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A Taste of Hanoi's Autumn: Cốm and Life Around the Old Quarter

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We take you to Hanoi, Vietnam, where our local contributor Mia, who has lived in the city for eight years, shares what makes autumn special to her. From the busy streets around St. Joseph's Cathedral and the Old Quarter to traditional food vendors and outdoor cafés, she introduces us to everyday life in Hanoi, including cốm, a seasonal green rice deeply connected to the city's autumn traditions.

By Mia - Local Contributor, Hanoi, Vietnam

I've been living in Hanoi for eight years, and autumn is one of the seasons I enjoy most. It's not simply about the weather becoming cooler or the leaves changing color. There are certain foods, familiar street scenes, and small traditions that I always associate with this time of year.

One of them is *cốm*, or young green rice, which has a special place in Hanoi's culture. But to me, experiencing Hanoi's autumn also means spending time in the Old Quarter, seeing the street vendors, and enjoying the everyday atmosphere around the city.

Video: Explore autumn in Hanoi with local contributor Mia, from St. Joseph's Cathedral and street cafés to traditional vendors selling cốm, the city's seasonal green rice.

An Autumn Morning at St. Joseph's Cathedral

St. Joseph's Cathedral is one of the most recognizable places in central Hanoi. Even on an ordinary morning, the surrounding area attracts plenty of visitors.

During my recent walk, it was around 11 AM, and the square was already crowded. People were taking photographs, walking between the nearby shops, and spending time at cafés.

I've visited the cathedral during a religious service before. It was an interesting experience, and something different from seeing the building only from outside. Services take place in the morning and evening, although visitors should check the current schedule if they want to attend.

The cathedral is also a convenient starting point for exploring the Old Quarter. Around here, you can find cafés, small shops, and vendors selling traditional food, all within a short walk of each other.

St. Joseph's Cathedral, known for its twin bell towers and Gothic architecture, is a popular landmark in Hanoi's Old Quarter.
St. Joseph's Cathedral, known for its twin bell towers and Gothic architecture, is a popular landmark in Hanoi's Old Quarter.
Locals and visitors enjoy drinks on small sidewalk stools, a familiar part of Hanoi's café culture near the cathedral.
Locals and visitors enjoy drinks on small sidewalk stools, a familiar part of Hanoi's café culture near the cathedral.
A traditional cyclo waits near St. Joseph's Cathedral, where motorcycles and three-wheeled taxis share the surrounding streets.
A traditional cyclo waits near St. Joseph's Cathedral, where motorcycles and three-wheeled taxis share the surrounding streets.
Public rental bicycles line a shaded sidewalk, offering another way to explore Hanoi's central streets.
Public rental bicycles line a shaded sidewalk, offering another way to explore Hanoi's central streets.

Cốm: Hanoi's Autumn Flavor

For many people in Hanoi, autumn is closely connected with *cốm*, a traditional food made from young rice harvested before the grains fully ripen.

The rice is roasted and pounded into soft, green flakes with a light aroma and slightly chewy texture. The tradition is particularly associated with Vòng Village in Hanoi.

I still remember studying cốm in our seventh-grade Vietnamese literature lessons. It was described as representing the soul of Hanoi's autumn cuisine. It's one of those foods that carries cultural meaning beyond its taste.

There are several ways to enjoy it. Plain cốm has a gentle rice flavor, while *xôi cốm* combines green rice with mung beans, lotus seeds, and shredded coconut. The result is soft, slightly chewy, and mildly sweet.

Another popular treat is *bánh cốm*, a green cake with a sweet mung bean filling. Different varieties are sold at local stalls, sometimes with coconut or served alongside coconut milk.

During my walk, I bought a portion of xôi cốm for 50,000 Vietnamese dong. I particularly enjoy its gentle sweetness and the combination of rice, coconut, and mung beans.

Cốm is also a popular gift for family and friends. Fresh varieties are best eaten soon after buying, while packaged cakes are more convenient to take home.

