“You haven’t truly known Hanoi until you’ve tasted Kem Tràng Tiền.”
It may sound like a joke but behind that saying lies a quiet pride.
For generations, it’s been passed down like a piece of folklore:
from the days when parents took their children for evening walks around Hoàn Kiếm Lake, to autumn dates in the Old Quarter under rows of golden leaves.
For Hanoians, Kem Tràng Tiền is more than a dessert, it’s a taste of memory, a cultural symbol deeply rooted in the city’s heart.
A Scoop of Nostalgia
🍦 “Kem Tràng Tiền isn’t just a treat , it’s the flavor of childhood.”
Summer afternoons, sunlight spilling over the sidewalks, the familiar melody echoing from the ice cream shop, and the long line of people waiting patiently. Together they form an image uniquely Hanoi: a modern city that still preserves the charm of its past.
Over Half a Century of Preserving “the Soul of Vietnamese Ice Cream”
🕰️ Founded in 1958 and named after the street where it began, Tràng Tiền Street, Hoàn Kiếm District - the first shop at No. 35 Tràng Tiền became a beloved landmark.
Each bar of ice cream passed from hand to hand carried a simple joy that defined an era. From 1961 to 1993, the keeper of the original recipe was Mr. Khánh, a true artisan. After just one month of training in a state-run culinary class, he somehow captured the delicate palate of Hanoians:
Not too sweet.Not too hard.The young-green-rice flavor should be gentle.The chocolate - slightly bitter.The milk - soft and mellow on the tongue.
Even when ingredients were scarce - old rice, rationed sugar - he found ways to keep the flavor pure. That dedication gave birth to a legacy: ice cream that tastes good because it’s simple.
Tradition in a Modern Form
🌿 Through more than 60 years, Kem Tràng Tiền has kept its traditional recipes while constantly renewing the customer experience.
From familiar classics like green rice, mung bean, and coconut, the brand has introduced new creations:
• Mochi ice cream - blending Japanese finesse with Vietnamese flavor.
• Milk tea ice cream - where tradition meets modern taste.
• Tràng Tiền souvenirs - like bánh phu thê and bánh cốm, reimagined as elegant gifts from Hanoi.
And whether you’re a true Hanoian or a visitor from afar, once you hold that cold, sweet bar on Tràng Tiền Street, you’ll feel Hanoi right at your fingertips.
More Than a Taste - A Living Heritage
Kem Tràng Tiền isn’t just food; it’s a piece of Hanoi’s soul - preserving old flavors in the rhythm of modern life.
People don’t come here only to cool down on a hot day.
They come to rediscover something familiar: the sweetness that mingles with laughter, with lake breezes, with the heartbeat of the Old Quarter.
“Some say playfully:Without tasting Kem Tràng Tiền,you can’t call yourself a true Hanoian.But for many - that’s no joke, it’s the truth.”
From Hanoi to Saigon, A Journey of Flavor
Now, in the heart of bustling Saigon, that same flavor has found a new home
where heritage meets contemporary life.
The store’s space carries the essence of old Hanoi: raw brick walls, warm yellow light, a faint scent of cốm (young rice)
yet harmonizes beautifully with Saigon’s youthful, modern energy.
💚 A Touch of Hanoi in Every Bite
Here, you can revisit the beloved flavors that have endured for over half a century:
- Fragrant green rice ice cream, gentle as an autumn day in Hanoi.
- Cacao - bittersweet and bold.
- Coconut, milk, and vanilla - sweet enough to remember, never to tire of.
- And new delights - mochi and milk tea ice creams - familiar yet refreshingly new.
Each bar is a slice of memory, each flavor a story retold
the story of Hanoian simplicity made delicious.
A Living Heritage in the Heart of Saigon
More than an ice cream shop, Kem Tràng Tiền Saigon is a small pause amid the city’s rush; a place to unwind after work or study, to recharge with something sweet, or simply to find a moment of calm in the lively streets.
Every corner breathes Hanoi’s rustic warmth, intertwined with the creativity of today; so no matter where you come from, you’ll feel a sense of home.
❤️ For Hanoians Away from Home and Southerners Who Love the North
For Hanoians living in the South, Kem Tràng Tiền is a tiny homecoming.
For Saigon locals, it’s a way to experience the soul of Hanoi - refined, classic, yet full of life.
Because heritage isn’t meant to be kept behind glass.
It’s meant to be lived - in every flavor, every space, and every shared moment.
📍 Visit us on Nguyễn Tri Phương (former District 5, Saigon)
and continue this sweet journey
where the taste of Hanoi
meets the heart of Saigon.
