Experience the long-standing Hang Dieu sugarcane juice shop in the heart of the old town

1 Some details about Hang Dieu sugarcane juice shop

Address: 77 Hang Dieu, Hanoi

Opening hours: 9h00 – 23h00

Reference price: 15,000 – 30,000 VND/ly

In the middle of summer in Hanoi, everywhere you go you will see shops selling sugarcane juice. Just by running a few kilometers to work, I already see countless goods. However, people still say that if you want to drink delicious sugarcane juice in Hanoi, you must go to Hang Dieu.

The sugarcane juice shop is located right at the roundabout in front of Hang Da market, the exact address is 77 Hang Dieu. In the middle of a small street, there is a sugarcane juice shop that has become the memory of many people of the early 8x and 9x generations, recalling the cool and pleasant feeling of cups of sugarcane juice in the hot summer.

Among countless shops with shimmering lights offering a variety of dishes such as yogurt, lemon tea or milk tea, Hanoi’s Old Quarter still has a surprisingly simple sugarcane juice shop. The shop only sells take away, not elaborately decorated, but is always crowded with people coming to buy because this is one of the delicious and cheap drinks that is popular with all generations.

2 What’s special about 77 Hang Dieu sugarcane juice?

2.1 Small, simple space with many years of age

The shop was opened in 1990, which is almost the same age as the first 9x students. Since then, the restaurant has maintained its simplicity and is increasingly crowded. It’s called a shop, but in fact the area is very small, there are no tables or chairs, only a sugar cane press, a small table with cups, straws, kumquat baskets and cleaned sugar canes waiting to be pressed. Customers often buy take away or stand on the sidewalk looking for a cool corner to enjoy. Yet I don’t know why the restaurant is always busy. The reason is very simple.

2.2 Affordable price but taste makes connoisseurs fascinated

The sugarcane juice here is famous for being clean and fragrant. The process looks no different from other places: sugar cane is cleaned and pressed right before the customers’ eyes. But the finished product has a clear yellowish green color, without any residue. The color of sugarcane juice is very beautiful, not green like young sugarcane, nor dark yellow like old sugarcane, but is the characteristic color of carefully selected banh cane trees with a very beautiful yellow mixed with green.

A cup of iced sugarcane juice costs only about 15,000 – 20,000 VND, while sugarcane juice without ice costs from 20,000 – 30,000 VND. This price is not much different from other sugarcane juice shops in the city. But for those who are used to drinking, the deliciousness lies in the quality, not the price.

The taste of sugarcane juice here is moderately sweet, fragrant and delicate, with a gentle scent of green kumquat peel. Not sour, not dark, not bitter. Just the harmonious and naturally full flavor makes anyone who drinks it once want to come back.

2.3 The process of selling sugarcane juice is as fast as a machine

The sugarcane juice shop only has three waiters, which may not seem like a large number, but when there are many customers, everyone has to run continuously to serve them in time. What impresses customers the most is the way they coordinate smoothly as a closed chain. Someone presses the sugarcane, someone pours it into cups, someone prepares the bag and brings it out to the guests. It all happens so quickly that you just need to call from outside the door, sometimes without even getting out of the car, a few seconds later someone will bring a glass of water to your hand to collect money.

While still quickly moving her hands to work with her two assistants, Ms. Tuyet talked about the days when the shop first opened. At that time there were not many customers, each cup of sugarcane juice was only 1,000 VND. There are days when the weather changes, there are no customers, the sugar cane cannot be pressed completely, and the remaining water has to be thrown away unfortunately. About 15 years ago, the restaurant began to become known to many people and gradually had a stable number of regular customers.

From the day it opened until now, the shop has only served one type of drink, the traditional kumquat sugarcane juice. No adulteration, no elaborate processing, keeping the original taste because many older customers like the original flavor.

See more: List of famous delicious hot sweet soup shops in Hanoi

3 The secret to creating the unique flavor of Hang Dieu sugarcane juice

According to Ms. Tuyet, ingredients are the deciding factor. Sugarcane must be carefully selected, only fresh pieces of sugarcane are pressed. Kumquats used for mixing must be fresh and fragrant. Sugarcane juice needs to be drunk immediately after pressing to maintain the best quality; Just leave it for too long and the store will be ready to throw it away and not sell it to customers.

The biggest difference of the shop lies in the pressing machine. In the past, if you wanted a cup of sugarcane juice, you had to use human strength to squeeze it little by little. Now the machine has a supporting engine, but the machine model is still the old type, not the shiny modern type like many other places. Older machines have to be pressed many times to run out of water, but in return they are easy to clean and ensure cleanliness. Ms. Tuyet said that over the years she has persisted in using this type of machine even though it takes more effort, simply because she prioritizes cleanliness first.

Besides replacing the press, almost everything in the shop still retains its original appearance. The shop does not have tables or chairs, customers often stand outside to order the quantity and then wait for water. Holding a cool glass of sugar cane juice and finding a shady corner on the sidewalk to drink may be a bit inconvenient, but for many people, that simplicity is what makes them remember forever.

4 The hospitality and dedication of the restaurant

Many regular customers come to Hang Dieu sugarcane juice not only because of its deliciousness but also because of Ms. Tuyet’s warmth. She always considers guests as gods. Young people like to drink foamy sugarcane juice because it is both beautiful and delicious. She always pays attention to get it right. As for older guests who don’t like foam for fear of wasting water, she also remembers to adjust. Sometimes when a customer sits in the car and only orders one cup, she still brings it to the car with a cheerful smile. Selling sugarcane juice seems simple, but pleasing each person is a sophistication.

5 A simple but very Hanoi experience

In the middle of the summer sun, there is nothing better than stopping at Hang Dieu, buying a cup of sugarcane juice and then standing under the cool shade of a tree to enjoy the flavor of a long-standing tradition. Just a cup of sugarcane juice reminds me of childhood, of the simple beauty that every Hanoian has experienced.

On sunny afternoons or on a light windy afternoon, try visiting Hang Dieu, watching the “industrial chain” operating smoothly and tasting a cup of sugarcane juice that has been famous for many years in Hanoi. You will definitely find the trip memorable.

On a sunny afternoon or a windy afternoon, stopping at Hang Dieu and enjoying a cool cup of sugarcane juice is always an unforgettable experience. The traditional flavor, simplicity and love of the seller make this place a very small corner of Hanoi. If you have the opportunity to visit the old town, don’t forget to bring a light backpack containing a few essential items to comfortably walk and fully enjoy the flavor of Hang Dieu sugarcane juice that has been associated with many generations of Hanoi people.