Vietnam treats visitors to lavish feasts when traveling in winter.

For breakfast, there's rare beef pho; for lunch, there's bun cha; for dinner, there's banh troi tau; and for dinner, there's bun thang... so many choices for tourists visiting Vietnam in winter.

Vietnam ranks among the top ideal winter destinations for food lovers - Photo: NAM TRAN

Recently, Time Out magazine (UK) published a list of the 20 best winter destinations in the world for 2025-2026. Vietnam was ranked "Best for food" - an ideal winter destination for food lovers.

According to this magazine, Vietnam has a rich and distinctive traditional cuisine; each dish evokes an impressive and unforgettable flavor. Vietnamese cuisine also offers tourists a diverse selection, from dry dishes to soups, from main courses to snacks.

Compared to other destinations around the world, Vietnamese food is considered delicious, nutritious, and affordable, allowing tourists to save money and enjoy a wide variety of tasty dishes.

Savoring a steaming bowl of pho on a chilly winter day is an experience that pleases even the most discerning diners - Photo: NAM TRAN

The ideal time for international tourists to visit Vietnam is from October of the previous year to February of the following year, as the weather is cool and not as hot as in the summer.

On its Vietnamese culinary map, Time Out suggests three prominent destinations: Hanoi , Hoi An (Da Nang), and Ho Chi Minh City. Hanoi, on the other hand, is where visitors can feel the cold most intensely, and it's also considered a culinary paradise of Vietnam.

From piping hot soups that you have to blow on before eating…

Visiting Hanoi in winter, tourists have access to a plethora of delicious dishes perfect for the chilly weather.

From early morning, food stalls in Hanoi are already filled with the scent of smoke, ready to welcome customers. Drinks and beverages are considered "must-try" when visiting the capital.

A bowl of Hanoi-style crab noodle soup with simple ingredients, served with shrimp paste, chili paste, fermented rice vinegar, and fresh vegetables - Photo: HO LAM

As for pho, visitors are satisfied with the fragrant broth flavored with cinnamon, star anise, and cardamom, and the variety of options including rare beef pho, well-done beef pho, brisket pho, or rich and creamy pho with wine sauce. When tired of the taste of beef, visitors can "change things up" with chicken pho.

Along with pho, noodle dishes also evoke fond memories. In Hanoi's Old Quarter, it's easy to find restaurants serving flavorful bun rieu, bun bo, or bun doc mung. If you have time to leisurely stroll along Cau Go Street in the evening, you can visit a bun thang restaurant, over 40 years old, to sample Hanoi's signature noodle dish.

Crab and gourd hot pot for winter - Photo: M. PHUC

On windy days, nothing beats gathering with family and friends around a bubbling hot pot, dipping in handfuls of vegetables and pieces of meat while chatting. In Hanoi, hot pot is diverse and easy to find, from street stalls to upscale restaurants. But no matter where you are, Hanoi-style hot pot offers diners an unforgettable taste.

Depending on their taste, visitors can choose from beef hot pot with vinegar dipping sauce, crab hot pot, oxtail hot pot, Thai tom yum hot pot, spicy frog and bamboo shoot hot pot, braised duck with sour fruit hot pot, and more.

Fragrant bean-flavored fried donuts, sweetened with sugar, in the Old Quarter - Photo: NGUYEN HIEN

…a heartwarming afternoon meal

Cold weather makes people hungry quickly. At that time, just wandering around a few small alleys is enough to fill a tourist's stomach by the afternoon.

Hot rice cakes, glutinous rice balls in sweet soup, hot tapioca pudding, pork rib porridge, hot fried cakes, corn cakes, sweet potato cakes… these snacks associated with the childhood of many generations of Vietnamese people will certainly not disappoint diners.

Sticky rice balls (Bánh trôi tàu) usually come in packs of 2-3 depending on the restaurant, with the most popular fillings being mung bean and black sesame, topped with brown sugar syrup, ginger, crushed peanuts, and coconut milk or shredded fresh coconut - Photo: ĐẬU DUNG

Winter snacks are easily found at street vendors along the streets, markets, and alleys of Hanoi. The price for each of these delicious, comforting winter treats ranges from just 10,000 to 20,000 VND.

NGUYEN HIEN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/viet-nam-dai-khach-bua-tiec-thinh-soan-khi-di-du-lich-mua-dong-20251209163812453.htm