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The Ultimate Guide to Hanoi’s Time-Honored Mid-Autumn Festival Mooncake Shops: 5 Buzzing Destinations That Will Leave You Queuing for More.

With their timeless traditional flavors, these time-honored mooncake shops remain perennial favorites among Hanoi locals during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Administrator

30 August, 2024

When it comes to traditional Mid-Autumn mooncake brands in Hanoi, one cannot miss Ba Phuong. During every Mid-Autumn Festival, people flock to line up from the early morning or find ways to get their hands on the authentic Ba Phuong mooncakes.

The Ba Phuong mooncake brand has stood the test of time, and the traditional flavors remain unchanged from ancient times. The traditional mooncakes with mixed fillings (watermelon seeds, Chinese sausage, meat, mung beans, adzuki beans, black beans, lotus seeds, coconut…) are wrapped in a layer of soft and fluffy dough, either baked or in the form of sticky rice pastry.

Ba Phuong mooncakes are committed to not using any preservatives or additives, and they are baked fresh daily with a best-before date of 5 days for sticky rice pastries and 10 days for baked mooncakes. To enjoy Ba Phuong mooncakes at their best, it is recommended to pair them with a warm cup of tea to balance the sweetness and create a more delightful dining experience.

Ba Phuong mooncakes come in beautifully designed boxes, making them an excellent choice for gift-giving to foreign partners, elderly relatives, distant family members in other provinces, and overseas Vietnamese returning to visit their homeland.

Ba Dan Mooncakes

Ba Dan mooncakes have a simple and modest name, but they are quite famous in Hanoi. In the past, Ba Dan only made baked and sticky rice mooncakes during the holidays for her family and loved ones. Later, her mooncakes gained recognition, and she was encouraged by her relatives and villagers to open a business. Thus, the Ba Dan mooncake brand was born and has become a well-known household name ever since.

Ba Dan’s shop offers a variety of baked and sticky rice mooncakes that are sought after by connoisseurs. You can find mixed filling baked mooncakes, mung bean baked mooncakes, mixed filling sticky rice mooncakes, mung bean sticky rice mooncakes, and even vegetarian options. Famous for 30 years in Hanoi, Ba Dan mooncakes are a long-standing brand that has preserved the traditional flavors in these reunion cakes.

Binh Chung Mooncakes

Binh Chung mooncakes are located in the Xuan Dinh area, known for its village of candy, cake, and biscuit makers in the capital. Despite the surrounding competition, Binh Chung remains the busiest shop in the area.

The mooncakes at Binh Chung are made in the traditional style, with the two best-selling flavors being mixed filling and mung bean. The mixed filling includes familiar ingredients such as Chinese sausage, fat, candied pork belly, shrimp, and watermelon seeds. Meanwhile, the mung bean filling is finely ground and enhanced with a touch of salted egg yolk, creating an exquisite taste.

Nowadays, Binh Chung also offers some new flavors like matcha, coconut milk, and crushed lotus seeds. The mooncakes are reasonably priced, ranging from 30,000 to 60,000 VND depending on the type.

Phuong Soat Mooncakes

For those living in the ancient quarters of Hanoi, the taste of mooncakes from the traditional Phuong Soat mooncake shop on Hang Chieu street is undoubtedly familiar. Being an old cake shop located in a small alley exuding ancient vibes, Phuong Soat mooncakes symbolize the quaint and endearing flavors of Hanoi.

To buy these mooncakes, customers have to navigate through the small alleys, but the shop still enjoys a bustling crowd and high demand every year. This goes to show the immense popularity of Phuong Soat mooncakes.

The mooncakes are handmade from the most basic ingredients, carefully crafted by skilled chefs to create an indescribably wonderful flavor. As the mooncakes are made on-site, customers can enjoy the sweet and fragrant aroma of freshly baked mooncakes. Each mooncake embodies love and sincerity. If your family truly appreciates the original flavors of traditional baked and sticky rice mooncakes, don’t miss out on this address!

Ninh Huong Mooncakes

Ninh Huong is also considered one of the best places to buy delicious mooncakes in Hanoi. Every year during the Mid-Autumn Festival, Hanoians eagerly look forward to buying mooncakes. Most customers who have purchased mooncakes here have given positive feedback: “Ninh Huong mooncakes truly embody the traditional flavors. The crust is fragrant, and the filling has a pleasant sweetness that is not too overwhelming, making it suitable for all ages.”

The Ninh Huong shop on Hang Dieu street is famous for its lotus seed candy, tea infused with lotus and jasmine, and during the eighth lunar month of each year, they also produce mooncakes that are loved by many.

Frequently asked questions

The Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional festival celebrated by Vietnamese people, especially in Hanoi, to honor the harvest season and worship the moon. It’s a time for family reunions, enjoying moon cakes, and admiring the full moon.

The festival is typically held on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, which usually falls in September or early October on the Gregorian calendar.

During the festival, people often buy and enjoy moon cakes, which are traditional pastries with a dense, sweet filling. Children also participate in lantern parades, lion dances, and folk games. It’s also common to see people releasing paper lanterns into the sky, symbolizing wishes and prayers.

There are several renowned shops in Hanoi known for their delicious moon cakes. Some popular destinations include Hong Lam, Dong Khanh, Nhu Lan, and Hai Ha. These shops offer a variety of traditional and innovative flavors, ensuring there’s something for every taste.

Yes, Hanoi truly comes alive during this festival. You can visit the Moon Cake Fair, which offers a wide range of moon cakes and other traditional delicacies. There are also cultural performances, exhibitions, and decorations all over the city, especially in the Old Quarter and around Hoan Kiem Lake.