Breakfast in Hanoi: Where Locals Eat and What to Order

Breakfast in Hanoi happens early, fast and on low plastic stools: the city’s pho shops start ladling broth before 6:00 and many are sold out by late morning. Knowing which dish to order, which long-running shops make it and how early to arrive turns the first meal of the day into a highlight of any trip, and a good way to understand how breakfast in Hanoi shapes the city’s morning.

How Breakfast in Hanoi Works

Hanoi eats breakfast out. Across the Old Quarter, families, office workers and students stop at a favourite stall on the way to work, eat in ten minutes and move on, and the busiest window at a pho shop runs from about 6:00 to 9:00.

Most breakfast shops cook a single dish, and many have done so for decades. The broth or batter is made in one batch each morning, so when it runs out, the shutters come down, often by 10:00 or 11:00. Arriving early is the one rule that matters: the broth is at its freshest, the queue is shorter and nothing has sold out.

Seating is part of the experience. Expect low stools, shared tables and a bowl in front of you within minutes of ordering, with condiments already on the table.

A coffee usually follows at a cafe nearby: strong phin-filtered coffee, iced or hot and often sweetened with condensed milk, or Hanoi’s egg coffee, a whisked cream of egg yolk, sugar and condensed milk over coffee, served at cafes on the same streets as the breakfast shops.

Hanoi Breakfast Dishes and Where to Try Them

The ten dishes below cover what most Hanoians eat before 10:00, from the city’s signature beef noodle soup to sticky rice wrapped to go. Each ends with a short list of long-running places to try it, with their addresses.

Pho Bo: Beef Noodle Soup

Pho bo is Hanoi’s defining breakfast: flat rice noodles in a clear beef broth simmered for hours with charred onion, ginger and spices, topped with sliced beef and spring onions. The Northern style is restrained, with fewer herbs on the side than in the south, so the broth carries the bowl.

The modern dish took shape in the early 1900s in Nam Dinh, now part of Ninh Binh province, south-east of Hanoi, and followed workers north to the capital. Most shops let you choose the cut: tai is thinly sliced rare beef that cooks in the hot broth, nam is flank and chin is well-done brisket. Add lime, chilli or garlic vinegar to taste, and order a few quay, strips of fried dough, for dipping.

A bowl costs about 50,000 to 90,000 VND (about US$1.90 to $3.50), and the busiest window runs from 6:00 to 9:00. Three of the four shops below hold a 2026 Bib Gourmand in the MICHELIN Guide’s Hanoi selection, while Pho Thin on Lo Duc has seared its beef with garlic in a hot wok, a style called tai lan, since 1979.

Recommended places for pho bo in Hanoi:

• Pho Gia Truyen: 49 Bat Dan Street
• Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su: 10 Ly Quoc Su Street
• Pho Khoi Hoi: 50 Hang Vai Street
• Pho Thin: 13 Lo Duc Street

Pho Ga: Chicken Noodle Soup

Pho ga swaps beef for chicken and a lighter, sweeter broth. It is usually traced to 1939, when beef was not sold at Hanoi’s markets on Mondays and Fridays and vendors turned to chicken instead. Hanoi’s version is finished with finely shredded lime leaves, which give each spoonful a citrus lift, and many shops use free-range birds for firmer, more flavourful meat.

A regular bowl starts at about 75,000 VND (US$2.90) at Pho Ga Cham near Truc Bach Lake and rises to 160,000 VND or more with extra thigh, wing or young eggs. On Hang Hom, Pho Ha, a 2026 Bib Gourmand, simmers native chicken until it keeps a slight chew, and its xoi ga, sticky rice with chicken, often sells out before noon.

Where to try pho ga in Hanoi:

• Pho Ha Hang Hom: 15 Hang Hom Street
• Pho Ga Huyen Huong: 20 Bao Khanh Street
• Pho Ga Nguyet: 5B Phu Doan Street
• Pho Ga Cham: 64-68 Yen Ninh Street

Bun Thang: A Delicate Hanoi Noodle Soup

Bun thang is an intricate bowl: thin rice vermicelli in a clear chicken broth, topped with shredded chicken, ribbons of thin omelette, Vietnamese pork roll, dried shrimp, mushroom and pickled radish, often with more than a dozen components arranged by hand.

