Restaurants and food vendors across the city offer a variety of culinary delights with everything from a simple bowl of noodle soup at the roadside to a three-course meal at an up market establishment. Where you choose to eat depends on your tastes, background and budget; backpackers will find they can eat for a few dollars at many of the places tucked in the labyrinth of streets around the lake while those on package tours will find the quality hotels offering a high standard of food at obviously higher prices. Food markets are also a good place to visit; there are invariably hot and cold foods on offer which are often ideal for a snack if you are out and about sightseeing. Expats have of course made their mark on Hanoi and a number of typically tourist establishments have sprung up to cater for them. These venues are largely drinking holes but some offer food also so if you want to eat something western while in the city, then look for somewhere with a typically English name such as Al Fresco's, Hot Rock Cafe, Moca Cafe and Red Onion Bistro. Local cuisine
Northern cuisine takes many influences from China due to its proximity with the country and as result rice and noodles are a predominant feature. Noodles are especially popular and it’s not uncommon for locals to eat three noodle-meals a day these are famously know as Pho, and you’ll notice the word Com Pho advertising noodle shops all over the place. Noodle stands selling noodle soup in various guises can be found everywhere around the city and rich and poor alike stop kerbside to grab breakfast, lunch and often dinner from these ubiquitous and most popular of food vendors. Pho or beef noodle soup is perhaps the most famous of all noodle soup dishes and can be found at 99 per cent of roadside stalls. The French also left their mark on the city’s cuisine with plain baguettes commonly available from roadside sellers and eateries offering Banh Mi Thit which is a Vietnamese sandwich containing pate, cold meats and vegetables. | 
