Where to Eat Pho in Philly: The Ultimate Guide
Philadelphia has been a great pho town for as long as we can remember. Here are all the best places to get a bowl of that beefy, brothy goodness.
Photograph courtesy of Le Viet
Philly has never been lacking in good pho. And this is both a good and bad thing. It’s good because of the abundance. It’s a comfort to know wherever we are, should that urge for fragrant, rich broth and the comfort of noodles overtake us, there’s probably a pho joint within a few minutes’ drive. On the other hand, a wealth of options creates a paradox of choice, making it even more difficult to come to a decision. We tend to pick our favorites and then stick to them with near-religious ferocity.
So the purpose of this list is to let you know that there are other pho places out there beyond your circle of favorites. It’s to tempt you into branching out — into trying something new. It’s to catalog the wealth available to us and help you find a new awesome bowl should you find yourself far from home.
Le Viet, Bella Vista
An upscale, modern Vietnamese restaurant that still offers very traditional flavors. The phở dặc biệt is the main event, with flank steak, brisket, meatballs, tendon, tripe, and sliced steak, all floating in a big bowl of broth and noodles. 1019 South 11th Street.
Pho 75, East Passyunk
Pho 75 is kind of Philly’s baseline pho experience — a benchmark against which all others can be judged. The dining room is open, but you can also simply call, place an order, and swing by to pick it up. The chopsticks are plastic, and the whole deal is cash-only, but that’s kind of as it should be. 1122 Washington Avenue.
Banh Mi & Bottles, Bella Vista
An excellent spot for bánh mì (of course), a drink or two, and big bowls of steaming pho. You can make reservations ahead of time — or just walk in for a bar seat, or order delivery through DoorDash and Uber Eats. 712 South Street.
Vietnam Restaurant, Chinatown
Vietnam Restaurant was the first restaurant started by the Lai family, way back in 1984. It’s long been the benchmark by which newer Vietnamese restaurants are judged and has introduced the cuisine to generations of Philly eaters. Now, the James Beard Award-winning spot has a dozen varieties of pho on the menu — everything from the simplest pho tai to bowls of noodle soup with duck leg, hot peppers, or fish cake. It remains a great place for a bowl of soup, no matter your level of pho literacy. And if you’re looking for a drink, Bar Saigon upstairs has you covered. 221 North 11th Street.
Photograph courtesy of Vietnam Cafe
Vietnam Cafe, University City
This is the sister restaurant to Chinatown’s classic Vietnam Restaurant. It’s a lovely spot with vaulted ceilings, hanging lights, tiki drinks from the bar, and roughly the same, wide-ranging menu as the original, with a good number of pho options — all delicious, filling, and spicy when the menu says so. 816 South 47th Street.
Main Street Pho, Manayunk
Main Street Pho has some of the best bánh mì in Manayunk; but they’ve also got excellent beef, chicken, and vegetarian pho, which is pretty rare. Even better, they do delivery. 4307 Main Street.
Cafe Nhan, South Philly
Cafe Nhan opened in 2018 in an unassuming storefront on West Passyunk Avenue. They specialize in homestyle cooking and have become known for their bún bò Huế đặc biệt, which features a spicy lemongrass broth full of homemade blood cubes, beef brisket, and chewy noodles. They also serve a mean lemongrass-marinated pork chop over rice, which is a steal at $9.95. Call for pickup, or enjoy dining in. 1606 West Passyunk Avenue.
Pho-losophy, Narbeth
Notable because of its location (Narberth isn’t exactly a Vietnamese restaurant hub) and because the vegan pho is, somehow, just as delicious as the beef version. 226 Haverford Avenue.
Pho and Cafe Anh Hong, Upper Darby
Simple, fast, basic place for good pho. Though the spicy bún bò Huế seems to be the pro’s choice here. This spot also comes with its very own Vice Munchies video tutorial. They’re currently on a summer break and will reopen on September 6th. 7036 Terminal Square.
Photograph courtesy of Pho Ha Saigon
Pho Ha Saigon, South Philly, Northeast Philly, and East Passyunk
With three locations, Pho Ha Saigon has Philly nicely bracketed. Though it’s not the only thing the kitchen does, beef pho is the core of the menu here — big bowls done fast and at an affordable price, with room for endless tinkering. 320 West Oregon Avenue; 575 Adams Avenue; 610 Washington Avenue.
