Pho is proof that noodles can have a passport.
Born in Vietnam and now happily slurped from Hanoi to Houston, Paris to Portland, pho has travelled remarkably well without losing its soul. At its best, it is deceptively simple: silky rice noodles, aromatic broth, tender meat, herbs and a few sauces. But getting that balance right? That is where things get deliciously complicated.
Vietnam remains the spiritual home of pho, with Hanoi favouring a cleaner, lighter style while southern Vietnamese pho tends to be more generous with herbs, sprouts and accompaniments.
So grab your chopsticks, prepare your shirt for inevitable broth splashes, and join us on a world tour of the 20 best pho places around the world.
1. Phở Thìn Lò Đúc — Hanoi, Vietnam
History: Founded in 1979 by Nguyễn Trọng Thìn, this Hanoi institution became famous for doing something wonderfully rebellious: stir-frying the beef with garlic and aromatics before dropping it into the soup. The original remains at 13 Lò Đúc.
Address: 13 Lò Đúc, Hai Bà Trưng, Hanoi, Vietnam
Cooking Style: Hanoi-style beef pho with stir-fried beef
Broth: Rich, aromatic beef broth
Noodles: Thin, soft flat rice noodles
Meats: Stir-fried rare beef
Toppings: Mountains of spring onion, coriander
Sauces: Garlic vinegar, chilli
Most Iconic Pho: Phở tái lăn
Cost for Two: ~VND 130,000–190,000
Instagram: @phothinloduc
Website: Pho Thìn
Phở Thìn Lò Đúc is where traditional Hanoi pho decided to put on leather boots and develop attitude. The beef is sizzling rather than merely poached, creating smoky, garlicky notes that crash gloriously into the fragrant broth. Add green onions by the handful and you have a bowl that feels simultaneously traditional, rebellious and completely incapable of being boring.
2. Phở Gia Truyền Bát Đàn — Hanoi, Vietnam
History: A legendary family-style Hanoi pho shop, Phở Gia Truyền has become synonymous with old-school pho and queues that sometimes look like an unofficial Hanoi attraction.
Address: 49 Bát Đàn, Hoàn Kiếm, Hanoi, Vietnam
Cooking Style: Traditional northern Vietnamese
Broth: Clear, deeply beefy and aromatic
Noodles: Delicate flat rice noodles
Meats: Rare beef, brisket and mixed cuts
Toppings: Spring onion, coriander
Sauces: Chilli and garlic vinegar
Most Iconic Pho: Phở tái chín
Cost for Two: ~VND 120,000–160,000
If pho had a grandmother who refused to modernise the family recipe, she would probably run Bát Đàn. The broth is clean and beef-forward, the noodles wonderfully delicate, and the atmosphere gloriously no-frills. You queue, order, slurp and leave happy. There are no unnecessary culinary gymnastics here—just an old-fashioned Hanoi bowl doing exactly what it should.
3. Phở 10 Lý Quốc Sư — Hanoi, Vietnam
History: The Lý Quốc Sư name has become one of Hanoi’s most recognisable pho brands, preserving a traditional cooking method while expanding beyond its original address.
Address: 10 Lý Quốc Sư, Hoàn Kiếm, Hanoi, Vietnam
Cooking Style: Traditional Hanoi pho
Broth: Clear, aromatic beef broth
Noodles: Fine flat rice noodles
Meats: Rare beef, brisket, tendon, meatballs
Toppings: Spring onions, coriander
Sauces: Chilli, lime, garlic vinegar
Most Iconic Pho: Mixed beef pho
Cost for Two: ~VND 140,000–180,000
Website: Phở 10 Lý Quốc Sư
Phở 10 Lý Quốc Sư is the dependable overachiever of Hanoi’s pho universe. The broth stays elegantly balanced while diners can choose their preferred combination of beef cuts. It is particularly friendly to first-time pho explorers because the setting is more structured than a tiny street stall. Think traditional Hanoi flavour with just enough organisation to prevent noodle-related panic.
4. Phở Hòa Pasteur — Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
History: Phở Hòa Pasteur has been serving customers since 1968, becoming one of Saigon’s most enduring pho institutions. Its Southern Vietnamese approach is generous with meat, herbs and accompaniments.
