Hanoi: Cooking Class & Market Tour with Lunch

The smell of fresh herbs hits you before you see the market stall

You get picked up from your hotel, tour a working Hanoi market with a local guide, then spend a few hours in a cooking class learning to make four traditional Vietnamese dishes from a professional chef. Lunch or dinner is included, along with drinks and fruit, and you eat what you've made before heading back to your hotel.

Step-by-step itinerary

Cooking class and market tour

• Meet chef at meeting point
• Discuss menu with chef
• Tour local market
• Cook four traditional dishes
• Enjoy lunch or dinner

The experience

The morning starts at your hotel in Hanoi's Old Quarter or French Quarter, where a local guide picks you up and walks you straight into a market that's already humming. Vendors are arranging produce, fish is on ice, bundles of mint and cilantro are stacked high. You're not just looking. You're learning what to pick, how to tell if something's ripe, why one vendor's fish matters more than another's. This is the part of a Hanoi cooking class that most people don't expect: the market tour teaches you how to shop like someone who actually lives here, not like a tourist buying ingredients.

After the market, you head to the cooking class kitchen where an experienced English-speaking chef is waiting. The next few hours are hands-on. You're not watching from a stool, you're at the counter making four traditional Vietnamese dishes from scratch. The chef talks through each step, shows you how to hold the knife, explains why the order matters. You'll cook something with the fresh herbs you just picked. By the time you're done, you've made lunch or dinner (depending on which session you book), and you eat what you cooked, with Hanoi beer, soft drinks, coffee, and seasonal fruit on the side.

The whole thing runs half a day: morning or afternoon slots are available every single day. Hotel pickup is included, so you don't need to figure out transport or worry about finding the place. You leave with the actual skills to make these dishes at home, not just a recipe card.

What’s included

Your half-day includes hotel pickup from the Old Quarter or French Quarter, a guided tour of a local Hanoi market, a hands-on cooking class with a professional English-speaking chef where you'll prepare four traditional Vietnamese dishes, lunch or dinner made from what you've cooked, Hanoi beer, herbal welcome drink, soft drinks, coffee, bottled water, seasonal fruit, and snacks.

Options for this experience

2 options

Morning class, 9:00 to 13:30Guide in English · 09:00

Afternoon class, 15:00 to 19:30Guide in English · 15:00

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00 and 15:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Youth (9 to 11 years) · Child (5 to 8 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Wheelchair accessibleInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Blue Butterfly Restaurant & Cooking Class

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to learn how to cook Vietnamese food properly and understand where the ingredients come from, without spending a full day or arranging your own transport: the market tour and hotel pickup handle both of those for you.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (9 to 11 years); Child (5 to 8 years); Infant (under 5): free.

What time does the cooking class start?

Classes run both morning and afternoon sessions every day. Your hotel pickup time depends on which session you choose.

Is hotel pickup really included?

Yes, pickup is included from hotels in Hanoi's Old Quarter and French Quarter.

Do I need cooking experience?

No. The class is hands-on and interactive for all skill levels, and the chef guides you through each dish step by step.

What dishes will I cook?

You'll prepare four traditional Vietnamese dishes. The specific menu is discussed with the chef at the start of the class.

Is lunch included?

Yes. You cook and then eat your meal, with Hanoi beer, soft drinks, coffee, and seasonal fruit included.

How long is the tour?

It's a half-day experience, including market tour, cooking class, and meal.

What if I have dietary restrictions?

Mention any dietary needs when you book or at pickup so the chef can adjust the menu.

Is it wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the class is wheelchair accessible.