Bia Hoi Corner – Just around the corner form The Downtown Hostel this is a brilliant place to sit down and watch the world go by over a nice, cold beer. It’s barrelled, fresh and is one of the cheapest beers you will find in the world, so definitely worth spending 25 cents to experience. After all, we like getting tipsy on a dollar.

The Hidden Cafe – Hidden is an understatement. The location of 11 Hang Gai is a bit deceiving because from the road, there is no such place. However, as you walk through No.9, head down a small alleyway towards the back of the shop and it opens up into a wonderful quaint little cafe that serves fantastic egg milk coffee and has wonderful views of Hoan Kiem Lake.

Hair of the Dog – One of The Hostel’s regular haunts and a regular feature on our free pub crawl, this place goes off! Definitely don’t get stuck upstairs -check out the bottom floor and party with some of the locals.

City View Cafe – Located right on the edge of the lake and next to one of the busiest intersections in Hanoi, this is an amazing place to head to, soak up some sun, take some photos then chill with a cold Tiger beer as you watch the chaos of the streets below and the calm serenity of the lake.

Sofitel Rooftop Bar – Bring a fat wallet as this place is expensive. Whilst being one of the classier bars in town, with unrivalled views of the city, this is definitely a place to go if you want to end your Hanoi experience in style.

The Moose & Roo – This gastro pub is one of our favourites, located just down the road from The Downtown Hostel, check out their truly epic pulled pork sandwich or their bone marrow beef burger. They also have the largest selection of single malts in Vietnam.

Windmill Beer Hoi – Located near The Temple of Literature on Cat Linh this place brews Hanoi’s best Czech style fresh beer.