Address: 260C Pasteur Street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City
Cooking Style: Southern Vietnamese
Broth: Long-simmered beef-bone broth
Noodles: Soft, broad rice noodles
Meats: Rare beef, brisket, tendon, tripe, beef balls
Toppings: Bean sprouts, basil, coriander, lime
Sauces: Hoisin, chilli sauce
Most Iconic Pho: House special beef pho
Cost for Two: ~VND 140,000–210,000
Website: Phở Hòa Pasteur
If Hanoi pho whispers, Saigon pho tends to arrive with a microphone. Phở Hòa Pasteur embraces the Southern style with generous meat portions, fresh herbs and a lively garnish plate. Its broth has depth without becoming clumsy, while the table-side sauces let diners customise every mouthful. Established decades ago, it remains an essential stop for serious pho pilgrims.
5. Phở Tàu Bay — Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
History: Established in 1954, Phở Tàu Bay is one of Saigon’s old-school pho names, carrying a northern-influenced tradition through generations.
Address: 433–435 Lý Thái Tổ, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City
Cooking Style: Traditional northern-influenced Vietnamese
Broth: Clear and savoury
Noodles: Flat rice noodles
Meats: Beef, brisket and classic cuts
Toppings: Herbs and greens
Sauces: Chilli and fish-based condiments
Most Iconic Pho: Classic beef pho
Cost for Two: ~VND 120,000–180,000
Phở Tàu Bay is the sort of place that makes you appreciate culinary longevity. Operating since the 1950s, it represents an older generation of Vietnamese noodle shops where consistency mattered more than Instagrammability. The broth is comforting, the noodles obediently slippery and the overall bowl refreshingly uncomplicated. Come hungry, because nostalgia apparently pairs extremely well with beef noodles.
6. Phở Minh — Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
History: A compact long-running Saigon institution, Phở Minh has earned a reputation for its traditional breakfast-focused bowls. It is particularly beloved by locals who appreciate old-school pho without unnecessary theatrics.
Address: 63/6 Pasteur, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Cooking Style: Traditional Southern Vietnamese
Broth: Beef-bone broth with natural sweetness
Noodles: Thin rice noodles
Meats: Beef and classic cuts
Toppings: Spring onion and herbs
Sauces: Chilli and hoisin
Most Iconic Pho: Breakfast beef pho
Cost for Two: ~VND 80,000–120,000
Phở Minh proves that a tiny shop can make a bowl with enormous personality. The formula is straightforward—bone broth, rice noodles, beef and fresh aromatics—but the execution is deeply satisfying. It is particularly appealing early in the morning, when Saigon is waking up and a steaming bowl of pho feels less like breakfast and more like edible emotional support.
7. Phở Bánh Cuốn 14 — Paris, France
History: Located in Paris’s Vietnamese culinary heartland around the 13th arrondissement, Phở 14 became famous for bringing hearty Vietnamese comfort food to generations of Parisians and visitors.
Address: 129 Avenue de Choisy, Paris, France
Cooking Style: Vietnamese northern/southern fusion
Broth: Long-simmered beef broth
Noodles: Flat rice noodles
Meats: Rare beef, brisket and mixed cuts
Toppings: Herbs, onions, bean sprouts
Sauces: Hoisin and chilli
Most Iconic Pho: Mixed beef pho
Cost for Two: ~€25–40
Instagram: @pho14paris
Website: Pho 14 Paris
Paris has croissants, cheese and enough butter to frighten a cardiologist, but the city’s Vietnamese community has made room for another obsession: pho. Phở 14 serves generous bowls with deeply savoury broth and tender meat. The atmosphere feels more bustling canteen than romantic Parisian bistro—which is exactly right when your priority is noodles, steam and uninterrupted slurping.
8. Cây Tre — London, United Kingdom
History: Founder Hieu arrived in London in 1999 and opened Cây Tre in 2003, helping establish Vietnamese food as a serious part of London’s restaurant scene.
