Green Queen Travels: Where To Eat The Best Vegan Food In Hanoi

If you’re travelling through Vietnam, there is a big chance that you will explore your way through Hanoi, the country’s charming northern capital. Known for its vibrant nightlife, small handicraft markets and the multicultural community left behind from its French colonial past, there is so much to see in Hanoi. If you’re wondering whether you can enjoy a plant-based visit without too much trouble, the answer is a resounding yes. Here’s our list of the best places to grab a delicious vegan bite (or Banh Mi!) in between exploring the Old Quarter, walking along Hoan Kiem Lake and visiting the Temple of Literature. 

Minh Chay Vegan Restaurant 

So many people have recommended Minh Chay, making it impossible to not include this 100% restaurant on the list. You’ll find traditional steamed rice rolls, dishes featuring loads of tempeh and greens, and some of the tastiest vegan desserts in town. Guests have reported that their vegan creme caramel is to die for! Minh Chay has become so popular that they now have two locations. 

Address: Min Chay Vegan Restaurant 1, 56B Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi. Open daily: 8.00am – 10.00pm. 

Min Chay Vegan Restaurant 2, 9 Au Trieu, Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi. Open daily: 9.00am – 10.00pm.

Bo De Quan

This small and homey vegetarian café is great to grab a plant-based bite. Bo De Quan‘s menu is loaded with typical Vietnamese dishes, lots of which are vegan-friendly and made with mock meat and tofu. They also have lunch sets and veggie buffets where you’ll get the best bang for your buck. Downstairs, Quan Chay Bo De is a supermarket full of vegan pantry staples like noodles and beans, as well as snacks perfect for on-the-go.

Address: Quan Chay Bo De, 65 Quan Su, Cua Nam, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi. Open daily: 9.00am – 9.00pm.

Lovegan

For those looking for a healthier meal, try Lovegan. Opened in 2017, Lovegan is a 100% plant-based and organic café that has garnered a bit of a popular following for their fresh salads, pesto pizzas, tempeh banh mi, vegan pho and homemade kombucha. They sell lots of vegan snacks and cooking ingredients like nuts, seeds, vegan protein powders and nut butters. 

Address: Lovegan, 186 Ngoc Ha, Ngoc Ho, Ba Dinh, Hanoi. Open Tuesday – Sunday: 10.00am – 2.00pm, 4.00pm – 7.00pm.

Vegan Banh Mi Food Cart

A tourist favourite of Hanoi, for both plant-based and omni travellers alike, is Hanoi’s Vegan Banh Mi Food Cart. Located along a small alley, they serve vegan banh mi sandwiches, as the name would suggest. They typically contain seitan, lentils, vegan mayo and homemade plant-based pate, and different fresh veggies depending on the day. The food cart also sells a range of sides, such as banh goi, fried spring rolls and traditional Vietnamese desserts made from lotus seeds, agar jelly and coconut milk. A total must-try!

Address: Vegan Banh Mi Food Cart, 66B Tran Hung Dao, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi. Open Monday – Friday: 11.00am – 7.00pm.

Sesame Vegetarian

Along the West Lake, you’ll find Sesame, an adorable Vietnamese-Japanese fusion vegetarian restaurant with loads of options for those who are fully plant-based too. Their menu is super varied and creative. From banana flower salad to mustard leaf rolls, curries, and fried enoki mushrooms wrapped in seaweed sheets, there is a dish for everyone here. 

Address: Sesame, 12 Dang Thai Mai, West Lake, Hanoi. Open daily: 11.00am – 2.00pm; 5.00pm – 9.00pm.

Uu Dam Chay 

Uu Dam Chay is a vegetarian and vegan-friendly upmarket restaurant not far from Hoam Kiem Lake. Here, you will be able to enjoy delicious Vietnamese food made from plants, such as pineapple and macadamia fried rice, spring rolls, hot pot and pine nut soup. It’s a great pick if you’re looking for a nice setting for an evening meal.

Address: Uu Dam Chay, 34 Hang Bai, Hanoi. Open daily: 7.30am – 9.30pm.

La Studio 

La Studio is an all vegan bakery beside an art gallery offering everything from all-day breakfasts to open hummus toast, sandwiches, bagels, granola parfait and absolutely mouthwatering desserts. All their breads are freshly made in-house every day, and so are their range of baked goods. Pro tip: ake don’t forget to try their coconut lattes. 

Address: La Studio, 44 Lane 31, Xuan Dieu Street, Hanoi. Open daily (closed Tuesday): 9.00am – 4.00pm.

An Lac Chay Hoan Kiem

Finally, try out the all-you-can-eat vegetarian buffet restaurant An Lac Chay Hoan Kiem. With loads of vegan-friendly dishes on offer, plant-based folk can definitely indulge in their wide variety of starters, mains and fresh fruit. Most of it will be Vietnamese food, so expect pho, rice rolls, crispy fried noodles and all that goodness.

Address: 109 Tran Hung Dao, Hanoi. Open daily: 9.00am – 2.00pm; 5.30pm – 9.00pm.

Lead image courtesy of House of Jolly.