Hidden behind a modest sign in the old Hai Bà Trưng District, Chay Delek surprises with its café‑like charm and inventive vegetarian menu. From crispy 'nem' to a sweet potato pie that defies expectations, the restaurant reimagines meat‑free cuisine as contemporary, approachable and full of flavour.

by Thúy Hằng

I must have driven past Chay Delek in the old Hai Bà Trưng District dozens of times without ever realising it was an eatery – let alone a vegetarian one – until a friend invited me there for lunch. Even as I parked my motorbike outside, I hardly imagined it was a vegetarian place, save for the modest sign above the doorway that read Chay Delek (Delek Vegetarian).

Unlike most vegetarian restaurants in Hà Nội, which often feature décor and colours evoking Buddhist imagery, Chay Delek presents a strikingly different face. Its raw brick façade and sweeping arched windows give it the feel of a modern café, the sort of place where young people might gather. The design itself seems to whisper that vegetarian dining can be part of everyday life, not only tied to religious practice.

Pushing open the door, I noticed the bronze words "Tashi Delek" on the floor and wondered about their meaning. A staff member quickly explained that it is a traditional Tibetan phrase meaning “blessings” or “good luck”. Every guest, he said, is warmly welcomed at Delek.

The venue isn’t large, yet every wall is adorned with paintings from the owner’s private collection, including works by the celebrated Vietnamese painter Thành Chương, which inevitably draw the gaze of every guest. As a flower lover, I was equally struck by a large vase of the dramatic Heliconia chartacea "Sexy Pink", its pendulous blooms rising gracefully from the bar counter.

On the second floor, where our table was set, the space felt calm and understated. The décor was minimalist – just two carefully chosen paintings and a few simple wall ornaments. Sitting by the windows, we looked out onto a canopy of green leaves, with the quiet street unfolding gently below.

Guests can choose between two set options: a five‑course set priced at VNĐ340,000++ or a six‑course set at VNĐ390,000++. Each guest selects from a menu of about 20 items, including desserts.

Personally, I find this concise menu refreshing. I dislike diving into a thick menu with hundreds of dishes, where it’s easy to lose track of what I truly want after being tempted by yet another tasty‑sounding option.

For beverages, the menu offers a selection of hot and cold‑brew teas (VNĐ65,000-160,000), ranging from Herbal White Tea and Tieguanyin to Honey Ylang‑Ylang Flower Tea and Fragrant Lemon Jasmine Tea.

Our lunch began with a green salad of kale, cherry tomatoes, black olives, walnuts and passion fruit sauce. Though simple, the dish impressed me with the freshness of its ingredients, the brightness of its flavours and the sharp balance between sweet and sour.

It also brought back a memory of a summer visit to Toronto Island years ago, when I struggled through a plate of tough kale salad lacking dressing – hard to chew and far less enjoyable than today’s vibrant version.

We couldn’t wait to sample the next dish – the deep‑fried nem – as soon as it was placed on the table. Dipping a piece into the sauce, I bit into its golden‑brown crispy shell. “Wow,” I burst out, as the rich, savoury aroma of mushroom enveloped me. Although the triangular shape resembled an Indian samosa, the filling retained a distinctly Vietnamese character with vermicelli, mushroom and taro.

The nem were so delicious that I decided to recreate them at home. By the time you read this, I have already made the dish twice in my own kitchen.

The main course, a multi-layered sweet potato pie, completely overcame my initial hesitation about using sweet potato in a savoury dish – an ingredient I had always thought belonged only in desserts. The European-style dish exuded the rich aroma of butter with a subtle hint of garlic and was served alongside a mushroom sauce.

The vinegar caviar pearls on top provided a refreshing counterpoint to the dish’s richness. Its delicate layers and balanced flavours proved that sweet potato can shine far beyond the realm of sweets.

Our meal continued with the Da Hong Pao tea hotpot (VNĐ690,000) – a broth simmered with assorted fruits to create a naturally delicate sweetness and, of course, infused with tea, true to its name. To catch the very subtle, almost fleeting hint of the tea’s gentle astringency, I recommend sipping a spoonful of the broth before tasting anything else.

The hotpot ingredients arrived on a generous platter featuring more than 10 varieties of vegetables, mushrooms, vegetarian dumplings, tofu and noodles. We enjoyed the flavourful hotpot with the same enthusiasm as the previous courses.

Chay Delek also offers a Tangerine Pu‑Erh tea hotpot, though I must admit I can hardly distinguish between the two types of tea once they are infused into the broth.

For dessert, we chose coconut ice cream and vegan sesame mousse. The ice cream had a smooth texture, rich creaminess and a pure, natural flavour. Even better, it came with tender young coconut pieces that added a delightful bite – because of this, I’m more than willing to give Delek an extra plus point.

The vegan sesame mousse had us nodding in satisfaction: smooth, creamy (we learned the cream was made from soy milk), and delicately balanced in sweetness.

From the first course to the last, it was hard to find a single detail to criticise. Even before leaving Chay Delek, I messaged my closest friends to share that I had discovered an excellent vegetarian restaurant and we quickly set a date to return together.

In a city where vegetarian food has long been tied to spirituality, Chay Delek reimagines it as contemporary, approachable and seamlessly woven into the rhythms of urban life. Each dish embodies the restaurant’s philosophy: vegetarian cuisine that nourishes while being crafted with artistry and care. — VNS

Chay Delek – Vegetarian Restaurant 

Address: 18 Hàn Thuyên Street, Cửa Nam Ward, Hà Nội

Tel: 058 228 6688

Comment: Fresh, delicious and creative dishes. The venue is ideal for small groups.