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The decision to close down after more than seven decades was caused by business performance “falling short of expectations,” a spokesperson said.

Founded in the 1930s by French and Indian owners, Bodega was once a favorite among Hanoi’s foodies. In 1957 the restaurant began serving ice cream, and by the 1980s it had added pho to the menu.

At that time people would queue up on the sidewalk to eat the pho.

But for many Hanoians today Bodega was above all an ice-cream shop on Trang Tien Street, its legacy spanning more than 70 years.

Inside its old location a new cafe has revamped the space, including the old courtyard.

Bodega now remains only as a sidewalk stall selling chocolate and vanilla cones for VND12,000 (US$0.45). Few customers stop by.

Nguyen Thi Anh, 80, expresses sadness at the shop’s decline.

“I don’t enjoy the trendy modern ice creams with all kinds of flavors. It is rare to find places that still keep this traditional taste.”

She recalls buying cones and eating them with her family in Bodega’s courtyard.

But not everyone feels the same way.

On Nov. 17 Hoai Thuong, a visitor from Ha Dong Ward, sampled the street-side cones and found them underwhelming, and describes the wafer as soft and the flavor as forgettable.

With so many ice-cream options in Hanoi today, she says firmly she will not return.

Hoang Tung, chairman of F&B Investment, calls Bodega a legend for those born in the 1960s and 1970s, but admits it has failed to keep pace with modern tastes.

Poor marketing has made it unable to reach younger customers, the primary consumer group, and its downfall is a reminder that past glory does not guarantee future success in today’s landscape, he says.

But Bodega itself insists the brand is not gone for good, adding its ice-cream and pho restaurant will reopen next year after restructuring at its original address on 57 Trang Tien.