For atmosphere and decor alone, the Emperor is Hanoi’s address of note. A beautiful restored colonial that stands sentinel at the busy street-side entrance is the fine-dining area, posh and elegant. But this elegance, a bit stiff really, gives way to an interior courtyard and a laid-back, classy, open-air dining spot -- a little inner-city oasis.

One of the main attractions around Hoan Kiem Lake (for me) is Fanny’s Ice Cream on the west side of the lake. They serve exquisite gelato-style ice cream.

The Garden Restaurant is a low-luxe, authentic Vietnamese restaurant that attracts a few tourists (and small tour groups) in the know. With cool courtyard seating and cozy inside dining, this is a good place to try real Hanoi cuisine -- stir-fries and roast dishes, as well as curries and specialties like whole fried river fish or drunken shrimp,

Highland’s is the local version of Starbucks -- a popular place to beat the heat and have a good, strong cup of coffee. The best location is lakeside on the sixth floor of the massive wedge-shaped building that overlooks a busy traffic circle and the north end of the lake (Hoan Kiem Terrace, sixth floor

Do a good deed, enjoy a great feed. You’ll find lots of good French and Vietnamese dishes at this popular cafe in the south end of town. Started in 1995, Hoa Sua is also an NGO and training school for disadvantaged youth, and it now boasts over 1,700 graduates who have gone on to all kinds of careers.

Set in a striking restored colonial, this place is a longtime tourist favorite with good Vietnamese cuisine tempered for foreign palates. Indochine fills with tour groups at lunchtime, which can be a bit much, bringing a rise in the noise level and a drop in service quality.

Originator of many of Hanoi’s popular restaurants (the good pizza at Pepperoni’s and the familiar Western grub at Al Fredo’s), Jacc’s friendly Australian proprietor has hung his hat at this popular expat restaurant. Set on the fourth floor of Hanoi Towers, a popular executive service building and apartment block, Jacc’s is a busy bar

Why not put your ice-cream money to work for a good cause? KOTO is an acronym for Know One Teach One and, like Hoa Sua, the cafe is just one arm of a grass-roots humanitarian program to train Hanoi kids in the service industry. Graduates from KOTO move on to prestigious jobs in Vietnam’s growing tourism industry.

Sandwiches, pasta, and good seafood -- all with a French flare -- are served in this laid-back cafe with high brick walls surrounding rattan chairs and couches. Get out of the day’s heat and enjoy a cool repast here. You’ll get a good view of daily life at Hanoi’s hippest little enclave of shops and cafes near the church. Welcome to La Brique Café!

Tucked in a quiet alleyway just off the square out in front of St. Joseph’s Cathedral (Nha Tho), La Place is a lounge cafe with good coffees, mellow music, great breakfasts, and desserts. Welcome to La Place Café & Restaurant Hanoi!

After strolling around Hoan Kiem Lake, stop off at its northwest end for a drink or a bite at this friendly bistro-style eatery, run by French expats and open all day. Spacious, with tiled floors and shuttered windows looking into the narrow Old Quarter street below, the cafe has casual rattan furniture and a long

Little Brussels is just that, a home away from home for Belgian and French expats. The open-air restaurant’s two stories are just off of Ba Trieu in the south end of town, and the building is tucked back away from the main street to slightly deaden the many beep-beeps.

Good affordable traditional Vietnamese fare is served from this long-popular shop down a small alley in the north end of the Old Quarter. Around the corner are lots of street stalls serving bia hoi, a locally brewed lager beer that costs just pennies a glass.

Just north of the lake, this local-style fast-food joint has a basic but tidy bamboo-and-wood decor. Overlooking the busy street, it’s a good place for breakfast and to watch the world go by on roaring motorbikes. A limited menu offers local favorites like banana flower salad and noodle

It’s all about pizza here, and it’s good stuff, popular with Hanoi expats and families. In a laid-back little courtyard, connected to a popular wine bar out front, Luna d’ Autuno is just the ticket for a casual meal and beers after work, a treat for the kids, or a casual night out. The portions are big, and all ingredients are good and fresh.

A tasty but typical range of northern Italian fare is served at this mellow street-side cafe on Nha Tho, Hanoi’s stylish cafe area (called Church St.). Prosciutto with melon and tomato and mozzarella are good starters. Follow with homemade pasta, a grilled dish, or pizza.

Just across from the Moca on Hanoi’s tranquil and chic little Church Street, you’ll find this well-liked air-conditioned storefront that serves good pastry, breads, and deli sandwiches, plus all the coffee and cool fruit drinks you’ll need to wash it down.

Pepperoni’s serves tasty and delicious comfort food in the popular Bao Khanh Street area (across from Café des Arts in and among many popular nightlife spots). There’s a salad bar, but because the place is open air, stuff flies all over it. Stick to the pizza and good pasta.

This popular national chain serves good Vietnamese pho (noodle soup) as you like it -- make your own creation by ticking boxes off a punch list of ingredient choices. The beauty at Pho 24 is its high standard of cleanliness.

Don’t be fooled by the elite address and elegant atmosphere: The Press Club is the kind of place that impresses, but it’s far more affordable and accessible than its reputation and stylish dining room might indicate. The old-boys’ network still digs it, but the Press Club is also attracting a younger, hipper crowd. The indoor restaurant is sizable yet private, done in dark tones of maroon and forest green with solid wood furniture and detailing.

The number is just the address on busy little Ma May Street, right in the heart of the Old Quarter tourist area. Set in an old converted traditional shop house, Restaurant 69 is worth it if only for the atmosphere. Go for a table on the second-floor balcony if you can.

Its decor and panache could hold its own on a side street of SoHo or a lofty perch in the Bay Area, but this restaurant is on the southwest corner of Hoan Kiem Lake. Longtime expat and raconteur Mr. Chin runs the show from behind the proscenium of a large, open bar at the entrance. This is the place to see and be seen these days in Hanoi, and it’s a popular late-night spot where local jazz artists like to drop by