A popular story says the dish began as a way to use up leftovers after the Lunar New Year feast, while food historians point to ingredients prepared months ahead and a name taken from an old word for broth. Either way, it remains a Hanoi speciality that is harder to find outside the city, and a good bowl tastes clean and gently savoury rather than rich.

Bun Thang Hang Hom serves its bowls in the morning only, so arrive before 9:00. Banh Cuon Gia Truyen Thanh Van, better known for its rice rolls, also serves bun thang from 7:00, which makes it easy to try both dishes at one table.

Recommended bun thang shops in the Old Quarter:

• Bun Thang Hang Hom: 11 Hang Hom Street
• Bun Thang Hang Hanh: 29 Hang Hanh Street
• Bun Thang Lan Ong: 16 Lan Ong Street
• Banh Cuon Gia Truyen Thanh Van: 14 Hang Ga Street

Banh Cuon: Steamed Rice Rolls

Banh cuon are sheets of rice batter steamed on a cloth stretched over a pot, then rolled around minced pork, wood ear mushroom and fried shallots. They arrive with slices of cha lua pork roll and a bowl of warm, lightly sweet fish-sauce dip, and good shops steam each batch to order.

Watching the cook spread the batter and lift a translucent sheet off the cloth in one movement is half the pleasure, so sit near the front. Banh Cuon Gia Truyen Thanh Van on Hang Ga has been family-run since 1973 and joined the MICHELIN Guide’s Bib Gourmand list in 2026.

A plate costs about 30,000 to 50,000 VND (US$1.20 to $1.90), and several well-known shops reopen in the late afternoon, which makes banh cuon one of the few breakfast dishes still easy to find at dinner time.

Where to eat banh cuon in Hanoi:

• Banh Cuon Gia Truyen Thanh Van: 14 Hang Ga Street
• Banh Cuon Ba Xuan: 16 Hoe Nhai Street
• Banh Cuon Ba Hoanh: 66 To Hien Thanh Street

Xoi: Sticky Rice to Go

Xoi is Hanoi’s grab-and-go breakfast: glutinous rice steamed until soft and chewy, then topped with mung bean paste, fried shallots, shredded chicken, pork floss, pate or Chinese sausage and wrapped in paper or a leaf. It is filling, cheap and easy to eat on a morning walk.

Toppings are chosen from trays at the counter, so pointing works well, and xoi xeo, topped with mung bean paste and crisp fried shallots, is the classic Hanoi order. A plate costs about 30,000 to 60,000 VND (US$1.20 to $2.30), and the busiest stalls do most of their trade before 10:00.

Recommended places for xoi near the lake:

• Xoi Yen: 35B Nguyen Huu Huan Street
• Xoi Xeo Co May: 35 Ly Thuong Kiet Street
• Xoi Cat Lam: 24B Duong Thanh Street

Banh Mi: The Hanoi-Style Baguette

Banh mi arrived with French bakers and became thoroughly Vietnamese: a light, crackly baguette filled with pate, cold cuts, pickled vegetables, chilli and herbs. Hanoi’s versions tend to be simpler than Saigon’s, often built around pate and one main filling, and many street carts sell them from before sunrise.

Sandwiches typically cost around 30,000 to 55,000 VND (about US$1.20 to $2.10), depending on the filling, with street carts generally at the lower end of the range. The freshest baguettes are usually easiest to find in the early morning.

Banh Mi Ba Dan on Lo Su has been serving pate sandwiches since 1979, while Banh Mi 25 on Hang Ca offers seating and an English menu, making it an easy option for first-time visitors.

Where to buy banh mi in Hanoi:

• Banh Mi 25: 25 Hang Ca Street
• Banh Mi Ba Dan: 34 Lo Su Street
• Banh Mi Pho Hue: 118A Hue Street

Bun Rieu Cua: Crab and Tomato Noodle Soup

Bun rieu cua is the brightest bowl of the Hanoi morning: rice vermicelli in a tangy broth made from pounded freshwater crab and tomatoes, topped with fried tofu, a soft cake of crab meat that floats on the surface and a pile of herbs and shredded greens. It tastes lighter and sharper than pho, with a gentle sourness from the tomato.

