The best bars and cafés Hanoi

This pleasant bar is located a few steps from the cathedral. Small terrace on the first floor. You can taste the beers of Pasteur Street, a craft brewery that produces in Vietnam by carefully selecting imported malts and hops. Flavors from Vietnamese soil (chocolate, jasmine, lemongrass, ginger, black pepper, coffee...) compose a range of beers that constantly renew the pleasure of discovery. International dishes are also on the menu.

A central location, facing the cathedral, for a café with a decor full of personality... An offbeat look at the country's recent past and socialist aesthetics. No espresso... Here, you can enjoy Hanoi's real coffee, filter, nau da (iced with milk), den nong (black and hot), sua chua (with yoghurt) or cot dua (with coconut and ice), as well as delicious mango frappés. The Công Cà Phê concept has been so successful that it has now become a franchise with establishments opening in every city in the country.

A rare place in Hanoi, where the spaces are beautifully designed. With several floors, each of which offers a different experience, this wine bar is pleasantly busy, both intimate and friendly. The décor is a mix of raw materials: metal, wood and waxed concrete. For a gallant dinner (interesting menu with excellent meats) and music, for an evening with friends on the outdoor terrace or for the pleasure of tasting a good Bordeaux alone while watching the night fall on the western lake...

On the shores of Lake Hoàn Kiêm, a small café open to the street scene. An original concept: on 4 floors, the walls are covered with multicolored post-it notes written by passing customers. From all over the world, in all languages and for all tastes, with thoughts, some profound, others less so, aphorisms, sophisms, quotations, drawings, stories great and small. Perfect for a gourmet break with an espresso and a delicious macaroon. Not forgetting fruit juices, smoothies, hot chocolate...

In an alley, a charming place, in an old house decorated in a refined, modern and warm way. A café-lounge-restaurant in a relaxed style to be frequented at any time of the day. Fusion cuisine (couscous, quinoa...), light and healthy with vegan formulas and/or guaranteed gluten-free. Vietnamese dishes do not hold the top of the bill, priority is given to essentially western dishes. A perfect address also for a gourmet break with pastry tasting. Terrace. Peaceful and musical atmosphere.

One of Hanoi's most mysterious cafés... A labyrinthine corridor leads upstairs. A suit of armor stands guard. A piano, paintings, sofas... Cascading rooms. Have we wandered into the private apartments of an illustrious stranger? No, this is a café with deep sofas and a peaceful atmosphere, an oasis of tranquility in the heart of the bustling Old Quarter. Ideal for an afternoon's reading or for writing your mail during the rainy season. Snacks, coffee and fruit juices...

Puku is housed in a pretty colonial house in a neighborhood that never sleeps, where night owls usually dine. And Puku never closes... The establishment offers a vast space furnished with inviting sofas. Without any gastronomic pretensions, of course, but you can have lunch, dinner, supper, a snack or a coffee here at any time of the day or night, wait for the sun to rise on the train back from Sapa, watch a soccer match... And for those who can't do without their laptop, there's wifi Internet access.

Narrow room and which has no seduction only to open late in the evening. Bar, billiards.

A small, charming and popular café that allows you to take a break in the Sword Lake area. It serves a variety of coffees, both hot and iced, including of course the traditional egg coffee which is particularly good. Thirst-quenching drinks are also available, including a wide variety of iced teas. The place is ideal for observing the daily life of Hanoi's inhabitants, and you can mingle with them while having your drink on small stools on the terrace, or watching the passers-by from the second floor terrace.

A confidential address that's not easy to find... In fact, this café is located in the back of the Silklike silk store, and a small sign indicates its presence. Over several floors, you'll discover a traditional setting where antique furniture, subdued lighting, a family altar, flowers and bonsais create an old-fashioned, romantic atmosphere... The top floor features a terrace with a lovely view of Lake Hoàn Kiêm. A café with atypical charm. Worth a visit.

Quyen Van Minh fell in love with jazz more than thirty years ago while listening to the BBC. A self-taught musician, he taught himself the saxophone until he became the first jazz/saxophone teacher at the Hanoi Conservatory. He has created his own style, both close to Vietnamese tastes and familiar to Western ears, blending traditional Vietnamese musical themes with jazz. He performs almost every night with his students who will form the second generation of Vietnamese jazzmen.

Nice nocturnal atmosphere for this bar, located near the Opera, and frequented by all the people who matter in the city: artists, creators, idlers and expatriates... The establishment and its owner have even been honoured by the New York Times. The setting is very seductive in the evening, all in chiaroscuro with an original and warm decoration, which favours intimacy. The menu is not very extensive (preferably after dinner). On the other hand, there is a wide choice of drinks, with or without alcohol. Ideal for a drink in the evening.

Very nice café that offers a large dining room and comfortable chairs in the back. Many come to enjoy wifi, accompanied by their computers... The cuisine is western. Breakfasts with a wide choice of coffees and pastries. Sandwiches, lasagna, quiches and salads at any time of the day. The establishment belongs to a chain whose roots are in Laos and which now extends to Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos). It promotes fresh and healthy food and fair trade

Very pleasant café-lounge which offers an artistic and muffled atmosphere. The colonial villa serves as an exhibition space for Vietnamese artists, photographers, sculptors, painters... Manzi aims to promote contemporary arts, inspire critical thinking and nurture a culture of debate through the collaboration of local artists and intellectuals. At any time of the day, a place to come and relax, work on your computer, meet people. The art space is financed by an art store and a café.

Nice café of the Công chain (see also the one in front of the cathedral). Characteristic of the chain is the importance given to the retro decor inspired by the recent history of the country. The address has the peculiarity of having welcomed President F. Holland during his official visit to Vietnam in September 2016. He took a short break during which he met with former Vietnamese students in France, including the mathematician Ngô Bao Châu, who was awarded the prestigious Fields Medal in 2010.

On the shores of the West Lake, near the Sheraton Hotel, a villa whose decor highlights the talent of Vietnamese craftsmen. Healthy food is the motto of the house run by holistic health specialist Pete Wilkes. The products, always fresh, come in particular from the farm. Perfect for breakfast (from 7am to 5pm), copious, original and delicious, or a sandwich, salad or burger break, accompanied by a fresh fruit juice (detox cure enthusiasts will be over the moon) or an espresso.

An institution. Founded in 1952, one of the most famous cafés in the capital. Nothing flashy, an atmosphere in chiaroscuro. You can enjoy your Vietnamese coffee sitting on a small stool. Each table is the place of a conciliation between regulars or customers coming from a distant country... The walls are decorated with paintings, drawings and collages of famous painters such as Bui Xuân Phai (1920-1988), Tô Ngoc Vân (1906-1954), Nguyên Sang (1923-1988)... In the past, during the lean times, they paid the owner with their works. Several addresses in town.

Opened at the end of 2023, or rather reopened after a complete renovation, this café offers a seductive vintage setting: mosaic tiles, ship's wood for the pillars, brick walls, photos of Hanoi of yesteryear... The coffee served is of the highest quality, sourced in Vietnam and roasted on site. Egg coffee, of course, but also the famous salted coffee, espresso, teas, etc. A wide choice of breakfasts and pastries. Craft beers and cocktails are on the menu for the late afternoon. A charming place to stroll.

In the heart of the Old Quarter, this little artery nicknamed the "beer street" is the liveliest spot in the district in the evening. One bar-restaurant follows another, and the terraces are packed with locals and young tourists alike. Street vendors, mobile karaoke - there's plenty to keep you entertained. The prices are quite high, but you'll find much cheaper beers in the establishments in the surrounding streets. During the day, it's all quiet and you can take photos of the old buildings.