Walking the streets of Hanoi with a spring in my step, eating an ice-cream, listening to ‘Sunshine Lady’ by Dion then stepping into an epic pothole filled with the most suspicious form of suspicious street juice pretty much sums up my long weekend. Actually, on second thought, pretty sums up my life in South East Asia. Wanders, wonders and street juice.
Best authentic Bun Cha (Obama & Anthony Bourdain ate there but 0 tourists = win): Bún chả Hương Liên
Best Bun Cha with air conditioning + tourists but you don’t care because there’s AC: Bún chả Ta Hanoi
Best Banh Mi: Banh Mì 25
Best Vietnamese coffee mixed with super Vietnamese hipsters: Cong Caphe
Cutest cafe: The Note Coffee
Best treat: Ginger ice-cream at Fanny Ice Cream
Best Pho: Phở Gia truyền & Quáng Phở Thìn
Best Crab noodle soup: Quán Bún Cá 7B
Best pork filled rice noodles: Bánh Cuốn Nóng & Mỳ Vằn Thắn
Best street beers & people watching: Bia Hoi Corner note: Bia Hoi is the local unfiltered lager that can only be drunk the day of delivery straight from the keg. If you’re paying more than 6000 dong for a Hoi, you’re in the wrong place!