Many shops set out shrimp paste and chilli so diners can deepen the flavour, and a squeeze of lime balances the richness of the crab. On a hot morning, it is the bowl many Hanoians choose over pho.

A bowl starts at about 30,000 VND (US$1.20) and rises with extra toppings, so check the price before ordering. The shop on Hang Bac cooks nothing else and fills its low stools with regulars from morning into the evening.

Recommended places for bun rieu cua:

• Bun Rieu Cua Hang Bac: 11 Hang Bac Street
• Bun Rieu Huyen Thu: 2F Quang Trung Street
• Bun Rieu Suon Sun Trang: 23 Nguyen Sieu Street

Chao Suon: Rice Porridge With Pork Ribs

Chao suon is Hanoi’s comfort breakfast: rice ground and simmered until silky smooth, then topped with tender pork rib meat, crisp fried dough sticks, fried shallots and a dash of pepper. It is gentle on the stomach, which makes it popular with children, older diners and anyone recovering from a late night.

Porridge stalls open early, often from about 6:00, and many pack up by 9:00 or 10:00, though a few reopen for the afternoon. A bowl is one of the cheapest breakfasts in the city, traditionally around 15,000 to 25,000 VND (under US$1), though prices have risen at popular stalls, so check before ordering.

Where to find chao suon in Hanoi:

• Chao Suon Co La: 2A Ly Quoc Su Street
• Chao Suon Hang Bo: 32 Hang Bo Street
• Chao Suon Ba Loi Cong: 39 Hang Dieu Street

Bun Oc: Snail Noodle Soup

Bun oc is a tangy, tomato-based soup made with rice vermicelli and river snails, with fermented rice vinegar adding its characteristic sourness. It is often served with fried tofu and green banana, a combination known in Hanoi as bun oc chuoi dau.

The dish is commonly served in two styles. The hot version comes with broth poured directly over the noodles, while bun oc nguoi is served cold, with noodles dipped into a separate bowl of broth one mouthful at a time.

Bowls cost about 30,000 to 55,000 VND (US$1.20 to $2.10). Bun Oc Thuy, in the lane beside Dong Xuan Market, has served the dish for around 70 years and fills its stools from morning into the afternoon, so it fits neatly after a browse through the market.

Recommended bun oc shops in the Old Quarter:

• Bun Oc Thuy: 11 Ngo Cho Dong Xuan, the lane beside Dong Xuan Market
• Bun Oc Co Hue: Nguyen Sieu Street
• Bun Oc Co Them: Hang Chai Street

Banh Gio: Pyramid Rice Dumplings

Banh gio is a soft, pyramid-shaped dumpling of rice flour wrapped in banana leaves and filled with minced pork and wood ear mushroom, sometimes with a quail egg in the centre. It is eaten with a slice of cha lua pork roll, chilli sauce or pickles, and its mild, silky texture makes it a gentle start to the day.

A dumpling costs around 15,000 to 35,000 VND (under US$1.50). Two long-running shops stand side by side on Thuy Khue, on the southern edge of West Lake about 10 minutes by car from Hoan Kiem Lake, and both open from about 6:00, so they combine easily with a morning at Tran Quoc Pagoda.

Where to try banh gio in Hanoi:

• Banh Gio Co Beo: 3 Thuy Khue Street
• Banh Gio Thuy Khue: 5 Thuy Khue Street
• Banh Gio Dao Duy Tu: 16 Dao Duy Tu Street

Side by side, the ten dishes differ mainly in price, weight and how early you need to arrive:

