Bún chả is the Vietnamese dish of grilled pork and rice noodles especially associated with Hanoi.
The meal usually includes grilled pork patties and slices of pork belly served in a bowl of sweet-sour fish-sauce-based broth or dipping sauce. Diners eat the pork with bún, thin rice vermicelli, fresh herbs and sometimes sliced vegetables.
Bún chả is strongly identified with Hanoi’s culinary culture and is commonly served as a composed meal rather than as a soup. The grilled meat gives the dish its smoky character, while herbs and the seasoned sauce balance the richness.
Bún chả gained worldwide attention after United States president Barack Obama ate it with chef Anthony Bourdain in Hanoi in 2016. That event increased international recognition but did not create the dish. It is distinct from bún thịt nướng, a southern Vietnamese noodle dish that also uses grilled pork but is typically assembled differently and served with a different sauce presentation.