Hanoi’s bustling Quan An Ngon (locals call it simply “Ngon” meaning delicious) serves Vietnam’s signature dishes in the courtyard of an old villa, attracting flocks of foreigners and well-heeled Vietnamese alike. The quality is excellent, the atmosphere convivial and seats hard to come by after dark.
The restaurant has a space of dreamy ancient architecture with mainly earth-tone colors. The image that seems to be only in the memory of the original Hanoi or in books and artworks is now more vivid than ever. The dishes at Quan An Ngon restaurant have a special flavor thanks to the hands of the best chefs and the enthusiasm of the entire management team and staff.
Arrive early in the day, when the food is even fresher and the cooks outnumber the patrons. Choose from the extensive menu, or take a stroll around the many cooking stations scattered about the compound. Shrimp on sugar cane and mussels in fried pancake are popular choices, though if you’re adventurous you could go for something like papaya salad with sliced pig ears.
For the ultimate combination, order “bun cha” (grilled pork in a marinade of sweetened fish sauce with a side of rice vermicelli) and a bowl of “banh da ca”, a fabulously tangy fish soup from Haiphong laden with chunks of tilapia, chewy, fettuccine-like "banh da" noodles, dill, scallions and the magical "rau can" (a woody stalk with a strong, cedary bite).
For a more relaxed time, you should go outside peak eating hours (noon–2pm, 6–8pm) when it’s usually full and chaotic.
Quan An Ngon restaurant system in Hanoi:
18 Phan Boi Chau, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
25T2 Trung Hoa Nhan Chinh, Cau Giay District, Hanoi
B2-R6 Vincom Royal City, 72A Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi
