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Dong Thinh eel glass noodles, Hang Dieu Street
Dong Thinh has been serving eel dishes for more than 40 years and regularly draws large crowds.
International interest has grown since 2024, when the Michelin Guide awarded the restaurant a Bib Gourmand, a distinction recognizing good food at reasonable prices.
Its menu offers a variety of eel dishes, including dry mixed glass noodles, noodle soup, stir-fried glass noodles, eel soup, rice porridge and eel patties. The dry and soup versions of its eel glass noodles are among the most popular.
For the dry version, the glass noodles are briefly blanched so they retain a pleasantly chewy texture.
Each bowl comes with crispy fried eel, soy-based sauce, cucumber, bean sprouts, perilla and other fresh herbs, topped with roasted peanuts and fried shallots. It is served with a separate bowl of rich broth flavored with Vietnamese coriander and scallions.
The soup version, particularly popular during Hanoi’s cooler weather, uses similar ingredients but comes submerged in hot, savory broth.
The restaurant has a rating of 4.1 out of 5 from more than 1,300 reviews on Google Maps.
Chan Cam eel glass noodles
Located at the intersection of Chan Cam and Ly Quoc Su streets in Hoan Kiem, near the well-known Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su, this eel noodle restaurant has also been included in the Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand selection.
The restaurant operates across two premises facing each other to accommodate its diners.
Its menu includes eel glass noodle soup, stir-fried and dry mixed noodles, eel spring rolls, eel patties, braised eel with green banana and tofu, eel soup and porridge.
The fried eel here is known for remaining crispy without becoming hard, burnt or overly oily. It can retain its crunch even toward the end of a meal.
A bowl of dry mixed noodles combines lightly blanched glass noodles and bean sprouts with seasoned cucumber, shredded carrot, Vietnamese coriander, cilantro and either crispy or soft eel, depending on the diner’s preference.
The dish is finished with a soy-based dressing balancing sour, salty, sweet and mildly spicy flavors.
Another popular choice is eel salad, combining bean sprouts, finely sliced banana blossom, cucumber, carrot, fried shallots and herbs with crispy eel and a sweet-and-sour dressing.
Dishes cost about $1.70-$2.70.
Sam Cay Si fish noodles, Trung Yen Alley
Sam Cay Si sits beside an old wall at a bend in Trung Yen Alley.
The restaurant’s fish noodle soup uses tilapia, with a mildly sour broth made from fish bones, pineapple and tomatoes.
It also serves a dry mixed fish glass noodle dish featuring crispy golden fried fish and seasonal vegetables such as mustard greens, celery and bean sprouts.
The fish cakes remain golden and crispy even after sitting in the bowl for some time.
Diners can also order the restaurant’s distinctive fish rolls. Soft tilapia wraps around minced meat and wood ear mushrooms before being coated and deep-fried.
Noodle dishes start at around $2.30 per bowl, while two fish rolls cost about $1.30.
Nhan Muscovy duck noodles, Trung Yen Alley
Despite controversies over the owner’s treatment of customers, Nhan remains a busy destination for Muscovy duck noodles in Trung Yen Alley.
During the lunchtime rush, diners can often be seen lining up at the counter to order.
The broth is simmered with duck bones and dried mushrooms, producing a rich flavor. The duck is fatty, tender and juicy, while the accompanying dried bamboo shoots are slowly cooked until soft.
Bowls can also include springy pork meatballs, and diners can order freshly fried dough sticks on the side.
Most dishes cost around $1.90.
Dried squid glass noodles, Trung Yen Alley
Near the entrance to Trung Yen Alley and not far from Nhan, this popular eatery specializes in an unusual combination of glass noodles and dried squid.
The squid is soaked until tender, shredded and then fried until crispy, giving it a distinctive aroma and crunchy texture.
A full bowl costs around $2.10 and comes with egg, fish cake, thinly sliced Vietnamese pork sausage, fresh herbs, bean sprouts and roasted peanuts.
The ingredients are tossed with glass noodles that have been briefly blanched and coated in a rich dressing.
Portions are considered generous, while the food is known for its bold flavors and the owner for being friendly. Parking, however, can be inconvenient in the narrow alley.
Thuy Muscovy duck noodles, Hang Luoc Street
Thuy is well known in Hoan Kiem and across Hanoi for its garlic-fried Muscovy duck.
During cooler weather, diners also frequently order duck glass noodle soup or dry mixed noodles alongside garlic-fried or boiled duck.
The boiled duck is tender and juicy without being overly chewy. The garlic-fried version has a golden exterior, while the meat remains soft and flavorful inside, with a pronounced garlic aroma.
The glass noodles are simply blanched until just cooked, then served with soy sauce or a simple dipping sauce and slices of duck.
Thanh Muscovy duck noodles, Tran Phu Street
Located on Tran Phu Street, Thanh was once included by US publication Insider among five notable Hanoi street-food spots.
Its menu features several Muscovy duck dishes, including rice vermicelli and glass noodles served either dry or in broth, chopped duck and garlic-fried duck.
Prices range from about $1.90 to $11.40.
The dry mixed duck glass noodles are particularly popular. Briefly blanched noodles are topped with sliced boneless duck, pork meatballs made with wood ear and shiitake mushrooms, fried shallots and a soy-based sauce.
The noodles come with a separate bowl of rich bamboo shoot broth garnished with scallions and sawtooth coriander.
The restaurant usually stays open until 11pm.
Linh Trang
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