Hanoi Local Craft Beer (Báo Khánh)

Wedged onto a corner at No. 2 Báo Khánh, just off Hoàn Kiếm Lake, Hanoi Local Craft Beer keeps things simple: a wall of taps behind a tiny counter, a handful of plastic stools spilling onto the sidewalk, and a rotating list of local craft beer poured under its own "Old Quarter Beer" signage. The bar's own site sells it on fresh draught beer with a traditional taste rather than on long tasting notes, which suits the setting.

It's more about the scene than the seating. Regulars and passing tourists share tables under string lights, and the bar points to the live music that often plays on the lakeside walking street nearby, especially at weekends when the streets around the lake close to traffic.

There is food to go with the beer, including vegetarian dishes, but this is a drinking stop rather than a dinner venue. Free wifi, a daily happy hour with promotional pricing, and an easygoing, no-frills vibe make it a natural stop while working through the Old Quarter's beer street.

Báo Khánh is a short lane on the north-west side of the lake, a few minutes' walk from St Joseph's Cathedral and the Old Quarter, so it is easy to fold into an evening on foot. Good for a quick pint rather than a long sit-down session.