business owners are starting to find ways to adapt instead of waiting for things to return to normal.

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Customers at a cafe in Hoan Kiem ward, Hanoi, in 2025 - before the implementation of the project to manage and utilize roads and sidewalks. Photo: Dinh Ha.

Lofi Lab Coffee isn't the only cafe in Hanoi choosing to build open patios within their legally owned spaces to maintain the outdoor seating experience.

On Hue Street, Duong Chung Thanh (28 years old), owner of SOLUS coffee shop, also moved the storefront inward by nearly 1 meter, creating a buffer space with two long benches facing directly onto the street.

"In terms of feeling, customers are still sitting outside on the street. But legally, everything is still within the premises of the restaurant," Thanh shared.

According to him, this is a more sustainable way of operating in the context of increasingly strict regulations on sidewalk use. However, this design also comes with several trade-offs. Recessing the storefront reduces the size of the air-conditioned room, forcing businesses to reconsider the functionality, arrangement of tables and chairs, and bar counter.

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SOLUS Cafe before and after the facade was rebuilt, moved back 1 meter to accommodate the "sidewalk as stated in the land deed". Photo: Duong Chung Thanh.

On days when Hanoi experiences scorching temperatures of 35-40 degrees Celsius, the number of customers wanting to sit indoors increases sharply, while the number of air-conditioned seats is limited. Nguyen Tien Dat admitted that there were times when the restaurant lost customers because there weren't enough seats inside.

However, he believes that tightening regulations on sidewalks isn't necessarily just an obstacle.

"Instead of viewing this as a challenge, we see it as a new design and operational problem," he said.

According to many cafe owners, what customers are really looking for isn't just a few chairs on the sidewalk, but the feeling of being close to the street, watching the people go by, and being connected to the rhythm of life outside. When they can no longer utilize public spaces as before, cafes are forced to recreate that experience in a more legal way.

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The makeshift sidewalk created by the cafe on To Hieu Street when it opened for business.

Hanoi's F&B industry enters a new "rule of the game".

According to Mr. Hoang Tung, Chairman of F&B Investment, the recent crackdown on sidewalk encroachment is creating a clear differentiation within Hanoi's F&B industry.

Indoor, takeaway, delivery, or multi-channel business models adapted more quickly. Conversely, establishments heavily reliant on storefronts and outdoor seating faced significantly greater pressure.

He said some shops saw sales drop by as much as 50-70% after they were no longer allowed to use the sidewalks as before.

"Customers sitting on the sidewalk create a very strong effect of attracting more customers. In the F&B industry, the image of a crowded restaurant is always a form of natural marketing," he said.

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The sidewalk area in front of a beverage shop on Tong Dan Street, Hoan Kiem Ward, Hanoi, at 4 AM in 2024 - a time before regulations tightening sidewalk business were in place. Photo: Dinh Ha.

However, according to Mr. Tung, not all adaptation strategies require large investments. Many restaurants can start by increasing takeout sales, promoting GrabFood and ShopeeFood, developing social media content, or adding catering services.

"This is the time for business owners to shift their mindset from selling only in-store to selling through multiple channels," he remarked.

From a different perspective, Mr. Nguyen Thai Binh, an F&B expert and Director of Concepts Academy (VCS), believes that the biggest impact this time is not about "losing a few sets of tables and chairs."

"For many establishments, the sidewalk serves as a buffer zone for operations, a living storefront, and also an integral part of the very Hanoi experience," he said.

According to Mr. Binh, for many years, sidewalks had inadvertently become a form of "commercial space that was not fully accounted for in the rental fees." When this space returns to its proper public function, businesses will be forced to recalculate their break-even point.

"The most dangerous thing isn't a drop in revenue for one month. The danger is trying to cling to a model that's no longer suitable for the new rules of the game," he remarked.

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Customers enjoy coffee at a cafe in Hoan Kiem ward, Hanoi in 2024 - a time before regulations on sidewalk encroachment were implemented. Photo: Thuy Trang.

However, he believes that the future of Hanoi's F&B industry is not about losing its "street character," but about finding ways to bring that spirit into a more professional and sustainable model: open facades, optimized space, multi-channel operation, and redesigned experiences within the legally permitted area of the establishment.

"Professional F&B doesn't mean losing the essence of the street. Professionalism means preserving the soul of the street, but placing it in a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable model," Mr. Binh said.

Source: https://znews.vn/via-he-tu-tao-cua-quan-ca-phe-ha-noi-post1654922.html