Top 10 Vietnamese Pho Restaurants from North to South

Pho has been considered the national dish of Vietnam. This dish is much more than noodle soup because it has been in Vietnamese people’s lives, considerably contributed to bringing Vietnamese cuisine to the world, and has been one reason foreign tourists love the country. It is not exaggerated at all to say that Pho represents Vietnamese cuisine. It is fresh, healthy, light, but complex in taste.

Pho is a national dish of Vietnam.

Vietnamese people consume Pho every day, whether it is breakfast, lunch, or dinner. This dish is sold nearly everywhere in this country. Whether you are in a rural area or urban area, whether you are in the north, the central, or the south region, you can find a Pho Vietnamese restaurant effortlessly. Many sell Pho, but not all of them can serve you excellent Pho Vietnam. Here we list the best Pho Vietnam restaurant from the north to the central and the south.

Pho is the national dish of Vietnam. 

1. Pho Bat Dan - must-try Hanoi restaurant

Pho Bat Dan has been serving gastronomes since the 1960s and becomes a part of the bustling city. This family generation's restaurant sells only Pho bo (beef noodle) from the first day and has never changed its menu. The original taste of Pho here is still kept from its first day, making it a must-try Pho Hanoi restaurant. The broth is clear and rich with bone marrow but is not fatty at all. The beef is tender and soft with a glowing pink hue.

Because of the incredibly delicious Pho, the restaurant is busy nearly all day long. It might take time during the high time, so standing in a queue and self-serving at the counter become a hidden rule of foodies here.

• Address: 49 Bat Dan Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
• Opening hour: 6:00 am to 10:00 am & 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
• Price: 50,000 VND - 70,000 VND

Pho Bat Dan in Vietnam

2. Pho Thin - Traditional Restaurant

Pho Thin Lo Duc stands out as an amazing pho Vietnamese restaurant among hundreds of pho Hanoi restaurants that most foreigners coming to the city visit. The restaurant was opened in 1979 by Mr. Nguyen Trong Thin. It was the time Pho Thin Bo Ho had built a great reputation and popularity among Hanoi people, and Mr. Thin was so courageous in having his own pho brand. 

Pho Thin Lo Duc is not a luxurious or cozy place, so if you focus too much on the background, you might feel disappointing enjoying pho here. If you are a gastronome, like Hanoi people, you don’t mind sitting in an uncomfortable chair to enjoy the famous dish “Pho bo tai lan Lo Duc”.

• Address: 13 Lo Duc, Pham Dinh Ho, Hai Bat Trung District, Hanoi
• Opening hours: 5:30 am to 9:00 pm
• Price: 60,000 VND to 100,000 VND

Pho Thin Lo Duc

3. Pho Bo Ly Quoc Su Restaurant

The quality of Pho Hanoi served in number 10 Ly Quoc Su is no doubt real that it attracts a long queue of national and international foodies. The broth here is made completely with thigh bone and beef bone without any monosodium glutamate. The unique flavor is reached by using different types of spices. Many pho restaurants also use thigh bone and beef bone for their broth; however, none of them can create an amazing flavor like Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su. Specializing in “Pho bo”, coming here you can try Pho bo tai, Pho bo chin, Pho bo tai chin, Pho bo nam gau, Pho bo tai nam, Pho bo tai gau, Pho bo tai bap, Pho bo tai nam gau or Pho bao bo tran,…

• Address: 10 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi Or N2A Hoang Minh Giam Or 6 To Huu, Van Phuc, Ha Dong, Hanoi Or 42 Hang Voi
• Opening hour: 6:30 am to 10:30 pm
• Price: 60,000 VND – 120,000 VND

Pho Ly Quoc Su 

4. Pho Tung Restaurant - top of local recommendations

If you come to Hoi An and want a bowl of pho for your breakfast, Pho Tung is often at the top of local recommendations. This Pho Vietnamese restaurant is a hidden gem in the Old Town with a small entrance and a blue sign. If you are a fan of Pho, you will find the broth here is a bit similar to the north’s broth when it comes to taste. However, it now becomes more unique with a Hoi An touch. A bowl of Pho in Pho Tung is served with satay peanuts, bean sprouts, and pickled green papaya, giving it a brand new flavor that you cannot enjoy before.

• Address: 51/7 Phan Chu Trinh, Hoi An
• Opening hour: 7:00 am – 12:00 am 
• Price: 25,000 VND

Pho Tung 

5. Pho Lien Restaurant

Pho Lien is a famous destination for locals and tourists because of its excellent Pho dish. It relocated from the center of the Old Town to An Hoi Islet. Entering this Pho Vietnam restaurant, you can feel a complete Vietnamese touch with metal tables and metal stools for guests to sit in. So it is not preferred people who need too much comfort and ambiance but it is a popular place for the local gastronome.

Pho here is quite sweet, with noodles harder and chewier than what served in other Pho Vietnam restaurants. Most people feel appealed when eating Pho here. This restaurant also serves “banh mi chien” (fried bread) to eat with Pho.

• Address: 4 La Hoi
• Opening hour: 6:30 am – 6:00 pm
• Price: 40,000 VND

Pho Lien 

6. Pho Hai Trieu Saigon

If you are in love with Pho Hanoi taste and want to seek a similar taste in Saigon, pho Hai Trieu is where to go. In September 2019, a North region family was opening a Pho Hanoi restaurant in the Hai Trieu Street of District 1. This Vietnamese Pho restaurant also took the name of the street: Hai Trieu. 

