THE BEST PLACES TO EAT AN AUTHENTIC PHO IN HO CHI MINH
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, & slices of beef, but after having Pho in Vietnam, you will have the chance lớn experience many kinds of Pho that you don’t see very often. In this guide, we will go through different kinds of Pho and places khổng lồ eat authentic Pho in Ho đưa ra Minh đô thị that you would not want khổng lồ miss when in Vietnam.
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The Origin of Pho
To find your authentic Pho, you need khổng lồ know its origin. It is believed that pho had 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 at the time, & the French usually took the beef meat to cook dishes và left out bones, so the Vietnamese have learned to lớn use the spare parts to lớn 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; it was used khổng lồ fill up the stomach và as an add-in ingredient when there was little meat khổng lồ eat in the Pho. Pho in the North quickly became popular with people in the South as well, but it added some more Southern touch. People in the South love herbs, and you will see they use herbs in every dish and in Pho too. But the variety of Pho is not only limited khổng lồ that of the North and the South; there are more variations to lớn this famous beef noodle soup.
Different Variations of Pho


The famous Pho we are all familiar with is a bowl of soft, trắng noodles with fresh juicy beef slices, sprinkled with some green onion on top, bathing in the hot beef soup, & accompanied with 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 a lot of dishes made from pho that are as delicious as the typical pho soup.

The variations can be divided geographically or by the way Pho noodle is prepared. There are Northern-style pho & Southern-style pho; in Central Vietnam, the flavor of Pho is not much different but usually served with fewer herbs. Northern-style Pho looks simpler & has less fat, but the taste is delicate. Southern-style Pho is served with many more herbs. The ingredients khổng lồ make the broth is also different; in the North, lớn 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, & peanut worm for more subtle taste. On the other hand, in the South, besides roasted ginger, onion, và pepper, they địa chỉ cửa hàng daikon (white radish), dried squid, beef fat, sweet-sour sauce, và sometimes chicken bones are used instead of beef bones. The green, side dish và dipping sauce for Pho are also different. In the North, green onion, trắng onion, cilantro, lemon, & chili are used for the greens & occasionally accompanied by Chinese fried churros. While in the South, besides the greens you can find in Northern-style Pho, people also like to địa chỉ cửa hàng Vietnamese rice paddy herbs, sawtooth herbs, peppermint, bean sprouts, & a side dish of chili sauce. You can kiểm tra out a good recipe for Pho here.
Beef is the most common meat to put in Pho but in the South, and now some places in the North, they put chicken, beef meatballs (bo vien), & poached egg on top. & to be an expert in Pho and to make an impression on your friends, you can choose what kind of beef và how they are done as well, like in a steakhouse.
Some Vietnamese vocabularies you can use on your food tour lớn enjoy the best pho in Ho bỏ ra Minh City: flank (nam), crunchy flank (ve don), fatty brisket (gau), tendon (gan), tripe (sach), well-done (chin), and rare (tai).
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If you are a vegetarian, don’t worry, in Vietnamese cuisine, there are places for you to lớn try vegan Pho as well. A lot of greens are used; different kinds of mushrooms và tofu skin are cooked in the broth to replace the bones và meat.
The way Pho noodle is cooked also varies. The noodle can be bathed in a delicious heavy soup, stir-fried or pan-fried. With stir-fried Pho, the meat used is not only beef but pork & shrimp with stir-fried bok choy, bean sprouts, Chinese chives, and fried shallot. It contains a bit more fat than the Pho noodle soup but is a flavorful dish you should try. Another variation is Pho noodle pan-fried. They may be served with beef soup or stir-fried beef và of course, Vietnamese herbs.
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Best Pho in Ho chi Minh City
Ho chi Minh thành phố is a major economic center in Vietnam; many people from other parts of Vietnam come lớn the thành phố to look for better opportunities in studying and working. The city has welcomed so many people & their culture that you can easily find foods - especially Pho, of many provinces here. What should you bởi vì after hours of sightseeing in Ho bỏ ra Minh City? Fill your stomach with the famous Vietnamese food, Pho. Visit the places we recommend below, try them, & let us know if they have one of the best Pho in Ho đưa ra Minh City.
Northern-style Pho
Pho Cao Van

Speaking of Pho Cao Van, many will remember a 90-year-old old man sitting in a corner khổng lồ collect money. That is the owner Tran Van Phon. He has been selling Pho from his stalls back in Hanoi và then Saigon. His first shop was opened on Tran Cao Van Street in 1952 & later moved lớn Mac Dinh đưa ra Street. Many people consider this lớn be the closest khổng lồ authentic pho in Ho bỏ ra Minh City. The soup is delicate, và rich but doesn’t have much fat.
Address: 25 Mac Dinh chi Street, District 1Opening hours: 6 AM - 10:30 PMPrice:VND 40,000 - VND 66,000
Pho Tau Bay

Pho Tau cất cánh has been running its business in Saigon since 1954 & quickly became popular with people here. The traditional Northern-style Pho isn’t served with bean sprouts and thick sweet soy sauce, but to lớn accompany the taste of South customers, they now also serve herbs in Southern-style Pho. However, the way the Pho cooked is still that of the North. They are most famous for “to xe pháo lua” which is the largest bowl sizehere.
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Address: 433-435 Ly Thai to Street, District 10Opening hours: 6 AM - 11 AMPrice: 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 đưa ra Minh City, Pho Bo Phu Gia has a long history of over 30 years, and it has become the locals" favorite place khổng lồ eat. The Pho noodle here is fresh & stretchy. It is definitely where you can try the typical Northern-style Pho.
Address: 146E Ly Chinh Thang Street, District 3Opening hours: 6 AM - 11 AM và 5 PM - 10 PMPrice: VND 35,000 - VND 55,000