Hanoi Cooking Class: Learn 5 Traditional Dishes with Market Tour

Cook five Hanoi dishes from scratch in one morning, then sit down and eat them.

A 3–4 hour cooking class in Hanoi's old quarter where you shop at the local market with a guide, then prepare five traditional dishes (pho, bun cha, nem ran, papaya salad and egg coffee) in an English-speaking chef's kitchen. You cook the full meal, eat it together, and leave with a cookbook and certificate. A vegetarian version is available.

The experience

The class starts at the biggest market near Hanoi's old quarter, where your English-speaking chef walks you through the spices, produce and ingredients that make Vietnamese food work. You learn what to buy and where, which matters when you're cooking at home later or shopping for the rest of your trip. Then you head to the kitchen in the centre of the old quarter: close enough that you can walk back to your hotel afterward without fuss.

You cook five dishes: pho bo (beef noodle soup), bun cha (Hanoi BBQ pork with noodles), nem ran (fried spring rolls), papaya salad and egg coffee. If you don't eat red meat or prefer vegetarian, the chef teaches you the vegetarian versions instead. You're not watching a demonstration. You're doing the cooking, hands-on, with the chef guiding you through each step. Within 3–4 hours you move from market to finished meal.

When the cooking is done, you sit down with your classmates and eat everything you made, with Vietnamese rice wine included. You get a cookbook to take home and a certificate at the end. Whether you're someone who's never cooked before but wants to make Vietnamese food back home, or an experienced cook planning to open a restaurant, the class is built to work either way.

What’s included

• Market tour with a guide.
• cooking instruction from an English-speaking chef.
• all ingredients for five dishes.
• the meal you cook.
• Vietnamese rice wine.
• coffee and tea.
• a cookbook.
• a certificate.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00, 11:30, 16:00 and 18:30

Book up to3h before

AgesAdult (8 to 80 years) · Child (4 to 7 years) · Under 4: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 10

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 11 days ago

Good to know

Wheelchair accessible

Operated by Apron Up Cooking Class

Is this one for you?Book this class if you want to actually cook the dishes instead of watching someone else make them, or if you're planning to cook Vietnamese food at home and need to know how the fundamentals work. The market stop at the start means you'll also know where to source ingredients for the rest of your trip.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 7 years). Under 4: they can't be included in the booking.

What five dishes do I learn to cook in the Hanoi cooking class?

You cook pho bo (beef noodle soup), bun cha (Hanoi BBQ pork noodle), nem ran (fried spring rolls), papaya salad and egg coffee. If you're vegetarian or don't eat red meat, the chef teaches you vegetarian versions of the same dishes instead.

Does the Hanoi cooking class include a market visit?

Yes. The class starts at the biggest market near the old quarter, where your guide takes you through the spices and ingredients you'll need, so you know what to buy and where during the rest of your stay.

How long does the cooking class take?

The class runs 3–4 hours from start to finish, including the market tour, cooking and eating the meal you've made.

Is the cooking class in English?

Yes, the chef speaks English and leads the class in English throughout.

What's included in the Hanoi cooking class?

The class includes the market tour with a guide, all ingredients and cooking instruction, the meal you cook, Vietnamese rice wine, coffee and tea, a cookbook and a certificate. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

Where is the cooking class located in Hanoi?

The kitchen is in the centre of Hanoi's old quarter, right near the market where the class begins, so it's easy to reach and you can walk back to your hotel afterward.