From strangers to travel buddies - A sweet Taste of Hanoi journey

Hanoi, January 15th, 2026

Gary from the U.S. had been in touch with us since last year, and we finally met on our Taste of Hanoi tour, together with Jessie from Australia, turning the experience into a shared journey from the very start.

Food quickly became their common language. Casey, as a local companion, guided them through Hanoi's narrow streets, local eateries and shared the stories behind each dish, as well as the culture and daily life of Vietnamese. They enjoyed every dish, especially “bún riêu cua” - river crab noodle soup. But the real highlight? It had to be “chè” – Vietnamese sweet soup. Gary couldn’t get enough of “chè bưởi” - pomelo sweet soup, finishing not one, but two bowls!, while his new companion loved “chè dừa non” - coconut version for its rich coconut flavor.

Beyond the flavors, the day turned into a warm connection between two travelers who had just met. Sitting together, sharing desserts and stories, Gary loves cooking and even knows how to make several Vietnamese dishes, so he happily shared stories about the meals he cooks back home. The conversation flowed so naturally that by the end of the tour they were already talking about meeting again in Ho Chi Minh City for another adventure. We started the evening as strangers, and ended up chatting with Casey like close friends.

Check out the photos and join us on this sweet Taste of Hanoi journey.

We started our food adventure with “nộm” - green papaya salad with beef jerky. Just looking at her,

Wandering through Hanoi streets while listening to Casey sharing about food, culture, munching on so

Here we are at the “bánh cuốn” - steamed rolled rice pancakes stall. Look at how good they are at us

Next stop: “bún riêu cua” - river crab noodle soup. There’s nothing like sitting on tiny stools on a

This is one of Casey’s favorite snack: “bánh rán” - Vietnamese donuts. Not just eating, we got to wa

The star of the day: “chè” - Vietnamese sweet soup. Look at that slimy texture of “chè bưởi” - sweet

Yummy! In a blink of an eye, all the bowls were empty. Everyone absolutely loved it. Have you ever t

In the end, we had Vietnamese coffee at a hidden cafe overlooking Hanoi Old Quarter. It might be th

If you’re looking for a family-friendly food tour in Hanoi, we’d love to show you the city the way locals do. 👉 Check out our Taste of Hanoi walking street food tour

Ngan (Hazel)

Beyond Vietnam