May Taste

Cute little local place with friendly service. Vegetarian section on the menu. Had extensive dialogue in english (and with Google Translate) about vegan diet and all the things I didn't eat. On querying about ingredients, there was only three vegan options:
1/ rice paper rolls (which by default came with fish-based dipping sauce which I had to ask to be substituted!)
2/ Aubergine/eggplant cooked with curry sauce
3/ Inflated Fried Pho with vegetables dish.
After my vegan dialogue and my starter of rice paper rolls with fish-based dipping sauce was delivered, I remained anxious about their comprehension of vegan for the rest of the meal.

We fell in love with this restaurant and with chef and owner Huong (known as May) while visiting Hanoi! We loved it so much we went three times over the course of six days.

Our favorite dishes were the extra spicy mushroom and tofu and the secret garden of eggplant (eggplant and tomatoes stuffed with a mixture of fresh tofu, cinnamon, sesame seeds, and nuts). It was all so delicious, though!

While not 100% vegetarian, there is a separate vegetarian menu. May speaks wonderful English and is very friendly and conversational, so you can also ask any questions you have about any of the dishes. She exudes friendliness, warmth, and positivity! She's humble and gracious!!

May told us that the tofu is made fresh every morning, and that most of the ingredients come from her organic farm down the street (you can walk by it on your way there--you'll see a sign)!

May told us her heart and her head are in the kitchen!

We can't recommend this place enough.

Tired of street food? Looking for authenticity? May Taste is Hanoi's hidden gem. Really! It's that good. The vegetarian/vegan menu is loaded with fresh options. The flavors are amazing and the owner of this establishment is about the nicest person you will every meet. If you live in Hanoi and don't know about May Taste, what are you waiting for. If you are visiting Hanoi, May Taste should be on your list of places to eat. I wanted to give this place 5 cows, but Happy Cow denied me that option. So, my four cows is really 5 cows!!!

The chef is very young.their foods are very delicious.

By far the best Vietnamese restaurant I've eaten at in Hanoi. Very friendly staff, passionate owner who makes all the meals which are distinctly flavorful and delicious. The menu has an extensive vegetarian selection. The dishes reflect the flavors of both Northern and Southern Vietnam with very affordable prices.