Where to Find the Best Pho in Hanoi: Streets, Stalls, and Secrets

When in Hanoi, nothing quite beats sitting on a tiny plastic stool on the side of the road while slurping a steaming bowl of Hanoi pho.

Pho, a traditional rice noodle soup, is the national dish in Vietnam. But its roots are firmly planted in the north. With countless pho shops dotting the streets, it's no secret that Hanoi takes Vietnam's most famous noodle soup very seriously.

The best pho joints in town are humble roadside affairs, where the cooks simmer marrow-rich bone broth with aromatics like star anise, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom.

The fragrant broth is then ladled over silky rice noodles, topped with quality cuts of either beef (bo) or chicken (ga), and finished off with a smattering of green onions, a spritz of lime, and a dash of fish sauce (nuoc mam). In Hanoi, a bowl of pho is best enjoyed with a side of quay (deep-fried breadsticks).

Traditionally eaten as a breakfast dish, true connoisseurs will want to wander around Hanoi's Old Quarter in the dark, early hours in search of that perfect early-morning bowl of noodle soup. While there are many legendary pho shops located within the touristy Old Quarter, sometimes your best bet is to follow your nose and eat where the locals gather.

If you’re not feeling quite that adventurous, start with these time-honoured pho institutions across the Old Quarter and beyond. Many of the family-run restaurants on this list are Bib Gourmand recipients, meaning they've been recognised by the Michelin guide for serving excellent food at budget prices. Others have been serving their unadulterated family pho recipes for generations.

One piece of advice: try as many different bowls of pho as possible. You won't regret it.

Located in the Old Quarter, Pho Gia Truyen Bat Dan (aka Pho Bat Dan) has been ladling out some of the best pho in Hanoi since the 1960s. That's probably why this no-nonsense eatery has been recognised as a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant for multiple years in a row.

The menu here is simple, with three types of beef pho on offer: tai (sliced rare steak), tai nam (medium-rare flank), and chin (well-done brisket). Do as the locals do and arrive at Pho Bat Dan when it opens at 6am. This is when the pho ingredients are at their freshest and most flavourful.

Don't make the mistake of sitting down at one of the roadside tables. Instead, wait in the queue and order your preferred style of pho at the counter.

You can also get an egg (trung) added to your pho or tack on a side of savoury quay (deep-fried breadsticks). This place is popular, so chances are you'll have to wait a bit, but it's undoubtedly worth it.

Address: 49 Bat Dan Street, Cua Dong Ward, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi

Yet another Michelin Bib Gourmand recipient, Pho Khoi Hoi has been a staple in the Hanoi pho scene for many decades. Famous for its fatty broth that's simmered for 20 hours, the menu here is long. You can choose from meaty cuts to have in your pho, ranging from beef heel muscle to thinly-sliced flank steak and gau gion (the chef's famous three-hour boiled brisket).

Address: 50 Hang Vai Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi

Another top Hanoi pho spot in the Old Quarter, Pho Thin Lo Duc has been serving pho bo (beef noodle soup) to hungry locals since 1979. What makes this place stand out from the rest is its distinctive smoky flavour created by stir-frying the beef with garlic and ginger before adding it to the broth.

From rare to well-done, you can choose how you'd like your beef prepared. You can even add a poached egg into the mix if you so desire, or complement your pho with a side of crispy quay.

Address: 13 Lo Duc Street, Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi

You'll find Pho Ho Loi hidden away in Tay Ho district, well outside of the tourist epicentre of the Hanoi Old Quarter. Its non-touristy location is a huge part of the appeal.

This family-owned pho spot prepares three different styles of beef pho each day. You can simply opt for the traditional pho bo. Or, change things up with the pho xao lan with sauteed beef or the pho sot vang with slowly-stewed chunks of beef.

Whichever you choose, you'll definitely want to try their famous made-to-order quay, which is crisped to perfection.