A street vendor's cart displays fresh cốm, leaf-wrapped parcels, and traditional rice cakes that are especially popular in autumn.
A street vendor's cart displays fresh cốm, leaf-wrapped parcels, and traditional rice cakes that are especially popular in autumn.
Bánh cốm, traditional green rice cakes with sweet fillings, packaged as treats to enjoy or bring home as gifts.
Bánh cốm, traditional green rice cakes with sweet fillings, packaged as treats to enjoy or bring home as gifts.
A vendor prepares xôi cốm with young green rice, lotus seeds, and shredded coconut, served on a large green leaf.
A vendor prepares xôi cốm with young green rice, lotus seeds, and shredded coconut, served on a large green leaf.
Cốm-based rice cakes wrapped in leaves and served with coconut milk, one of several ways to enjoy Hanoi's seasonal green rice.
Cốm-based rice cakes wrapped in leaves and served with coconut milk, one of several ways to enjoy Hanoi's seasonal green rice.

The Women Selling Food on Hanoi's Streets

Street vendors are a familiar part of life in Hanoi, especially in areas such as the Old Quarter.

Some women carry their products using a *đòn gánh*, a traditional shoulder pole with baskets hanging from either end. Others arrange their food on small portable stalls, selling everything from seasonal rice cakes to everyday snacks.

During autumn, these vendors are often where people buy cốm. I enjoy seeing the different foods they prepare and talking with them about what they're selling.

However, street vending has been changing. Regulations on sidewalk selling have become stricter in some areas of Hanoi, and vendors sometimes need to move their goods when the police arrive.

During my recent visit, there seemed to be fewer cốm vendors around the cathedral than I would normally expect.

These sellers are part of the everyday street scenes I associate with Hanoi. They offer traditional foods without the setting of a restaurant, and buying from them often means having a short conversation or learning about something unfamiliar.

A Hanoi street vendor wraps freshly prepared xôi cốm in a large green leaf, a traditional way of serving the seasonal rice dish.
A Hanoi street vendor wraps freshly prepared xôi cốm in a large green leaf, a traditional way of serving the seasonal rice dish.
A woman sells traditional snacks from baskets carried on a đòn gánh, the shoulder pole still used by Hanoi's street vendors.
A woman sells traditional snacks from baskets carried on a đòn gánh, the shoulder pole still used by Hanoi's street vendors.
A vendor prepares leaf-wrapped cốm beside a shop advertising Làng Vòng green rice, a specialty closely tied to Hanoi's autumn.
A vendor prepares leaf-wrapped cốm beside a shop advertising Làng Vòng green rice, a specialty closely tied to Hanoi's autumn.

Coffee and Daily Life Around the Old Quarter

Another familiar part of Hanoi is its coffee culture.

Around St. Joseph's Cathedral and the surrounding streets, you'll find people sitting outside cafés, enjoying drinks, and watching the activity around them.

I passed a café I had tried before during my walk. I like this kind of atmosphere, where people can spend time outside without needing a particular activity or destination.

The Old Quarter is busy with visitors, but ordinary routines continue around them. People shop, meet friends, buy food from vendors, and stop for coffee.

For someone visiting Hanoi for the first time, it's easy to spend most of the day going from one famous attraction to another. But I think walking around the neighborhood and observing these everyday activities can be just as interesting.

A leafy corner café in Hanoi's Old Quarter, where outdoor seating and parked motorbikes are part of everyday street life.
A leafy corner café in Hanoi's Old Quarter, where outdoor seating and parked motorbikes are part of everyday street life.
A woman sells seasonal cốm from traditional shoulder baskets on Lý Quốc Sư Street, near St. Joseph's Cathedral.
A woman sells seasonal cốm from traditional shoulder baskets on Lý Quốc Sư Street, near St. Joseph's Cathedral.
A small bánh mì stall serves Vietnam's familiar street sandwiches, an everyday food found throughout Hanoi's Old Quarter.
A small bánh mì stall serves Vietnam's familiar street sandwiches, an everyday food found throughout Hanoi's Old Quarter.
Lý Triều Quốc Sư Pagoda, a Buddhist temple whose traditional architecture stands alongside the busy streets of central Hanoi.
Lý Triều Quốc Sư Pagoda, a Buddhist temple whose traditional architecture stands alongside the busy streets of central Hanoi.

What Autumn Means to Me After Eight Years in Hanoi

After eight years of living here, I still enjoy the small details that make Hanoi familiar.

