Best Cheap Eats in Hanoi for Banh Mi, Egg Coffee, Bun Cha, Pho, and Street Food

Guide: Iconic Street Food & Cafe Culture

A cheap-to-medium Hanoi food guide for banh mi, egg coffee, sticky rice, bun cha, and banh cuon, built around useful stops that keep a walking day fed without turning every meal into a reservation.

• Banh Mi 25Banh Mi 25 is tourist-friendly for a reason: it gives first-timers a clean, quick Old Quarter sandwich stop without making the route feel like a scavenger hunt. The bread, pate, herbs, and fillings are the point; go off peak if you want the sandwich more than the line.
• Cafe GiangCafe Giang is the egg-coffee stop with enough history and sweetness to count as dessert, caffeine, and Hanoi folklore at once. The room is tight and busy, but that is part of the bargain; order the egg coffee and do not overcomplicate a cheap classic.
• Xoi YenXoi Yen is sticky rice made into a meal instead of a side: mung bean, shallots, meat, pate, eggs, and enough density to carry a long walk through Hoan Kiem. It is best for breakfast or a cheap reset, with the caveat that the room moves quickly and comfort is not the selling point.
• Bun Cha Dac KimBun Cha Dac Kim is an Old Quarter bun cha room where the grill smoke, herbs, pork, and crowd make lunch feel happily unromantic. Portions run generous and the pace is brisk, so it belongs in cheap eats for travelers who want a full meal without dragging the afternoon into a reservation.
• Banh Cuon Ba HoanhBanh Cuon Ba Hoanh is where thin steamed rice rolls become a proper breakfast or lunch rather than a snack between bigger names. Come for the soft sheets, pork filling, herbs, fried shallots, and dipping sauce; the practical move is to go early and trust the turnover.