Bún chả, or grilled pork with rice vermicelli, is one of Hanoi’s most delicious street dishes. It includes charcoal grilled pork patties and slices of pork belly, cooked fish sauce, rice vermicelli, and fresh herbs. The combination features the pleasure of the grilled meat, the tempting sweet-sour tastes from the sauce and refreshing flavors from the herbs.
It remains unclear about when Bún chả was first served in Hanoi, but it’s believed that Hanoians have been eating the dish as a favorite street lunch in Hanoi’s Old Quarter since the early 20thcentury. To help travelers quicky find their ways to a good Bún chả to try, we’ve listed here some of the top Bún chả families.
1. Bún Chả Ta
Awarded by the Michelin Rib Gourmand (award for good quality, good value cooking), the Bún Chả Ta at 21 Nguyen Huu Huan Street will “leave you with a sense of satisfaction, at having eaten so well at such a reasonable price.”
This family-run eatery offers various Bún chả and fried spring rolls, including vegetarian option. Their classic Bún chả features tender, well-seasoned meat patties, with sweet home cooked fish sauce. Beside the crispy pork spring rolls, the chicken is rich and meaty, while the seafood crab delivers a consummate umami flavor.
Under a smart management of Ms. Hoai (Amy), one of the owner’s young daughters, who speaks perfect English, the service is attentive. Seatings are comfortable, available on the first 3 floors of their house, and all is air conditioning. Cash only, and no reservation is required.
Brief Info
- Name: Bún Chả Ta
- Address: 21 Nguyen Huu Huan Street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
- Hours: 8h00 – 22h00
- Phone: 0966 848 389
2. Bún Chả Hương Liên
This family was where the U.S President Obama ate Bún chả with the former CNN celebrity chef,Anthony Bourdain, on May 23, 2016. “Total cost of Bún Chả dinner with the US President: $6.00. I picked up the check,” Anthony shared, adding, “Low plastic stool, cheap but delicious noodles, cold Hanoi beer.”
At the time of the meal, Bourdain was filming the CNN series Parts Unknown. A year earlier, he told the network, the White House had reached out to try to arrange a meal between the president and himself: something fun and unexpected.
Though first opened in 1993, the Bún chả Hương Liên wasn’t widely known until the moment that was captured in a photograph that went viral. Today, the restaurant continues to thrive. The dishes that the president ate are now listed proudly as the Combo Obama: Bún chả, a seafood spring roll, and a bottle of Hanoi beer for a total of 120,000 VND, or about 4,8 USD.
The eatery is very busy with tourists, the service is ok. Sittings are comfortable, and available at the house’s four first floors. Air conditioner. Credit cards are accepted. No reservation is required.
Brief Info
- Name: Bún Chả Hương Liên
- Address: 24 Le Van Huu, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi
- Hours: 8h00 – 20h00
- Phone: 0243 943 4106
3. Bún Chả Chiến Loan
Offered by Ms. Loan and her husband, who shifted their parents’ grocery store to a Bún chả eatery since 2007. The eatery is on Gia Ngu Street, where the first ever Bún chả is believed to be served by a street vendor since early 1950s.
Their Bún chả features a caramelized pork fatties and bellies, the fatties are tender while the bellies are tempting with grilled fat. Spring rolls and fried sand worm omelet (cha ruoi) are also available, both creating enticing flavors when dipping into the Bún chả’s sauce.
Well marinated meats are grilled on charcoal oven by the entrance on the sidewalk, the food preparing area and dining tables are set on the same floor with cool fans. Limited English speaking, but it’s still easy to order. Cash only. No reservation is required.
Brief Info
- Name: Bún Chả Chiến Loan
- Address: 25 Gia Ngu Street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
- Hours: 10h30 – 14h30
- Phone: 038 697 9552
4. Bún Chả Hàng Quạt
Tucked away behind a narrow alley on Hang Quat Street in the northwest of Hoan Kiem Lake, where the meat patties and strips are charcoal grilled along the pathway, creating the meaty smoke and an atmosphere full of character.
There’re often some meat patties overcooked, but are still edible. No menu, just sit down and the hosts bring you Bún chả. Their spring rolls are as tasty as the bún chả, recommend to try.
Sittings are on low stools with plastic blue tables next to a shrine. Limited English speaking, but it’s still easy to order. Cash only. No reservation is required.
Brief Info
- Name: Bún Chả 74 Hàng Quạt
- Address: 74 Hang Quat, Hoat Kiem, Hanoi
- Hours: 10h00 – 14h00
- Phone: NA
5. Tuyết Bún Chả 34
Also awarded by the Michelin Rib Gourmand (award for good quality, good value cooking), the Tuyết Bún Chả 34 features dark and smoky pork. Their pork patties are also covered with a saw coriander leaf before grilling, which added a succulent flavor and slightly crispy skin to the pork.
Sitting areas are available inside the house where they grill the pork, and along the sidewalk.They have plastic stools spread along the sidewalk; diners are supposed to find an available stool to sit then order with fingers.
The service is good but not persistent, staffs are sometimes rude. Limited English speaking. Cash only. No reservation is required.
Brief Info
- Name: Bún Chả Tuyết
- Address: 34 Hang Than, Ba Dinh, Hanoi
- Hours: 8h30 – 5h30
- Phone: NA
6. Bún Chả Đắc Kim
This popular Bún chả was one of the Michelin Selected Restaurants. The eatery features grilled plum pork patties and large spring rolls, and the crown jewel for their Bun char is the fish sauce with its win-win combination of meat with sweetness and refreshing acidity.
Seatings are available on the sidewalk and on the first 3 floors inside the house. The service is fast since they serve one type of dish. Depending on the time of the day, meats are not always freshly grilled, fish sauce is sometimes only a bit warm.
Some neighbors of the eatery are also serving the same dish, they’re even faking the same address. Very popular with tourists. Cash only. No reservation is required.
Brief Info
- Name: Bún Chả Đắc Kim
- Address: 1 Hang Manh Street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
- Hours: 9h00 to 21h00
- Phone: 024 3828 7060
7. Bún Chả Que Tre
Because of its location in the far northern end of the busy Hanoi’s Old Quarter, this rustic Bún chả is still off the tourists’ radar. Nonetheless, it’s referred as one of the most authentic Bún chảin the city by local eaters, especially those looking for a on-bamboo-stick grilled pork.
The minced pork is wrapped in xương sông leaf (a local herb that looks like saw coriander) so its flavor is so impressive and tasty. The entire eatery is based on the sidewalk, sittings are on low plastic stools. Good service. Very limited English speaking. Cash only. No reservation is required.
Brief Info
- Name: Bún Chả Que Tre
- Address: 16 Nguyen Khac Nhu, Ba Dinh, Hanoi
- Hours: 10h30 – 14h30
- Phone: 098 646 0704
Happy eating!
