Looking for a great place to eat pho in Hanoi? Check out the 8 best pho in Hanoi to make sure you don’t miss out on the best bowl of Pho.
Because Pho originated in Hanoi, there is no better place to eat it than there. You can find pho anywhere in Hanoi, but the pho in Hanoi Old Quarter is the most famous.
The sweet aroma of star anise and cinnamon soaked in simmering beef bone broth wafts through the air, leading you around the corner and into a narrow alley. The smell is on almost every street.
Keep reading if you want to know 8 places in the Old Quarter to find the best pho in Hanoi.
Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su
When Hanoians are asked which pho restaurant they prefer, Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su inevitably comes up. Due to its notoriety and the quality of its pho, this restaurant now has three locations in Hanoi.
The best is still the original location on Ly Quoc Su Street, near Hoan Kiem Lake and St. Joseph Cathedral.
As usual, the pho bowls here are prepared to perfection. The broth is subtle, with no flavor dominating the others; the noodles are perfect and the meat is tender. There are six different pho available here, all with beef and prepared differently depending on your preferences. Want to eat Pho like a Hanoian? Don’t forget to get some “quẩy” (dough sticks) to dip in the soup and eat with your noodles.
Besides the excellent pho, the service is fast. You can watch the pho chefs as they prepare dishes with speed and precision behind glass doors. Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su is Hanoi’s best-known restaurant, so it’s no surprise that it tops the list.
- Address : 10 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
- Schedules : approximately 6:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. every day
- Price : 60,000 – 85,000 VND/person. It’s not cheap, but it’s average for an authentic and popular brand of pho in Hanoi.
Pho Bat Dan
When you see a classic Vietnamese restaurant with locals lining up outside while the inside is packed, you know you’re getting good pho. Pho Bat Dan is a restaurant like that.
Since the Pho Bat Dan restaurant is self-service, you have to wait in line and then find a table for yourself. Be patient and you will be rewarded with one of the most authentic bowls of beef pho in Hanoi.
This pho has been around since the 1960s, preserving the same consistent recipe that has remained unchanged since. That’s why Hanoians enjoy the taste of bowl pho here because of its traditional flavors. The broth is clear and rich, with a subtle blend of several flavors. Plus, the beef is tender and mild, with a vibrant pink hue.
Above all, unlike other Hanoi Pho restaurants, they do not serve lime with their soup. They assume that because the broth is so delicious; you don’t need to add it, and they are unquestionably correct.
- Address : 49 Bat Dan, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
- Schedules : 6 a.m. – 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. every day
- Price : from 50,000VND / bowl
- Trick : Go to Pho Bat Dan in pairs so one person can wait to buy Pho and the other can guard the table. Weekend mornings are particularly busy. So avoid these busy times if you don’t want to deal with the endless wait.
Pho Vui
If you stay in a hotel on Hang Giay Street in the Old Quarter, you can come here in the morning to enjoy the unique pho.
Besides Beef Noodles, the restaurant also serves a variety of Pho including Beef Noodles with Sliced Steak and Beef Noodles with Garlic Fried Steak.… The broth is so delicious and slightly thicker than in other Pho restaurants.
The restaurant’s name translates to “happy”. Perhaps this will remind everyone of the satisfaction of enjoying a bowl of Pho here, delicious and also joyful at the end of the meal!
- Address : 25 Hang Giay, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
- Hours of operation : 6 a.m. – 2 p.m. & 4 p.m. – 11 p.m. daily
- Price : 40,000 – 50,000VND / bowl
Pho Suong
Pho Suong, like all famous pho restaurants in Hanoi, has been around for a long time and has a loyal following. “Suong” in Vietnamese means “satisfactory”.
According to the owner, the restaurant was named to pique people’s interest. It also refers to the feeling of satisfaction they want their customers to feel after eating their noodles.
Pho Suong is known for its undeniable flavor. The pho here is incredible, perfecting the clear broth, noodles, herbs, vegetables and tender chunks of beef.
- Address : 24B Trung Yen, Dinh Liet, Hang Bac, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
- Schedules : 5:30 a.m. – 11 a.m. & 4:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. every day
- Price : 40,000 – 50,000 VND/bowl
Pho Ga Lam
While traditional pho is cooked with beef, you can order a chicken-based version here. This restaurant serves the best pho ga (chicken pho). Pho Ga Lam has been operational for over forty years. It is run by an older woman named Lâm. Pho Lam is famous for the quality of chicken meat.
Although famous, the price is also quite affordable: 40,000 VND/special bowl, the personal option costs more. Pho Lam used to be sold in the morning, but now it is open all day.
Many diners revealed that if you want to eat delicious pho, come when Mrs. Lam sells it. Perhaps the true “Hanoi quality” is also appreciated by diners through the human symbol of the pho restaurant.
- Address : 7 Nam Ngu, Cua Nam, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
- Hours of operation : 6:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. every day
- Price : 35,000 – 50,000 VND/bowl
Pho Hanh
Even though it only opens after sunset, this place is popular among many of Hanoi’s young and hipsters, even though you have to sit on the sidewalk on small plastic stools the size of ‘a child.
You will have the choice between traditional soup-style pho, or pho ga (chicken and noodles), or the dry version of pho, which is just as delicious, if not more so. Enjoy dinner here at least once before heading out to explore the rest of Hanoi’s nightlife.
Besides the popular Dry Chicken Pho, Pho Hanh also offers a signature dish that is a locals’ favorite – Chicken Feet Chicken Salad. If you don’t want to try it, chicken salad is an option (vegetables and chicken meat). It always tastes amazing with traditional Vietnamese sweet and sour salad dressing, crisp fresh vegetables and soft and juicy chicken meat.
- Address : 65A Lan Ong, Hang Bo, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
- Schedules : 6 p.m. – 11 p.m. every day
- Price : from 50,000 VND
Pho Bo Hang Dong
This friendly and quiet restaurant is located in a corner of the old quarter. According to the store owner, her grandfather founded it in 1978. She revealed that if you make beef noodle soup correctly, it shouldn’t need lime.
Instead, only three items are on the table: garlic vinegar (which smelled especially good here), fish sauce, and hot fresh sausage. Their soup had a well-balanced broth that wasn’t too salty.
The noodles are delicate and the beef is thinly sliced, making it ideal for eating when you’re hungry. Because it doesn’t need to be chewed and it simply melts in your mouth.
- Address : 48 Hang Dong, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
- Schedules : 6 a.m. – 1 p.m. & 5 p.m. – 11 p.m. every day
- Price : from 45,000 VND
Pho Tu Lun
The latter restaurant is clean and offers hospitable service. This is a traditional pho restaurant that was once owned by an older man named Tu Lun, who was well known for his tasty soup preparation. He has since died, but his two sons have continued the family tradition.
Currently, Pho Tu Lun has been operating for 95 years. The broth here is heavier in the fish sauce for those who prefer a saltier broth.
It contains both green onions and fresh cilantro. Their orange chili sauce is also a delicious homemade concoction. This restaurant is a great place to satisfy your pho cravings!
- Address : 23C Hai Ba Trung, Hang Bai, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
- Hours of operation : 5:15 a.m. – 11 p.m. every day
- Price : 50,000 VND
Pho is so popular in Hanoi that you can almost always find it. There are even 3-4 restaurants on some streets, ranging from luxurious to simple hidden in the alleys, but only restaurants in Hanoi Old Quarter can meet the strict demands of Hanoi foodies. So above suggestion you should visit if you desire the best Pho in Hanoi.
