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1. Hot rice cake
On chilly transitional days, stopping by the sidewalk and enjoying a bowl of hot rice cake soup in the late afternoon is a perfect choice. Hot rice cake soup is not as hard as cold rice cake soup, but retains its chewy texture. With a rich dipping sauce, minced meat, crunchy wood ear mushrooms, and a sprinkle of herbs, a bowl of hot rice cake soup will make you slurp up every delicious bite.
Address: Le Ngoc Han Street, Goc De, Trung Tu, Minh Khai, Xa Dan...
Average price: 10,000 - 25,000 VND/bowl
2. Glutinous rice balls in sweet sauce
In the early winter chill, huddled on the sidewalk, holding a bowl of fragrant, hot glutinous rice dumplings, sipping the broth and eating a piece of the dumpling, you'll find winter more perfect than ever.
The ingredients for this dish are simple: glutinous rice, mung beans, black sesame seeds, ginger, and sugar. A bowl of "banh troi tau" usually contains two balls: a round ball with mung bean filling and a long ball with black sesame filling; one perfectly round, the other oval, topped with a fragrant, spicy, and warming ginger syrup.
Addresses: 77 Hang Dieu, 1 Bat Dan, 4 Hang Can, 69 Xuan La...
Average price: 12,000 - 20,000 VND/bowl
3. Steamed rice dumplings (Bánh giò)
Hot steamed rice dumplings have a thick, smooth wrapper and a filling of minced meat and wood ear mushrooms, skillfully prepared to be perfectly seasoned; with one bite, the dumpling melts in your mouth. Steamed rice dumplings are often served with fried rice cakes, pork sausage, and hot dogs to enhance the rich and appealing flavor.
Address: You can find it in markets, and there are also some famous banh gio (pork sausage) stalls in Hanoi such as Thuy Khue banh gio, Kim Lien banh gio, Dong Cac banh gio...
Average price: 10,000 - 35,000 VND/serving
4. Fried sticky rice cake (Bánh chưng rán)
In winter, it's not difficult to find small stalls sizzling with fried sticky rice cakes (bánh chưng) along the streets and in the markets. There's stir-fried sticky rice cakes with beef and pickled vegetables on Pham Hong Thai street, fried sticky rice cakes at Dong Xuan market, fried sticky rice cakes on the sidewalks of Hang Voi street… And it's especially rare to find places that sell half-piece fried sticky rice cakes like in Thanh Ha.
Average price: 10,000 - 30,000 VND/serving
5. Cassava dessert
Hanoians are no strangers to cassava sweet soup during the winter months. Many Hanoians' childhoods are intertwined with this simple dessert. Cassava sweet soup tastes best when served hot, fresh from the pot, with a fragrant aroma and a thick, golden-brown consistency. The cassava pieces are cut into neat, matchstick-sized squares. The cassava is cooked to a chewy, not overly mushy, texture, and when eaten, a little coconut milk and grated coconut are added to enhance the aroma and richness.
Address: Famous tapioca pudding at 146 Quan Thanh, 1 Bat Dan...
Average price: 10,000 - 15,000 VND/bowl
6. Boiled Snails
Hanoi snails are not as elaborately prepared as Saigon snails; most are simply boiled, stir-fried with tamarind, or stir-fried with butter and garlic... but this is precisely what highlights the rich and fresh flavor of the snails.
In winter, you can find delicious snail stalls in almost any small alley or street. You can check out some more famous addresses such as Tong Duy Tan snail stall, Cua Bac snail stall, Luong Dinh Cua snail stall, etc.
Average price: 25,000 - 50,000 VND/serving
7. Grilled Corn
Grilled corn is especially popular in winter, as no other season is more suitable. Although it's a very simple dish, the aroma of grilled corn and potatoes can fill the whole street and attract all food lovers.
Grilled corn is commonly sold along the streets of Hanoi from after 8 PM.
Average price: 10,000 VND/corn cob
8. Pork Rib Congee
The fragrant, steaming bowls of pork rib porridge have long been a favorite afternoon snack, a light breakfast, or a comforting late-night treat for Hanoians. Finely ground rice cooked with tender pork ribs creates a smooth porridge, served with crispy fried dough sticks cut into pieces, a sprinkle of pepper and chili powder – along with the rising steam – and you have a bowl of porridge that's truly "Hanoi winter."
Addresses: The most famous pork rib porridge stalls are located on Ly Quoc Su, Hang Bo, Tran Xuan Soan, Doi Can streets, etc.
Average price: 15,000 - 30,000 VND/bowl
9. Pho
Pho is a name synonymous with Hanoi; it's not just a simple dish, but also a beautiful and refined aspect of culinary culture in the eyes of the world. No matter the season, not just winter, visiting Hanoi and enjoying pho is an experience not to be missed. Perhaps there's no quicker way to warm your heart in the winter than... a bowl of pho.
There are many types of pho in Hanoi, including beef pho (Pho Thin, Pho Cuong), chicken pho (Luong Van Can), stir-fried pho (Bat Dan), and rolled pho (Ngu Xa)... Each type has its own distinctive flavor, but all are delicious and appealing.
Average price: from 35,000 VND/bowl
10. Hot Pot
Hot pot is the most popular dish during the cold winter days in Hanoi. Around 7 or 8 PM, hot pot restaurants are almost always full. The steaming, flavorful hot pot, with its rising vapors, has become the number one choice for gatherings with friends and family during this winter season. Some examples include: beef hot pot with vinegar dipping sauce, crab hot pot, and pork rib hot pot...
Hot pot can be made at home or at a restaurant. The price for a hot pot meal ranges from 100,000 VND per person.
