Food & Drink
Vegetarian & Vegan Food in Hanoi
Vietnam's Buddhist tradition of chay (vegetarian) cooking means genuinely good plant-based food isn't hard to find in Hanoi — you just need to know where to look, and a couple of key phrases.
Dedicated vegetarian/vegan restaurants
Look out for the word "chay" on a sign or menu — it specifically denotes vegetarian food, rooted in Buddhist dietary practice, and Hanoi has a genuinely good number of dedicated chay restaurants, particularly around temples and pagodas. These are usually fully vegetarian (often vegan or close to it) rather than offering a token meat-free dish on an otherwise meat-heavy menu.
Useful phrases
- "Tôi ăn chay" — "I eat vegetarian," the single most useful phrase to know.
- "Không thịt" — "no meat."
- "Không nước mắm" — "no fish sauce" — worth knowing specifically, since fish sauce is used widely even in dishes that otherwise look vegetarian, and won't always be assumed off-limits without being asked.
Navigating street food
Some classic Vietnamese dishes adapt naturally to vegetarian or vegan versions — tofu and vegetable versions of noodle dishes and spring rolls are common, though you may need to specifically ask, since the default versions usually include meat or fish sauce. Markets and street stalls near chay restaurants are a good starting point if you want to combine the street food experience with plant-based eating.
For strict vegans
Double-check for fish sauce, shrimp paste and egg specifically — these appear in dishes that otherwise look plant-based more often than visitors expect. Dedicated chay restaurants are the most reliable option if you want to eat without needing to interrogate every dish.