In Hanoi, people head to cafés decorated for Mid-Autumn well before the night of the full moon itself. Tet Trung Thu (Mid-Autumn Festival) falls on September 25 in 2026. Decorations across the city have been up for more than two weeks, and from the Old Quarter to the edge of West Lake and apartment blocks in the new city, seats are filled with customers, cameras in hand. Here are five Hanoi spots covered by VnExpress, organized by address, features, and who each one suits.
Decorations are complete more than two weeks before the full moon
Mid-Autumn in Vietnam is a children's festival built around lantern parades, lion dances, and family moon-viewing. Hang Ma Street in the Old Quarter fills with lanterns and masks weeks ahead of the day itself, becoming the city's biggest lantern market. Café decorations follow the same early timing, and photo-driven visits were already picking up in early September. Nibbling on baked mooncakes (banh nuong) with tea is also one of the season's pleasures. Gift-giving customs around Mid-Autumn are covered inour guide to Vietnamese Mid-Autumn gifts, sold from summer.
Gac (88 Hang Chieu) wraps the Old Quarter's iron railings in red and gold ribbon
Gac sits at 88 Hang Chieu Street in the Old Quarter. The decoration is understated, limited to red silk and gold star-shaped ribbon wound around the iron railing. The bustling Old Quarter streetscape and the decorations blend together, suiting anyone who wants a photo that isn't overly staged. How to explore the Old Quarter is covered inour food-tour guide to Hanoi's Old Quarter, ranked 8th in the worldis worth reading as well.
Ban Cong (2 Dinh Liet) sets a moon-and-star model inside a French-era house
Nha hang Ban Cong sits at 2 Dinh Liet Street. Using a French colonial-era house, blue and yellow ribbon streams across several floors. A large moon-and-star model becomes the visual centerpiece, and since the building itself gets caught in the frame, one shot can carry a whole story.
Tra va Ca phe thu cong (38 Xuan La) fills its outdoor space with lanterns and paper decorations
Tra va Ca phe thu cong sits at 38 Xuan La Street, north of West Lake. Outdoors, dozens of paper lanterns, paper masks, and bamboo-woven decorations line the space, leaning into folk-style color. The layout lets in plenty of natural light, so visiting during the bright hours of the day brings out the decorations' colors as they are.A greenhouse café in Hanoi where you cross a koi pondis one example — Hanoi has more and more shops that make the most of an outdoor layout, like this one.
Waha (49 Nguyen Van Giap) pairs koi lanterns and mist with costume rental
Waha sits at 49 Nguyen Van Giap Street. In a multi-level wooden structure, red koi lanterns line the walkways and bridges, with an artificial mist effect added in. Costume rental is available, so travelers who want to change into an ao dai or traditional dress for photos can go here.
Cheka (KDT Duong Noi) greets guests with a giant koi lantern and moon model at the entrance
Cheka Cafe sits in the Duong Noi urban area of the new city. A giant koi lantern and moon model stand at the entrance, and the space is divided into themed areas, including a corner styled like a wooden hut and a tea-and-pastry-style seating area. Good for anyone wanting to cycle through several backdrops in one visit.
A quick-reference table of the five spots
| Shop name | Address | Decoration features | Suited to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gác | 88 Hang Chieu (Old Quarter) | Red silk and gold star ribbon on the iron railing | Those who want the streetscape captured naturally |
| Ban Công | 2 Dinh Liet (Old Quarter) | French colonial house + moon-and-star model | Those who want the building itself in the frame |
| Trà và Cà phê thủ công | 38 Xuan La (north of West Lake) | Outdoor lanterns, masks, bamboo work | Those shooting folk-style color in daylight |
| Waha | 49 Nguyễn Văn Giáp | Koi lanterns + mist effect, costume rental | Those who want to change into costume for photos |
| Cheka | KDT Duong Noi (new city) | Giant koi lantern, moon model + multiple themes | Those who want to change backdrops at one shop |
Ways to enjoy Mid-Autumn alongside your photos
Combine your café tour with a walk down Hang Ma Street's lantern market to soak in the festival atmosphere. In the evening, lion dances appear around the Old Quarter, and children walk the streets carrying paper lanterns. Mooncakes come with fillings like lotus seed, mung bean, mixed nuts, and salted egg yolk — choosing one at a shop and pairing it with tea alone makes for a Mid-Autumn-appropriate moment. Sharing them with family and friends under the full moon sits at the heart of this festival.
What to check before you go
Decorations are at their best before the day itself, September 25, so there's no need to wait for the actual date. If anything, the weekend right before the festival gets crowded, so it's easier to shoot on a weekday or during the day. The outdoor-focused Xuan La shop suits bright daytime hours, while Waha's mist effect suits the evening onward. The Old Quarter's Gac and Ban Cong draw large crowds, so allow time to secure a seat. If you plan to shoot in costume, confirm Waha's rental stock before you visit.
Sources:VnExpress「5 quán cà phê chụp ảnh Trung thu tại Hà Nội」 / Mid-Autumn Festival in Hanoi 2026 Guide
