To make the most of life in a foreign country, nothing is more essential than “daily meals.” In this post, I’d like to share the “local lunch scene” that’s been a mainstay of my life in Hanoi! Every day for lunch, I head to a Vietnamese restaurant near the office with my coworkers. I remember when I first arrived, I’d take tentative bites, wondering, “Will this be okay for my stomach…?” But now, I’m completely hooked on the local flavors and can truly savor each bite. Vietnamese cuisine uses plenty of vegetables and herbs, which is another great thing—it’s healthy. Here, I’ll share four of our “go-to lunch dishes” that my colleagues and I love!
4 Picks for “Hanoi’s Best Lunches”
1. A huge hit with tourists! The national soup noodle dish, “Phở”
This national dish features flat rice noodles in a clear broth slowly simmered from beef bones and chicken carcasses. The Hanoi way is to squeeze a bit of lime juice, add chili peppers, and customize the flavor to your liking.
2. “Bún chả”—Irresistible for Japanese Tsukemen Lovers
This Vietnamese-style dipping noodle dish features sweet-and-sour warm sauce with charcoal-grilled pork and meatballs. You dip thin rice noodles (bún) and plenty of fresh vegetables into the sauce before eating. It’s a specialty that originated in Hanoi.
3. “Bánh cuốn”: A New Texture—Jiggly and Chewy
“Vietnamese-style steamed spring rolls” made by wrapping ground pork and wood ear mushrooms in thin, steamed rice flour wrappers. This unique, chewy texture is hard to find in Japan.
4. Crispy and Juicy! “Nem Rán”
A dish made by tightly wrapping rice paper around ground pork, shrimp, glass noodles, wood ear mushrooms, and other fillings, then deep-frying it until golden brown. Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, it makes for a truly satisfying lunch.
About 330 yen per meal! Life in Hanoi is made better by great food
These delicious local dishes cost around 55,000 Vietnamese dong (about 330 yen) per meal! Compared to lunch prices in Japan, they’re incredibly affordable and leave both your stomach and your heart fully satisfied. Sitting around the table with my colleagues and exchanging comments like, “This is delicious,” or “I wonder if I can finish this,” provides a welcome break from daily work and serves as an important opportunity for communication. While there’s still much I don’t know about the depth of Hanoi’s culinary culture, I look forward to continuing to fully savor the local cuisine as a source of energy to keep me working with vigor!
