Food on Hanoi Tours: What’s Included, Dietary Needs, Allergies and Street-Food Safety (2026)

What food is included on each tour

Food is part of most of our Hanoi tours, not only the food tours. Here is what each tour lists as included. Extra drinks are generally not included.

The exact dishes on each food tour are on the tour page itinerary. On food tours, the order of tastings may change depending on opening times. Morning and evening food tours follow the same route, so pick whichever time suits your day.

In Sapa, the full-day jeep and motorbike tours include a local lunch with regional dishes; drinks with lunch are paid separately. Half-day Sapa tours include a coffee stop or bottled water rather than a meal.

Vegetarian and vegan

Vegetarian and vegan options are available on our tours that include food. Tell us when you book, in the booking notes, so the guide can plan stops in advance. Some practical points:

• Tell us at booking, not on the day. A vegetarian or vegan version of a stop may mean a different dish or a different place, which is much easier to arrange in advance.
• Be specific. “Vegetarian” can mean different things. Tell us whether you eat eggs, dairy, fish sauce or seafood.
• Egg coffee is included on several tours. As the name suggests, it is made with egg – tell us if that does not work for you.
• Classic versions of some dishes are meat-based. Bun Cha, for instance, is traditionally a pork dish, so on a tour where it is the main meal your guide will arrange an alternative.

Allergies and intolerances

Please tell us about any allergy or intolerance when you book, in the booking notes, and remind your guide at the start of the tour. Your guide speaks Vietnamese with the vendors, which is the single most useful thing on a food tour with an allergy.

• Name the allergen exactly (peanuts, shellfish, sesame, egg, soy…)
• Say how serious it is – an intolerance or a life-threatening allergy
• Carry your own medication, including an adrenaline pen if prescribed
• Consider a card in Vietnamese naming your allergy, to show at stalls on your own

Halal, gluten-free and other diets

We can meet all special dietary requests, including halal and gluten-free, and other diets such as low-FODMAP or pescatarian. Tell us when you book, in the booking notes, and be specific about what you can and cannot eat, so the guide can plan each stop in advance.

Street-food habits for a happy stomach

Hanoi’s best food is often cooked on the pavement, and on a guided tour your guide chooses the stalls. When you eat out on your own, these general habits help:

• Follow the crowd. A stall busy with locals turns its food over quickly.
• Choose hot and freshly cooked. Soups, grills and anything cooked in front of you are a safer bet than food that has been sitting out.
• Wash or sanitise your hands before eating – carry gel and tissues.
• Peel your own fruit if your stomach is sensitive.
• Pace yourself. Rich broths and fresh herbs every few hours can surprise a stomach on its first days. Small portions are fine – nobody minds.
• If you have a sensitive stomach, ask for drinks without ice and stick to bottled drinks.

Table manners worth knowing

Nobody expects visitors to know every custom, and your guide will show you how each dish is eaten. A few points from Vietnam’s official etiquette advice are worth knowing anyway:

• When passing dishes, use both hands or your right hand.
• Do not point at people, especially older people, to get attention.
• Tipping is not a set rule in Vietnam and not expected in restaurants; on our tours, tips for your guide are optional.

What to tell us when you book

• Vegetarian or vegan – and whether you eat egg, dairy or fish sauce
• Any allergy, named exactly, and how serious it is
• Any religious or medical diet (halal, kosher, gluten-free, diabetic)
• Children’s ages and any very picky eaters
• Whether you prefer the morning or the evening departure

Water and drinks

The US State Department says tap water in Vietnam is not considered safe to drink anywhere, so drink bottled water. Bottled water is included on many of our tours (see the table above); on others, your guide can show you where to buy it. Use bottled water to brush your teeth if you want to be careful.

Extra drinks – beer, juices, extra coffees – are usually not included and are paid on the spot. Bring some small Vietnamese dong notes for this. See our money and tipping guide for more on cash.

Choosing the right food tour

• Jeep Street Food & Culture Tour – everyone together in a vintage jeep; good for groups of friends and families.
• Electric Scooter Street Food Tour – ride like a local between stops; one guest per rider.
• Street Food Tour with Female Riders – the same scooter style with the Green Sisters, popular with solo women travellers.

All three are rated easy and include hotel pickup and drop-off in the Old Quarter. The morning departure is lighter on the heat; the evening one turns into dinner.