Hanoi is full of cafes and restaurants where you can get an enjoyable meal at a good price. As elsewhere in Vietnam, Hanoi is very much a "cafe society" with many small coffee shops spread all over the city. When it comes time to eat, the greatest concentration of restaurants can be found in the old quarter north of Hoan Kiem Lake.
A branch of Vietnam's own Trung Nguyen Coffee Shop in Hanoi
One example is Ancient Town, serving Vietnamese food in a two story restaurant. Don't be surprised if the ground floor is empty, since most guests are shown upstairs. Dishes run around 50,000 Dong (-50,000.00 USD) each. French wines can be had for 150,000 Dong (-150,000.00 USD) per bottle or 30,000 Dong (-30,000.00 USD) per glass. Vietnamese wines from Da Lat are much less. (May 2006)
You'll find lighter fare as well as western dishes at Ciao Cafe on Hang Bai Street just a few steps from the southwest corner of Hoan Kiem Lake. Here you'll find dishes such as Salmon Fettuccine (55,000 Dong / -55,000.00 USD) and Thai Tom Yum Soup (30,000 Dong / -30,000.00 USD). Ciao Cafe is open 7:00 to 23:00 every day. They offer free wi-fi Internet access, except at meal times.