Where to Find Pho in Ho Chi Minh City

The exact origins of pho are unknown. While the dish has become popular across the United States in recent years, its creation remains a mystery, believed to originate from the North, later developing a variety of regional styles.

Pho is not native to Ho Chi Minh City, but for a long time the city was considered one of the best places to go for the dish, rivaled only by the Hanoi, where pho is simpler and more refined than in the South, where the dish is a common working-class meal exploding with flavors and garnishes. The dish served in the South is similar to what we see in the United States. Meals usually cost around $2 and the entire experience clocks in at 10 minutes, so don’t expect a fine-dining excursion.

The Vietnamese typically have beef in the dish, often simmering the broth with beef bones and a variety of cheap cuts and spices. For those who don’t like red meat, Pho Ky Dong is famous for its chicken-based pho, allowing customers to choose from brisket, drumstick or wings.

For a more classic taste, one of the oldest and most revered places is Pho Tau Bay, started in 1954 to serve truck drivers that weren’t allowed to enter the city at 6 a.m. Its recipe is largely unchanged, serving pho with red sauce, fish sauce and lime, as well as the recent addition of vegetables. Most notable is the provided ceramic spoon — which is said to make pho taste better than a metal or plastic spoon.

Many prefer the Northern style, best eaten at Pho Dau, another longstanding establishment located in a small alley, yet always crowded. Unlike the South, which serves pho with vegetables, black soy bean paste and beef balls, Pho Dau is simpler and clearer, served with just onion, pickle and a small bowl of beef blood.

If going to one of these local favorites is a little intimidating, Pho Hoa is one of the most popular places for travelers, as it is known for its large portions and wide variety of meat.