Chan Cam eel vermicelli initially was just a small street vendor stall built by Ms. Vu Thi Lan in 1987. Nearly 40 years of persistence with a dish that seems rustic, today, this place is not only a dining address for Hanoians but also attracts a large number of domestic and foreign tourists.
According to the Michelin Guide, this is one of the prominent eateries in the Old Quarter with a diverse menu from eel vermicelli, mixed eel vermicelli, stir-fried eel vermicelli to eel porridge, eel spring rolls and eel salad dishes.
Located on Chan Cam street, one of the famous culinary streets of Hanoi, the restaurant must serve a group of customers who are considered quite gourmet and strict. Therefore, according to Ms. Lan, the quality of ingredients is always put first.
Eel is carefully selected and processed when fresh to maintain its natural sweetness. The vermicelli used is a type of dong vermicelli with moderate chewiness, not mushy or mushy during processing. From these familiar ingredients, the restaurant creates many dishes with their own flavors.
“The secret to the characteristic flavor of Chan Cam eel vermicelli is the broth created by myself, concentrated from eel bones and eel blood. Even, the restaurant also serves bottles of thick broth for foreign tourists to buy dried eel or broth to take away while still ensuring the original flavor,” Ms. Lan shared.
In the restaurant's menu, mixed eel vermicelli is one of the dishes chosen by many diners. Chewy and soft vermicelli noodles blended with rich sauce, combined with bean sprouts, herbs and fried onions create a balanced flavor. Meanwhile, stir-fried eel vermicelli is attractive because of the aroma of crispy fried eel, firm vermicelli noodles and the characteristic aroma of Vietnamese coriander. This is also a popular way to enjoy eel vermicelli of Nghe An people, the hometown of this dish.
Currently, the restaurant's menu price ranges from 25,000 to 70,000 VND per dish, including eel vermicelli, eel porridge, eel soup and side dishes. Although the cost of ingredients, electricity, water and many operating expenses have increased over time, Ms. Lan said that the restaurant still tries to maintain an appropriate price to serve customers.
Currently, all essential costs are priced up, from vegetables, meat to gas, electricity, water are all priced up, not to mention that each bowl of eel vermicelli must deduct tax money. However, I do not price food, taking labor as profit," Ms. Lan said.
The restaurant space currently consists of two floors with about 10 dining tables, enough to serve both individual customers and family groups. During peak hours of noon and evening, the restaurant is usually fully booked.
As a regular customer of the restaurant for many years, Ms. Huyen said that what made her return is not only the convenience of the location but also the stable maintenance of the food quality.
I have been eating at the restaurant for a long time, partly because it is convenient, but mainly because I love the flavor of the food. Especially stir-fried eel vermicelli, the vermicelli strands are chewy and soft without sticking, the eel meat is rich, very suitable for eating in the summer," she shared.
In 2025, Chan Cam eel vermicelli was first honored by the Michelin Guide in the Bib Gourmand category - a list honoring food establishments with good quality and reasonable prices. The restaurant continues to maintain this title in 2026, becoming one of the two eel vermicelli restaurants in Hanoi to be included in the Bib Gourmand list.
After being honored, Ms. Lan's eatery also became more and more crowded. She said that in peak periods, she sold 300 bowls per day.
Not only regular customers, but more and more tourists come to the restaurant after reading the suggestions from the Michelin Guide. Although the number of customers has increased significantly, Ms. Lan said that the restaurant still maintains the old way of doing things, from choosing eels to cooking broth. According to her, that is the way for diners who have eaten many years ago to still find familiar flavors when returning.
