In this guide
The Short Version: For pho, queue at Pho Gia Truyen on Bat Dan Street (about 50,000 to 60,000 VND a bowl, cash only), sit down at Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su beside St Joseph’s Cathedral, or go late to Pho Ga Nguyet for chicken pho until midnight. For bun cha, eat at lunchtime at Bun Cha Huong Lien (the Obama Combo), Tuyet Bun Cha 34 (about 35,000 to 50,000 VND) or Bun Cha Dac Kim (about 60,000 to 70,000 VND). All six take cash only or no credit cards, so carry small notes. Or book a tour: If you want an expert-led tasting walk through the Old Quarter’s legendary noodle alleys, book the Hanoi: Guided Food Tour with Train Street Visitad (VND 493,600) or Hanoi: Street Food Tour with Train Street & Hidden Alleywaysad (VND 440,000).
The six shops at a glance
Grilled pork patties, fresh vermicelli noodles, and herb basket for Bun Cha. Photo: Kiraface, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.| Shop | Dish | Hours | Address | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Pho Gia Truyen | Beef pho: tai, chin, tai nam | Daily 06:00 to 11:00 and 17:00 to 21:30 | 49 Bat Dan, Hoan Kiem | | Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su | Beef pho with 10 options | 06:00 to 21:00 Monday and Thursday, to 21:45 other days | 10 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem | | Pho Ga Nguyet | Chicken pho, soup or dry | Daily 06:30 to midnight | 5B Phu Doan, Hoan Kiem | | Bun Cha Huong Lien | Bun cha and the Obama Combo | Daily 08:00 to 20:00 | 24 Le Van Huu, Hai Ba Trung | | Bun Cha Dac Kim | Bun cha with pork belly and patties | Daily 09:00 to 21:00 | 1 Hang Manh, Hoan Kiem | | Tuyet Bun Cha 34 | Chargrilled bun cha | Daily 08:30 to 17:30 | 34 Hang Than, Ba Dinh |
For the wider picture of Hanoi eating, with fish, banh mi, rolls and bars, see where to eat in Hanoi.
How to order pho
Northern pho is a clear beef broth over flat rice noodles, seasoned at the table with lime, chilli and pickled garlic vinegar. Say which cut you want:
- Tai: rare beef, cooked by the broth poured over it.
- Chin: well-done brisket.
- Nam: flank.
- Quay: fried dough sticks to dip in the broth, ordered on the side.
Pho
1. Pho Gia Truyen Bat Dan
A steaming bowl of Pho Bo beef noodle soup with scallions and coriander. Photo: Codename5281, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
The menu has beef pho and nothing else, in three cuts: rare flank, medium-rare round or well-done brisket. Add quay or a golden egg yolk. Each bowl is made to order at the counter.
You queue, order and pay at the counter, then carry your bowl to a table yourself. The queue is longest between 08:30 and 09:30. The shop closes for a month each summer, and at Tet when beef prices surge.
2. Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su
10 Ly Quoc Su Street, Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem · 06:00 to 21:00 Monday and Thursday, 06:00 to 21:45 other days · cash only · Michelin Bib Gourmand 2026
A small noodle shop on the street beside St Joseph’s Cathedral. The kitchen is visible through a glass partition. There are 10 pho options, including brisket, flank, beef fillet and bap tran. Several shops nearby use similar names; this one is number 10.
The cathedral has its own guide, and the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem walk covers the streets around it.
3. Pho Ga Nguyet
5B Phu Doan Street, Hoan Kiem · daily 06:30 to midnight · no credit cards · Michelin Bib Gourmand 2026
A chicken pho specialist founded in 2009. Order the thigh, wing and breast combination, as soup or dry noodles. It is open until midnight, which makes it a late supper as well as a breakfast.
Bun cha
Bun cha is grilled pork patties and pork belly in a warm sweet-sour fish sauce, eaten with rice vermicelli and a plate of herbs. Lift a clump of noodles, dip it in the bowl and eat it with a piece of pork and a few leaves. It is a lunch dish.
