Gluten Free Hanoi, Vietnam: The Complete Guide
Welcome to your complete guide to gluten free Hanoi in Vietnam. I’m a celiac who spent two months in Vietnam, including three separate stops in the city of Hanoi. Along the way I discovered the ins and outs of how to eat gluten free in Hanoi. Now I’m sharing what I learned with you!
I will warn you that if you are planning a trip to Vietnam, don’t expect Hanoi to be the very best place for gluten free food. That award goes to Ho Chi Minh City in the south. In general, there is more gluten in the cuisine as you get further north Vietnam.
But don’t worry! I’m sharing everything you need to know in this article, including gluten free restaurants, street food, grocery shopping, and more. Let’s get to it!
NOTE | I have celiac disease and avoid cross contact. Saying that, staff, practices, menus, and hours can all change. I encourage you to always do your own research and ask questions before you dine, particularly about the use of Knorr.
Gluten Free Hanoi: What You Need to Know
Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam, located in the north of the country. It’s slightly cooler (in both temperature and temperament) than its southern counterpart of Ho Chi Minh. Compared to HCMC, I found Hanoi to be slightly less chaotic, a bit more reserved, and unfortunately a bit more of a minefield when it comes to gluten.
Due to its proximity to China in the north, you’ll find a lot more Chinese-style soy sauce (ie, contains wheat) used in Hanoi. Knorr, a gluten-containing seasoning powder, is also more popular in Hanoi. This is because fresh ingredients are harder to come by up here.
Still, I did have some truly lovely gluten free foodie experiences in Hanoi – from devouring classic bun cha and pho to a unique lotus flower tea ceremony. Below, I’m sharing everything you should know about eating gluten free in Hanoi – safely!
My Recommended Vietnamese Gluten Free Translation Card
I recommend purchasing this Vietnamese gluten free translation card before you travel to Hanoi, or Vietnam in general.
That is the same card I used throughout my entire two month trip to Vietnam. It was a life saver – particularly in Hanoi where it felt like gluten hid around every corner.
I greatly prefer that card to others on the market because it was created by a celiac who lived in Vietnam, is professionally translated, discusses cross contact, and is specific to Vietnamese cuisine. Basically, it checks all the boxes!
Buy your Vietnamese GF card here.
Gluten Free Hanoi Map
To help you navigate your way around Hanoi, I created this map of gluten free options. You can download it to your phone and use it yourself!
Dedicated Gluten Free Hanoi Restaurants
During my visit to Hanoi, there were two fully gluten free restaurants. I ate the majority of my meals at these two places!
Gluten Free Gourmet
Gluten Free Gourmet is a 100% gluten free cafe in Hanoi. You may recognize it because of their original location in Ho Chi Minh (check out my gluten free Ho Chi Minh guide here). The Hanoi location is newer and quite a bit smaller.
I was a bit disappointed because the pizzas here are MUCH smaller than the Ho Chi Minh location, and they don’t have burgers or other savory meal items on the menu at all. Still, the pain au chocolats, bagels, and other baked goods are the same and they’re delicious.
You can order delivery via Grab, or visit the cafe in person. I did both and I would say that if you can’t visit in person you’re not missing out on much, so just order Grab delivery to your accommodation!
Location: Gluten Free Gourmet Google maps link
Bun Cha Ta Hanoi
Bun Cha Ta Hanoi was my savior for lunches and dinners while I was in Hanoi. This is a quite traditional Vietnamese restaurant specializing in the dish bun cha, which is famous in Hanoi.
Bun cha is a delicious dish of grilled pork patties with rice noodles and a delightfully tangy fish sauce broth. They also serve fried spring rolls made with 100% rice paper which were some of my favorite things I ate in Vietnam.
At the time of my visit the restaurant was naturally completely gluten free! Yes, I checked and they do NOT use Knorr or any gluten-containing sauces in their broths. Be sure to double check as things can always change.
I ate here so many times I can’t count, and they started recognizing me by name when I came in! I felt very safe eating here and recommend it.
Location: Bun Cha Ta Hanoi Google maps link
NOTE | Bun Cha Ta Hanoi has a sister restaurant in Hoi An, but that location uses Knorr and is not suitable for celiacs. Read my gluten free Hoi An guide here.
Celiac Safe Restaurants in Hanoi
Ma Xo Cafe
Ma Xo Cafe is a cute cafe in one of Hanoi’s expat neighborhoods, on the shores of Trúc Bạch Lake. In my experience they are somewhat familiar with gluten free due to their expat clientele, but not quite clued up on celiac needs.
I came here for brunch and ordered the fried potato rosti, which I had to ask them to use fresh oil for so it wasn’t contaminated. They seemed surprised about this but were wiling to accommodate!
Recently, I saw on their Instagram that they’re trialing a “gluten free Wednesday” in which they use gluten free bread for all their products one day of the week. I sincerely hope that’s a success and that they can expand further into the gluten free space!
Location: Ma Xo Cafe Google maps link
Hong Hoai’s Restaurant
Hong Hoai’s Restaurant is an okay dinner option for celiacs in Hanoi. Similar to Ma Xo Cafe, I think the staff understands the general premise of “no wheat.” However, they don’t quite understand the other intricacies of celiac disease.
When I visited, the waiter took a quick glance at my translation card and told me most things were gluten free. However when I really urged him to read my GF translation card thoroughly, I discovered that I couldn’t eat the bun cha (soy sauce) or the fried spring rolls (Knorr) or many other dishes that seemed to be mentioned as “gluten free” in reviews on various apps.
Still, the waiter was very accommodating for my needs and did find a couple dishes that they could do gluten free. I ended up eating a beef fried rice dish with cheese and pineapple which was delicious. I didn’t go back to eat here again because of the lack of options and amount of alterations they had to do.
