Hit the streets of Hanoi for a half day street food tour with American chef/culinary instructor and food writer, Daniel Hoyer – Hanoi resident and the author of five cookbooks. Daniel and your private vehicle and driver will meet at your hotel in the morning. Drive to the Chợ Hôm or Chợ Chau Long market to learn about and taste some of the ingredients used in the local cuisine and to watch the buying and selling rituals of a Vietnamese market. Daniel will introduce you to some of the vendors, explain about the ingredients for sale and assist you with purchasing items to take home.

Then you will enjoy a Vietnamese Cà Phê (coffee) or Trà (tea) with the locals at Daniel’s favourite, Cafe Thọ (or Cafe Xe Co near Truc Bach Lake if we go to Châu Long), one of the many sidewalk cafes in the historic French Quarter. Daniel will give an overview of the Vietnamese food scene, particularly in Hanoi. Continue to Truc Bach lake for a snack of Phở Cuốn, a grilled beef and rice noodle roll with fresh herbs, along with several other local snacks.

Lunch with Daniel at one of Hanoi’s best bún chả establishments. Situated down a narrow lane, you will sit on tiny stools at low plastic tables along with the regular crowd of bún chả aficionados and enjoy traditional grilled pork and rice vermicelli noodles with fresh herbs and greens like true Hanoians. Very few foreigners ever find this eatery so it is a very special treat. Transportation back to your hotel in the mid-afternoon.

The itineraries can be customised for private tours to suit your particular interests and dietary restrictions (if privately chartered). Time is also flexible. For evening/ afternoon half day tours, some of the locations and food selections will change since some dishes are only available at specific times and locations. Daniel operates some (less-expensive) half day join-in tours in the morning on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.