4. Bun Cha Huong Lien
24 Le Van Huu Street, Hai Ba Trung · daily 08:00 to 20:00 · cash only, paid at the entrance as you leave
Barack Obama and Anthony Bourdain ate here in May 2016, and photos of celebrity guests line the walls beside a glass-encased table. Most diners order the Obama Combo: a fried seafood roll, a bowl of the house bun cha and a Hanoi beer. The bun cha has smoky pork, patties, herbs and salad leaves.
5. Bun Cha Dac Kim
1 Hang Manh Street, Hoan Kiem · daily 09:00 to 21:00 · about 60,000 to 70,000 VND · cash only
Open in the Old Quarter since 1966. The bowl holds shredded smoky pork, pork patties and a sweet chilli fish sauce with pickled green mango. Queues are common and you may share a table.
A traditional bowl of Bun Cha with grilled pork patties and dipping sauce. Photo: Valentin Orange, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
6. Tuyet Bun Cha 34
34 Hang Than Street, Ba Dinh · daily 08:30 to 17:30 · about 35,000 to 50,000 VND · cash only · Michelin Bib Gourmand 2026
Pork chargrilled to order, served with noodles to dip in the broth. Michelin suggests an extra spring roll for crunch. It closes at 17:30, so eat here at lunch.
Guided street food tasting tours
If you want to sample multiple generation-tested pho and bun cha stalls without queuing or worrying about language barriers, join a guided food walk:
Hanoi: Guided Food Tour with Train Street Visit
From VND 493,600 · 4.9 stars from 8586 reviews · 3 - 4 hours · Top-rated foodie tour
Book the Guided Food Tour with Train Street Visitad to taste northern Vietnam’s most celebrated dishes across the Old Quarter. Includes visits to authentic family-run broth kitchens, bun cha stalls, egg coffee tasting, and local market culture.
Hanoi: Street Food Tour with Train Street & Hidden Alleyways
From VND 440,000 · 5.0 stars from 3878 reviews · 3 - 4 hours · High-rating walk
Book the Street Food Tour with Hidden Alleywaysad for an intimate walking feast exploring narrow guild-street alleys, tasting fresh banh cuon, crispy nem ran, and rich beef pho alongside an informative culinary host.
Hanoi: Cooking Class for 5 Local Dishes with Meal & Market Visit
From VND 1,050,000 · 4.9 stars from 1026 reviews · 3.5 hours · Master the recipes
Book the 5 Local Dishes Cooking Classad to learn the secret techniques of northern pho broth simmered with star anise, cinnamon, and charred ginger, cooking your own five-course feast.
Next
- Coffee: walk to a cafe for egg coffee, in the Hanoi egg coffee and cafe guide.
- Where to stay: where to stay in Hanoi covers the Old Quarter and the other areas.
- Itinerary: fit these meals into the 3 days in Hanoi itinerary.
Common questions
What do tai, chin and nam mean on a Hanoi pho menu?
They name the cut of beef. Tai is rare flank or round, cooked by the hot broth; chin is well-done brisket; nam is flank. Pho Gia Truyen sells tai, chin and tai nam, and Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su also sells bap tran.
What time should I eat pho and bun cha in Hanoi?
Pho is a breakfast dish and the old shops open at 06:00 or 06:30. Bun cha is a lunch dish, and Tuyet Bun Cha 34 closes at 17:30, so go at lunchtime.
Do Hanoi pho and bun cha shops take cards?
No. Pho Gia Truyen, Pho 10, Bun Cha Huong Lien, Bun Cha Dac Kim and Tuyet Bun Cha 34 are cash only, and Pho Ga Nguyet does not take credit cards.
What is quay and how do you eat it with pho?
Quay are fried dough sticks. Order a plate alongside the bowl and dip them into the broth for a few seconds.
Is Bun Cha Huong Lien worth the visit?
It is the shop where Barack Obama and Anthony Bourdain ate in May 2016, and photos of celebrity guests line its walls. Order the Obama Combo: a fried seafood roll, a bowl of bun cha and a Hanoi beer.
