Hanoi Street Food Tour: Old Quarter tastings with local guide
Sip egg coffee and cold beer while exploring Hanoi’s hidden food gems
A three-hour street food walking tour in Hanoi's Old Quarter and Dong Xuan Market with a local English-speaking guide and five food tastings. You move through the market and the neighborhood's bustling streets, stopping at family-owned food carts and cafes to sample banh mi, banh cuon, bun cha, nem chua and seasonal fruit, then finish at a hidden cafe overlooking Hoan Kiem Lake. The venues and dishes shift with the season and the guide adjusts the route on the day, so no two tours follow the same menu.
Options for this experience
2 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Explore Hanoi's street food and markets
- Meet local guide
- Visit Dong Xuan Market
- Walk through Hanoi Old Quarter
- Enjoy tastings with guide
- Visit hidden café by Hoan Kiem Lake
- Dong Xuan Market 1h
- Hanoi Old Quarter 1h
What’s included
- A local English-speaking guide who knows the vendors and the neighborhood.
- five food tastings at family-run carts and cafes (banh mi, banh cuon, bun cha, nem chua and seasonal fruit).
- egg coffee or cold beer at one stop.
- tips on what else to eat, see and do during your stay in Hanoi.
- three hours of walking through Dong Xuan Market and the Old Quarter streets.
Times
- Every day 09:00 17:00
Before you book
Operated by Intrepid Urban Adventures - Vietnam
Prices and times updated today
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The experience
Your first morning in Hanoi, or an afternoon you have free: this tour starts by meeting your guide at Dong Xuan, the largest covered market in the city. The market is the entry point into how Hanoi eats: vendors call out, stalls crowd the aisles, and the guide walks you through what is fresh that day and why locals queue for certain spots. You taste as you go, picking up the rhythm of the place before you leave it.
Then you walk into the Old Quarter itself, the narrow streets that loop back on themselves and fill with food carts as the lunch hour approaches. Your guide takes you to five stops over the next couple of hours: a banh mi stand, a spot for banh cuon (steamed rice rolls), a bun cha vendor grilling pork over charcoal, a nem chua seller, and a cafe where you sip egg coffee or cold beer and watch the street below. Each stop is a family business, not a tourist trap, and the guide knows the owners. The menu changes with what is in season and what the vendors have that day, so the guide makes the final call on the spot.
By the end you have tasted five different dishes and learned how Hanoi's food culture works: why certain things are eaten at certain times, what the neighborhoods specialize in, what to order when you come back on your own. The tour wraps at a hidden cafe with views over Hoan Kiem Lake, where you can sit longer if you want to, or head back into the city with a map of places the guide has told you about.
Is this one for you?Book the private option if you want to set the pace and the stops without other travelers, or choose the small group tour if you'd rather share the guide and split the cost. Either way, the three-hour walk keeps the day manageable for families with children and for travelers who want to taste without committing to a full-day food tour.
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Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 11 years). Children under 6 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 exactly do I taste on this Hanoi street food tour?
You sample five Vietnamese dishes: banh mi (a baguette sandwich), banh cuon (steamed rice rolls), bun cha (grilled pork with noodles and herbs), nem chua (fermented pork roll), and seasonal fresh fruit. You also sip egg coffee or cold beer at one of the stops. The specific dishes shift with what is available that day, so your guide adjusts the menu on the morning of the tour.
How long is the walking tour and how much ground do we cover?
The tour runs three hours and covers the Old Quarter and Dong Xuan Market on foot. You start at the market, then walk through the neighborhood's streets to five different food stops, finishing at a cafe overlooking Hoan Kiem Lake. The pace is slow. You are tasting and talking, not rushing between points.
Can I book this as a private tour or does it run in a group?
You can choose between a private tour with just your group or a small group tour with other travelers. Both options include the same guide, the same five food stops, and the same three-hour route through the Old Quarter.
What is Dong Xuan Market like and why do we start there?
Dong Xuan is Hanoi's largest covered market, a maze of stalls selling produce, meat, spices and prepared foods. Starting there lets you see how locals shop and eat before you move into the street food scene. The guide explains what vendors are selling and why certain ingredients matter to Hanoi's food culture.
What if I have dietary restrictions or allergies?
Unfortunately the tour cannot accommodate dietary requirements, since the stops are at independent family-owned businesses with set menus. If you have allergies, you can ask your guide about ingredients at each stop and skip dishes that don't work for you.
Hanoi Street Food Tour: Old Quarter tastings with local guide
3h · EN
from US$ 29.19 per person
Next, you choose your date and number of travelers and see the final price.