Must-see restaurants in Northern Vietnam

  • Hill Station Signature Restaurant

    Sapa

    A showcase of Hmong cuisine with cool Zen decor and superb views. Dishes include flash-cooked pork with lime, ash-baked trout in banana leaves, and…

  • Binh Quan

    Mai Chau

    Want to join the locals on a night out? Consider this simple, tasty restaurant, located on Mai Chau's main strip. Everything on the brief menu is made…

  • Nam Giao

    Haiphong

    Haiphong's most atmospheric dining choice is hidden within this colonial building. Rooms are an artful clutter of Asian art, old carved cabinets and…

  • Casa Bonita

    Cat Ba Island

    This is one of our Cat Ba favourites for its combination of good service, tasty mains (try the seafood curry or fish in a clay pot), lighter options such…

  • Co Yen

    Haiphong

    This streetside stall sells one thing only: banh da cua, Haiphong's signature breakfast noodle dish. It's a combination of thick dark rice noodles in a…

  • Vien Duong

    Cat Ba Island

    Justifiably one of the most popular of the seafood spots lining Ð Nui Ngoc, and often heaving with Vietnamese tourists diving into local crab, squid and…

  • Three Sisters Restaurant

    Mai Chau

    The eponymous three sisters here run a friendly local joint that's a step up from other places in town. House specials include red pumpkin soup with rice,…

  • Nature View

    Sapa

    This recently expanded place stands out for great service and superb valley views from the windows. Come for decent Vietnamese and European food, good…

  • Le Petit Gecko

    Sapa

    A smaller, more intimate version of Le Gecko, just a few doors away, with cabana-style architecture and slightly cheaper prices for almost the same menu…

  • Indian Kitchen

    Haiphong

    This well-established restaurant is run by Keralans from India so it’s the real deal, with pukka (authentic) milky chai, lassis (yogurt drink) and…

  • Le Gecko

    Sapa

    This French-owned place has classy service and a menu of flavoursome country cooking that jumps from French tartiflette casserole with potato, cheese and…

  • Little Leaf

    Cat Ba Island

    Attentive service and smart decor, set around a central cafe counter, are the draws here, with tasty Chinese-style dishes (try the braised mushroom and…

  • Linh Dan Restaurant

    Halong City

    Airy and spacious, Linh Dan offers great local seafood dishes away from the touts of the town's seafront restaurants. The fish in clay pot with lemongrass…

  • Quang Anh

    Cat Ba Island

    At this 'floating' fish-farm-meets-restaurant at Ben Beo Pier, select your seafood from the pen and it will be grilled, fried or steamed in no time…

  • Thanh Cong

    Bac Ha

    A favourite dish in northern Vietnam is grilled duck. Come to this simple restaurant (look for the rotisserie out the front) for a half (100,000d) or a…

  • BKK

    Haiphong

    At this restored townhouse, authentic Thai dishes are beautifully prepared and presented – try the lab moo (pork salad) or pepper squid; there are good…

  • Toi Ben

    Northwest Vietnam

    Located a few blocks south of Muong Te's bus station is this lively restaurant that specialises in bun dau mam tom – deep-fried tidbits, noodles and herbs…

  • Hotpot & Roast Piglet Restaurants

    Sapa

    This strip is home to several similar places serving Vietnamese-style lau (hotpot; meat stew cooked with local vegetables, cabbage and mushroom) and roast…

  • Bong Restaurant

    Ha Giang Province

    A foreigner-friendly place with enthusiastic service, pleasant outdoor seating and a wide menu of Asian and Western comfort food. Our sautéed beef,…

  • Hoa Ban

    Northwest Vietnam

    Hoa Ban is one of a strip of restaurants P Hoang Quoc Viet, roughly across from the San Xanh 3 Hotel, that serve Thai dishes. Take a seat on the floor and…

  • Sapa O'Chau

    Sapa

    Don't miss warming up with a cup of ginger tea sweetened with Sapa mountain honey at this simple cafe attached to the Sapa O'Chau tour company. Also does…