Address: 42–43 Dean Street, Soho, London W1D 4PZ
Cooking Style: Contemporary Vietnamese with traditional foundations
Broth: Aromatic beef or chicken broth
Noodles: Rice noodles
Meats: Beef, chicken and other Vietnamese preparations
Toppings: Herbs, spring onion, chilli
Sauces: Chilli, hoisin and Vietnamese condiments
Most Iconic Pho: House beef pho
Cost for Two: ~£40–60
Instagram: @caytrerestaurant
Website: Cây Tre
Cây Tre is proof that pho can thrive beautifully outside Vietnam without wearing a tuxedo and pretending it invented itself. Founded by Hieu in 2003, the restaurant combines traditional Vietnamese flavours with London’s energetic dining culture. Its Soho location is perfect for a bowl after wandering around the West End—or before wandering around it again because you ordered another side.
9. Phở Bắc — Seattle, USA
History: Originally opened as Cat’s Submarine Sandwich Shop in 1982, Theresa Cat Vu and Augustine Nien Pham were persuaded by Seattle’s Vietnamese community to sell pho. The rest is noodle history.
Address: 1240 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98144
Cooking Style: Northern Vietnamese-inspired
Broth: Beefy, aromatic and slow-simmered
Noodles: Flat rice noodles
Meats: Rare beef, brisket and mixed cuts
Toppings: Green onion, herbs and bean sprouts
Sauces: Chilli and hoisin
Most Iconic Pho: House beef pho
Cost for Two: ~$30–45
Instagram: @phobacseattle
Website: Phở Bắc
Seattle’s Phở Bắc has a wonderful immigrant-food story: a sandwich shop transformed into a pho destination because the local Vietnamese community wanted the real thing. More than four decades later, the restaurant remains a Seattle institution. The broth is warming, the noodles silky and the meat plentiful. Basically, it is Pacific Northwest rain therapy—served in a bowl.
10. Turtle Tower — San Francisco, USA
History: Turtle Tower has served Northern Vietnamese cuisine in San Francisco since 2000, taking its name from Hanoi’s famous Turtle Tower.
Address: 220 California St, San Francisco, CA 94111
Cooking Style: Northern Vietnamese
Broth: Clear, delicate beef or chicken broth
Noodles: Chewy flat rice noodles
Meats: Beef and chicken
Toppings: Green onion, herbs and fresh aromatics
Sauces: Traditional chilli condiments; notably minimal hoisin
Most Iconic Pho: Northern-style chicken pho
Cost for Two: ~$35–50
Instagram: @turtletowersf
Website: Turtle Tower
Turtle Tower is for pho purists who look suspiciously at a table covered in sauces. Its Northern Vietnamese style keeps things restrained: clear broth, quality meat, noodles and fresh aromatics without drowning the bowl in hoisin. The result is elegant, clean and deeply comforting. If your idea of pho involves tasting the broth before decorating it, welcome home.
11. Phở 75 — Arlington, Virginia, USA
History: Founded in 1985 by Vietnamese refugees Le Thiep and Binh Ngo, Phở 75 became one of the Washington-area’s defining pho restaurants and helped popularise pho-only restaurants in the DMV.
Address: 1721 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22209
Cooking Style: Traditional beef pho
Broth: Long-simmered beef bone broth
Noodles: Flat rice noodles
Meats: Brisket, flank, tendon, tripe and meatballs
Toppings: Bean sprouts, basil, lime
Sauces: Hoisin and chilli
Most Iconic Pho: Combination beef pho
Cost for Two: ~$25–40
Instagram: @pho75arlington
Website: Pho 75 Arlington
Phở 75 does not need chandeliers, tasting menus or a chef dramatically explaining the emotional journey of coriander. It serves pho. Excellent, generous, unfussy pho. Founded in 1985, it became a DMV institution by concentrating on what matters: deeply flavoured broth, properly cooked noodles and plenty of beef. The vibe is casual, efficient and gloriously noodle-centric.
12. Phở Pasteur — Boston, USA
History: Opened in Boston’s Chinatown in 1991, Phở Pasteur describes itself as Boston’s first Vietnamese restaurant and has become a New England pho landmark.
Address: 682 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111
Cooking Style: Traditional Vietnamese
Broth: Beef-bone broth with aromatic spices
Noodles: Flat rice noodles
Meats: Rare beef, brisket, tendon and meatballs
Toppings: Bean sprouts, basil, lime and herbs
Sauces: Hoisin and chilli
Most Iconic Pho: Pho dac biet
Cost for Two: ~$30–45
Website: Phở Pasteur Boston
Boston’s Chinatown and pho were practically destined to become friends. Since 1991, Phở Pasteur has served steaming bowls to locals, students, workers and hungry travellers. The broth has that classic aromatic backbone, while the menu offers enough beef combinations to make indecisive diners question every life choice. Fortunately, ordering extra meat solves most philosophical problems.
