An Lac Vegetarian Buffet, Tran Hung Dao, Hanoi: What to eat and visitor guide

Useful facts

An Lac Vegetarian Buffet, Tran Hung Dao facts at a glance

Location

109 Tran Hung Dao, Hoan Kiem

Dining style

Vegetarian buffet, up to 60 dishes

Price signal

Roughly 70,000 to 300,000 VND per one guide

Signature order

Try: vegetarian pho, bun rieu, sweet soups

Good for

Vegetarians, groups, first-timers

Why it matters

Why An Lac Vegetarian Buffet, Tran Hung Dao is worth your time

Buffets are the easiest way to eat a lot of Vietnamese vegetarian dishes in one sitting without being able to read the menu. You can see what you are choosing, take small portions, and go back for what you liked.

An Lac belongs to the Buddhist-influenced tradition of vegetarian eating that Hanoi's cooks keep alive, where familiar noodle soups and meat dishes are rebuilt from vegetables, tofu and substitutes. For Indian visitors it is a reassuring way to eat varied food while avoiding meat and fish, though you should still check for egg if you avoid it.

Highlights

What not to miss

1. 01

   Vegetarian pho

   A familiar Hanoi noodle soup made without meat.

2. 02

   Bun rieu

   A tomato-based noodle soup, here listed on a vegetarian menu.

3. 03

   Sweet soups

   Four or five che-style desserts are reported.

Plan your visit

How to experience it

One guide describes An Lac as a vegetarian buffet with up to 60 dishes, including vegetarian pho and bun rieu, meat substitutes made in-house, and four or five sweet soups. Walk the whole line before filling a plate, since noodle soups and substitute dishes can look similar.

Meat substitutes made from soy or wheat are common in Vietnamese Buddhist cooking and can be rich or oily. Older travellers may prefer plain steamed vegetables, tofu and a small soup first. Ask staff if a dish contains egg if that matters to you, as the page opened does not say.

Time the visit to the lunch or dinner window and arrive early enough that dishes are still fresh. It sits on the same road as the vegetarian restaurants listed elsewhere in this guide, so it is easy to compare them over a couple of days.

Know before you go

Timing, access and comfort

Area

109 Tran Hung Dao, Hoan Kiem

Time needed

About 1 hour

Best time

Lunch from 10:30 or dinner from 17:00, per one guide

Walking level

Easy

Senior comfort

No details on steps or lifts were found. Tran Hung Dao is a wide road, but expect traffic; ask the taxi to stop at the door. A buffet means walking between counters, so ask staff for help if needed.

Tickets and access

Buffet hours are split: one guide lists 10:30 to 13:30 and 17:00 to 20:30. The same guide gives a price range of 70,000 to 300,000 VND. Confirm both before going, since a mid-afternoon arrival would miss service.

Plan it with

FAQs