# Nem rán: Hanoi's crispy fried spring rolls

> Nem rán are Hanoi’s crispy fried spring rolls: rice paper wrapped around minced pork, wood ear mushroom, glass noodles, egg and vegetables, fried until golden. You eat them with herbs, rice noodles and sweet-sour fish sauce. A plate usually costs 30,000–60,000 VND. Order with “Cho tôi một đĩa nem rán”.

- URL: https://eatgreenvietnam.com/guides/nem-ran-hanoi
- Region: North Vietnam · City: Hanoi
- Published: 2026-09-29 · Last updated: 2026-09-30
- By: the Eat Green Vietnam team (https://eatgreenvietnam.com/about)

In the south they’re called chả giò. In Hanoi they’re nem rán – and they turn up at every family party and festival.

## At a glance

- **What it is:** Rice paper rolls filled with pork, wood ear mushroom, glass noodles, carrot and egg, deep-fried until crisp.
- **Where:** Everywhere in Hanoi – as a side with bún chả, at bún đậu stalls and in family restaurants.
- **Typical price:** Around 30,000–60,000 VND a plate; often added to another dish for a little extra.
- **Eat green:** Wrap them in lettuce and herbs at the table instead of taking them away in a foam box.

## How to order

> “Cho tôi một đĩa nem rán.”

One plate of fried spring rolls. At a bún chả shop, just say **thêm nem** to add some to your order.

## How to eat it

Cut the roll with scissors (many shops give you a pair), wrap a piece in lettuce with mint and perilla, and dip it in the sweet-sour fish sauce. Or eat it with a bowl of rice noodles.

## North vs South

Northern nem rán are usually shorter and often made with thin rice paper that blisters as it fries. Southern chả giò can be longer, and some use a wrapper that gives a bubbly crunch. Hải Phòng is famous for square crab rolls, nem cua bể.

## Questions travellers ask

### What is the difference between nem rán and chả giò?

They are the same idea – fried spring rolls. Nem rán is the northern name, chả giò the southern one, and fillings vary by family.

### How much are nem rán?

Around 30,000–60,000 VND a plate at local restaurants.

### Are nem rán the same as fresh spring rolls?

No. Fresh rolls (gỏi cuốn) are not fried and are eaten cold with herbs and shrimp.

### Are there vegetarian nem rán?

Yes. Vegetarian restaurants make nem chay with tofu, mushroom and vegetables.

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Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0) – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vietnamese_fried_spring_rolls_in_Ho_Chi_Minh_City,_Vietnam.jpg
Source: Eat Green Vietnam, https://eatgreenvietnam.com/guides/nem-ran-hanoi. Prices are typical ranges and change often. You may quote and summarise with attribution and a link to the original page.