3 Best Restaurants in Vietnam

Bancong means "balcony" in Vietnamese (from the French balcon), and this multistory 1940s Art Deco mansion has plenty of them. The outdoor spaces overflow with flowers and pot plants, and make good spots to watch scenes of the Old Quarter unfold below. The menu is rather muddled, but the Vietnamese dishes, including bun cha, are reliably good. So is the ca phe cot dua (iced coconut coffee), a Hanoi specialty.

Now back at the Temple of Literature (it moved during the pandemic), this place can get packed with tour groups. The flavors here—from baked fish in banana leaf to bamboo beef—are bold and brilliant, and the menu is a mix of creative dishes. The fact that Koto (an acronym for "know one, teach one") is a charity restaurant that benefits street youth, is just the icing on the lemon cheesecake.

One of the hippest spots in Ninh Binh, this lively beer garden supplies great food, decent drinks, and an excellent selection of Vietnamese craft brews. The Vietnamese specialties such as spring rolls are delicious, but it's the authentic and well-priced Western food that stands out.