(Photo: Dana)

Located on lesser-known Dong Thai Street in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, Dana Vegan House presents a space shaped by Vietnamese culinary and cultural influences. Owner Vu Thi Thu Huyen welcomed us into her restaurant’s warm, intimate space.

“Most vegetarian restaurants in Hanoi are influenced by Buddhism. But I wanted to open a vegetarian restaurant where vegetarianism is not religious, but cultural, a way of life,” said Huyen.

Rice – the root of Vietnamese culture

The idea for Dana Vegan House began with a simple yet deeply familiar image: a grain of rice. When she rented the house, Huyen discovered an old rice market nearby. To Vietnamese people a grain of rice symbolizes diligence and nurturing. It takes three months to grow and is the result of care and diligent service. The name ‘Dana’ reflects this symbolism.

Huyen told VOV, “Dana is a Sanskrit word meaning generosity or giving. In a family, it’s the woman, the mother, who gives the most. A mother, a woman, or a rice grain share the same essence. In the West you say ‘have a meal’. In Vietnam we say ‘an com’ (eat rice) even when eating noodles.”

Rice-sheaf lamps (L) and sinking grain shaped backrests (Photo: Dana)

Northern Vietnamese architecture in the heart of Hanoi

Entering Dana Vegan House is like stepping back into the ancient Thang Long capital. The first floor resembles an old rice granary, with displays of grains and traditional tools. The second floor is reconstructed from a century-old wooden house. The furniture downstairs resembles floating rice grains; upstairs it resembles sinking grains, symbolizing yin and yang.

Interior touches include rice-sheaf lamps, rice-sack lanterns, and loong lua - rice holders of the Tay people. Every detail refers to rice, the soul of the restaurant.

The Tan Minh perilla rolls (L) and mushrooms braised with pepper are favorite dishes at Dana. (Photo: Dana)

A map of Vietnamese vegan cuisine

Dana’s kitchen feels like a small laboratory of Vietnamese flavors and each dish is tied to a place and a story.

“My menu is like a map of Vietnamese vegan cuisine. Each dish comes from a different region, with different ingredients, cooking methods, and cultural story,” said Huyen.

The Tan Minh perilla rolls, for example, Huyen said, are inspired by Hanoi’s Tan Minh village, famous for herbs, especially perilla leaves, while the salt-roasted Chau Thanh mushrooms recall the first oyster mushroom-growing village in central Vietnam. I refine classic recipes rather than invent new ones, making them suit today’s palate. The recipes are from our grandmothers, mothers, and the Vietnamese people.”

Huyen summarizes her cooking philosophy with a simple formula: “local upgrade and global update.”

“60% to 80% of my dishes preserve an authentic Vietnamese character; the rest bring in global finesse. For instance, everyone knows curry, but here it’s gnocchi curry, combining Vietnamese curry with Italian potato dumplings.”

Dana is designed with high stools and warm lighting to make “eating vegan feel as trendy as going for coffee.”(Photo: Dana)

Vegan eating as part of a youthful and stylish lifestyle

Dana Vegan House aims to connect with young people seeking balance in modern life: heathy but still trendy, Huyen told us.

“For me being vegetarian doesn’t mean giving up anything. It simply means not eating meat, but my life can still be stylish, still wonderful. I’m aiming at young people,” she said.

Huyen designed Dana with high stools, warm lighting, and soft music to make “eating vegan feel as trendy as going for coffee.”

For many diners, the charm goes far beyond the menu as 12th grader Nguyen Bao A said, “I don’t really pay attention to whether a dish is vegetarian or not. It’s freshness and a harmony of flavors that make me want to come back. This space is as cozy as home, with a nostalgic touch.”

Or Bao An’s older brother Nguyen Anh Quoc, a 10th grader, said, “My favorite is the mushrooms braised with pepper, which is rich and pleasantly spicy. The restaurant is peaceful and nostalgic, which suits my taste.”

For long-time customer Ngo Thi Mai Giang, Dana is a place to find calm. “When I step in here, everything feels perfect, from the small details to the overall layout. The space is soothing and serene, like returning to old Hanoi. The food is simple, pure, and not heavy on additives.”

Rice-sack lanterns (Photo: Dana)

In the warm glow of inverted rice-sheaf lamps and the aroma of mushrooms and passion fruit, Dana Vegan House brings food, architecture, and culture into harmony, like an orchestra playing a symphony of sharing, calm, and creativity.