Dish	What it is	Typical price	When to go
Pho bo	Beef noodle soup in clear broth	50,000 to 90,000 VND	6:00 to 9:00, before shops sell out
Pho ga	Chicken noodle soup with lime leaves	75,000 VND and up	Early morning
Bun thang	Vermicelli soup with shredded toppings	Varies by shop	Before 9:00
Banh cuon	Steamed rice rolls with pork and mushroom	30,000 to 50,000 VND	Morning, or again in the evening at some shops
Xoi	Sticky rice with savoury toppings	30,000 to 60,000 VND	Early morning, often to go
Banh mi	Baguette with pate and fillings	30,000 to 55,000 VND	All day, freshest in the morning
Bun rieu cua	Crab and tomato noodle soup	From about 30,000 VND	Morning to evening at some shops
Chao suon	Rice porridge with pork ribs	About 15,000 to 25,000 VND and up	6:00 to 9:00
Bun oc	Snail and tomato noodle soup	30,000 to 55,000 VND	Morning into the afternoon
Banh gio	Pyramid rice dumpling with pork	15,000 to 35,000 VND	From 6:00, all day

A Two-Morning Breakfast Plan

Most of the shops above cluster in the Old Quarter just north of Hoan Kiem Lake, on streets such as Hang Hom, Hang Ga, Hang Bac and Bat Dan, all within about 15 minutes’ walk of each other.

That makes it easy to eat breakfast in Hanoi as a short morning walk, with one dish at each stop instead of one large meal. The same streets keep cooking at lunch and dinner, which is where our guide to the best restaurant in Hanoi picks up.

Two early mornings are enough to try most of these dishes without rushing, as long as the order follows the shops’ hours. Soups come first, since they sell out soonest, and sticky rice or banh mi can wait until later.

On the first morning, start with beef pho at 49 Bat Dan soon after 6:00, before the queue builds, then walk about ten minutes to 14 Hang Ga for a plate of banh cuon. Finish with coffee on the way back to the lake.

On the second morning, begin with bun thang at 11 Hang Hom before 9:00, then share a bowl of chicken pho or sticky rice with chicken at Pho Ha a few doors along the same street. End with bun rieu cua at 11 Hang Bac or xoi to go from Nguyen Huu Huan. Small portions and shared bowls keep room for every stop.

Ordering Breakfast Without Speaking Vietnamese

Hanoi’s breakfast shops are used to visitors, and most orders take a single word and a raised finger. A few phrases and habits make the process smoother.

A Few Words and Gestures That Help

Most shops serve one dish, so ordering often means holding up the number of bowls you want and naming the cut or topping. Pointing at a neighbour’s bowl works everywhere, and staff are quick to help. These words cover most situations:

• Mot bat pho: one bowl of pho
• Tai, nam, chin: rare beef, flank, well-done brisket
• Khong hanh: no spring onions
• An chay: vegetarian
• Bao nhieu tien?: how much is it?

Prices are usually written on a board or wall, and many shops add a small supplement for extra meat or an egg. If there is no board, asking the price before ordering avoids any confusion at the end.

Stools, Shared Tables and Paying in Cash

Seats are shared, so take any free stool, and expect to leave once you have finished, since others are waiting. Chopsticks, spoons, napkins and condiments sit on the table, and many shops rinse chopsticks with hot water or tea before serving, which diners also do themselves.

Cash is the safest way to pay. Some shops accept bank transfers by QR code, but that usually needs a Vietnamese bank account, so carry small notes; tipping is not expected at street-food breakfasts.

Vegetarian Breakfast in Hanoi

Vegetarian breakfasts take a little planning, because most soups are built on meat or bone broth, and a plain bowl of pho is not meat-free. Saying an chay, vegetarian, helps, and some banh cuon shops make a chay version filled with mushroom.

Xoi with mung bean paste and fried shallots is usually meat-free, fresh baguettes are easy to find, and the city has dedicated vegetarian restaurants where pho is made with vegetable broth. Ask about fish sauce in dipping sauces if you avoid it.

Timing can help too. Many Hanoians eat vegetarian on the first and fifteenth days of each lunar month, when Buddhist vegetarian restaurants, known as quan chay, are at their busiest and pagoda-side stalls sell meat-free dishes, so those mornings bring the widest choice.

When You Want Eggs Instead of Broth

Some mornings call for eggs rather than noodles. The Hanoi Social Club, down a narrow lane at 6 Ngo Hoi Vu on the Old Quarter’s western edge, serves eggs Benedict with house-made hollandaise, fresh juices and pastries from 8:00 in a century-old house of wooden tables, worn floors, bookshelves and hanging plants.

