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Spices Garden

The parquet-floored fine-diner at the Metropole (above) serves a five-star Vietnamese streetfood buffet for lunch and à la carte plates such as bananablossom salad and Hai Phong rock lobster noodle soup at dinner. Specialties include the H’mong grilled black chicken, Sapa Mountain black pig and Dalat asparagus soup. Fourand five-course dégustation menus are good value at $90-$110. 15 Ngo Quyen, sofitellegend-metropole-hanoi.com

Maison de Têt Décor

Australian Pete Wilkes ticks all the expat-friendly boxes at this airy mansion in fashionable West Lake. Go for excellent coffee – single-origin, roasted on site – and stay for the all-day breakfasts (have the fig, walnut and date claypot sourdough), local craft beer and a broad offering of Vietnamese and Western meals. Mojitos and Cosmos optional. Villa 156 Tu Hoa, tet-lifestyle-collection.com

Chim Sáo

The menu at this atmospheric, century-old house has something for every appetite, from spring rolls stuffed with pork and prawn to popular snacks such as fried pork stomach, frogs’ legs and river mussels. Every conceivable protein is served – including, unfortunately, tortoise cooked in salt with green banana and tofu. On the bright side, the wine list is surprisingly extensive. 63-65 Ngo Hue, chimsao.com ●