World Culinary Awards belongs to World Travel Awards, which debuted in 1994 to honor the units and brands in tourism and travel.

Culinary experts said that Hanoi has been likened to a ‘rising star’ on the global tourism map. 

Dang Huong Giang, director of the Hanoi Tourism Department, said the award offers an excellent opportunity for the city to popularize its images and introduce Hanoi tourism with rich, diverse and traditional dishes.

Hanoi’s food is present in most prestigious rankings of famous institutions. In 2022, Tripadvisor named Hanoi as one of the world’s top 25 culinary destinations. Prior to that, Telegraph honored Hanoi as one of the cities with attractive cuisine.

CNN TV headquartered in the US once listed ‘pho’ (noodle soup served with beef or chicken) among the must-try dishes and among the 50 best dishes in the world. Meanwhile, National Geographic TV honored bun cha (vermicelli and grilled chopped meat) as one of 10 best street dishes in the world. 

The US magazine Travel and Leisure recognized Vietnam as a destination with the best cuisine in Asia in the Bucket List Places in Asia 2023.

In June 2023, three eateries in Hanoi, including Hibana by Koki inside Capella Hotel, Tam Vi and Gia were for the first time awarded one Michelin star. Thirteen restaurants won the award for good restaurants at affordable prices (Bib Gourmand), 32 restaurants won in the Michelin Selected list (Michelin Selected) and 1 Michelin award won for excellent young chef.

After the awards were announced, the representatives of all three Michelin starred restaurants confirmed that interest by diners has soared.

Gia’s representative said previously Gia did not have a waiting list every day for a dinner experience, but after the award, the number of clients on its waiting list was sometimes three times higher than the number of clients it can receive within the day. The number of international diners has increased by 30-50 percent. 

The restaurant recommends diners book two or three days in advance.

The Michelin star has also brought high growth to Hibana by Koki, where meals are expensive, about VND8.5 million per diner.

A worker at the restaurant said many foreign travelers book tables 1-2 months before their arrive in Hanoi.

The three restaurants getting Michelin stars have three different culinary styles, which shows the diversity of Hanoi’s cuisine.

Tam Vi mostly serves popular dishes with fried eggs, rau muong (water morning glory) and dua ca (sour vegetables and eggplant) in a space that recreates an ancient traditional house.

Gia serves clients under a ‘tasting menu’. Diners can have flavor experiences with 10 dishes, with drinks suitable for the dish. The service style is unfamiliar to many Hanoians, but the restaurant always pays attention to decorating and offering dishes with Hanoi’s typical characteristics.

The restaurant, located opposite of Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam (Temple of Literature), is built on the foundation of an ancient house more than 100 years old. Each meticulously carved detail on the wall, every painting and decorative block is inspired by the lotus flowers and patterns at the Temple of Literature.

Hibana by Koki does not serve Vietnamese dishes, but has a Japanese culinary art style Teppanyaki using cast iron or steel to prepare dishes, usually grilled, stir-fried, or fried.

Expanding tourism

The Hanoi Tourism Department is planning to take full advantage of the recognition of Hanoi’s dishes to develop tourism. It plans to intensify advertising about restaurants starred in Michelin’s guide and other prestigious restaurants in Hanoi in the media, social media, and tourism promotion campaigns in Vietnam and other countries.

The municipal authorities plan to create a Food Tour map, expected to be completed the next year, that will allow travelers to discover local dishes themselves.

Ngoc Ha