Autumn reminds me of the green rice sold along the streets, the traditional foods I learned about in school, and the vendors who prepare them.

These aren't necessarily things that visitors will notice during a short trip. Some seasonal foods are easy to overlook if you don't know what they are, and many small stalls don't stand out among the cafés and shops.

If you visit Hanoi in autumn, I'd recommend spending some time around St. Joseph's Cathedral and the Old Quarter. Walk through the streets, stop at a local café, and look for vendors selling traditional snacks.

For me, introducing someone to cốm is also a way of sharing the Hanoi I've come to know over the years.

A small neighborhood grocery sits between a clothing shop and a modern bistro on Nhà Chung Street, showing Hanoi's mix of old and new.
A small neighborhood grocery sits between a clothing shop and a modern bistro on Nhà Chung Street, showing Hanoi's mix of old and new.
A small white dog rests outside a souvenir shop selling postcards and artwork, a quiet moment on a busy Hanoi sidewalk.
A small white dog rests outside a souvenir shop selling postcards and artwork, a quiet moment on a busy Hanoi sidewalk.
Cafés, small shops, and parked motorbikes share the streets of Hanoi's Old Quarter, where daily life continues around visitors.
Cafés, small shops, and parked motorbikes share the streets of Hanoi's Old Quarter, where daily life continues around visitors.
A tree-lined Hanoi street decorated with Vietnamese flags, capturing the greenery and atmosphere of the city in autumn.
A tree-lined Hanoi street decorated with Vietnamese flags, capturing the greenery and atmosphere of the city in autumn.

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Images in this Story

  • Vietnamese national flags line a leafy walkway in Hanoi, with an outdoor photo exhibition among the trees.
  • St. Joseph's Cathedral, known for its twin bell towers and Gothic architecture, is a popular landmark in Hanoi's Old Quarter.
  • Locals and visitors enjoy drinks on small sidewalk stools, a familiar part of Hanoi's café culture near the cathedral.
  • A traditional cyclo waits near St. Joseph's Cathedral, where motorcycles and three-wheeled taxis share the surrounding streets.
  • Public rental bicycles line a shaded sidewalk, offering another way to explore Hanoi's central streets.
  • A street vendor's cart displays fresh cốm, leaf-wrapped parcels, and traditional rice cakes that are especially popular in autumn.
  • Bánh cốm, traditional green rice cakes with sweet fillings, packaged as treats to enjoy or bring home as gifts.
  • A vendor prepares xôi cốm with young green rice, lotus seeds, and shredded coconut, served on a large green leaf.
  • Cốm-based rice cakes wrapped in leaves and served with coconut milk, one of several ways to enjoy Hanoi's seasonal green rice.
  • A Hanoi street vendor wraps freshly prepared xôi cốm in a large green leaf, a traditional way of serving the seasonal rice dish.
  • A woman sells traditional snacks from baskets carried on a đòn gánh, the shoulder pole still used by Hanoi's street vendors.
  • A vendor prepares leaf-wrapped cốm beside a shop advertising Làng Vòng green rice, a specialty closely tied to Hanoi's autumn.
  • A leafy corner café in Hanoi's Old Quarter, where outdoor seating and parked motorbikes are part of everyday street life.
  • A woman sells seasonal cốm from traditional shoulder baskets on Lý Quốc Sư Street, near St. Joseph's Cathedral.
  • A small bánh mì stall serves Vietnam's familiar street sandwiches, an everyday food found throughout Hanoi's Old Quarter.
  • Lý Triều Quốc Sư Pagoda, a Buddhist temple whose traditional architecture stands alongside the busy streets of central Hanoi.
  • A small neighborhood grocery sits between a clothing shop and a modern bistro on Nhà Chung Street, showing Hanoi's mix of old and new.
  • A small white dog rests outside a souvenir shop selling postcards and artwork, a quiet moment on a busy Hanoi sidewalk.
  • Cafés, small shops, and parked motorbikes share the streets of Hanoi's Old Quarter, where daily life continues around visitors.
  • A tree-lined Hanoi street decorated with Vietnamese flags, capturing the greenery and atmosphere of the city in autumn.

Videos in this Story