A crowded food stall in Dong Xuan Market

The food stalls around Dong Xuan Market have been jammed with customers during lunchtime.

Xuan Nhi, owner of a pho stall, said that they have always worked at full capacity since reopening on February 14.

"We open during lunchtime and the number of customers has increased by between 30-40 percent compared to before the Tet holiday," Nhi said. "The most crowded time is between 11 am-2 pm on weekdays.

Another stall selling snail noodle soup was also crowded with customers at 1 pm on a Monday when many customers were queuing for their turn to be served.

"As there are not enough seats in our 15-square-metre stall, many customers have to wait until somebody finishes their meal and leaves," the stall owner, Bich Phuong, said.

The same scene was seen on some other neighbouring stalls selling pancakes, sweet bean soup, or chicken noodle soup around the market which is a popular dining area for local office workers.

Explaining the situation, Phuong said that many people are gathering and meeting after the long Tet holiday while some other restaurants are still closed.

"To meet this high demand, we have extended our opening time until 3 pm instead of 1.30 pm as usual," she said. "We've also had to reduce our menu and serve only some main dishes."

Restaurants in other places in the city including Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Hoang Mai, and Cau Giay districts also reported the same bustling scene.

A customer at a beef noodle stall in Cau Giay District, Phuong Nam, said that his two friends and he had to wait for 30 minutes to be served.

"We understand the situation which occurs every year during this time, and we have to be patient," Nam said. "The prices are also higher, it's ok because not everyone has returned to work at this time."