13. Phở 79 — Garden Grove, California, USA
History: Opened in 1982 by Thọ and Liễu Trần, Phở 79 became an important early restaurant in Orange County’s Little Saigon. In 2019 it was named an America’s Classic by the James Beard Foundation.
Address: 9941 Hazard Avenue, Garden Grove, CA 92844
Cooking Style: Southern Vietnamese
Broth: Rich beef broth
Noodles: Flat rice noodles
Meats: Rare beef, brisket, flank, tendon, tripe
Toppings: Bean sprouts, basil, lime
Sauces: Hoisin and chilli
Most Iconic Pho: Pho tái nạm gân
Cost for Two: ~$30–40
Website: Pho 79
Phở 79 isn’t merely another bowl in Orange County—it is part of Little Saigon’s culinary history. Named for the year much of the family arrived in America, the restaurant helped shape the area’s Vietnamese food identity. Expect a generous Southern-style bowl with serious beef credentials. It is the kind of pho that makes “just one bowl” sound laughably optimistic.
14. Phở 87 — Los Angeles, USA
History: A Chinatown favourite, Phở 87 has become known for its traditional beef pho and generous portions, attracting both neighbourhood regulars and hungry visitors.
Address: 1019 N Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Cooking Style: Traditional Vietnamese
Broth: Rich and aromatic beef broth
Noodles: Soft rice noodles
Meats: Beef, brisket, tendon and combination cuts
Toppings: Herbs, bean sprouts, onion and lime
Sauces: Hoisin and chilli
Most Iconic Pho: Combination beef pho
Cost for Two: ~$35–50
Instagram: @pho_87
Phở 87 is the sort of Chinatown stop where the bowl arrives looking innocent and then proceeds to occupy your entire afternoon. The broth is rich, portions are generous and the beef gets plenty of attention. Add spring rolls if you are feeling ambitious. Add nothing else if you value trousers with functioning buttons after lunch.
15. Phở Hưng — Toronto, Canada
History: Phở Hưng has been a fixture of Toronto’s Chinatown for roughly four decades, building a loyal following around substantial bowls and classic Vietnamese comfort food.
Address: 350 Spadina Avenue, Toronto, ON M5T 2G4
Cooking Style: Classic Vietnamese
Broth: Beef or chicken broth
Noodles: Flat rice noodles
Meats: Brisket, tendon, tripe, meatballs and rare beef
Toppings: Herbs, sprouts and lime
Sauces: Hoisin and chilli
Most Iconic Pho: Pho dac biet
Cost for Two: ~C$35–50
Website: Phở Hưng
Toronto’s Chinatown knows a thing or two about comfort food, and Phở Hưng has been feeding that appetite for decades. Its signature combination pho is exactly the kind of bowl you want on a freezing Canadian day: steaming broth, slippery noodles and a small army of beef cuts. Add spring rolls and you have officially defeated winter.
16. Phở Linh — Toronto, Canada
History: Phở Linh has been serving Toronto diners since the late 1990s, becoming especially recognised for its chicken pho and straightforward Vietnamese cooking.
Address: 1156 College Street, Toronto, ON M6H 1B6
Cooking Style: Home-style Vietnamese
Broth: Light, aromatic chicken or beef broth
Noodles: Soft flat rice noodles
Meats: Chicken, beef and classic cuts
Toppings: Coriander, fried garlic, herbs
Sauces: Chilli and hoisin
Most Iconic Pho: Phở gà
Cost for Two: ~C$30–45
Instagram: @pho-linh-restaurant
Website: Phở Linh
Phở Linh is a reminder that chicken pho deserves far more respect than it gets. The Toronto favourite is particularly loved for its comforting bowls of phở gà, where fragrant broth and tender chicken do the heavy lifting. Nothing feels overworked. It is cosy, quick and satisfying—the culinary equivalent of receiving a warm blanket from someone who knows exactly what you need.
17. Phở Hùng — Portland, USA
History: Phở Hùng has long been part of Portland’s Vietnamese dining scene, with its Powell Boulevard location serving traditional Vietnamese noodle soups and other classics.
