When doing research for my trip to Vietnam with my mom, I kept coming across the same advice. The advice is GO ON A FOOD TOUR. Vietnam is quickly becoming known as a top ‘foodie’ destination.
It is easy to see why. The food is cheap, fresh, amazingly prepared, and the options are endless. I set my sights on finding a food tour for our time in the Old Quarter in Hanoi. One of the first blogs I came across in my search was Street Food Tour Hanoi.
Street Food Tour Hanoi Is The Best Vietnam Food Tour
What’s The Best Vietnam Food Tour?
You can pick from a half day or full day, morning or evening, so it is easy to book based on your schedule and itinerary. All we had to do was email Mark with the day and time we would like to schedule, and he quickly replied, informing us if there was availability. You can pay via PayPal or cash the day of which made it extremely convenient. The price includes any transportation and all the food/drink costs during the tour. I recommend choosing the morning when the markets are bustling, and you get a sense of the daily routine in Hanoi.
Hanoi Food Tour
The tour, run by an Australian ex-pat named Mark, who has lived in Hanoi for over 15 years and has a fantastic blog detailing his favorite food spots in and around the Old Quarter as well as other cities in Vietnam. He is knowledgeable, engaging, and excited to share the hidden secrets of Hanoi.
Vietnam Food Tour
Mark met us at our hotel, and we set out to meet the rest of our tour group at their hostel on the other side of the Old Quarter. They were a group of curious and loquacious Canadian travelers and were an absolute joy to have on the tour.
Be Brave!
The Street Food Tour Hanoi tour was four hours long, and we had seven stops throughout the morning, and as you can imagine, put us in a food coma for the rest of the day. What did we learn you ask? It pays to be an early riser. Certain food stalls only serve from 6-9 am, or only at lunchtime, or until all the ingredients for the day are gone. Some serve only specific dishes. Another thing to note is, looks can be deceiving’ when it comes to what you are eating and the preparation. Standards are vastly different than those of the US and the western world in general. Back alley stalls in the market, street-side popup cooking areas with small plastic toddler-sized tables and chairs, and established restaurants or bars were all fair game.
Remember Hanoi Vietnam Expect to Start Early
Little Table and Chair in the Street Restaurants
Never Call Me an Adventurous Eater
Since I’m not adventurous when it comes to eating, I would call myself a cautious eater. I am the girl who ate only pasta with no sauce and salad with no dressing as I was growing up. I vowed, in Vietnam to try every single thing served and to eat as the locals do. Half the time, I had no idea what was in the soup in front of me. The Lord knows, I had little chance of being able to pronounce it, but it was all fantastic. We learned how and what to add to each soup or dish such as herbs, peppers, or vinegar. When in doubt, watch the locals do and don’t be afraid to ask questions!
Glorious food
This food tour was my favorite part of our time in Hanoi by far. But, it felt amazing to meet other travelers. We loved to hear where they were going in the country, and it was a huge plus everyone spoke English.
Food is such a large part of traveling and getting the insider knowledge of where and what to eat was a huge bonus.
We went on to the next stall for another delicious meal
We were getting full, but the food was exceptional, but we kept eating.
While there are probably hundreds of different food tours, some arranged by hotels or hostels, it was worth the extra money to go with Mark. To have an expat perspective about living and eating your way through Vietnam, made the experience perfect.
Lastly, he sent us an email following our tour with the names/places of everywhere we ate. Additionally, he gave us additional recommendations for Hanoi as well as Ho Chi Minh City. He is the perfect guide. He is the perfect food tour!
Egg Coffee
To eat where we ate, here is a list of dishes we ate and where we ate them:
Travel tip: Vietnam Budget Recommendations
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