  • Van Tue

    Haiphong

    This gaudy hall is renowned for seafood, including an amazing selection of crab dishes. More exotic dishes featuring deer and goat are also on the menu. A…

  • Phuc Cai

    Ha Giang Province

    This com (point-and-choose dishes served over rice) place is a popular spot for lunch. Coming from Ha Giang, turn left at the corner before the Thao…

  • Co Lich

    Sapa

    This rowdy place brings all the local faves – grilled skewers, roast piglet, dried beef, hotpot – together in one venue. Pull up a pew at one of the…

  • Pho Nga Cong

    Ha Giang Province

    Locals fuel up on vast bowls of steaming pho – both chicken and beef – at this busy shophouse restaurant, located diagonally opposite the Cao Nguyen Hotel.

  • Quan Ngon 98

    Bai Tu Long Bay

    At the southern end of the town's main street is this simple but delicious shop selling point-and-choose dishes served over rice. The owner's son speaks…

  • Lang Son province, Vietnam. the beauty of a rural woman selling homemade rice cakes filled with black sugar at the market.

    Lang Son Market

    Northeast Vietnam

    Lang Son’s market area sprawls over about three blocks, just off P Tran Dang Ninh. It's a colourful and hectic place stuffed to the brim with hawkers and…

  • Duc Giang 2 Restaurant

    Ha Giang Province

    Vast, buzzy (read: loud), hall-like restaurant serving hotpot and other Vietnamese dishes. Be careful what you order blindly off the (Vietnamese only)…

  • Tuan Thuy Restaurant

    Bai Tu Long Bay

    A decent selection of all the usual noodle and rice dishes are available at this simple family-run outfit, which is one of the few restaurants still open…

  • Sen Viet Restaurant

    Bai Tu Long Bay

    There's not much English spoken at this popular seafood place, so you'll have to get the dictionary out or point at the tanks of shrimp, crabs, shellfish…

  • Yummy 2

    Cat Ba Island

    This backpacker-oriented family restaurant serves a menu of pan-Asian dishes – think Indian curries, pad thai and Vietnamese standards. Not exceptional,…

  • Viet Emotion

    Sapa

    This intimate bistro is recognisable by its colourful exterior lanterns. The menu rambles from pizza, pasta and steaks to Vietnamese with a couple of Sapa…

  • Green Mango

    Cat Ba Island

    With a menu traipsing from steaks to seafood, and over to Italy for pasta and pizza (with a small selection of Asian dishes as well), Green Mango is a…

  • Vietnam's Soul Food

    Cat Ba Island

    This TripAdvisor darling pulls the foreign crowd despite its overbearing service and overpriced and gentrified Vietnamese food. But it's a sensible choice…

  • Luong Anh Quan

    Northwest Vietnam

    Located west of town, a few doors down from Dung Phu hotel, is this typical com – dishes made-to-order and served over rice – place. In the evenings, it…

  • Phono Box

    Haiphong

    With its brick-wall interior displaying old music paraphernalia and a jazzy soundtrack, Phono Box is a hip hang-out for coffee and beer lovers that also…

  • Quan Nga Tue

    Northeast Vietnam

    P Minh Khai, a couple blocks north of Lang Son's market, is home to several com (point-and-choose dishes served over rice) restaurants. Quan Nga Tue is…

  • Tuan Huong

    Halong City

    A simple local place with an English menu that specialises in fresh seafood. You can also pick your fish, squid or crab from the tanks outside, but make…

  • Yummy

    Cat Ba Island

    Second branch of this backpacker-oriented family restaurant serving an identically vast menu of pan-Asian dishes – think Indian curries, pad thai and…

  • Jumong Quan

    Northwest Vietnam

    At the southern end of Sin Ho, by the edge of the lake, is this large, friendly com (made-to-order dishes served with rice), one of the few places in town…