Best Area for Food in Vietnam for Deborah

This guide to the best area in Vietnam for food is for Deborah, who very generously bought us four coffees, plus, she's asked about Vietnam, so this post is a bit longer than I'd envisaged posts to be. My instinctive response is to say "the whole of Vietnam" as it's such a fantastic destination for food lovers. There are regional cuisines that have enough differences so you never get bored, loads of Vietnamese specialities that you'll only find in particular places to seek out and savour, vibrant local markets, brilliant cooking classes and street food tours, and superb restaurants. (More info and inspo on the links, too.)

Central Vietnam first came to mind, for Hoi An, Hue and Danang. Hoi An was our home for a while before Siem Reap and we've often dreamt of settling there again. It's enchanting, with hundreds of historic houses, temples and pagodas, and it's set on a river, surrounded by rice fields, and close to the beach. Hoi An has colourful local markets, outstanding cooking schools and food tours, laidback restaurants set in beautiful airy old buildings, atmospheric cafes and tea-houses, lovely bars with river views, and deliciously unique dishes such as cao lau noodles. It also has fabulous shopping! Danang and Hue aren't far away and they have more scrummy street food, plus Danang has long white sandy beaches, and Hue has a magnificent citadel and forested hills dotted with tombs. The whole city oozes history.

I was also tempted to recommend Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) and Southern Vietnam. Saigon is a rapidly-modernising metropolis that is home to bustling markets, excellent cooking schools, one of the country's best street food scenes spread over a number of intriguing districts, and knowledgeable local culinary guides to introduce you to the food, such as Vu of @therealsaigonstreeteats. The city is also the address of some of Vietnam's best restaurants, from secret rooftop eateries serving tasty traditional food to Anan, a buzzy modern Vietnamese bistro offering some of Vietnam's most inventive cuisine and addictive cocktails, and a rooftop bar that's a must for sunset drinks, and a balcony bar for post-dinner libations. And of course the lush Mekong Delta is nearby, with its intricate maze of waterways and floating markets to discover.

But I'm going to recommend that if Deb can only concentrate on one area that she focuses on Hanoi, Vietnam's capital, which was also our home for a while, and a few nearby highlights of Northern Vietnam, including beautiful Halong Bay, where I recommend Deb do a dreamy cruise; Sapa, set atop majestic mountains with villages and valleys to hike, beautiful hotels with breathtaking views, and more delicious food; and Bac Ha (pictured above), which hosts wonderful weekend markets offering hearty mountain food and colourful textiles and handicrafts.

Hanoi is one of my favourite cities in Asia, for its tranquil lakes, waterfront parks and leafy promenades, its well-preserved old city with its long rich history, and its more 'modern' yet old neighbourhoods, with streets lined with French colonial villas, Art Deco apartment buildings, Chinese shophouses, incense-filled temples, and art galleries. Every neighbourhood has a market to shop and there are plenty of local specialties to sample, such as bun cha. There are excellent cafes, bars, pubs, and eateries dotted around the city, such as TUNG, another creative restaurant with a gastronomic tasting menu, superb service and splendid wines. Hanoi is also home to laneways and alleyways that bustle with busy street food stalls, and more expert culinary guides to introduce you to the street food, such as @Vietnamesegod. Another must is the excellent neighbourhood market tour and cooking class at the home of @duyenphanchef that is not to be missed.

Pre-pandemic I hosted small-group culinary tours that took in all of these places. Looking forward to the day I can take food lovers back again.