Cuisine is one of the highlights that attracts foreign tourists to Vietnam. Vietnamese cuisine is diverse, well-seasoned and easy to eat. Even if you are vegan, you need halal meals or you would like to try all kinds of food!

Don’t just stop at tasting food, cuisine is more than how the food tastes. There is a greater need for the culinary experience – that of exposure and practice yourself. If you are interested in learning and experiencing further about the culinary world of Hanoi, do not hesitate to scroll down to explore.

Feel free to contact us if you have interest in any of the below options or you can check out our Tour Vietnam for more Vietnam itineraries.

1. Street food – Enjoy the food and space like locals

Vietnamese street food is not only highly loved by domestic people but also by visitors from outside and has been praised by many major culinary magazines around the world. Street food has its own characteristics and is constantly being created with a variety of dishes and processing methods.

Walking around the streets, your eyes being caught by street food stalls with many people already there. You might choose the seat indoors or right on the sidewalk to watch people go by, sitting in small size stools, checking out the menu, making your choice, watching the home chefs show off their earning skill, hearing non-stop symphony of cooking, chatting, vehicle passing. You are definitely a part of that lively life cut.

Today, there are many forms and programs of food tours to experience street food thoroughly. You can make your own must-try list with places, dishes you want to try out or randomly go on the road then let your free mind decide. This way is flexible, autonomous, combining city tours and food tours to help bring the Hanoi street experience – which is one of the featured characteristics of Hanoi. Here is a list of things to eat in Hanoi and Hanoi Sky bars recommended for you.

2. Cooking class – The process of cooking Vietnamese food with local expert

Taking part in a cooking class will allow you to step by step touch the culture of Vietnamese cuisine. In the class, the ingredients are usually pre-prepared or you can go to the garden and market to pick up yourself before processing. Many people can join in the class at the same time, sampled by the instructor, sharing recipes and stories. You can add up or reduce the amount of food and spices as your flavor to enjoy your own or each other’s result later. The place where cooking classes take place normally has a nice atmosphere and scenery.

This experience helps visitors to learn many things through the whole process, and know more about Vietnamese culture, stories, ingredients, and spices. This is an interesting, fast, convenient activity and is one of the highlights of the Vietnam discovery program.

3. Home-hosted meal – Closely prepare and enjoy Vietnam meals with family

Are you curious about the way a Vietnamese family prepares and has meals in their house? This might be also a very interesting option for you when comparing this participation with your own meal preparation experience at home.

Of course a local’s house in a local living environment is different from the hotels. You can spend more time in home-hosted meals than in a cooking class. The family or the host of the house will welcome you with all the warmth and sincerity. The guests will participate in cooking with local families: go to the market together, prepare ingredients, cook in the host’s kitchen, eat together in the kitchen with family members.

The fact that visitors cook and experience the daily life at a homestay is an experience that adds to the value of the trip, and the people are a partner that contributes to that value chain. This close and complete connection is suitable for those who have needs and aspirations to explore deeper links with locals and culture.

4. Bat Trang old-style feats – The quintessence of Hanoi traditional feast & dish

Bat Trang is the most famous pottery village in Vietnam, located in Hanoi capital. Bat Trang was a craft village in Hanoi that built for itself a unique cultural center, showing the sophistication and delicacy of the capital land. That is reflected in the pottery heritage, ancient village architecture, ancient houses, along with the ancient cooking art which is absolutely worth trying.

Few people know that Bat Trang village is not only famous for its long-standing pottery but also the cradle of dedicated Hanoi traditional cuisine. Bat Trang’s old style feast has always attracted gourmets to visit and enjoy at the old house or order to enjoy at home. You will not join the cooking process, however spending time to enjoy the quintessence of Bat Trang ancient village from architecture, culture, ambience, pottery, and then cuisine will not let you down. Each dish is beautifully presented, the ingredients are carefully selected, the dishes are rich and varied, the spices are just right and will make you satisfied.

The culinary characteristics of each region of Vietnam contain cultural quintessence, expressing the deep national identity and the wealth and prosperity of a country of thousands of years of civilization. Therefore, if you have the opportunity to visit Vietnam, try yourself with street food, participate in cooking classes, experience cooking with locals or the ancients of Bat Trang village artisans to get involved in the quintessence of Vietnamese cuisine!