Address: 4717 SE Powell Blvd, Portland, OR 97206
Cooking Style: Traditional Vietnamese
Broth: Beef and chicken-based broths
Noodles: Flat rice noodles
Meats: Rare beef, brisket, tendon, tripe and chicken
Toppings: Basil, bean sprouts, lime and herbs
Sauces: Hoisin and chilli
Most Iconic Pho: Combination beef pho
Cost for Two: ~$30–45
Instagram: @phohung47thpowell
Website: Phở Hùng
Portland may be famous for coffee, bicycles and people who can identify twelve types of fermentation, but Phở Hùng keeps things beautifully straightforward. The Powell Boulevard restaurant serves generous Vietnamese noodle soups with aromatic broth and familiar toppings. It is a satisfying destination when Portland’s famously grey weather rolls in—which, conveniently, gives you plenty of excuses to order another bowl.
18. Phở Saigon — Houston, USA
History: P.B. Tran opened the first Phở Saigon in Houston’s Midtown in 1998 after years working in Vietnamese restaurant operations. The original family business grew rapidly into a Houston-area chain.
Address: 2808 Milam Street, Houston, TX 77006
Cooking Style: Southern Vietnamese
Broth: Eight-hour simmered broth
Noodles: Rice noodles
Meats: Beef, brisket and other proteins
Toppings: Bean sprouts, mint, lettuce, coriander and herbs
Sauces: Hoisin and chilli
Most Iconic Pho: House beef pho
Cost for Two: ~$30–40
Instagram: @thephosaigon
Website: Phở Saigon Houston
Houston is home to one of America’s largest Vietnamese communities, so the local pho competition is not exactly sleepy. Phở Saigon has survived and expanded by sticking to a dependable formula: hours of simmering, quality proteins and fresh vegetables. The result is a hearty Southern-style bowl that feels particularly satisfying after Houston’s heat decides to take a short nap.
19. Phở Bằng — New York City, USA
History: The current Phở Bằng restaurant was founded in 2017, bringing Vietnamese soups and classic dishes to Manhattan’s Chinatown.
Address: 157 Mott Street, New York, NY 10013
Cooking Style: Classic Vietnamese
Broth: Aromatic beef broth
Noodles: Flat rice noodles
Meats: Steak, flank, brisket, tendon and tripe
Toppings: Herbs, bean sprouts, lime and onion
Sauces: Hoisin and chilli
Most Iconic Pho: Phở đặc biệt
Cost for Two: ~$30–45
Instagram: @phobang_nyc
Website: Phở Bằng New York
Manhattan can make almost anything feel expensive, but Phở Bằng keeps the important part delightfully democratic: a steaming bowl of noodles and broth. Its special pho brings together steak, flank, brisket, tendon and tripe, making it essentially a United Nations summit for beef cuts. Come hungry, because this bowl believes in representation for everybody.
20. Cây Tre — London, United Kingdom
History: Another look at the London institution is warranted because Cây Tre’s story is inseparable from the city’s Vietnamese food movement. Founded by Hieu in 2003, it grew from a search for authentic Vietnamese food into a multi-location restaurant group.
Address: 301 Old Street, London EC1V 9LA — Hoxton location
Cooking Style: Traditional Vietnamese with contemporary presentation
Broth: Aromatic beef or chicken broth
Noodles: Flat rice noodles
Meats: Beef, chicken and Vietnamese-style proteins
Toppings: Herbs, spring onions and chilli
Sauces: Hoisin, chilli and Vietnamese dipping sauces
Most Iconic Pho: Vietnamese beef pho
Cost for Two: ~£40–60
Instagram: @caytrerestaurant
Website: Cây Tre Restaurant
Cây Tre deserves a second mention because London’s Vietnamese scene is too good to squeeze into one paragraph—and because the restaurant has helped make Vietnamese cooking mainstream without sanding off its personality. Its pho balances aromatic broth with fresh herbs and tender proteins. It is polished enough for dinner but comforting enough to make you contemplate cancelling your evening plans.
Final Slurp
The biggest lesson? Great pho isn’t about piling every possible ingredient into one bowl. It’s about balance. The broth should have depth, the noodles should remain silky, the meat should be tender, and the herbs should brighten everything up.
And yes, you are absolutely allowed to add chilli.
