Vietnamese cuisine is influenced a lot by Chinese cuisine, but it is often paired with many herbs. One of the most well-known foods in Vietnamese cuisine is Pho. It might look simple with rice noodles, soup, and slices of beef, but after having Pho in Vietnam, you will have the chance to experience many kinds of Pho you don’t often see. In this guide, we will go through different types of Pho and places to eat authentic Pho in Ho Chi Minh City that you would not want to miss when in Vietnam.
The Origin of Pho
To find your authentic Pho, you need to know its origin. It is believed that pho has become an everyday dish for many people in the North since 1954 when the USSR provided aid for Vietnam after the war. There was little meat for the poor then, and the French usually took the beef meat to cook dishes and left out bones, so the Vietnamese have learned to use the spare parts to make the great bowl of Pho we know today. The Chinese fried churros usually served with Pho were also a result of the scarcity of food during that time; they were used to fill the stomach and as an add-in ingredient when there was little meat to eat in the Pho. Pho in the North quickly became popular with people in the South, but it added some more Southern touch. People in the South love herbs, and you will see they use herbs in every dish, including in Pho. However, Pho’s variety is not limited to that of the North and the South; there are more variations to this famous beef noodle soup.
Different Variations of Pho in Vietnam
The famous Pho we are all familiar with is a bowl of soft, white noodles with fresh, juicy beef slices sprinkled with green onion on top, bathing in the hot beef soup and accompanied by aromatic herbs. But in Vietnam, Pho is so much more; it is not only the name of the dish but also the name of the noodle, so there are many dishes made from pho that are as delicious as the typical pho soup.
The variations can be divided geographically or by how Pho noodles are prepared. There are Northern-style and Southern-style pho; in Central Vietnam, the flavor of Pho is not very different, but it is usually served with fewer herbs. Northern-style Pho looks simpler and has less fat, but the taste is delicate. Southern-style Pho is served with many more herbs. The ingredients to make the broth are also different; in the North, to keep the broth clear and aromatic, they stew beef bones for as long as possible with roasted ginger, onion, Chinese chives, pepper, sometimes star anise, cinnamon, cilantro root, and peanut worm for more subtle taste.
On the other hand, in the South, besides roasted ginger, onion, and pepper, they add daikon (white radish), dried squid, beef fat, sweet-sour sauce, and sometimes chicken bones are used instead of beef bones. The green side dish and dipping sauce for Pho are also different. In the North, green onion, white onion, cilantro, lemon, and chili are used for the greens and occasionally accompanied by Chinese fried churros. While in the South, besides the greens you can find in Northern-style Pho, people also like to add Vietnamese rice paddy herbs, sawtooth herbs, peppermint, bean sprouts, and a side dish of chili sauce.
Beef is the most common meat in Pho, but in the South and some places in the North, they put chicken, beef meatballs (bo vien), and poached egg on top. To be an expert in Pho and make an impression on your friends, you can choose what kind of beef to eat and how it is cooked, like in a steakhouse.
Some Vietnamese vocabularies you can use on your food tour to enjoy the best pho in Ho Chi Minh City: flank (nam), crunchy flank (ve don), fatty brisket (gau), tendon (gan), tripe (sach), well-done (chin), and rare (tai).
If you are a vegetarian, don’t worry. In Vietnamese cuisine, there are places where you can try vegan Pho as well. A lot of greens are used, and different kinds of mushrooms and tofu skin are cooked in the broth to replace the bones and meat.
The way Pho noodles are cooked also varies. The noodles can be bathed in a delicious heavy, stir-fried, or pan-fried soup. With stir-fried Pho, the meat is beef, pork, and shrimp with stir-fried bok choy, bean sprouts, Chinese chives, and fried shallot. It contains more fat than Pho noodle soup but is flavorful. Another variation is Pho noodle pan-fried. They may be served with beef soup or stir-fried beef and Vietnamese herbs.
Best Pho in Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City is a major economic center in Vietnam; many people from other parts of Vietnam come to look for better opportunities to study and work. The town has welcomed so many people and their culture that you can easily find foods – especially Pho, of many provinces here. What should you do after hours of sightseeing in Ho Chi Minh City? Fill your stomach with the famous Vietnamese food, Pho. Visit the places we recommend below, try them, and let us know if they have one of the best Pho in Ho Chi Minh City.
Northern-style Pho in Ho Chi Minh City
Pho Cao Van
Speaking of Pho Cao Van, many will remember a 90-year-old man sitting in a corner to collect money. That is the owner, Tran Van Phon. He has been selling Pho from his stalls in Hanoi and then Saigon. His first shop was opened on Tran Cao Van Street in 1952, and he later moved to Mac Dinh Chi Street. Many consider this the closest to authentic pho in Ho Chi Minh City. The soup is delicate and rich but doesn’t contain much fat.
Address: 25 Mac Dinh Chi Street, District 1
Opening hours: 6 AM – 10:30 PM
Price:VND 40,000 – VND 66,000
Pho Tau Bay
Pho Tau Bay has been operating in Saigon since 1954 and quickly became popular with people here. The traditional Northern-style Pho isn’t served with bean sprouts and thick, sweet soy sauce, but to accompany the taste of South customers, they now also serve herbs in Southern-style Pho. However, the way the Pho is cooked is still the same as that of the North. They are most famous for “to xe lua,” the largest bowl size here.
