If the Old Quarter’s street food leaves you wanting to know how it is done, a cooking class answers the question. The Rose Kitchen class we link is one of the best-reviewed activities in the city, with a five-star average from more than five thousand reviews. It begins with a guide who takes you through a local market to show the fruit, vegetables and herbs that go into northern Vietnamese cooking, then moves to a kitchen where you cook your own meal. The menu lets you choose: a salad of banana flower, papaya or green mango to start, a main such as bun cha, pho or cha ca La Vong, or a plate of fried spring rolls, summer rolls or banh xeo, and a Vietnamese coffee for dessert, whether egg, salt, brown or coconut. Vegetarian versions are available. After cooking you sit down to a full Vietnamese lunch or dinner, and a small taste of homemade fruit wine and fresh fruit follows. It is a good first-days activity, because it teaches you the names of the dishes you will order for the rest of your stay.
How it works
The class runs for around four hours. You can add a hotel pickup and drop-off in the Old Quarter, giving your hotel name, address and a contact number, or meet at the kitchen at 75/173 Hoang Hoa Tham. Included are a welcome herbal tea, all equipment, an English-speaking guide, the meal, a tasting of homemade fruit wine and fresh fruit, a digital guidebook and luggage storage for up to three days, which is handy if you check out in the morning.
Groups can reach thirty, though reviewers mention groups of eleven or twelve. You can cancel for a full refund up to twenty-four hours before the class.
What to expect
The market visit is brief. Some guests call it amazing and others quick but interesting, so think of it as an introduction rather than a long food tour. The cooking is hands-on, and the guide demonstrates each step before you try. Tell the operator about allergies or a vegetarian diet when you book. Reviewers also mention that the kitchen can be hot and busy, and that the pace depends on how many groups share the space, so ask about the group set-up if that matters to you.
Making the most of it
Book ahead, because the class is often reserved about a month in advance in busy periods. Wear light clothes you do not mind getting splashed, and bring an appetite, since the meal is large. Dishes you cook here, such as bun cha and spring rolls, are easy to repeat at home if you buy the herbs and rice noodles from an Asian grocery. For a full food day, follow the class with the evening Vespa food tour in this guide, then you will recognise most of what you taste.
One more tip for planning
If you are travelling as a group of friends or a family, book the same session together and tell the operator how many of you will cook, so that you are kept at one table. Children who like to help in the kitchen will enjoy rolling spring rolls and tasting as they go. Bring a reusable bottle for water, because the class is warm, and wear closed shoes in case something drops while you are chopping.
What to expect
The experience
A guided market visit followed by a hands-on cooking class, a full Vietnamese lunch or dinner of your own dishes and a tasting of fruit wine.
Best time
Early in your trip, so that you recognise the dishes and ingredients you meet in the Old Quarter afterwards.
How long
Around four hours, including the market visit, the cooking and the meal.
Tips
Tell the operator about allergies or a vegetarian diet when you book, and dress for a warm kitchen.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Food lovers who want to learn northern Vietnamese dishes and take the skills home.
- Families
- Hands-on and sociable, so good for children who like to cook, though the kitchen can be hot.
- Couples
- A relaxed, fun way to spend a morning or an evening and to share a meal you made together.
- Pair with
- The evening Vespa food tour, so that cooking and tasting happen in the same day.
- Time needed
- About four hours.
Good questions
What do you cook in the Hanoi cooking class?+
You choose a salad to start, a main such as bun cha, pho or cha ca La Vong, or fried spring rolls, summer rolls or banh xeo, and a Vietnamese coffee for dessert.
Does the class include a market visit?+
Yes. A guide shows you the fruit, vegetables and herbs used in the class before you start cooking, though the visit is fairly short.
Is hotel pickup included?+
You can add pickup and drop-off in the Old Quarter. Without the transfer, you meet at the kitchen at 75/173 Hoang Hoa Tham.
Can vegetarians join the cooking class?+
Yes, vegetarian versions of the dishes are available. Mention your diet when you book.
Can I cancel the cooking class?+
You can cancel up to twenty-four hours before the class for a full refund.
