Ask anyone who’s been to Vietnam what the best things about it were and I’ll bet that somewhere in their list is the food. Vietnam is renowned for it’s distinguished range of tasty delights: pho noodles, banh mi, bun cha, vietnamese spring rolls, banh xeo and oh so much more, all hail from Vietnam. With its unique combination of French combined with South East Asian influences, it’s no wonder Vietnam serves up some of the world’s most delicious dishes. Whilst the whole nation consistently delivers delectable fare, you’ll find that the interpretation of dishes does vary from north to south when local flavours start getting involved.

Hanoi is particularly renowned for its local foodie scene. Turn any corner in the city and you’ll find locals hunkered over a steaming bowl of pho, perched on the miniature plastic stools that are so iconic in Vietnam. Sure, you can turn up at most venues selling food and chances are, you’re in for a tasty meal. But to source the city’s best offerings, enlist the help of a local. We met our guide at the lobby of the Silk Path Hotel in Hanoi’s Old Quarter right on time at 5:30pm, just as the day’s light was beginning to fade, to begin the Hanoi Evening Street Eats guided food tour. We were joined by a family of four from Australia, bringing the group number up to nine, plus our local foodie tour guide.

Departing from the hotel, we navigated the streets, narrowly avoiding the speeding motorbikes and cars as is always the case in Hanoi (and which our guide was diligently trying to keep us safe from) to the first of seven Vietnamese food stops on our tour of Hanoi.