Address: 433-435 Ly Thai To Street, District 10
Opening hours: 6 AM – 11 AM
Price: VND 40,000 – VND 61,000
Pho Bo Phu Gia
The beef here is also sautéed with spices, so the flavor is richer than the regular rare beef. Like other Pho restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City, Pho Bo Phu Gia has a long history of over 30 years and has become the locals’ favorite place to eat. The Pho noodles here are fresh and stretchy. It is definitely where you can try the typical Northern-style Pho.
Address: 146E Ly Chinh Thang Street, District 3
Opening hours: 6 AM – 11 AM and 5 PM – 10 PM
Price: VND 35,000 – VND 55,000
Southern-style Pho in Ho Chi Minh City
Pho Hoa Pasteur
Pho Hoa has been open for about 50 years, but the history of this brand dates back to before 1975 when it was a family business. This restaurant is located on the street where there were a lot of Pho stores 50 years ago. And it is where people can reminisce about the old days and enjoy delicious Pho. The unique thing about Pho Hoa is that their portion is always full of Pho noodles, beef, and other herbs. You can choose whether to add the Chinese fried churros placed on every table here to your Pho.
Address: 260C Pasteur Street, District 1
Opening hours: 7 AM – 10 PM
Price: VND 40,000 – VND 55,000
Pho Le
Another restaurant that serves Southern-style Pho is Pho Le. The store has opened since 1970 in District 5, where many other food stores sell noodles, hu tieu, and dumplings. It is clean and decorated nicely to attract more customers. Here, you can practice your newly learned vocabulary: beef meatballs (bo vien), flank (nam), fatty brisket (gau), and a bowl of fat soup (nuoc beo).
Address:
413-415 Nguyen Trai Street, District 5
Opening hours: 6 AM – 1 AM
Price: VND 38,000 – VND 55,000
Other Variations of Pho in Ho Chi Minh City
Pho Mien Ga Ky Dong (Chicken Pho)
It opened in 1975 and is famous for its chicken dishes, from Pho to Mien (clear noodles) and Hu Tieu. The chicken here is tender, rich in flavor, and has shiny golden skin. Each serving is of equal quality, and everyone’s favorite dish at this store must be the tender, juicy chicken thighs.
Address: 14/5 Ky Dong Street, District 3
Opening hours: 5 AM – 12 AM
Price: VND 40,000 – VND 55,000
Pho Chay Nhu (Vegan Pho)
Pho Chay Nhu is a vegan Pho restaurant that is well-known to vegetarians, Buddhists, and celebrities. Many mushrooms are cooked to tenderness and well-seasoned with slices of tofu skin to create texture in the vegan dish. Besides Pho, you can enjoy many Vietnamese vegan foods here, like com tam, spring roll, fried spring roll, and fried wonton. If you are a vegetarian, this place would be your paradise because you can try many types of dishes in their vegan style.
Address: 54 Truong Quyen Street, District 3
Opening hours: 6 AM – 10:30 PM
Price: VND 40,000/bowl of vegan pho
Pho Hong – Pho Kho Gia Lai (Dry Pho Noodle)
Pho kho is when Pho noodles are served separately from the soup. The meat is usually pork, beef, or shredded chicken. Pho kho is the most famous Pho from Gia Lai province. The soup, which comes from stewed bones, is rich and sweet. They are served separately so that the unique taste of each ingredient is not blended; you can feel the softness but also a bit of stretchiness of the pho noodles, the juiciness of the meat, and the sweetness of the soup. After trying the best of each ingredient, you can put them together as a traditional Pho the way you like it.
Address: 92 Phan Xich Long, Binh Thanh District
Opening hours: 6:30 AM – 2 PM and 5 PM – 10 PM
Price: VND 35,000 – VND 55,000
Pho Chua Lang Son Nguyen Thien Thuat (Sweet and Sour Pho)
This one is probably the most different variation of Pho; its origin is in Lang Son. The Pho noodles are lightly seasoned and then covered with a sweet and sour sauce made from tamarind. Slices of juicy pork pounded peanuts, and fried shallot bring a new flavor to the original Pho. Pho Chua Lang Son is a must-try Pho on your Ho Chi Minh City food tour.
Address: 242/101 Nguyen Thien Thuat Street, District 3
Opening hours: 3:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Price: VND 25,000 – VND 39,000
Pho Hoang Tung (Beef Pho with Wine Sauce)
French cuisine inspires pho bo sot vang with stew wine sauce. The beef is stewed in beautiful red wine, bones, butter, and Chinese chive; then, the traditional broth is added to this elegant stew sauce, making a new, rich, and delicate dish. This dish is a perfect combination of Vietnamese and Western cooking. You must try it to understand more about the variety of Vietnamese cuisine.
Address: 205 Dinh Tien Hoang Street, District 1
Opening hours: 7 AM – 10 PM
Price: VND 20,000 – VND 55,000
Summary of the Best Places to Eat an Authentic Pho in Ho Chi Minh City
After trying some of these places, you won’t see Pho the same way again; it’s not only a bowl of white noodles with beef slices. Each Pho variation has its unique taste, but they are all made from soft white noodles with slices of well-seasoned meat and aromatic herbs; all are combined to make different kinds of rich and flavorful dishes. If you want to taste the best Pho in Ho Chi Minh City with our local guides, request to try these Pho noodles on our fun and private Saigon food tour.