According to the owner of this Pho sai gon, everything from the cooking process recipe is completely Hanoi traditional. Except for some recipes with prior preparation like herbs, the dish is prepared right after a guest order. You might have to wait a little bit but then you can enjoy an excellent and hot Pho dish. You can enjoy several Pho, including Pho Tai, Pho Nam, beef, chicken, chicken thighs,…

Pho Hai Trieu does not serve pho Vietnam dish only. This is quite different from other pho Vietnamese restaurant. The drink menu in pho Hai Trieu includes coffee, fruit juice, tea, beer, soft drink, smoothies, and iced blended coffee. You now can enjoy an excellent Vietnamese dish with a local drink, what is better than this?

• Address: 31 Hai Trieu Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
• Opening hour: 5:00 am to 11:00 pm 
• Price: 55,000 VND – 75,000 VND

Pho Hai Trieu

7. Pho Dau Restaurant

Pho Dau is another well-known pho Hanoi restaurant you can try in Ho Chi Minh City. For more than 55 years serving pho in Saigon, Pho Dau restaurant still keeps the North taste from Nam Dinh province. The owner, Uong Van Binh, who is over 70 years old, still keeps his mother’s cooking secret from 1958: use only beef thighbone for the broth. 

Eating here, you will find that there are no vegetables, beansprouts, herbs, or black sauce like other pho Saigon restaurants. This might be confusing for a Pho lover when eating pho dishes in this restaurant the first time. However, the lack of these pieces of stuff lets guests enjoy and feel the excellent and complex broth, along with the freshness and softness of the beef. 

You should order a Pho tai, Pho tai nam or Pho chin nam. They are the best dishes here, preferred by most local people.

• Address: 288, Alley 288 M1 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, Ward 8, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
• Opening hour: 5:00 am to 11:00 am
• Price: 65,000 VND – 75,000 VND

Pho Dau

8. Pho Minh Saigon

One of the best Pho Saigon, Pho Minh, is located in a small alley of the busy road Pasteur. For more than 60 years, this pho Vietnamese restaurant is still in this small alley and remains calms as if it is not affected by the city's bustling environment outside. Years by years, this Pho Vietnamese restaurant also experiences the sign of the time. Tables, chairs, and space here have an ancient touch. There is no modern background, but the restaurant still attracts many Saigon local people who are gastronome and want to enjoy an incredible and peaceful meal. 

For more than half of the century in Saigon, Pho Minh still keeps its North taste, especially in its perfect broth. The fresh and sweet broth is made from bone, and you cannot find the taste of monosodium glutamate or sugar in it. Pho Minh is considered a hidden gem of pho Vietnam in District 1. For the first reason, it is a bit hard to find the restaurant. The second reason is that it serves wonderful pho.

• Address: 63/6 Pasteur, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
• Opening price: 6:30 am to 10:00 am
• Price: 40,000 VND – 55,000 VND

Pho Minh

9. Pho Hoa Pasteur

Another destination for the best Pho Saigon dish is Pho Hoa Pasteur – a famous pho Vietnam restaurant in Pasteur street. When it comes to one of the oldest Pho Saigon restaurants, Pho Hoa Pasteur is a must besides Pho Minh mentioned above. The store has been operating for more than 50 years. The current owner of the restaurant took it over from the prior owner of Pho Hoa before 1975. 

Pho Hoa Pasteur is located in a bustling street, right at the place where there were many pho small vendors 50 years ago. Therefore, it becomes familiar not only to locals here but also to many tourists who are in love with Pho Saigon. Although the price of pho here is a bit higher than other Pho Vietnam restaurants, Pho Hoa Pasteur still attracts many epicures and travel bloggers. Enjoy a bowl of pho here; you can expect a big bowl with a lot of meat and herbs. “Quay” is also available on each table so that guests can help themselves. 

• Address: 260C Pasteur, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
• Opening hour: 7:00 am to 10:00 pm
• Price: 65,000 VND to 85,000 VND

Pho Hoa

10. Pho Cao Van

Every guest's first impression in Pho Cao Van may be an older man sitting and collecting money at the corner. This is Mr. Tran Van Phon – the owner of this pho Saigon restaurant. Before moving to the South region and having a pho Saigon restaurant, which is well known these days, Mr. Phon used to sell Pho in a small movable vendor in Hanoi street. Even Saigon has developed considerably; things become busier and more bustling. More and more restaurants are launched, Pho Cao Van is still an interesting eating destination for many people, from the young to the old and from the locals to the foreigners. With clear and fresh broth, not fatty at all but charming, the unique flavor of Pho Cao Van makes it outstanding from the other restaurants.

• Address: 25 Mac Dinh Chi, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
• Opening hours: 6:00 am – 10:30 pm
• Price: 40,000 VND – 66,000 VND

Pho Cao Van

Pho is the national dish in Vietnam; thus, tourists can easily find any Pho Vietnamese restaurant for their breakfast, lunch, or dinner. However, instead of eating this dish in a random Pho Vietnam restaurant, you can make a wiser choice. Above is the list of best Vietnamese restaurants you can visit for a delicious Pho dish.

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Van Anh

(Image source: Internet)