Dishes start from about 95,000 VND, and the menu carries several vegetarian options, which makes it an easy morning for a mixed group.

A Slower Breakfast on the Lake’s West Shore

Street breakfasts are one side of a Hanoi morning; a slower, sit-down breakfast is the other, and The Theodore Hanoi, on the lake’s west shore, offers both within a few minutes. Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su is a short walk west of the hotel, and on the mornings when a plate and a pot of coffee appeal more than a stool, breakfast is served without leaving the lake.

At Theodore, the hotel’s Italian restaurant, which serves from breakfast through dinner, the morning service runs from 6:30 to 10:30 every day, in a dining room of bespoke furnishings and rich natural materials. The early start suits a 7:00 or 8:00 day-trip pickup, and the late finish suits a slow morning after a night on the walking street.

The late finish has a practical side too. Many of the city’s pho and bun thang shops have sold out by 10:00. A late riser who misses them can still sit down to a full breakfast at the hotel until 10:30 and save the street stalls for an earlier start the next day.

Downstairs, La Fournée opens at 7:00, and by then its counter is lined with viennoiseries baked for the morning. The sweet side runs from a plain croissant at 75,000 VND to a Double Almond Croissant, a Pain au Chocolat or a Pain Suisse filled with chocolate and custard. The savoury side brings a Ham and Cheese Croissant, a pastrami Pain Suisse and a Crab Roll finished with wasabi tobiko.

Most viennoiseries cost 120,000 VND (about US$4.60), and the bread basket, fresh bread of the day with Isigny butter at 150,000 VND, turns a coffee into a proper breakfast for two. Prices exclude VAT and service charge and can change, so check the menu on the day.

Pair any of them with an espresso or a fresh juice of the day, then walk out onto the lake path, which is at its liveliest in the early morning, when the exercise groups are still out along the water.

Early risers can swim before they eat. The heated outdoor pool opens at 6:00, half an hour before Theodore starts serving, and the 24-hour Fitness Center and the Yoga Room make room for a workout or a quiet stretch before the first bowl of pho.

Guests who prefer to start the day privately can order in, since every room includes in-room dining. The Signature Pool View King suits a slow breakfast in particular: its 46 m² face the hotel’s pool rather than the lake, the calmer side of the building in the morning, and only four rooms share this layout.

Breakfast is only the start of the hotel’s kitchens. Theodore returns at lunch, from 11:30 to 14:30, and at dinner, from 17:30 to 22:00, when the pasta is made by hand and the grill takes over, and La Fournée keeps serving until 23:00, so a day that opens at a street stall can close with a sit-down meal back by the lake.

Conclusion

Breakfast in Hanoi rewards early risers: pho and bun thang in the first hours, banh cuon steamed to order, xoi wrapped for the walk and banh mi at any time of day. Go early, carry small notes, point when in doubt, and leave room for a coffee afterwards.

For mornings when you want a slower start, stay at The Theodore Hanoi: La Fournée’s viennoiseries and breakfast at Theodore from 6:30 sit a few minutes’ walk from the Old Quarter’s best-known breakfast shops.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do people in Hanoi eat for breakfast?

Pho is the classic Hanoi breakfast, followed by bun thang, bun rieu cua, banh cuon, chao suon, xoi and banh mi. Most locals eat it out, at a favourite stall.

What time do locals eat breakfast in Hanoi?

Breakfast shops open from about 5:30 or 6:00, and the busiest time is 6:00 to 9:00. Many close by 10:00 or 11:00 once the day’s broth runs out.

How much does breakfast cost in Hanoi?

A street breakfast usually costs 30,000 to 90,000 VND (about US$1.20 to $3.50). Well-known pho shops sit at the upper end, while xoi and banh cuon are cheaper.

Is street food safe for breakfast in Hanoi?

Busy breakfast shops are generally a safe choice, since food is cooked fresh and turns over quickly. Choose places with a steady crowd and piping-hot broth.

Can I find vegetarian breakfast in Hanoi?

Yes, but ask, because most soups use meat broth. Mung bean xoi, mushroom banh cuon and pho at vegetarian restaurants are the easiest options.