Hanoi cooking class with local market tour and cyclo trip

Cyclo ride, market haggling, and four dishes you cook yourself

A hands-on cooking class in Hanoi where you ride a cyclo to a local market, buy ingredients by bargaining with vendors, then work in a professional kitchen with a chef to prepare traditional Vietnamese dishes (Pho, Bun Cha, spring rolls and a salad), and eat lunch or dinner from what you cooked. Groups stay under ten people, and the class runs five hours with hotel pickup included.

The experience

The day starts with a cyclo ride through Hanoi's 36 Streets, the old quarter where each street once specialized in a single trade. You'll see the neighborhood as it actually works, not as a tourist route, before arriving at a local market where the real work begins. Here you learn to bargain the way residents do: how to pick fresh produce, negotiate price, and move through the stalls without a script. A professional chef guides you through the selection, pointing out what makes one bunch of herbs better than another and why timing matters when you're buying for a specific dish.

Back in the professional kitchen, you choose your menu from two tracks: the chef's gourmet corner (Pho, Bun Cha, fried spring rolls, banana flower salad) or a vegetarian set (spring rolls, tofu with tomato sauce, eggplant with ginger, banana flower salad with vegetarian sauce). You're not watching a demonstration. You're handling the knife, working the wok, tasting as you go. The chef corrects technique, explains why Vietnamese cooking balances flavors the way it does, and adjusts for any allergies or preferences you mention. The kitchen is set up for hands-on work, not observation.

When the cooking is done, you sit down to eat what you made. Lunch or dinner is included, and if you've chosen the drinks option at checkout, wine or beer comes with the meal. Hotel pickup is included, so the logistics of getting there and back are handled before you book.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup.
• all ingredients for cooking.
• lunch or dinner.
• instruction from a professional chef.
• cyclo ride to the market.
• market visit where you bargain for ingredients yourself.
• drinks such as wine or beer if you choose that option at checkout.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:30

Book up toStart time

AgesChild (5 to 10 years) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight 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.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Wheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Roll with locals

Is this one for you?Book this class if you want to learn how Vietnamese food actually comes together, not just the recipes, but the market knowledge and technique a home cook in Hanoi uses every day. The cyclo ride and market visit aren't add-ons. They're where you discover why certain ingredients matter and how locals shop, so the cooking that follows makes sense.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 10 years). Children under 5 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What dishes do I actually cook in this class?

You choose between two menus. The chef's gourmet corner includes Pho (traditional beef noodle soup), Bun Cha (BBQ pork noodles), fried spring rolls, and banana flower salad. The vegetarian menu swaps the meat dishes for spring rolls, tofu with tomato sauce, eggplant with ginger sauce, and banana flower salad with a vegetarian sauce. You can message the operator before booking to request a different dish if you have a favorite.

Do I really bargain at the market, or is that just part of the tour?

You bargain for real. The market visit is a hands-on experience where you learn to negotiate prices and select ingredients the way Hanoi residents do, guided by the chef so you know what to look for and how to judge quality.

How long is the whole class, and what's included in the price?

The class runs five hours and includes hotel pickup, all ingredients for cooking, lunch or dinner, and instruction from a professional chef. Drinks such as wine or beer are available as an optional add-on at checkout.

What's the cyclo ride like at the start?

The cyclo is a three-wheeled taxi that carries passengers through Hanoi's streets. The ride takes you through the 36 Streets (the old quarter where each street historically specialized in a single trade) on the way to the market, so you see the neighborhood as it functions daily rather than as a sightseeing loop.

How many people are in the class?

Groups stay under ten people, so the kitchen doesn't feel crowded and the chef can give individual attention to each cook.