Saigon Noodle Bar, Chestnut Hill
The two best things about this small, simple cafe at Market at the Fareway? They’ve got a solid pho ga on the menu that gets a lot of love and attention because it’s one of only five types of pho available — and you can get a bowl of it for less than 10 bucks. 8221 Germantown Avenue.
Pho Street, Center City, Springfield, and Bryn Mawr
The style at these small, bright cafes is Northern Vietnamese street food. The menu offers eighteen different kinds of pho at three different locations, and not one of them will run you more than $14. Go for the pho bo vien (beef meatball) and a side of Vietnamese hot wings. 2104 Market Street; 204 Baltimore Pike; 1001 West Lancaster Avenue.
Pho Saigon, Northeast Philly and Pennsport
Ask any 10 pho fanatics what their favorite spot is, and five of them will probably say Pho Saigon. Granted, they’re likely split between these two locations, but the purists (a group that includes us) likely prefer the Bustleton Avenue spot for its slow-simmered beef pho, loaded down with meat, vegetables, and a huge amount of noodles. If you’re after chicken pho, head for Pennsport. Pho Saigon on Bustleton has one of the rare broths that doesn’t really require any tinkering beyond a squeeze of lime. Plus, the Bustleton location has a parking lot and does takeout pho — a bonus if you’re in a hurry. 6842 Bustleton Avenue; 1100 Columbus Boulevard.
Pho Cyclo Cafe, South Philly
Personally, we like a pho place with a small menu. The more focused the kitchen is on doing one thing really well, the better. Pho Cyclo, on the other hand, has a huge menu, offering pretty much anything you could ever want — plus pho. But this spot is also quickly developing a fan base of people who love it for exactly that reason: for great pho and delicious bites of everything else. 2124 South Broad Street.
Pho Cali, Chinatown
A big, comfortable place for pho fans right in the middle of Chinatown. The pho is solid, traditional, and served in large bowls that don’t skimp on any of the ingredients. 1000 Arch Street.
Photograph courtesy of Streetside
Streetside, Kensington
“Reflecting the best eats, beats, and vibes of Southeast Asia” — that’s their motto. And Streetside is doing it with a menu of Asian street foods, including either steak or brisket pho (or a combo of the two). It’s BYO, and everything is served in a casual, colorful, funky space. Bonus: the Vietnamese coffee is excellent, and they’ve got Asian-style sugar donuts for dessert. 165 West Girard Avenue.
Cafe Diem, Bella Vista
Okay, look. The bún bò Huế? That’s what everyone talks about here. And it’s just as good as everyone says it is. But if you’re looking for a bowl of pho, Cafe Diem does that too — and does it really well. The ingredients are fresh, the broth is gentler than the BBH broth (of course) but deeply flavorful, and the menu at Cafe Diem is so short and focused that you know every item is getting lots of attention from the kitchen. 1031 South 8th Street.
Nam Phuong, East Passyunk
No matter what kind of Vietnamese soup it is you’re looking for, Nam Phuong has it. That’s almost a guarantee. It has pho and things that are kind of like pho. There’s bún bò Huế (of course) and duck soup with bamboo shoots, egg noodle beef stew, and Chinese needle noodles. All of them are interesting, the pho is very good, and if you’re looking to broaden your appreciation of Vietnamese soups, this is the place to go. 1100 Washington Avenue.
Pho Ga Thanh Thanh, East Passyunk and North Philly
In a lot of cities with a large community of Vietnamese restaurants, chicken pho can be hard to come by. At Pho Ga Thanh Thanh, it’s right in the name. The pho ga (chicken pho) is the thing to order. You get your bowl of broth, then a whole or half chicken and a bowl of dipping sauce. You dip the chicken in the sauce, throw it in the broth, and all the flavors just come together. There’s often a line to get into this place, and that’s the reason. 1100 Washington Ave; 6201 North Front Street.
Pho Xe Lua Viet Thai Restaurant, Chinatown
Pho Xe Lua Viet Thai Restaurant (or Pho Choo Choo because of the giant neon train on the sign) is one of those places that you should keep in your pocket until circumstances require it. It does excellent, inexpensive pho with a rich, deeply spiced broth — and great Vietnamese food in general — and is an excellent place to hit after having a few drinks in Chinatown. It isn’t open super late (10:30 p.m. on the weekends), but it’s where to go if you’re in Chinatown and overwhelmed by all the options. 907 Race Street.