Address: 28 Ng. 209 An D. Vuong, Phu Thuong, Tay Ho, Hanoi

This iconic spot in the Old Quarter may be popular with tourists (and locals), but that doesn't mean you should skip over it. Plus, there's the added bonus of eating your piping hot bowl of pho in the comfort of an air-conditioned space.

Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su is a Michelin Gourmand recipient for a reason. As you wait in the inevitable line, you'll get to see the cooks in action, preparing beautiful bowl after beautiful bowl of pho.

As the name implies, you'll have 10 options to choose from, including the ever-popular tai gau with slow-braised brisket and raw beef.

Address: 10 P. Ly Quoc Su, Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

For a completely different spin on Hanoi's famous noodle soup, head over to the residential Truc Bach neighbourhood. This is where the dish pho cuon (rolled pho) was invented.

Think of pho cuon as a noodle soup in spring roll form. In the case of this addictive dish, soft pho noodles are wrapped around slices of beef, a variety of herbs, and lettuce. Dunk them in the sweet fish sauce and you're in for a treat.

As the birthplace of this summertime staple, you'll find restaurants all around Truc Bach serving this dish. But for some of the best, visit Pho Cuon Huong Mai on Truc Bach Island.

Address: 25 Ngu Xa, Truc Bach, Ba Dinh, Hanoi

At its core, pho is a meaty noodle soup but that doesn't mean you can't find veg renditions in the nation's capital city. You'll come across quite a few vegan options clustered around the tourist-friendly Old Quarter. Just be sure to keep an eye out for "pho chay," meaning vegetarian pho.

These renditions are almost always vegan, though you may want to inquire about the broth and addition of fish sauce if you're not dining in a 100% chay (vegetarian) restaurant. One way to find the closest vegetarian and vegan-friendly Vietnamese restaurants in Hanoi is to download the free Happy Cow app. Complete with addresses and reviews, this will lead you to the best vegan and vegetarian pho in Hanoi.

A few excellent chay restaurants in Hanoi are Quan Pho Chay anh Hai near Hoan Kiem Lake, Kiez Vegan in Tay Ho, and An Khánh - Bún Chay Rau Nấm in Dong Da. For an option that caters to carnivores and plant-based eaters alike, MET Vietnamese Restaurant has a handful of locations around the city and has a dedicated vegetarian menu with a vegan pho.

Pho is a fragrant rice noodle soup, usually prepared with beef (pho bo) or chicken (pho ga). The bone broth is traditionally simmered for 12 to 24 hours and infused with spices like star anise, cloves, and cinnamon. Pho varies between regions in Vietnam. In Hanoi, the broth is simple and clear compared to the sweeter and darker versions down south.

Pho is pronounced like "fuh." So the "ph" makes an "ef" sound and the "o" makes an "uh" sound. It might seem confusing but once you get the hang of it, it's easy to remember.

The best places to try pho when visiting Hanoi are the humble family-run establishments that start setting up shop in the early morning hours. Let the scent lead the way and stop where you see locals gathering. Some of the best pho places in the Old Quarter are Pho Gia Truyen Bat Dan, Pho Khoi Hoi, and Pho Thin Lo Duc in the Old Quarter and Pho Ho Loi in Tay Ho.

The best places to try vegan or vegetarian pho in Hanoi are clustered around the Old Quarter or located near Buddhist Temples. Look for "chay" (vegetarian) signs. Some popular vegetarian restaurants that serve vegan renditions of pho are Quan Pho Chay anh Hai in the Old Quarter and An Khánh - Bún Chay Rau Nấm in Dong Da. MET Vietnamese Restaurant has multiple locations in Hanoi and has a long vegetarian section with a vegan pho option.

What makes Hanoi pho unique compared to other regional varieties of pho in Vietnam is that pho in the north is minimalist. In Hanoi, pho typically has a clear and mild broth that's sparsely topped with scallions and cilantro. It's often accompanied by a side of quay (deep-fried breadsticks) for dipping. However, in southern cities like Ho Chi Minh City, pho is sweeter, darker, and piled high with fresh basil, mint, sawtooth coriander, and bean sprouts.