So, I’d say it’s worth it to visit as a celiac but please be sure they do throughly read your translation card otherwise you may be given something unsafe to eat.
Location: Hong Hoai’s Restaurant Google maps link
Pho Manh Cuong
Pho Manh Cuong is a very classic street-side restaurant serving Hanoi-style pho. It’s located in the old quarter area of Hanoi so should be very convenient to get to.
When I visited they confirmed that they did not use any Knorr in their broth and were “all natural” – unlike many, many other places I asked! Of course you should double check that the pho is still gluten free when you visit.
Location: Pho Manh Cuong Google maps link
Hien Minh Tea House
Hien Minh Tea House was a special highlight of my time in Hanoi. Now, please keep in mind this is not a restaurant, but rather a tea ceremony experience.
I booked via WhatsApp (+84 936251122) and ended up having a wonderful morning of a traditional Vietnamese lotus flower tea ceremony with a tea master. It was such a unique experience and because we were just drinking tea, it was naturally gluten free!
Location: Hien Minh Tea House Google maps link
Lian Hua Vegetarian
Lian Hua Vegetarian is a small vegetarian restaurant that the owners of Hien Minh Tea House actually took me to, after my tea ceremony.
They ended up adjusting their menu and preparing an entirely gluten free lunch for me, which I greatly appreciated! I’m not sure how gluten free friendly it would’ve been without local Vietnamese help. Still, it’s worth a shot to go in with your Vietnamese GF translation card and ask in advance.
Location: Lian Hua Vegetarian Google maps link
Kem Tràng Tiền
Kem Tràng Tiền is a famous ice cream shop located just outside the Hanoi old quarter. Dan and I actually stayed in an Airbnb just a few steps away, which is how we discovered how popular this place is!
I showed my translation card and determined that most of the ice cream popsicles in the freezers are gluten free! Yum.
Location: Kem Trang Tien Google maps link
Bep Viet Restaurant
Bep Viet Restaurant has a lot of positive reviews from gluten free folks. Unfortunately, I cannot give you my personal opinion because I did not visit.
In all honesty, I was feeling quite burned out from trying new restaurants to only discover that they used Knorr in their dishes. So, I decided to stick with my tried and true favorites (mentioned in this article) or cooking in our Airbnb. It’s definitely one worth checking out, though, and let me know in the comments what you think of it!
Location: Bep Viet Restaurant Google maps link
The Note Coffee
The Note Coffee is a pretty iconic coffee shop in Hanoi. I’m sure you’ve seen it all over social media – every inch of the walls is covered in cute notes!
I’m including it in my gluten free Hanoi guide not because there are tons of gluten free food options here, but because the coffee is all gluten free and it really is a must visit.
Location: The Note Coffee Google maps link
Gluten Free Hanoi Grocery Shopping
I did cook a few meals in my Airbnb in Hanoi and became familiar with the gluten free options at grocery stores. I’d recommend you do the same.
L’s Place was the best centrally located grocery store (in the French quarter). They didn’t have a ton of specialty gluten free products beyond some granola bars and gluten free pasta, but that’s better than nothing! It was super clean and had western style products as well as packaged cheeses, yogurts, meats, fruit, chips, nuts, and more.
Annam Gourmet Market is another good grocery store option, although it is located further out so you will have to take a Grab here. They sell gluten free specialty items like tamari sauce, gluten free pasta, Schar products, and more.
Where to Stay in Hanoi If You’re Gluten Free
I recommend staying somewhere with a kitchen in Hanoi. I was really grateful to have a back up option of a kitchen, because after a while I got quite sick of Bun Cha with that being the only truly safe option within walking distance!
As for location, it’s best to stay in either the Old Quarter or the French Quarter.
We stayed in this Airbnb just outside the French Quarter, near Hoàn Kiếm Lake. The alleyway to enter it was deceptively sketchy, but once inside it was immaculately clean and I was so grateful for the kitchen space (and air conditioning!).
Accommodation in the Old Quarter and French Quarter
Below are some hand-picked accommodations (all with kitchens and air conditioning) that I’d recommend for gluten free folks visiting Hanoi.
- Autumn Hanoi House 22: A one bedroom apartment with a full kitchen, in a central location in the old quarter, at a very reasonable price.
- Cherish Hanoi Homestay: This is a great option for families or friends traveling together, because it’s a reasonably priced three bedroom apartment. It has a fantastic 10 star rating on Booking, as well as a private kitchen.
- Au Coeur d’Hanoi Boutique Hotel: A higher end (yet still relatively affordable) hotel with beautiful furnishings. You can either book a suite or a deluxe apartment, and the apartments come with full kitchen.
Gluten Free Hanoi: Final Thoughts
As you might be able to tell, I was slightly unimpressed with the gluten free offerings at restaurants in Hanoi. I felt burned out going to restaurants that had good gluten free reviews, only to be turned away because most of them used Knorr or soy sauce in their dishes.
It’s just a reality we have to deal with that gluten free offerings become a bit more sparse the more north you go in Vietnam. Still, I felt lucky to eat as well as I did. My top highlights were:
- Devouring bun cha and fried spring rolls at Bun Cha Ta
- The decadent pain au chocolats from Gluten Free Gourmet
- A lotus flower tea ceremony at Hien Minh Tea House
- A lovely brunch at Ma Xo
My gluten free Vietnamese translation card was a lifeline, particularly in this city full of Knorr and soy sauce, and it truly saved me from many a potential glutening.
Please let me know in the comments if this article was helpful, and if you have any updates after your own trip to Hanoi!
Check out my other Vietnam posts…
Ho Chi Minh City Gluten Free Guide
Gluten Free Vietnam: The Ultimate Guide (Coming Soon!)
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